Building a Modern Eco Village: Our Journey to Sustainable Living

From Dreams to Reality

A lot of people are curious about the crazy married couple who decided to build a Modern Eco Village from scratch in southeast Spain. Many of you already know parts of our story, especially those of you who have followed us for years through books, podcasts, and social media. You’ve seen the highs and the heartbreaks, the lows and the learning curves.

But the truth is, we didn’t start from the bottom. We started from below.

Eight years ago, we were living in an empty rented apartment in Norway. No furniture. No savings. No plan B. Just two people, wildly in love, and way too hopeful for our own good. We were young, naive, and adamant about creating an epic life together.

Shaping Our Vision

After countless late-night conversations, we started to shape that vision. We wanted to own a home that gave back more than it took. A warm climate. Real connection. Clean, seasonal food. Time to slow down. Time to grow. A life where neighbors weren’t strangers and where work felt meaningful, not just necessary.

We knew one thing for sure: that kind of freedom would never come from regular employment. We made a ten-year plan and quit our jobs to start a company together. Family and friends thought we were crazy, but we hustled on. It wasn’t the smartest move at the time, especially financially, but we felt that if we were going to pour everything we had into something, it had to be a life we actually wanted.

We believed in our work, had fire in our bellies, and absolutely no idea how hard it would be.

The Struggles of Starting Out

To say the least, money did not pour in. We were still in that empty apartment, searching for free couches online, asking around for old towels, and investing the little we had into our first business, offering marketing services to other companies.

Most customers said no to our services. But eventually, one local influential family business saw something in us. They believed in us before we had much to show for it. That was the start. It wasn’t the product. It was human connection. People believing in us made all the difference. Fast forward a couple of years, and we ended up getting married in that family’s garden. Talk about connection.

A Dream for the Future

Our dream for the future was always the same: to live a life that lacked nothing. In a climate we loved. With better food, better time, and amazing people.

That dream was deeply inspired by our upbringing. I grew up in a small town in Norway where neighbors felt like extended family. I could roam freely as a child and often had dinner at a neighbor’s house without anyone thinking twice about it. Iancu’s parents live in the Romanian countryside where they grow their own food, make their own wine, and trade what they don’t have with neighbors who do. Tomatoes for potatoes. Eggs for plums. That lifestyle of sharing, growing, and slowing down stayed with us.

The Call of Modern Life

But the world told us something else. To run faster. Work more. Disconnect from what really matters. And we felt that too.

Eventually, we made it to Spain and finally got a taste of the life we had always dreamt of. The slower pace, the sun, the food, the freedom—it was everything we had worked for.

We were running several businesses at that point, all over the world, but something was missing.

The Importance of Community

We realised that a beautiful life means very little if you have no one to share it with. We missed community. Real community. We didn’t just want to live well; we wanted to live well together. And we wanted to help others do the same.

That’s when we began asking new questions. What if we could share this life with others? What if we built something that wasn’t just ours?

That question changed everything.

Discovering Blue Zones

Around that time, we took a deep dive into the Blue Zones and became obsessed. What if we could build that kind of life with others? A small community where we could grow food, share the labor, and live closer to nature and to each other.

We posted the idea online, and it 💥exploded💥.

Turning Dreams into Reality

A year and a half after our idea went viral, the Modern Eco Village is becoming real. We’ve bought 640,000 square meters of land and are building 500 sustainable homes, with over 100 members already on board before the first house is even built. It's already a tight community full of diversity yet like-minded people.

People often ask how we’ve managed the workload. But the workload isn’t the hard part. The hard part is having faith in something most people think is impossible.

The Power of Belief

One day I asked my husband, “How did you ever believe it was possible to build a village from scratch?” He replied, “Everything in the world started with one person having an idea. Then they spoke to someone. And then people came together to create. And the most important thing; behind everything, there is one person. I'm good at talking to that person.”

So, this was our long story made short—at least for now.

Embracing Your Dreams

If there’s one thing we hope you take from our story, it’s this: Please take the time to be honest about your dreams. Because you can’t live your dream life if you don’t even know what it is.

The Modern Eco Village is not just our manifestation coming true. It’s the manifestation of hundreds of people who have longed for the same kind of life. We may be the founders and the face of the project, but this belongs to all of us.

To our team, thank you for believing in us and building this by our side. To the members, thank you for daring to dream with us. To our future neighbours, we can’t wait to live this life with you. And to you, reading this, thank you for being here.

The Journey Continues

This journey is just beginning. We are excited about what lies ahead. Together, we are creating a community that embodies the values of sustainability, connection, and shared purpose.

As we build our homes, we are also building relationships. We are cultivating a lifestyle that prioritises well-being, nature, and collaboration.

We invite you to join us on this journey. Whether you are seeking to learn more about sustainable living or are interested in becoming a part of our community, there is a place for you here.

To be continued.