I was able to spend a little more than three months on the island of my choice: Mallorca. It was exciting and relaxing at the same time. For me, every longer stay alone in another country is an enrichment and a chance to reflect on myself in a new environment. In felt good to get away for a while and brought me a big step further on my way.
February:
After a month in the best cycling company at MA-13 in the center of the island, I was drawn to the countryside in February, so I moved to the suburbs of Manacor where I lived with artists and musicians in a creative shared apartment. Distressed by the cancellation of all concerts, Antoni opened his house to travelers, stranded and remote workers like me and converted it into a hostel. This allowed me to wake up to the cries of roosters and donkeys every morning (and even in the middle of the night) and experience the "real" mallorcan country life. I was very busy with work, so I couldn't spend as much time looking for real estate. Instead, I finally ventured to seek a local bank to deal with the rather unpleasant issue of a mortgage. Being self-employed with a small budget, I don't have the best conditions. However, it is not impossible, as I have learned since. For all those who already have full confidence in my project idea and want to support me financially, there is now a donation link on my website.
Thanks to Instagram and a local permaculture chat, I have been able to connect with like-minded people on the island, make friends and visit many exciting sustainable projects, despite the social restrictions.
1 – Mediterranean flora
2 – My mallorquin host Antoni and I taking a break in his garden. (Foto: Marc Mace Smith)
3 – Building a hugelculture garden bed with new friends.
4 – The door of finca no.13, the finca who didn't want to be mine.
March:
The real reason why I want to live in Mallorca is the seaside. Therefore, I wanted to spend the last month in the region where I finally want to settle: The east coast. As my last place of residence, I treated myself to a small studio in the deserted tourist town of Sa Coma. The huge hotel blocks gave an idea of how crowded it normally gets here, but now most of the stores and restaurants are closed and the big beach is lonely, peaceful and beautiful. Every morning I took a walk along the cliffs and looked for a nice place for coffee, writing my diary and now and then also for a morning swim.
After over 30 property viewings, a few favorites crystallized. I described my top five properties and my experiences with the finca hunt in this blog article. One property (no.13) convinced me enough to have it checked by an architect and the town hall and I finally made my very first offer. Unfortunately I was outbid after very quickly. The first setback was hard, but I am convinced that the right property will be waiting for me.
1 – Fishing nets at the port of Portocolom 2 – Waves at Mallorcas eastside 3 – Cales de Mallorca behind Cala Magraner. 4 – Me, happy to be at the seaside every morning. April:
After the first rejection, I began to rethink my approach and my concept. The utopia should become a realistic and feasible project after all. My financial resources are certainly the biggest limitation, which is why I expanded my search to building plots without existing buildings. This would allow me to start with a small budget and then look for investors for the construction as well as for the implementation of the project. At the end of March, I visited a piece of land that did not quite meet my original criteria and had some hurdles. Nevertheless, this plot has not left my thoughts, especially since I see a great potential in it. So, after several visits, I decided to make my second offer shortly before returning home. The negotiation process is even more complicated and nerve-wracking than I imagined. It requires not only countless clarifications, but above all strong nerves. It has not yet been decided whether or under which conditions I will buy this property. Stay tuned on how this will go along.
1 – Me on my possible future property.
2 – The only building on the plot is a tiny old barn.
3 – Why I love it so much: 10 minutes walking distance to this stunning coast.
4 – Could this be my new neighbor?
May:
The return to Basel was not easy. A huge amount of work and a big pile of unopened mail was waiting for me. I still have one foot in Mallorca and am struggling with my impatience to finally return to the island. But at the same time I am afraid of the big step and of making a bad decision. My next longer stay is planned for this fall.