In Trout Lake, a small community in southwest Washington, the peaks of nearby volcanoes and canopies of old-growth forests draw the eyes up. But when Julie Beeler sets out into the surrounding woods, her gaze points downward.
I quit my six-figure corporate job to work on a vineyard for less than $500 a month. I have no regrets.
19.11.2024 - 14:21 / insider.com
I woke up at 2 a.m. to slamming doors, followed by six pairs of sleepy footsteps. Even though it was summer in Burgenland, Austria, no warmth reached us during those early hours. Yet, between our laughter and singing, we barely noticed.
We arrived at the vineyard just before 3 a.m., the full moon hanging overhead. Armed with shears and headlamps to guide us, we filed into the vineyard rows like soldiers, performing the synchronized ritual that has existed for centuries: picking grapes for wine harvest.
Three weeks prior, my life was entirely different.
I had a stable six-figure job as a senior marketing manager at a real estate tech company, where I spent most hours of my day sedentary at a desk, staring at my computer screen.
As a biracial woman of color, the pressure to reach an unidentified, always-rising bar began to suffocate me.
After two and a half years, work left me unfulfilled and lacking purpose, and I felt like I'd outgrown my current life. At 28, I was itching for a radical change.
Parallel to my marketing career, I maintained side hustles working for wineries along the Central Coast of California. While I dreamt about pursuing this full-time, I was warned it wouldn't become a viable career.
Then, my friend asked me over the phone one day: "If you had no obligations or budget, what would you be doing right now?"
I instantly answered: "I want to work a wine harvest in Europe."
That night, a couple of friends in the industry helped me create a list of European wineries specializing in natural wine. I spent hours firing off emails, asking if they had any open positions on their harvest team.
It was mid-July and harvest in Europe typically begins in late August or early September, so I hoped my message would meet the right person at the right time.
Four hours later, I received an offer from a biodynamic winery in Austria. I immediately accepted.
Of course, I questioned my decision. I worried about running out of money and blowing through the savings I'd spent years growing.
Despite yearning to leave the confines of an office, I wasn't sure I would enjoy the manual labor that harvest required.
My internship abroad would be just under two months, but I wondered if I'd be able to find a job afterward and what my plan would be once my three-month tourist visa expired.
It was all underpinned by one fear: Is this worth upending the life I'd built? But my desire for freedom superseded any risk. I decided it was worth finding out.
In a matter of weeks, I quit my job, packed my life into two carry-ons, and booked a one-way ticket to hand-pick grapes with strangers for less than $500 a month.
An international group of 13 intrepid travelers became my new community on and off the vineyard.
Living in
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