The art of living

My squat room by Marta Lamovšek & Saša Šimek

All I have ever wanted, crosses my mind when I half open my eyes in the morning, trying to guess what the weather is going to be like through a curtain slit. For the first few moments I don’t move: my eyes are slowly traveling over the colored walls. From hair to toe I am melting into amazement and gratefulness for what I have. Like a prayer, rising into a great joy.

After a month of nailing and sawing I settled in the room full of comfortable and cheerful feng shui. Spacious and for the first time all mine. People are asking me, slightly suspiciously (or even terrified), how can I live like that, in the squat. Live how? Without rent, with all the basics covered, with lots of good vibe and time for myself in London? Easily.

But anyway, what would a girl, released from almost all economic obligations, do in her day? My daily routine seems unreal; I can do whatever pleases me. Cycle to Camden or run along the canal. Go to the gallery or shop fresh mint at Whitechapel market for a revitalizing cup of tea. Every moment is relaxed, mirroring itself in many sweet possibilities.

Yet I start off my days very simply and basically, with the healing shot of coffee, continuing it with another one. Yoga follows right after this indulgence and the day is carried on spontaneously, usually with the neighbors knocking on the doors. Fellow squatters occupy lots of my time. Community is growing and people are working hard to get their homes sorted. Rooms, first smashed and completely run down, are becoming crazily refurbished, all with green politics in mind. After all, Council will evict us sooner or later and demolish the buildings. But until then we are keeping the place alive, share the food, help each other out and genuinely enjoy ourselves together. Social experiment with no money involved.

It’s a extraordinary gift to live so alternative in such a snobbish city. And the flush of freedom is awesome. Squat is settled for a cozy life now, but suddenly I hardly find any peace in living here. I enjoyed setting up and ruling my world, hosting my friends, but since I don’t rule my heart, I need to go. My mission is accomplished, summertime in Ljubljana is whispering me a love song. Janja & Metka, welcome to my girlish room soon. Beautiful London, I've had a time of my life. See you later.