Final countdown - Only One Week To Go

This past month has just whizzed by. With so much to actually get done I have barely had time to sit down and write about it all. Now, with only one week (almost to the hour!) before we leave, it's time for a quick update:

• All our 'memories' (old photos, letters, kids' art, etc.) are all packed and stored. I decided in the end that there just wasn't time to make memory boxes for the kids as I had hoped. Never mind, that will be an interesting and nostalgic project to look forward to when we come back home, together with converting all our old family videos to digital format for future editting.
• I finally got around to sorting out my old computer and transferring all the files to an external, portable memory. It amazes me just how much of your life (documents, photos, favorite music, etc.) you can fit in something the size of your back pocket!
• Applying for Lielle's passport is a work in progress. We're hoping it'll reach us before we leave as new arrangements in the British Consulate meant that it needed to be processed in Paris. Fingers crossed!
• The last couple of weeks has been a time for saying goodbyes to friends. I spent a wonderful evening with 5 of my dearest girlfriends. The intimate atmosphere of such a small group generated such good energy and I have a lot of exciting projects to look forward to with them on our return. A couple of evenings ago we held a farewell, sushi-making get-together for our Couchsurfing friends. I feel truly blessed to be part of such a wonderful community. This whole plan of ours for a year of travel and personal exploration would never have happened without it.
• One of the highlights of this past month has been learning paper mache together with two good friends - and making two new good friends in the process, Tami and Uzi, who run the course. Wednesdays mornings have been something to look forward to as, in addition to learning a new skill of making beautiful and useful items out of waste paper, spending a couple of hours in such an intimate and open forum amongst trusted friends is just so good for the soul.
• After some uncertainty, we finally received confirmation that one of my elder daughters, son-in-law and grandson will be taking over our rental contract and moving in to our house. The furniture arrived a couple of days ago and they should be moving in tomorrow. Although a little cramped for two families it's only for a short while and we all gain from it. It's the house where my daughter spent a big part of her childhood and she has fond memories of it. For us it means we have somewhere to store a few things which is a big load off our minds.
• I sometimes wonder just where my faith that everything will work out fine comes from. As I mentioned in one of my earlier posts our trip is very low budget and even now, just a week before we leave, we're not exactly sure where all the funding will come from. This last month has seen a few interesting developments in that field. A chance conversation with my daughter-in-law brought to light that I should have received monthly child benefit for Lielle, which for some reason we never received since she was born. I checked in out, and sure enough, somehow or other we had fallen between the cracks and within just over a week my account was credited with the amount due to us over the last seven years! Also, looking through all my old paperwork I discovered that I was owed severence pay for a job I had 12 years ago - a couple of hours in two different offices was all it took to arrange the money owed me there. It turns out that there are millions of shekels owed to people who don't realize their rights. Definitely worth checking out.
• Although Dani has been working hard to tie up all the loose ends of his business it's becoming clear that he won't be able to join Lielle and I right at the beginning of the trip (the part where we travel from Greece to Bulgaria visiting friends along the way). The plan is that around 10-14 days after we leave (about the time we arrive in the village) Dani will be joining us. I must say he doesn't seem too perturbed about it. That might have something to do with the fact that those days are the final ones of the World Cup ;-)

Well, that's a rough update of things we've managed to achieve since the last post here. I still need to sort out health and travel insurance, and at the end of the week we have the Young Entrepreneurs' Workshop that I'm organizing for Lielle and her friends. I shall be attending a couple of evening paper mache sessions in a last effort to finish a couple of projects that I've started; and another evening I'm spending with my son Yair and his friends from the Rimon School of Music as they wrap up the end of the school year with music performances in a well-known Tel Aviv cafe. And last but not least, I really want to spend a quiet early evening surrounded by my grandchildren watching the sunset over the beach. A few weeks ago I was at the beach with them early evening and just as we were about to leave my little grandson, Israel-Shalom (almost 2), hypnotized by the sunset looked at me and said, in beautiful Hebrew: "Wow, what a beautiful sky!" I just had to sit down with him and enjoy it. Those moments are so precious.

