Christopher Colwell

I wanted to study Philosophy in College, so I decided to become a Massage Therapist first cuz, you know, jobs. I completed my BA in Philosophy and then went traveling with the amazing woman who is now my wife. We explored Mexico, Guatemala and Belize and were first introduced to WWOOFing.

After a 9 month stint back in the states to refill the bank tank we departed for Utila Honduras where I set up a small massage studio and started a Dive Master Program at Utila Dive Center. It was during our time here that we met two lovely marijuana growers from California who introduced us to the concept of Permaculture.  Permaculture became a constant topic of conversation among ourselves and those we met in our subsequent travels. 

Once the temperatures became unbearably hot for my Nordic blood we headed back to the states with a large part of our savings in tact thanks to the success of my massage studio. We decided to use the leftover money to fund a 2 month road trip around the USA living out of a Ford Aerostar. We managed to see ~85% of the National Parks and I have now been to every state except Alaska and Oklahoma.

With the bank and Aerostar running low we returned to Washington and applied to teach English in South Korea as a way to continue traveling and refill the coffers at the same time. We spent an amazing year in Busan teaching English in the public school system and managed to save enough to launch us on a 6 month round the world adventure.

While hitchhiking from Rome to Florence we were picked up by an amazing woman who told us that she was the president of the Italian Acadamy of Permaculture and introduced us to many amazing new Ideas including cob building and the Rocket Mass heater system. 

When we finally returned to the states we were feeling a bit burned out on traveling. We had truly enjoyed out time as "Leaves on the wind" but wanted to put down some roots. We decided to return to South Korea as a way to acquire a down payment quickly.

At the end of 2 years in South Korea we spent 2 weeks in the Philippines which included a Island Hopping package with Tao Tours. A fantastic organization that takes its guests on an Island Hopping adventure to many of the smaller islands of the area between  El Nido and Coron. Here again we found Permaculture. The Men who founded TAO Tours are teaching the principles of Permaculture to the residents of the small and mostly isolated islands in that area. 

Before all of our travels my wife and I were inspired by the film The Motorcycle Diaries. Especially the quote "Let the world change you... and you can change the world."  I am not egotistical enough to try and change the world, but if the world is telling me anything – if there is one overarching theme of my life since we started traveling - and one concept that I consider worthy of such a change, it would be Permaculture.

After 3 more months in Thailand, where I continued my education in Thai Massage from our previous round the world adventure and became a certified Thai Massage Instructor, we flew back to the Seattle area. We lived in an RV for the summer and planned our wedding. 

We are now married and living in the Seattle area where I practice clinical Massage Therapy and teach Anatomy, Physiology and Pathology among other subjects at Cortiva Seattle as Adjunct Faculty. I am about to begin a sabbatical during which my focus will be the solidification of our dream to purchase land and practice Permaculture.  My vision is a marriage of Permaculture principles and modern technology.  I would love to make our future land a showcase for the amazing things that this community is doing and establish a retreat and school where myself and others can learn and teach the many aspects of Permaculture and intelligent living.