'SILENCE is GOLDEN' - To be 'off the grid' Mr Duncan explains - Lesson 5 #englishaddictwithmrduncan

What is the best state to be in?

By this, I mean the surroundings that give you a certain feeling or put you in a certain type of mood.

The atmosphere of your surroundings is important when it comes to the way one feels.

Some of us enjoy being around other people whilst others prefer their own company.

Some people want to be in a bustling, noisy place full of activity, with chattering voices and lots of commotion all around.

A large town or city where many people live close by.

To be ‘close by’ means ‘be near to’.

People can be close by if they all live in the same area, or within a short distance of each other.

The same thing might occur in a small village or town where only a few people live.

They still might be close by to each other.

The only difference is the size of the population or the number of people living there.

We often describe small towns and villages as being ‘close knit’.

A community where many people know each other very well can be described as ‘close knit’.

Of course, not everyone wants to live in a place surrounded by other people.

Some of us prefer to be in a place far removed from others.

To describe something as ‘far removed’ means distant.

A place with very few people living nearby can be described as ‘remote’, ‘isolated’, ‘away from the crowd’

and ‘off the grid’.

It has become very popular for some people to live far away from any type of modern civilisation.

This is often referred to as living off the grid, away from other people.

They might also be described as ‘self-sufficient’.

This means that they produce their own food.

They might even produce their own electricity.

That person does not rely on anyone else for their survival.

One person might live off the grid alone, or a family might also live far away from other people in a remote setting.

There are many reasons why a person might decide to do this.

Perhaps they have become disillusioned with their own situation.

Maybe they feel as if they need to get away from what many people call ‘the rat race’.

This interesting phrase relates to the general expectations of living and working in a modern environment.

The ‘rat race’ refers to keeping up with everyone else in society.

Of course, another reason why someone might decide to live far away from other people, is simply because they enjoy the silence.

Not everyone likes to be surrounded by other people.

Some people enjoy the feeling of seclusion that living in a remote place gives them.

They say that ‘silence is golden’.

You might say that peace and quiet is hard to get these days.

That phrase refers to the value of those moments spent in silence.

A peaceful afternoon sitting in the garden with nothing but the sound of nature around you.

Of course, you don't have to be in a remote place to enjoy the silence.

You can simply stay at home and enjoy your own company.

Away from the trials and tribulations of this all too often fast paced world.