Howdy, associates! This summer time, I am touring to Ecuador to take part in my fifth chautauqua on monetary independence. You should consider joining me. These Ecuador chautauquas — that are unrelated to the European chautauquas — are all the time a enjoyable, academic, and bonding expertise.
Clarification: Sooner or later, chautauqua founders Cheryl Reed and JL Collins parted methods. Now JL runs the European chautauquas — that are on hiatus — with Katie and Alan Donegan. Cheryl continues to run the unrelated Ecuador gatherings. Each occasions are glorious.
As all the time, I plan to discuss the intersection of cash and that means.
How will you discover goal in your life — with or without cash? How a lot cash is sufficient? What must you do after you’ve got achieved monetary independence? These are the types of questions I’ve explored at previous chautauqua occasions. And whereas I have not but ready my presentation for this yr, I count on these are the identical questions I will be exploring in July.
Different audio system this yr embrace:
- Tanja Hester from Our Next Life. Tanja is an outspoken voice within the personal-finance neighborhood, working laborious to problem assumptions and to advertise monetary freedom for all. She’s the writer of the superb Work Elective and the award-winning Pockets Activism. (Tanja can also be a fellow office-supply nerd. Critically, our chat historical past is stuffed with geeky discussions of favourite pens and notebooks.)
- Piggy and Kitty (a.ok.a. Jess and Lauren) from Bitches Get Riches. Lengthy-time readers know that BGR is considered one of my favourite cash blogs. I like how Jess and Lauren mix biting humor with deep dives into personal-finance subjects. Not a simple activity. And the Bitches are simply as humorous in individual as they’re on the net. (I flip to Piggy and Kitty once I need assistance with trendy popular culture. “What does S-tier imply?” “How do I make a Taylor Swift animated GIF?”)
- Jessica and Corey from The Fioneers. Whereas I’ve met Jessica and Corey, I’ve by no means actually had an opportunity to get to know them. I am keen to vary that in Ecuador. I discover their writing thought of and considerate. I am significantly keen on their idea of Slow FI, the notion that you should utilize “the incremental monetary freedom [you] acquire alongside the journey to monetary independence to reside happier and more healthy lives, do higher work, and construct robust relationships”. This meshes nicely with my very own imaginative and prescient of the phases of monetary freedom. (Final Halloween, Jessica and Corey printed an interview with me: Money doesn’t magically fix our problems.)
And, after all, we’ll take pleasure in a presentation from our host, Cheryl Reed. Cheryl based these cash chautauquas with JL Collins in 2013 and he or she’s hosted ten of them up to now. She likes to debate happiness and pleasure and the way to develop it in your life.
When you’re taken with attending this chautauqua, you can find more information at the official website. Word that there are two gatherings in Ecuador this yr. If it would not work to hitch me, maybe you possibly can attend the second occasion.
Every chautauqua is totally different, after all, however the 4 earlier retreats I’ve attended all had similarities:
- Attendees collect at a resort for per week of dialog and camaraderie. These are smallish amenities that enable us to spend time along with few different company. We eat and drink collectively. We stroll collectively. We play video games collectively. We speak about cash collectively. We now have enjoyable!
- Every day, one (or extra) of the presenters offers a speak about a topic expensive to her coronary heart. (I speak about cash and that means, as an illustration.) These are l-o-n-g displays however they’re enjoyable, interactive, and informative.
- Every attendee meets one-on-one with a presenter. What you do with that point is as much as you. I’ve had folks deliver detailed spreadsheets and questions on retirement. I’ve had folks chat with me about journey. I’ve had folks ask for relationship recommendation (no joke!). Usually talking, it is an opportunity so that you can decide an individual’s mind about some type of subject associated to their space of experience.
- There are numerous (non-compulsory) off-site journeys to go to the native space. In Portugal, we visited a vineyard. In Ecuador, we have visited thriving markets, chocolate factories, and butterfly preserves.
From what I’ve seen, nevertheless, the actual worth is within the friendships fashioned throughout these weeks. A lot of our time is spent sitting collectively discussing life, the universe, and all the pieces.
I am nonetheless in touch with people from every of the chautauquas I’ve attended up to now. A few of these people have turn into shut associates with whom I’ve frequent contact. (Our 2016 crew — the Werewolf Hunters — even rented a home in Utah for an in-person reunion. We go to one another each time we’re in one another’s cities and have a semi-active group chat.)
I can not promise that you will kind life-long associates throughout this week, however from what I’ve seen, the chances are good. And no marvel. You are gathering with a gaggle of like-minded folks to speak about some deep, private topics. Bonding is certain to happen.
Listed below are just a few favourite pictures from previous chautauquas…
These chautauquas aren’t for everybody, and I do know that. However they’re good occasions for a certain class of people. When you assume that you are a type of folks, hop on over to the website to try the small print. Possibly I am going to see you in Ecuador this summer time!
Another fast be aware: I lately joined my pal Grant Sabatier on the Earn & Make investments podcast for a dialogue about money burnout. These conversations with Grant and Doc G are all the time entertaining and enlightening.
