I am Puerto Marita and I love to live simply
Well, actually, my name is Eva Marita and I’m married to a guy named Puerto. Let me tell you our story.
I was born in the Netherlands and grew up with my hands in the dirt. The house in which I lived as a kid had a huge garden with vegetables, fruit trees, berry bushes, some chickens and a goat named Tieneke.
Diego, on the other hand, was born in the big city of Bogota. Playing outside riding his bike he also grew up with dirty hands, but our lives could not have been more different. Nonetheless, our paths crossed and we have been walking together ever since.
We met in Colombia and I convinced him to come to Chile where I was living back then. We’ve been trying to figure out a way to live a simple life that worked for both of us. Not an easy code to crack, and even harder when you don’t own a passport of the country where you reside. So, we thought Spain would be easier, and here we are.
We first landed in the Pyrenees, moved to green Asturias, and moved once more to finally find ourselves a rental home that was cheap enough to save money, but where we could also grow food, enjoy the outdoors and just live simply.
The rental home was only a temporal solution to achieve our goal to buy a property so we could truly build a more self-sufficient and simple life. After years of searching, we found our little dream home in the southeast of Galicia. We’ll be moving anytime soon now We have just moved and have exciting plans!
What’s that simple living thing?
Just like most of us, I entered the rat race, but I didn’t last long. After a couple of rounds, I realized I wasn’t getting anywhere and was happy to leave the safety of the system behind and start exploring the world and myself.
I went to Madrid, learned Spanish and volunteered in Ecuador for a year where I lived in a small building on the school premises. No running water, no toilet, no radio, no tv, no cellphone… but a bunch of happy kids and stunning views.
When I returned to Europe I had a hard time adjusting to ‘normal’ life again so I flew back to Southamerica. Following my heart and the road ahead, I stumbled upon a village in Southern Chile which became my base camp.
Even though I had studied to become a chef I somehow managed to make a living as a translator – a simple living that is of course. Before the word was invented I had become a digital nomad, owning just enough to work, enjoy life and not have to pay extra luggage fees at the airport.
Living simply gave me freedom, nonetheless, I willingly traded in some of that freedom in return for the love and support of a relationship and the joy of being a dog and cat mom. Life is a little more complicated now, but that’s okay.
Living my life mindfully and following permaculture principles I am still able not to overcomplicate my life and keep it simple.
I can highly recommend you the De-Mystifying Mindfulness course if you want a deeper concept of what mindfulness is and how to start your mindfulness practice. It’s available on Coursera here.
I also recommend checking out Milkwood. Permaculture is not only about growing food, it’s more a guideline for living and thriving without generating waste and caring for the earth and the people.
Why this blog?
There’s nothing more empowering than growing food. There’s also nothing like living in a small village, slowing down, talking to your neighbours and enjoying the little things of life and I want to share it with you.
At times it seemed impossible to buy a home as you either earn a lot of money and live in the city or you live in a rural area and make way less. The way the system is set up nowadays just isn’t very helpful, but with a clear vision and patience, it’s possible. If this sounds familiar I hope this blog will help to keep that vision alive.
I also believe we all have an innate knowledge of growing and foraging food and I want to inspire you to tap into that knowledge. You don’t have to be born in the countryside, you don’t have to have a green thumb – it’s embedded in our genes. We are all gardeners.
And last, but not least – I hope you’ll find value in the things I write on my blog.
Ah yes, I could have written that. Now, your words are unique to you and so they could not be mine but the overal message is the same. I will read your posts from now on and be inspired.
Our goat called Brammetje and died after his castration.
We have two cats of which I am a mom.
And a husband at my 48th. It was a long wait but a happy one.
I think growing your own food and life simple is already challenging enough after decades of owning nothing. But then again, I am sure the brain goes many steps back in the ability to handle stress. And when I thought about doing things like our grandparents did, the things my parents turned their back from, I realize why they did. Because it is a lot of work, and one must want that Well, I LOVE it! I am grateful that I have the chance to do what I do, and I see you think exactly like that.
Greetings from the countryside of Hungary
So lovely the read my words and message resonate with you.
Every change in life is just like cycling the world. You first tackle one hill, then one country and then the world! Or at least, that’s my guess – only you will know if that’s a good comparison. It’s just one step, one change at a time and the results will always amaze you.
Nice to be connected!
I think you could compare it like that. And that we need change. Without change many aspects becomes dull, a repetition. So, let us move forward to a garden full and ever changing sceneries.
Amen to that!