MOVING TO THE COUNTRYSIDE

"Hinaus auf's Land" Members of my generation will remember the corresponding song title by Katja Ebstein. Long time ago.

When I recently listened to an interview on You Tube, this song came back to my mind. The interviewee, the owner of a  well-known and successful internet TV station and a lover of big city lifestyle, made an unexpected statement. He had decided to leave his beloved capital of Berlin and to move to the country. Because, in his words: "Life in all its colour, variety and coexistence takes place in rural regions.

Wow, I thought. He is quoting my words

His long-term goal is to build a media centre, comparable to a campus. Big style. For events of all kinds: education, culture, leisure. Away from the primarily digital communication via PC or smartphone, instead step by step back to analogue life: the direct encounter from human being to human being, meeting people face to face.

He explained that the current Covid crisis and its negative side effects on his professional life had prompted him to rethink. And after considering the pros and cons, he came to the conclusion that he should leave the past behind and take new paths. Off to new shores.

A visionary. A man with a bright mind and the enthusiasm of an entrepreneur. In the literal sense of the word. And with the right instinct for perfect timing. Like a fashion designer or an artist who intuitively sense that something new is in the air. Times for creative ideas. Winds of change.

And I totally agree with him. About 20 years ago I moved from a big city in Western Germany to the countryside near Munich. Bavaria is still my second favourite country of choice. And from there, I moved further south to the Algarve in Portugal, to a small village by the sea. In whose neighbourhood we are still living today.

Living in the countryside of Southern Portugal makes such a difference compared to a life in the big cities of the North like Lisbon and Porto.  The Algarve was, before Covid, one of the most popular holiday destinations in Europe. The sun, the sea and the beaches. At the moment the situation looks rather sad, like in many other holiday regions around the world. Future uncertain. The tourists prefer to stay at home. Better safe than sorry. But: it is not yet the end of the day. Who knows what the future will bring. Or even better: Let's start to shape it ourselves by being proactive.

It is time for new ideas, new priorities and projects. The brainstorming has begun. Alternative holidays with a focus on sustainability. For example, nature lovers who enjoy hiking or people who are interested in bird watching. Or round trips that introduce the visitors to art, architecture and the impressive history of Portugal.

And there is the Alentejo, the insider tip on the Northern border of the Algarve. Nature, culture and tradition. Home-style cooking and its wines. A perfect place for a campus-style media centre in the countryside.

Times of crisis. Times for visionaries.

© Solandra 2020-11-08

Translated with the help of DeepL

Proofread by the author

Foto von Bruno Mira auf Unsplash