Category: Transitions


Tea Transition

Submitted by Karen Gimnig on
When I lived in England, I quickly learned that upon entering a home, I would be offered a cup of tea. It took me longer to appreciate the fullness of the ritual. My British peers rather enjoyed schooling an uncouth American, and one day they explained that the custom required me to accept the offer.... Read More
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Transitions

Submitted by Karen Gimnig on
Transitions are stressful, even the good ones. When I was raising toddlers, their father traveled for work. The departures were hard. The returns were harder. Partly it was because I didn’t see it coming. After looking forward to his return for weeks, it did not occur to me that it could be both joyful and... Re
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Drastic Downsizing

Submitted by Barbara Simkowski, Village Hearth on
I write this knowing few people will think this is good advice, or advice they could actually take, but I’ve been observing move-ins at Village Hearth Cohousing for nearly a month, and had my own experience, so here goes. Downsizing from a large, typical American home, where you are surrounded by the things you’ve acquired over... Read More

Isolated Together

Submitted by Elizabeth Magill, Mosaic Cohousing on
Cohousing is not only about the things we do together; it is also about the things we do alone. One of the major traits of cohousing, as an example of community living, is the ability to be alone. Cohousing has private homes, most commonly homes we own.  Individual household’s personal space is a distinguishing characteristic... Read More

Cohousing Across the Country – Part 7

Submitted by Karen Gimnig on
Sharing the journey from Atlanta, GA to Anacortes, WA, engaging with community along the way.   Part 7 of 7 Arrival Arriving in my new home, surrounded by beauty, but not living in cohousing, I have much to ponder. The big question is this: Is it possible to live a community life without (for now) living... Read More

Cohousing Across the Country – Part 6

Submitted by Karen Gimnig on
Sharing the journey from Atlanta, GA to Anacortes, WA, engaging with community along the way.   Part 6 of 7 Wasatch Commons My final stop on my cohousing tour, was with Wasatch Commons in Salt Lake City.  It seemed fitting to end my visits with one of the longest standing communities in the US.  Wasatch recently... Read More

The Future of Cohousing: The Next Generation

Submitted by Laura Fitch, 2015 National Cohousing Conference Co-Chair on
In 2014, my home community, Pioneer Valley Cohousing in Amherst Massachusetts, celebrated our 20th anniversary. A number of big changes here got me wondering – what comes next for my family, my community, and the national cohousing movement? When it came time to think about a theme for our conference, “the next generation” came to... Read More

When the Community You’ve Joined Changes . . .

Submitted by Diana Leafe Christian on
Diana Leafe Christian What happens when a cohousing community changes in values, lifestyle, and “community culture” over time? And how might this affect you as an a new incoming member? I have a good friend who lives with her young son in a cohousing community she helped to start. When she and the other founders... Read More