The Tooth Fairy

One of Lielle's top middle teeth fell out last week giving her that charming toothless grin appeal so typical of 7-8 year olds. This was her third lost tooth - the lower middle two both fell out within a week of each other last summer in Bulgaria. I remember how excited she was then about the tooth fairy and how thrilled she was to receive a small gift and a little note.

This time round she asked me straight up if there really is a tooth fairy, or if it's the parents. I could sense that she really wanted to know the truth, but that the truth might not be what she wanted to hear. It reminded me a lot of the Father Christmas dilemma in my own childhood. Suggesting that she put the tooth under her pillow, I kissed her goodnight and promised that we'd see what happened and talk about it in the morning. I knew that this would be the last time that she, and I, would be experiencing the magic of this particular aspect of childhood naivety.

I could hear her fiddling about for some time in her room before she finally settled off to sleep. When I crept in just before midnight I found a little handwritten note next to the tooth:

"Dear Fairy, Do you know a fairy called Julie? I believe in fairies. When you take my tooth you can take the little bag too as a present". Along with a 10-shekel coin I left a little note thanking her for the gift.

Lielle woke us up excitedly at 7 am, the coin and note in her hand, and with a cheeky grin and a knowing look in her eye she said: "Ima, this looks just like your handwriting!" So I smiled and admitted that maybe there is a fairy called Julie, and when she insisted, I showed her where I had hidden the tooth, the bag and her little note.

It was interesting to hear the excitement in her voice as she realized she was now a party to one of the secrets of the grown-up world, but at the same time just a hint of disappointment at the realization that that particular part of childhood innocence can never be brought back.

Amongst the challenges that face us during this coming year of homeschooling will be helping Lielle become more independent, more 'grown-up', while at the same time preserving the balance and giving her ample opportunity to enjoy a wonderful childhood. I think we're up for the challenge!

Just 6 Weeks To Go!

I can hardly believe that in just six weeks to the day we shall already be on our way. There is still a lot to get done but it's amazing how this trip has focussed us and what we have managed to achieve already. Dani is well on the way to closing down his business; repairing tools to be sold and getting stuck in with his mountain of paperwork which has always tended to get pushed aside. In the meantime I have had a mega sort-out of all our 'stuff'. I'm so glad that I started that process about six months in advance as it has enabled us to find appreciative homes for a lot of it. Having (between us) eight older children is a big advantage too as we are going to loan out some of our things to them for the year. This means that when we get back and need to start all over we shall have some of the basics such as furniture.

So, what's still on the 'to do' list?

• The personal things like photos, letters, etc. still need sorting so that they can be packed and stored. I'm wondering if I have enough time to make personal memory boxes for the kids and give them each their own things now that they're grown up? That could well take up the whole six weeks though, and I have to wonder whether they would treasure them as I have done all these years.
• There are also loads of files on my old computer (things I've written, photos taken, etc.) to go through before I give it away. Most is probably rubbish, but what if I deleted some gem by mistake? That looks like another big job.
• I need to get Lielle's British passport sorted out.
• Insurance: I seriously wonder if my current insurance policy is what I need and worth continuing with, plus we need to think about our travel health insurance. I could really use some guidance here.
• I want to say goodbye properly to some of my best friends - need to arrange that.
• I have decided to arrange a one-day 'Young Entrepreneurs' workshop for about a dozen girls on the first day of the school summer vacation just before we leave. This will also be a last opportunity for Lielle to spend time with her friends while hopefully making a little more pocket money for the trip. The idea of the workshop is to do arts and crafts, baking, etc. and then sell the produce at the end of the day after learning some of the basics of advertising and marketing. There will also be a second-hand stall where Lielle may be able to trade some of her last remaining toys and books that can't come with us.

