Why Do You Colive There?

Winter is coming.

The more people I meet and live with, the more I marvel at our diversity. I don’t necessarily mean diversity with a capital D, the one that we use to tackle inequalities of treatment based on gender, handicap, background, and nationality. I'm referring to the more subtle ones, those which are less subject to unfair treatment.

Some of us are early birds, others are night owls. Some of us drink coffee like water, while others need tea to function.
There are “no breakfast” teams, and “we can’t do anything without food in the morning” gang.
Some of us thrive working in a room full of people, some can’t handle the sound of the radio.

And then there are those who chase the sun and others, like me, who eagerly wait for the cold to set in.

That is a sufficiently intricate intro for this post; let’s have a commercial break now.

This post was born out of a question I have been asking myself. Why do Digital Nomads pick the spaces they pick?

I run a space in Devon, UK. From day one, I knew it would be difficult to compete with destinations in the south of France, Portugal, Spain, Italy, or northern Africa, where the summer seems never to end, and even when it does, spring is right around the corner.

If you haven’t been to Devon before, it looks more or less like this.

It’s beautiful, but it lacks mountains, which also excludes us from the running, with places in the Alps or Pyrenes.

While we are not far from the beach, the water temperature makes it difficult to compete with Tenerife.

Our reality is other.

Between 1991 and 2020, the average temperature in the “winter” season was between 9 degrees celsius (Dec-Jan) and 13c (April), and the average monthly rainfall was 95 mm (November) and 55mm (March).

Those are hard facts we can’t refute.

However, I have spent ten years in Sweden, with some minus 15-degree days, winters that felt like six months long, and 3 p.m. sunsets, and not only did I survive, I thrived. And had the best coliving experience ever. I am convinced the cold and coziness of Swedish life brought us closer together.

I am determined to prove it with Life at Selgars.

So yes, we might not be able to promise long tanning sessions by the pool, but we have a lot to offer:

• Lush, lush, lush nature—Honestly, after two years here, I am still in awe of the beauty and diversity of the land around us.
  

• Beaches, still. While opportunities for swimming are rare (but it happens), walks on the beach, fish & chips on the beach, ice cream on the beach, and watching dogs play on the beach are activities we absolutely love and regularly do.

• Inclusive Hikes - No mountains do not mean no hikes. It just means they are often more beginner-friendly than by the Mont Blanc.
  

  

• Extremely pet-friendly country/county. As a French person who has lived in Sweden for many years and has traveled to 30+ countries, I have to say the UK is the most pet-friendly country I know.
  They ride for free on the bus and trains and are welcome in most restaurants and bars, where they receive treats and, of course, at Selgars.
  So, if you are a pet lover, even if you don’t have your own, you can be sure to meet new friends on your trip to the UK. And, of course, as we are in the countryside, brace yourself for the inevitable meet-cute with cows, sheep, goats, deer, ducks, and chickens.
  

  

  random new friend at the beach

  
  

• English speaking. It’s an easy and obvious one, but it nonetheless counts. There is something reassuring in knowing you are sure to be understood. Whether or not you understand the strong Devon accent is another question.
  
  

• A slower pace of life. Being in the countryside, even only two hours away from buzzing London, is a real treat. The first thing you hear after a day at Selgars is the silence. Then the birds, the water, the wind in the trees (and the damn chime).
  The place's atmosphere eventually calms and slows you down, which is a gift to savor.
  
  

• Cozy-living. Because we do not have as many places to go to as when we are in a big city, and because it is colder than in the south of Europe, we tend to spend more time by the fire together. We hide under giant fluffy blankets, drink tea, and make cookies more often.
  We also jump outside when we see the sun for a long walk with the dog, wrapped in soft scarves and hats.
  We light candles and watch them burn while we play board games. We appreciate a long hot bath after a few hours of work in the veg garden…
  

  

• Lots of outdoor projects—Despite it being winter, there is still a lot to do to prep our vegetable garden for the next season, so those who want to get their hands dirty can do it, quite literally. If touching soil is not your jam, we also have a workshop filled with tools and a list of DIY projects we haven’t gotten to yet. Go crazy!
  

  

  Both of these were built on-site!

• Active village! I cannot keep up with the number of activities the village puts together. Quiz nights at the local pub, clothes swaps, repair cafe, rescue fridge, markets, winter fair, plays, craft workshops… the FOMO in Uffculme is real.
  
  

• Sauna! We are the proud foster parents of a sauna on wheels for this season, which should please sweat lovers. Picture this: An early morning sauna session watching the fog disperse.
  

  

  
  

• Schengen (“stay because you have to” is a vibe;-) - I admit this is the card we played last, but we can’t deny it’s a good one. Since the Brexit Shengen-igans, the UK is now one of the few places left in Europe for non-Europeans to stay around when they have reached the end of their 90-day visa.
  

• Of course, there are also things like my famous Sunday banana pancakes, Anton’s homemade bread, Zuko’s charisma, newcomer Atti(cat)cus’ determination to be loved, or my impeccable humor…and legendary humility.

At the end of the day, we believe it is not about the weather; it’s about having the right clothes on and the right people (pets) around.

So, are you in?

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