A new way of life

Some people even if they are fabulously reach, became tired of the “rat race” and decide to leave it. Daniel and Michelle Burns now have in their possession the croft in the remote part of Scotland. . Daniel was the sales manager of the breakfast cereal company and Michelle was a successful advertising executive. Both of them gave up their jobs to come to this remote area of Scotland. They think that a big house and cars isn’t everything. They both used to work long hours. They had to leave early in the morning and came home so late at night that they hardly ever saw each other. They should have came here years ago on their opinion but they were afraid to leave jobs. In the end they had so little time together that their marriage was breaking up. Two years ago they took a week’s holiday  in the Scottish highlands. They saw this place and both fell in love with it. It was for sale and they liked it so much that decided to give up their jobs. Now they don’t need much. They keep sheep and goats, grow their own vegetables. They’ve got a few chickens. It’s a very simple life and they are not in it for profit. They re still so busy that they work from five in the morning till eight at night, but they are together. They are happier than that have ever been. They knew such a lot of people in London, but they weren’t real friends. They see their neighbors occasionally and there’s such a lot to do on the farm that they don’t have time to feel lonely. At least they see each other now. The other cause to give up the habitual type of life is the eagerness of having an adventure. Luke Saunders has just returned to England after a three-year motor0cycle journey. He had worked in a car factory on the assembly line. All he had to do was put four nuts on the bolts that hold the wheels on. It’s done by robots now. The job was so routine that he didn’t have to think at all. He bought the second hand bike and it was a beginning of the new life for him. He had a bit of money to start with, but of course it didn’t last long and he had to find work where he could. He’s done so many different things – picked fruit, washed up, worked as a mechanic. Everywhere he went people were so friendly that problems seemed to solve themselves. There was such a lot of interest in the bike that it was easy to start a conversation. Only once he felt like giving up, turning round and coming home. It was in Bangladesh there he became so ill with food poisoning that he had to go to hospital. But it didn’t last long. Next week he’s off again – he’s going in the opposite direction. Some time even Russian, powerful businessmen decides to leave these rat races. German Sterligov Russia’s second official millionaire following the collapse of communism has abandoned his wealth to live in a remote part of the country. He was only 24 when he founded the company in his own name and, taking advantage of a lack regulation built a financial empire with offices in London and New York. Nut now, 15 years after he made his first million, he has quit and opted to live a traditional peasant lifestyle deep in the Russian countryside with his wife and five children. Mr. Sterligov sold up after his political ambitious had come to nothing. He had begun with campaign for a governorship in Siberia, followed by an effort to be a mayor of Moscow and finally Russian President. As he says he basically wanted to change the life of the Russian people for the better. He wanted to bring his vision to the country to create a better way of life. But he was unsuccessful and came to realize that even thought he can’t be there for his country in this way, his family still needed him. And he could achieve change on this level. He explained that he had built up huge debts because of the cost of his political campaigning. As a result he sold his house in Moscow, all his properties and stock and paid back his debts. He then went camping  in the forest and built a house with the money left after everything else was sold. In such an urgent situation to the mind of Sterligov, there is no time for discussion – this is when the head of the family has to make all the decisions. It was hard for his wife, she wasn’t used to life of the peasant, she was used to life of the millionaire. Now she’s grateful, because her kids live normal, real life. But he said that even when he was wealthy, he didn’t live the typical lifestyle of the Russian mega-rich. They didn’t have elephants or swimming pools. But it’s true that they always lived in the richest, most elegant and exclusive neighbourhoods, in large, expensive houses. His family was definitely happier he said. Mr. Sterligov’s children are educated at home, as he believes that allowing them to go to school would just ‘corrupt them’. They will not be allowed to attend university for the same reason. Mr. Sterligov thinks that universities are full depravity – they would just pick up moral corruption there. Mr’ Sterligov is a staunch nationalist and became deeply religious 10 years ago, although he didn’t want to talk about this, describing it as ‘personal’. He don’t have any money left – all he has is the money in his pocket. And he has geese, some cattle, a ram and turkeys. He also has two tractors, a bulldozer and an old Toyota. Although in winter the farm is only accessible by horse-drawb cart. The nearest house is 11 km away. There is no electricity and he is trying to wean himself off the mobile phone. They are almost totally self-sufficient. All they have to buy in is sugar, salt and tea and occasionally bread when they are too lazy to mill their own flour. His life has never been better he still can’t believe he has such a full and interesting life. They have found happiness as a family – and he can still hardly believe they managed to escape Moscow, with all of its mercenary atmosphere, the envy and the hustle.