Or maybe not. This might require some further explanation.
The short story is that out of all the places we visited on our trip, all of the various lifestyles we encountered, and all of the options that surfaced during the last year of travel, Twin Oaks was the closest to our ideal. Yes there are elements that aren't super fantastic. But there are fewer issues than living in a city working mainstream jobs, doing americorps, or being graduate students.
So what is this place? Stereotypes aside- Twin Oaks is a group of people that decide to share things, own and operate several businesses, work to be as self-sufficient as possible, and try to build a society which is more inclusive/less wasteful/and less destructive. This means different things to different members.
To me it means following through on my beliefs. I have respect for all folks engaged in making the world a better place. For me, making the world a better place means a real lifestyle change. Members of Twin Oaks use something like 60-80% fewer resources, support all kinds of lifestyle orientations, and are willing to accept discomfort to make it all work.
If you ever read this blog please make a note if you would like me to update about living on a commune, what it means, and how it goes. Otherwise, this might be the last post as adventurequest has come to an end (for the time being).
