I quit my £43K job in the UK to be a grape-picker in Italy and have ZERO regrets – I don't get paid but I'm so happy
Ayla Lannen swapped out her nine-to-five marketing job for the Italian countryside, becoming a full-time grape picker.
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And now the 27-year-old is urging other young people to follow in her foot steps.
In a bid to break out of her "monotonous" routine and avoid "burn-out", Ayla sought out a slower pace of life in rural Italy.
She was also spurred on by the end of her three-year relationship, which led her to re-evaluate her values.
Unique benefits
Last month, the former marketing engagement manager flew from London to the Italian countryside to take an unpaid job picking grapes at a winery every day.
And while she doesn't receive an income, there are other benefits to Ayla's set-up.
All her meals and her accommodation are included as part of the deal.
And she insists that she's getting paid more than enough in experience and core memories.
Core memories
Ayla added that she's learned more in her weeks working at the winery than in the years she spent climbing the corporate ladder.
Now a certified fruit-picker, she said she plans to eventually return to London but to work in hospitality so that she can maintain the "flexibility" to travel that her new lifestyle brings.
"I learned a lot in my old job but I felt like something was lacking and missing from my life," said Ayla, who is originally from Sydney, Australia.
I ditched my retail job in the UK for island paradise…rent is just £225, dinner costs £2 & our poolside office has a spa
"I was spending four hours a day commuting into work. It was getting monotonous and repetitive."
Anticipating an eventual "burn out", she asked herself: "Do I really want to keep grinding every day for my paycheck and not really have anything to show for it?"
"I had time to reevaluate the trajectory of where I wanted to be," she explained.
So when Ayla stumbled upon a website advertising grape-picking near the neighbourhood of Tortona, Italy, it called to her.
A week later, she had moved her life into the Italian countryside, where she spends her mornings and evenings working among the vineyards.
How easy is it to move abroad?
Brexit means British citizens now have to apply for visas to move to countries within the EU. While some countries residency restrictions are easier than others, here's what you need to do at home before moving:
Notify HMRC about your upcoming move.
Let your local authority know and provide a forwarding address.
Contact your mortgage and utility providers and bank before leaving.
If you have paid enough UK national insurance contributions, you can qualify for a state pension abroad - contact the International Pension Centre.
You can sign up to the Royal Mail's redirection service.
If you have outstanding student loans, contact the Student Loans Centre.
If you have children, give due notice to childcares and schools.
"I really wanted to have that authentic experience of working in a winery," she said.
"I'm just in the fields picking grapes - it's awesome. The family is teaching us about what the whole process entails."
She added that her love for wine is part of the reason why she chose this unique opportunity.
Ayla added that the quiet countryside has also given her time to reflect.
"There is no timeline and it's your life at the end of the day. Never live your life for someone else," she said.
"I definitely recommend it - it's an amazing experience. It's everything I've ever needed at this time in my life."
And she pointed out that the "unconventional" lifestyle doesn't have to be forever.
"I think it'll actually make me a better worker if I ever go back into corporate," Ayla said.
More on living abroad
And a family who left the UK for Lanzarote and are now saving hundreds on bills.
And another woman swapped UK life for Spain and said it feels like a full-time holiday.
Plus, a woman who left her kids in the UK to "start over" on a party island says more mums should follow her lead.
Another woman left the UK and now only works 13 hours a week and forks out just £10 on her food shop.
And a Brit who quit her life as a waitress and moved abroad, enjoying a £2-a-day "chef".
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