Belt-tightening

Although our planned year away is very low budget there are still certain things that will need to be paid for: food and transport are probably the two main things. Over the past year or so we have surprised even ourselves at just how much we have been able to reduce our monthly outgoings in preparation for the trip. Here are some of the ways we managed to spend less (you'll notice that some of the 'decisions' we made were actually fate-induced), for instance:

When one of our cars was written off in a traffic accident we decided the time had come to make do with just the one we had left. And it wasn't so difficult. It did mean planning a bit more in advance so that we could each get maximum use of the car with minimum inconvenience to the other, but all in all the biggest difference we felt was the positive one of less petrol, insurance and repair bills. Several months later the other car suffered damage beyond reasonable repair, but this time good fortune stepped in and one of Dani's children who had upgraded their car agreed to loan us their old one until we leave. Although the ongoing expenses remained the same we are now thankfully relieved of the problem of selling the car at the last moment which is a big plus.

Similarly, a few months ago our second hand washing machine broke down and needed an expensive repair. My daughters who live nearby offered to help out and do our washing for us which is greatly appreciated. In order not to overload them we do some items by hand and are much more aware of only washing clothes that really need it. It's suprising just how much less washing we generate now than before. This has not only saved us having to buy a new machine, but has also caused us to adopt habits that will serve us well during our year away.

After becoming annoyed at the ever-growing cable TV/internet bills for less service we decided to cancel them. Not having the living room dominated by TV has been a big plus in itself, and the internet has been covered by using it during breaks at work, or picking up local wifi signal at home.

Other areas where we just decided to cut down (for varying reasons from "it's not that difficult to do", to "it's ultimately better not just for our bank balance but also for our health/the environment, etc") include: drinking only tap water (instead of bottled drinks) and cutting down on water usage in general by watering the garden with 'grey' water from the kitchen/shower and only flushing the toilet if there's something really offensive in there. None of us family members is offended by the others' urine, so when it's only us at home this saves a lot of pure drinking-quality water being used to simply transport this natural waste from one place to another. The water rates in general have recently been increased a lot and we have noticed a big difference in our water bills compared to our neighbors.

Some of these changes were achieved by a simple shift in mentality. Once you have set a goal in mind that you are passionate about, if that goal involves money to be saved or debts to pay off you actually psyche yourself up to get a thrill out of not buying something. Resisting the urge to buy something actually gives you a buzz as you realize it is in your power to bring that ultimate goal one step closer.

It also helps to look on the bright side and see the positive aspects in everything: cars and washing machines breaking down don't immediately strike people as being positive, but the way things worked out these things not only brought about a reduction in our expenses but also made us super-aware of just how kind, generous and helpful people can be.

From Another Angle

One of our daughter's projects as a new homeschooler is to document our year away by keeping a photo-journal. Although most will be handwritten she will also be putting up pictures and showing her side of the story on her own blog. She will be writing in Hebrew and I shall add an English translation.

Crazy ideas... Win-Win-Win

My mind is always ticking over.... The other day my thoughts wandered to the extent that I was wondering what I would do if I came unexpectedly into quite a bit of money (not that that's very likely to happen!). I surprised myself by thinking how bothersome this might be! I'm quite convinced that the whole beauty of our project is that it is without money changing hands. It has evolved like this because we never have had much money to start with so I just had to think of alternative ways of achieving what others may have thought only money could buy. This has been the whole beauty of the project so far, and that's how I envisage the whole thing running in the future.

But since the niggling question was already in my brain, I had to delve a bit deeper and come up with an answer, and I didn't have to delve too deep to find some inspiration. Whilst in Bulgaria recently serendipity granted me the opportunity to spend a few days with an amazing woman and watch how she puts some of her philosophies of life into action on a daily basis. She's not super-wealthy, but has a steady income which provides just a little more than she actually needs for her own modest lifestyle. I witnessed the smile of gratitude on the face of an elderly woman with whom we exchanged greetings as we passed her, sitting on a low stool outside the supermarket. That particular day was warm and pleasant, and she was there as usual with her various sized bottles of home-produced goat's milk, hoping to sell them all before going home. My new friend told me how a few months before, when the weather had been well below freezing for weeks on end, she would buy all the woman's milk enabling her to go home to somewhere warm. She didn't really need the milk so she gave it to the cats and dogs she found herself taking care of.

