The best thing about being a digital nomad and entrepreneur is the freedom of being location free and having my hours to dispose off as I please. Thanks to this, for the second time, I've had the pleasure to volunteer at a summer camp as an english teacher for a company called Angloville.
This post is not really about Angloville, but on a book of knowledge I have been asked to write on after it. But, for those who don't know Angloville here is a little intro on what its all about. If you know it, you can skip the next 4 paragraphs.
Angloville is a company that organices english camps for children either 7 to 12 or 12 to 18. My patience is not so great, so I've only done the junior editions (12-18). It's not formal teaching, its more likeeee having casual conversations with kids about every day life and playing games. All in a 1 week camp thats lots of good fun. You get around 40 kids and 20 mentors (like me). All mentors are around my age 20-30, usually cool travellers or like minded people. They pay for your accommodation and food the whole time (both usually quite good), but more than that... the people you'll meet will open your mind and change your life.
The kids are great. They really listen to what you have to say, and look up to you. You really do make a difference in their lives. They ask you lots of questions and it is so fun to teach them, not only english but about any topic. Butttt, meeting the mentors is what it's really about. After the kids go to sleep we all stay up around the venues (which tend to be fancy hotels in small villages) chatting about life, death and everything in between. We all come from different backgrounds and have been brought up in different ways. We hear the most funny stories, life experiences, debates and sometimes even arguments (good intentioned arguments) that leave you with a lot to think about.
Another interesting part is... there is no drinking or smoking (dubs) the whole week (to be good role models for the kids), which makes us mentors all go through a cleanse and end up returning to a childish playful way of being. I think of it as a cheap rehab, giving the body a break for a few weeks. (Just before starting the two weeks this summer I had spent 9 days in Amsterdam and my body could really do with a break). Spending one week getting to know each other, both participants and mentors, you form this warm strange bond, almost family like. We touch real depths in conversations and end up becoming good (even great) friends when we part.
I have now finished my 5th Angloville week (three in Feb 2020 and two this July 2021). I will surely go back for some more next summer (or possibly winter, as they do winter programs as well). Another fun fact: In between the mentors, we call Angloville, "Bangloville" because many of the mentors end up sleeping with each other. It's all great fun. And it's crazy, because we are all sober all the time, which makes the connection be really real. Those also make for crazy stories. Also, because the Angloville community of mentors is rather small, you end up seeing old friends from past weeks in different places or hearing about people who have done so and so... But I don't kiss and tell, and try not to gossip, so I won't tell you anymore about bangloville.
If you have a couple of weeks off, and don't quite know what to do... I recommend you sign up for some Angloville. You will want to come back for some more.
Now the real reason for this post...
When leaving the second week, one of the coordinators (the people who get paid to do the camp, but have more responsibility) asked me if I could write on her "book of wisdom". She asks people who she think are interesting to write in a few things about their experience, life advice or about what they think is important. Of course, I jumped at the opportunity. It was an honor for someone to ask for my knowledge.
She gave me her (rather large) leather book of wisdom. More than half was already filled in with possibly hundreds of travellers, mentors and interesting people who had written in it. All dated and signed! I thought that this was a great idea and will now probably buy a big leather book of wisdom of my own to get people to write in.
Anyways... I was given the book on the bus ride back to Warsaw. I wanted to be concise and really write down some of my life truths. I started writing on the shaking bus with all the kids screaming in the background, and found one of those motivation moments, were the world disappears around me and the words just pour out. It was only 3 pages and a half (written in all caps, because if not, she probably wouldn't have understood my writing) but I quite liked what I wrote. So I took some pictures of it, and I am going to share it with you now...
Yes, I know its not very clear, so I am going to transcribe it (and fix some spelling mistakes jeje). Text reads:
17/07/21
There are too many problems, injustices, corruptions and things that could be done better, that we cannot tackle them all. So, choose your battle. And whatever you choose, make sure it's because you want it. It's not going to be easy, but it will be worth it. Because it's your cause. Your way of making the world a better place. Once you've chosen, forget it all, and aim directly towards your goal. - You can always change your mind afterwards, but at least you tried. And now you know.
I don't know what my cause it YET, but I know of many things that aren't my cause. So, rather than getting mad, I accept ...
...them, and ignore them. My mission now is to try as many things as possible to find my cause.
I have a strong belief rhat my cause will simply be to travel the world, have children and then show them the world. I suffer from the curse of gypsy feet. I cannot be still in one place, I must keep moving. Which is amazing because I get to see so may things, cultures, people and places. But it's sad too, because I never make roots. My best friends are those from high-school and uni, and I rarely see them. But I love them, they love me. They are true friends. I know I can count on them.
The system is not broken, it is merely rigged. Rigged with those in power or with money. We all know of countless stories of powerful people making atrocities and going away with impunity. So again... choose your battles. Accept it, and ingore it. You'll be happier.
