Wednesday, July 8, 2009

Last Summer, Part 2 - Idaho



As this summer progresses I want to post some memories of last summer, since it was so interesting, at least to me...


In May 2008 I left a job in Europe and came back to the US. I stayed with my mother in western Oregon and spent several months figuring out what my life was going to look like. I knew that I didn't want to give my entire life to a corporation any more and that I wanted to be outside, know the rhythms of the sun, etc, etc, etc. All the good stuff.


In June I spent 2 weeks in Grants Pass, Oregon working on an organic farm (see previous post). Then I toured the California Redwoods and saw Arcata, CA before going back north to decide what next. I was looking for a conventional job while really trying to be open to unexpected opportunities. (I fully recognized, and still do, that even though I don't want a conventional life, it's all I've ever done - which is a heavy inertia pulling me back to the only life I know.) So this time last year I headed north and east to Sandpoint Idaho. There is an alternative energy company called Back Woods Solar that I wanted to check out, and a family that I could WWOOF with for a bit.


I only stayed in Sandpoint for a few days. I traded some Industrial Engineering work for food and a place to sleep and had a great time spending time with the family, delightful, interesting people. The picture above is where I slept in Sandpoint. It's a creation of a local artist and gives you a feeling of how neat a place Sandpoint is.



Then I opened up the WWOOF book again, looking in Montana and as far east as Utah for what was going to happen next. I made phone calls, left messages, sent emails to various people and expanded my thinking from just WWOOFing, to interning or even more.


This next picture is in western Montana's Bitterroot valley as I headed east.




In a few days I'll post about what happened next.

1 comment:

  1. Wow. I am impressed. Think of all the people out there living their lives "of quiet desperation" but you took the old homestead bull by the horns and went for it.

    I admire your gumption and grit. Am eager to read the rest of the story.

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