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Tiny Trullo

On a whim, I bought a plot of an olive orchard in Puglia, southern Italy, at the start of 2020. The 6,500m2 plot of land has 24 centuries-old olive trees, plus a number of almond, fig, and other fruit trees. There is also a more than 200-year-old mini-house, a perfect example of a traditional ‘Trullo’, which is only found in this region. My Tiny Trullo land is an oasis of peace and nature. I fell in love immediately and embarked on this new adventure.

Would you like to enjoy it with me?

How are the trees doing?

2023-09-12T12:33:01+02:00

Let me start with this most frequently asked question. I wish I had different news, but the trees are having a hard time. Not only because of the extremely high temperatures and the drought but mainly because the deadly Xylella bacteria is spreading like wildfire. Xylella thrives in the heat, while the resistance of the trees actually deteriorates. In this blog, you can read how they are doing, and how the advice of the 'tree doctor' I found may save them.

How are the trees doing?2023-09-12T12:33:01+02:00

Real estate – Inspiration Shot June 2023

2023-09-18T11:31:25+02:00

Years ago I 'accidentally' found myself investing in real estate. When I sold my house in Amstelveen, I was able to invest in a few 30m2 apartments in Amsterdam. I had them specially designed, furnished and started renting the 'tiny houses' out to expats. Just when things seemed to be going well and I had done a very pricey refinancing of my investments, the rental property regulations in the Netherlands changed. Now, I can only charge half the rent I used to, and on top of that, property taxes have increased ten fold! It has become an unsustainable situation. My entire business model is turned upside down, which means I have to sell the apartments again. At the same time, other opportunities present themselves. That is why I like to share my real estate secrets, tips and dilemmas I've encountered, in this newsletter.

Real estate – Inspiration Shot June 20232023-09-18T11:31:25+02:00

Lessons from construction projects abroad

2023-07-31T14:24:57+02:00

Lessons from construction projects abroad Real estate investing in Italy and other foreign countries: fun or foolish? Investing in a foreign country: an adventure or a nightmare? It can be both, and even at the same time. I already had some experience with Dutch real estate, but when I [...]

Lessons from construction projects abroad2023-07-31T14:24:57+02:00

Back to nature – Inspiration Shot May 2023

2023-05-15T15:05:00+02:00

As spring transforms my olive grove into a sea of flowers, I find myself undergoing a transformation as well. Returning to yourself after a long period of recovery can be quite challenging, especially when you have lost yourself in a disappointing relationship for years. Nevertheless, I am slowly regaining the color in my life. I even purchased a colorful protest sweater, plus I am learning a lot from nature. It brings me joy to be here in Puglia where I am not only connected to the internet (World Wide Web) but also to the 'Wood Wide Web' 🌳 🌳 🌳. In this Inspiration Shot, I will share some insights and tips on how we are all connected; both to each other and to everything around us.

Back to nature – Inspiration Shot May 20232023-05-15T15:05:00+02:00

Digital delegation – Inspiration Shot April 2023

2023-05-15T15:05:08+02:00

When you travel extensively and seldom stay in one location for more than a few weeks, how do you sustain your business? How do you work with your virtual assistants, and what tasks and responsibilities do you delegate to them? I have been getting many questions on this topic lately. With many people being (too) busy, they often even lack the time to explore outsourcing options. Therefore, this Inspiration Shot offers a variety of practical recommendations for working smarter and outsourcing duties to virtual assistants or ChatGPT, the popular Artificial Intelligence tool. Great news for entrepreneurs and writers on a tight budget. Let yourself be surprised and motivated by the possibilities available to you.

Digital delegation – Inspiration Shot April 20232023-05-15T15:05:08+02:00

Puglia special – Inspiration shot February 2023

2023-05-15T15:05:21+02:00

Puglia is becoming increasingly popular; trendy travel magazines, newspapers and special editions: everyone is writing about the area. Unfortunately, most journalists visit the same places, while there is so much more. Do you want to discover the real Puglia? Since I have been in Puglia for a few months now, almost without interruption, I would like to share with you my love for this authentic part of Italy. In this Inspiration Shot you will find tips, insights and fun facts. Whether you want to take a vacation here, want to practice remote working (during my Workation in April?), want to come and live here or perhaps even invest, here we go…

Puglia special – Inspiration shot February 20232023-05-15T15:05:21+02:00

‘Turning a blind eye’ – Inspiration shot January 2023

2023-05-15T15:05:29+02:00

“If you had to choose, would you rather be blind or deaf?” Do you remember how you answered this hypothetical question? I always chose sight. Even though I know that sound is important, and being able to have a conversation; as a writer, reader, and traveler I value my eyes the most.  So it was quite a shock when I suddenly had flashes of light in my right eye a few weeks ago. I rushed to the emergency room of an Italian village hospital… It turned out that part of my retina had detached; I have permanently lost partial sight in one eye. I gained a lot of inSIGHTs from this experience, which I would like to share with you in this inspiration shot.

‘Turning a blind eye’ – Inspiration shot January 20232023-05-15T15:05:29+02:00

Slow travel – Inspiration shot december 2022

2022-12-15T10:49:10+01:00

To me, an airplane is a kind of 'time machine'. You enter with a certain climate, time zone, culture, and language and a little later you exit in a completely different world. Fast travel gives me a kick! But I've wanted to take it easy for a while. So when I saw this super deal on a 1st Class Interrail ticket; 3 months of unlimited travel through Europe, I bought it without thinking. In this inspiration shot I'll take you on my trip and will share some inspiration examples to reflect on your (life) journey: do you prefer fast or slow?

Slow travel – Inspiration shot december 20222022-12-15T10:49:10+01:00

Patience… – Inspiration Shot November 2022

2022-11-10T12:10:43+01:00

How patient are you? I hate it when things don't go fast enough…. Do we need to learn to be patient? Or is it heatlhy to want to speed things up? Here in Puglia, South Italy, living on a construction site, I am confronted daily with situations testing my patience. Construction workers arrive late, or much earlier than agreed, or sometimes don't come at all. Material is delivered much later than expected. Suppliers can't find the address, but don't bother to call or view the Google maps location, which I always include. My neighbor Mario, who has built my tiny house, laughs at me every time I want to do something quickly, which of course never works. He says, “Esther, you have to learn to be patient. That's how it works here.” And yes, maybe that's why I ended up in Puglia, to learn to be patient. But my drive for efficiency is being put to the test. What's more important? Efficiency, or feeling relaxed?

Patience… – Inspiration Shot November 20222022-11-10T12:10:43+01:00

AT HOME! – Inspiration Shot October 2022

2022-11-10T12:11:00+01:00

The past month has been a chaos of movements. From Amsterdam to Italy, via friends in Portugal to Miami, and with various stops back to Italy, where I am still staying in an Airbnb because my house is not ready yet. It makes me feel restless, but I know that peace will soon come; when I can finally move to my Tiny House and start decorating it. The end is in sight. In the meantime, I have daily WhatsApp contact with a friend in Hawaii who is temporarily homeless. There is a housing crisis since corona because many Americans have moved from the mainland to the islands, making both purchasing or renting a place impossible or unaffordable. My friend lives in her car and is completely in survival mode, with no hope of things getting better. Several coaching clients are about to give up their homes to travel in a motorhome and become entrepreneurs. Although that is a conscious choice for them, it also causes stress. All this makes you think. What does (at) home mean? Is home a physical place? Is it 'where the heart is'? Is it where your laptop automatically recognizes the WiFi? 😜 A few reflections for this month, so that you can determine what (at) home means to you.

AT HOME! – Inspiration Shot October 20222022-11-10T12:11:00+01:00
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