I was the same when I contracted in London. "Give me the money" and "Greed is good" lol
I stepped on all that insanity and moved to New Zealand down on the South Island. The population is so low that life has a different pace and meaning. Only 4 million people on a land mass about the size of the UK, 3+ million of them on the smaller North Island.
I live rural, 50km out of Christchurch. I drive in each day to work on empty roads until I hit town. I could probably earn more at a different company but I enjoy what I do and that is worth more to me.
As I am rural, you even get into a sort of barter situation. Where you do favors for people knowing they will help you later on when needed. Pay it forward. When you do selfless stuff people return that to you.
Good example is we keep a few sheep through the summer to mow the lawns. There is an old guy I help fix and solve PC problems for, he kills our sheep for us when it is time for them to go in the freezer.
As I typed that realized there will be people who judge that badly. But think of this. We get the sheep as lambs, treat them well and they have a stress free life. When the time comes it is quick. None of this transported over long distance and then stress while are marched en mass with a realization of what is coming as they are moved into the works. This in my eyes is better on them and also I know exactly where that meat has come from and how it has been treated.
great story, it is harder in the big cities of the world - but possible. I'm drawn to big cities and open spaces. We've found a kind of half-way right now. I know that "kind of barter", I think of it as an equal enough exchange of value. There's no need for money to get into everything.
Yep, there is something about life in a city but also impersonal. Last time we came back to the UK for a visit we did our normal smile at people you pass. In NZ the chances are you know them or will meet them again due to the low population lol.
People just stared at us as though we were mad rotf
Another good example was late one night we has a stranger knock on the door. Low on gas and no petrol stations open in the area that late. I gave him the gas I had in a container for my mower, few ltrs to see if that would get him home.
Few days later found some cash in the post box. He must have gone past as and dropped it off. Did not expect it so nice feeling that my gesture was appreciated :)