Profile information
Travel information
I am currently
At home
My next destination:
Bulgaria - from Jul 2025 until Jul 2025 View all
Description
Update: I'd love to hear from you if you know of any affordable land/properties for sale across Europe, preferably as part of a community which is trying to attract new people!
Hello!
I have recently quit my job and am planning to travel across the Balkans this summer (2025), partly to meet kindred spirits and partly to find land.
I work as a mental health social worker in a hospital crisis team in east London, and I decided I need a break! I have the opportunity to retrain as a psychotherapist, which I am considering at the moment, as it would allow me to work remotely in the future.
Outside of work, my dream is to one day have my own land, where I can grow my own food, rescue animals and feral children, host other travellers...so I want to start moving in this direction, and learning from others who have already started living like this.
I recently spent a year living in a rural community in Serbia; we grew all our own food, all our water came from mountain springs, we didn’t step inside a shop for months; old women aged 95 are still herding their goats over the hills; there were things I missed about London (the people!!), but I fell in love with the freedom and self-sufficiency of the lifestyle I experienced there. But I realised after some time that I was lonely.....
So I now know that I love living in nature, away from the urban madness, but I also need community - I do not want to live all alone in the forest!
In London, I volunteer regularly at a local city farm, helping with animal care (goats, pigs, sheep, geese, chickens, rabbits, donkeys etc) food growing, and running youth groups. I have lots of experience growing food, and I have just completed a beekeeping course and will soon manage the hive at the farm. I WOULD LOVE TO LEARN MORE BEEKEEPING SKILLS FROM ANYONE WHO CAN TEACH ME!
I love being in the wild, working with animals, with good people, getting my hands dirty, learning new practical skills and new languages.
Also very interested in increasing my knowledge of medical herbalism - unfortunately courses in the UK cost thousands of pounds, so I am hoping to just teach myself and learn by experience from others!
Happiest when surrounded by children and animals. Obsessed with dogs.
I try to write and to practice yoga daily.
I also paint naive art - I have no formal art training, I just love doing it, on any surface I can find - I've attached some photos on my profile. One day, when I have my own house, I will paint all the walls with naughty animals.
I like to wake up early!
Interests
Art & design
Books
Yoga / Wellness
Writing
Sustainability
Self development
Politics / Social justice
Plant care
Pets
Outdoor activities
Nature
Languages
Hitchhiking
Hiking
Gardening
Farming
Events & social
Drawing & painting
Dancing
DIY & crafts
Culture
Cooking & food
Charity work
Carpentry
Camping
Beach
Animals
Languages
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
French: Fluent
Russian: Intermediate
Serbian: BeginnerMore details about my language interests
Would love to learn Romanian and Polish, and also to keep practising my Russian so that I don't lose it. I used to teach English and French as foreign languages to students in Russia, Ukraine and Kyrgyzstan.
Skills and knowledge I'd like to share or learn
I'm interested in:
DIY and building projects
Eco Projects
Charity Work
Art Projects
House sitting
Some knowledge of:
Being an elderly companion
General Maintenance
Creating/ Cooking family meals
Helping around the house
Able to teach about:
Gardening
Life at a Farmstay
Animal Care
Languages
Teaching
More details about your skills
I have taught English as a foreign language, and have taught French and Russian to English-speakers.
I have volunteered at a city farm since 2014 (http://stepneycityfarm.org/) and have learnt a lot about food growing and permaculture through this work. I also have my own allotment, which I have been growing food on.
I'm confident with animals and have learnt some animal care through my work at the farm (i.e. delousing chickens/reducing risk of flystrike in sheep etc.) as well as also through volunteering with animal shelters.
I am a qualified mental health social worker, and have experience of working with children and adults in distress using a range of therapeutic models, such as Open Dialogue and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy.
I am about to complete a beekeeping course and will be looking after a hive at my local city farm in London.
Age
38
What else ...
I am strong and happy to do dirty, tiring work!
Some more information
Smoker
Driver's licence
Allergies
Special dietary requirements
I try to avoid processed foods, sugar, gluten, cow's milk and factory-farmed meat whenever possible.
