Ep. 3: The Great Escape Pt. 1

Westerners are starting to wake up to the fact that the world they grew up in has changed and isn’t coming back. We’re watching our privacy, liberty, and freedom to choose how we want to live erode right out from under us and many of us have made, or are at least considering, the hard choice to move away from the urban centers, institutions, and even family and friends, to build a better future elsewhere in the world.

For some that means moving from cities to rural areas, for others it means moving to a new country -and often into the developing world. But this isn’t just about moving to a new place -it’s a shift to a new way of life that’s in alignment with our values and allows us to prioritize health, happiness, and living in right relationship to the Earth. Where this journey takes place is different for each of us but the story is essentially the same.

History shows us that humans migrate to where there is the greatest freedom and opportunity -and for the last hundred years that was, as often as not, into the west. Now, at the turning of the age, the tides have turned and freedom-loving people are fleeing Western society and, in many cases, Western cities and countries as well.

I affectionately refer to this migration event as “The Great Escape” because my wife and I are taking part in it ourselves. Others refer to it as “exit and build”, speaking of exiting society and building a life as independent of mainstream society as possible. As of this episode, my wife and I have already “exited” and are beginning to build, so I have lots to say -and to share- on the topic.

Drawing from our own experiences planning, moving internationally, establishing ourselves in a new place, and finding land to acquire; and on all the magic that it took to get us here, this first of two episodes dives deep into what it takes to exit mainstream society and start to build a new life in a new place. The next episode will completes the story by looking forward at the territory directly ahead and how my family plans to navigate the trouble waters of the future and all the magical strategies we’re considering.

Learn about my family’s journey and why we’ve decided to build a homestead and magical sanctuary in the jungle while getting a firsthand look at what it’s like to plan (and execute) your own Great Escape.

Thanks for listening!