With regards to money... Money is NOT the toot of evil. Greed is. Money for me buys freedom and time. Money is here to help me, not make me miserable. There is no sense in slaving away in a job working 70h weeks unless you love the job, no matter how much they pay. Your time is always wroth more!
I'm not advocating not working, im advocating working only enough or yo to be free to do what you want, and no more. "Nice things" won't make you happy. True friends and experiences will.
What I advocate, is to work for yourself or do a job you love. Because you are an employee, you are always underpaid. Even if they pay you millions, you will be underpaid, because you generate more value that your wages (or you'll be fired soon). Therefore, you are always better off working for yourself, or, doing a job you love (because then wages don't matter). Now with the internet it's easier than ever to work for yourself, the you want, and be loction free.
Thats the world I live in. I am very happy. I work extremely little, from wherever and spend my days doing things I like. Now... I need to find my purpose. I could work more and earn a lot more, but money doesn't do it for me. I prefer freedom. Money buys you freedom and time, that is true richness to me.
I want to show they world they can do this too!
We should do what we want, say what we feel, be ourselves and not be slaves of "things" or of other peoples judgments.
Make your own rules. Follow your own way. Who cares what "they" think? Who are they? Do what makes you happy. Rhere is no afterlife. You will never get this day back. Enjoy. Live
To not end in such a cringey way...
Do you even know what makes you happy?
If you had all the money you needed to do the things you wanted to do, what would you do?
Can't you do some of that now?
Comedy and good jokes go a long way, don't take tings so seriously. Have a luagh.
Love love love
Ivan
Angloville
Stenoza Golf
End of text.
Now... I was quite happy with what I wrote because I was forced to write only what I thought was super important. I didn't want to ramble on such a precious book. I think what came out was quite good. As per usual, I touched upon many topics, and didn't go quite into depth into any. I like this because it makes the reader interpret things their own way. Many of the things said, were all classical things I splurge out at random times when people ask for my opinion. I also write about them here on my site.
I then shared these photos on my instagram story, only for the close friends list with an invite to discuss what I'd written. I got way more replies than I expected (specially as my close friends list on insta is rather small). But there was one reply that stood out and I wanted to share...
They reply to my story with:
What I think: I know I suffer from the curse of gypsy feet too. I think that’s what we where when we were growing up. We were fortunate to have a taste of the world and when we left high school we had created an addiction and we wanted more. The last two years in lockdown have challenged me as a person, broken me in some ways and made me better in others. It’s a tough thing when you are addicted to new, exciting, thrilling places and love meeting new people. I take every chance I get to tell someone I like what they are wearing, or I think they are funny, or I question them. I have met some fantastic, interesting, spell binding people who have challenged me to be the best version of myself. I think it’s a shame us nomads don’t have a home but I think we make a home in some of the people we come across, we share little intricacies of our life and similarities. We relive and retell the stories of our youth, and the places we’ve travelled and we know we’ve lived a thousand lives.
I agree with you with most of it, and it made me think I was reading something I myself had written. It’s strange to find comfort in words like this, to relate to being a nomad. I would like to say I live life to the fullest. At times I miss Europe because I could travel there, and sometimes Australia doesn’t seem to offer the freedom in the same type of way but then again I like to make the most of everything here. Life’s a game, and I think when you play your cards right you can find magic in simple things. I am an advocate for sharing fun times, and celebrating everything. Life’s too short to accept a basic existence. Thanks for reminding me of that.
I respond:
Thank you for your words
I too like to complement people when they do something well or a little detail I like about them. Lockdown hasn’t been so strict for me... only the first 4 months, which has made traveling even more interesting because there were fewer people everywhere and those you met were the brave who dared to go in times of uncertainty. I also love questioning not only things but people and their choices... not because I disapprove, but to understand them. I try to live my life to the fullest and often find myself exhausted, but with great memories. I want to be tired. By the time I’m old I want to have done it all.
Thank you
I too find comfort in your words
I haven't been to Australia yet... but it's on the list
Then a last message from this person:
Lockdown has been very strict for me but it’s because Australia is very protective. I totally agree, being exhausted from living too full is actually a very satisfying feeling. I totally agree with you “by the time I’m old I want to have done it all” I would rather be like “I can’t believe I did that” than “shit I wish I would have tried”
Life of adventure.
I think I will leave it here for today...
I am ecstatic that people are enjoying what I write. Maybe that's why I wanted to share this response. I don't do much proof reading so that it's more "natural". I also write mainly by hand and for myself... But I am wanting to get more of my thoughts up on this blog. Soon...
Like always, If you want to discuss anything further, pop me an email. I love receiving your replies and questions. It really gives me joy to know I am helping out, or at least making you think differently.
Here is a pic of me and the boy mentors at Angloville. No pictures with the kids because that's not allowed... No pictures with the girls because they smell weird.
-PS. That's a classic Ivan joke, they didn't actually smell weird. It was just a boys pic. -
Once again. I ultra recommend going to an Angloville. Check the website here: https://angloville.com
Comments