A similar encounter awaited us in the outdoor market. I stood by and watched her exchange a lively banter with a stall-holder there, letting herself be easily persuaded into buying much more fruit and vegetables than she could possibly use herself (the extras to be later shared modestly amongst her neighbors). As we left the stall-holder gave her a broad smile. "Did you notice her teeth?", my friend asked me as we walked away together from the market place. "I'm sure she would want to have the dental work she needs done if she could. But she has several children at home and works so hard just to feed them and give them a good education. I bet she happily puts their needs before her own." Regularly buying from this same woman each week, exchanging a few words and a smile, was her way of validating this woman and showing her how her selflessness, hard work and determination were appreciated.

So how did these random musings inspire me? If one day I should have a little spare cash, how would I like to see it used? You'll have to bear with me here if this sounds a bit rambling, but there are a few different thoughts here that all meld into one idea at the end...

I really like Win-Win situations. Even better are Win-Win-Win situations. As I've mentioned on previous posts, since we will be homeschooling our daughter while in the village we are interested in attracting other traveling/homeschooling families to spend time with us and to share their skills. We are also hoping to involve the local children in various activities, broadening their horizons and giving everyone a good opportunity for some cultural exchange. Over time we hope to build up a resource centre providing educational materials and workshops for ourselves, the local children and those who come to visit. One of the things that I feel really brings people together is music and I think that music workshops could be a really excellent way of bringing kids together.

Here in Israel I happen to know someone whose work I really admire. He also brings children together through music: Arab and Jewish children. Separately he teaches them through their respective schools to play the ukulele, and then they get together for rehearsals and performances where they play together, laugh together, have fun together and get to understand each other a little better.

How would it be, I thought to myself, if we could arrange some kind of funding to bring someone like this guy and say 4 of his most promising students to Voditsa to present a summer workshop? This could be an excellent way of rewarding and encouraging outstanding students. They could come to Voditsa for say a week, where maybe a dozen or so willing and eager local children could take part in an intensive introductory workshop. We are hoping to build up a collection of musical instruments. The ukuleles purchased or donated especially for an event like this could be loaned out to the local children to practice on... maybe it could become an annual event to be looked forward to year after year?

But the idea doesn't stop here... why not do something similar with sports activities? dance? yoga? arts and crafts? cookery? drama?

Do YOU know someone who is passionate about what they teach? Maybe they have students who could be rewarded by a trip like this for their achievements? How can we raise the funding? Would YOU like to be part of something like this?

Building Projects

To further our plan for turning our homestead in Bulgaria into a comfortable and cosy place for traveling families to stay we have several projects in mind that we shall be working on in the near future. Just how far we get with them and the order in which they are tackled will depend to some extent upon the various material, financial and human resources available to us.

Summer Kitchen: Faulty guttering and a few loose roof tiles combined to create some serious damage over the last year to one of the small outbuildings. We intend to completely dismantle the building and recreate it as a covered, partially enclosed summer kitchen. We are hoping to reuse most of the old materials (mud, bricks and roof tiles) and incorporate some decorative elements which will turn it into something functional and creative.

Compost Toilets: Definitely room for improvement here! We don't intend to get rid of the old outside toilet just yet, but we do hope to add some more aesthetic compost toilets, both inside and outside the house.

Hayloft-to-Den Conversion: We would like to clear out one of the haylofts and turn it into a cool space for older kids as a den or story-telling corner. For younger children we want to finish sorting out the ground-level playhouse in the garden.

Cowshed-to-Craft-Workshop Conversion: This is a bigger job and to do it the way we are thinking of will mean we shall need to acquire a few new skills first, such as working with natural mud and lime plaster. If we manage to make the place really cosy it could also double up to provide additional sleeping space when we have a lot of guests.

We shall be documenting our progress with these various projects and hope to be able to post some impressive 'before' and 'after' photos over the coming months!