It can be a dream to be able to pack our bags, tape up the storage boxes, load up the moving van and leave our fast paced, hectic and tiring life in the city behind for a new venture in the countryside. For most people, this remains a dream, but for a select few, they transform their vision into a reality. The road to living in the country is as metaphorically bumpy as it is physically with practical, social and emotional challenges for you to overcome every step of the way. So how can you escape to the countryside and make the new chapter in your life a success?
Set Realistic Expectations
You must always keep in the back of your mind that you chose to move to the countryside for a slower pace of life, the friendly people, and cleaner air. The sudden realization of this slower pace of life is felt when you can’t just pop to the cinema with the family to see the latest blockbuster on a Saturday night or venture to a gallery when you feel like your fix of culture. The countryside doesn’t provide all the good bits about city life and throw out the bad bits. Country life is about meeting new people, enjoying the outdoors and finding solace in the simpler things in life.
Practicalities
Often moving to the countryside means taking on a large fixer upper or country dwelling that may not have been lived in for some time. If this is the case, you’ll need to ensure that all main services are connected such as gas, electricity, and water. Don’t be surprised if the first time you attempt to fill the kettle or run a bath, you realize that your property is suffering from a water leak. Ensure you have the numbers and contact details of the company that supplies your water and call in a water line repair company to fix your leak. They’ll be able to venture into the main water line, diagnose your issue and get the main line up and running again as quickly as possible.
In the twenty-first century, it’s vital that you get your home linked up to a broadband service provider and that you have access to the Internet. You’ll also want to investigate cable TV and a landline telephone line.
Homesickness
You may have wanted to hot foot it to a rural idyll for years, so you won’t be anticipating the tsunami like wave of homesickness when it hits you. It’s natural to feel pangs that will make you fleetingly reconsider whether you have made the right decision moving to the country. Don’t worry, you have. You are merely feeling overwhelmed by the newness of your situation. It’s vital that you make friends and start socializing as much as you can straight away. When dropping the kids off at their new school, chat with the parents at the school gates. Join a local club to start a new hobby and explore your local area.
You have ached to up sticks for so long, and you have finally achieved your dream. Now it’s time to start living this new part of your life to the fullest.
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