Seeking Help

I love traveling and am so grateful that I am here doing this. I have been traveling for 4 months and have learned tons, have met lots of great people, and have been discovering me. I am learning that I love gardening. I love doing permaculture. I love making a positive contribution to the earth and community.

I started my permaculture/gardening education back in 2006 in rebellion to a failed relationship. Some context. I was living in Atlanta, GA working at a massage therapy school. My ex was a teacher there and while still dating, he helped me get a job there. I liked working at the school, but massage therapy was his passion, and not necessarily mine. I was yearning to find my own passion to dedicate my life to. Our relationship ended, we were still working together, and I was majorly unhappy. During this time I had a happy accident and discovered permaculture. My interest was budding and I couldn't get the idea out of my mind. I finally decided to move on from Atlanta and I went to California and received my permaculture design certificate. During this time I also heard about herbalism which also struck my interest.

After finishing a two month garden internship at the school I received my certificate I moved to Kansas City to pursue an herbal education. I was learning to live on my own, struggling to keep my feet on the ground, and losing site of my new found passions. After several unfortunate incidents I forgot about going to herbalism school and gardening. A year went by before I got focused again and signed up for herbalism school. I was happy in school, I found a gig helping facilitate a course on permaculture design, I got involved in an environmental group, helped build community gardens, and lived in a co-housing project. Things were good. Last summer I started traveling as a garden volunteer and found myself in Michigan and North Carolina and greatly enjoyed my experiences, which led me to be here in Europe.

I have been thinking about what I want in life. Where do I want to take my knowledge and experience? I see myself building a project inspired by the projects I have been helping. I would love to build community gardens to teach youth and community about gardening, health awareness, and being more self-sufficient. I would love to have my own space to create this. The problem is I don't have any money. I don't have any land.

I would like to return to the states in the next few months. I will need to find a job to make money and I would love if I could find a paying job doing what I want. Even if I have to get a regular job I don't want to lose sight of my passions of gardening and herbalism.

So, the point of this is to seek advice, help, inspiration. Does anybody know of any paid sustainable garden jobs in the states? Does anybody have land that could be lent to building community gardens? Anybody feel inspired to help start a garden project to help empower community?

Any ideas are appreciated. Thanks!