An epic reflection on my WWOOFing experience

As a conclusion to my time WWOOFing, I want to take the time today to reflect on some of the things I’ll take with me from the past 3 weeks. Not only has this trip introduced me to some truly amazing people (shoutouts to Tina, John, Rob, Zoe, Alex, Jules, Ed, Gayelan & Sandy), it’s given me an absolutely unforgettable experience living in another country, learning about another culture, appreciating the differences between here and home- both large and small- and reflecting on what life is really all about.

This has been a chapter that I won’t forget, and one that leaves me with many recipes, techniques, skills and memories to dwell on. Some reflections:

1.    Maintain your own garden takes a LOT of work. This is always something that I’ve most certainly taken for granted (sorry Mom & Dad… never realized how much work it actually is!). My vegetables have always been there- I see them in the small planters or seed packets and then they magically wind up on my plate a few weeks later. Other than picking what cherry tomato plant would win the height contest my sister & I used to have (mine always won, standard), I didn’t really think much about what it took to put the garden together. These past few weeks have shown me just how dedicated one needs to be in order to have a successful growing season. Some prerequisites that I’ve discovered to starting your own garden:

-       Find a pair of jeans you don’t like. Like.. really don’t like. Not a pair that you only kind of like and don’t mind getting dirty every once in a while. You will have grass and dirt stains on the knees in no time. You will wipe your manure/compost covered hands on them every chance you get. And you will not want to wash them all that often (…or ever.)

-       Start stinging yourself with nettles now. You’re bound to be immune to those nasty little buggers that jump out of nowhere at some point. I’m still not there yet (hence the tingling sensation on both of my hands as I type).

-       Invest in a nice pair of Wellies (rainboots, for all of us non-Europeans). They make tall, wet grass and squishy mud much more bearable and will save you from killer red ants that may stage an Occupy protest in your soil.

-       Research. My own personal encyclopedia of all things plant/vegetable these past few weeks has been Tina, but realizing that I will not have her at my side when I finally buckle down and start a garden, I have recognized the importance of ‘knowing your shit,’ per se.  Knowing when to germinate, plant, relocate, cut down and replant specific vegetables is paramount in having a successful harvesting season. Knowing how to handle each individual plant is also really important- if I had never come here, I wouldn’t know what ‘earthing up potatoes’ meant and would be eating green potatoes all year long. (For fellow naïve garden beginners, it’s digging up topsoil and piling it on top of the potato plant as it continues to grow, ensuring that the potatoes don’t see the light of day before they’re ready.)

-       Finally- a definite prerequisite- patience. I’m all about immediate gratification, but unfortunately that’s not a part of the deal you sign up for when you have your own garden. Patience with the plants, the weeds, and the WWOOFers!- is very important. Being patient with the plants makes them look and taste so much better once you’re finally able to harvest them. It’s all worth it in the end! And now cue the beginning of the never-ending saga of the weeds. They’re pests, but they’re inevitable and learning to be patient with weeding being an every day kind of task is critical to maintaining your sanity. There’s also plenty of ways to make it exciting (like singing, dancing or army crawling on the ground for added effect). Either way, you’re never going to win the weed war, so the sooner you come to terms with that, the better. And finally, patience with the WWOOFers…sometimes we may break stems or pull up plants by accident while weeding. Oops! Having patience ensures a) that you don’t get mad or frustrated because some things just happen and b) that you’re even more determined get creative and solve the problem (like buying more pumpkins or replanting something else in it’s place!). Thank you, Tina & John, for your unending patience J

2.    Carpentry-ish skills come in handy.  I wouldn’t call a bean wigwam much of a carpentry project, but I’m at a loss for what else to classify it as. I’m not much of a builder, but through trial and error, as well as trying to mirror an already established structure, we did it! Our wigwam may or may not be as structurally sound as the original, but it looks good and seems functional (so far)! Plus, it’s got a sweet tuft of bamboo leaves at the top of the tallest pole- a signature of sorts. Anyone need a wigwam built? I’m your girl!

3.    I’m kinda a fan of strimming. I’ve a love/hate relationship with strimming. First of all, I think it’s cool that a strimmer is essentially a weed whacker for giants.  However, the random muscle soreness and bruise collection I’ve received as a result is the ‘hate’ part of the relationship. But in all honesty, it gets fun after you get into the swing of things, and it seems like it would be really cool to get creative with your strimming patterns. Like in Tina & John’s meadow/field, they make a big swirl path to the center where there’s a bonfire on occasion. It’s like alien crop circles, but on a slightly smaller scale.

4.    My cooking repertoire is growing! Not only was I inspired by Tina’s amazing cooking, I loved the meals we put together at Ed’s house, the snacks I bought in town and the new flavors that I sampled during the past few weeks. It’s ignited a new desire in me to cook more often and more creatively! I’ve got an excellent Curry recipe from the man himself out on Clear and new things to try as part of my vegetarian repertoire, as well as Tina’s recipes that I can only attempt to recreate.

5.    Goats are awesome, but a lot of work. I surprised myself with how much I fell for the goats. They’re incredibly personable animals with attitudes all their own. It was really fun to spend a lot of time with them. It was also really cool that I learned how to take care of them! Feeding, milking, herding and giving them medicine was an awesome way to really get a feel for what it’s like to run a goat farm. I have a lot of respect for Ed and all of his various WWOOFers; that’s a lot of responsibility to take on and maintain!

6.    You’ve only got one shot to make this life worth living. Really. Spending time with Tina’s family as well as with Ed has really driven this point home. Do what you want to do. Be inspired by the people and places around you. Don’t conform to what others think you should be doing. Take advantage of every opportunity. Live with no regrets. And most importantly, enjoy yourself and have fun. I’m really glad that I took this time off after graduation to re-center myself because all of these pieces of advice are adding up manifesting themselves in my every day life. I couldn’t be more grateful for the words of wisdom and examples set by the people that I’ve had the pleasure of living with for the past 3 weeks. You’ve all truly inspired me to pursue what makes me happy, what I enjoy doing, and what I’m truly passionate about.

I think my one final reflection today will be about the value of WWOOFing. I seriously can’t imagine traveling any other way at this point. WWOOFing gives you a first hand glimpse at life in another country- it’s a look at the culture, people, and local secrets, but you also get the real feeling of a place. You’re not a tourist when you’re WWOOFing; you’re a part of the community. It’s a rare opportunity to fully embrace all aspects of a culture different from your own and live, not just travel. I feel blessed to have had the opportunity to take advantage of WWOOF and thankful that an organization like it is in existence. Not only for me, but for anyone else who feels the desire to explore, learn and travel.

Currently searching for a converter so I can charge my phone/computer.. there may be some radio silence over the next few days in the interim if one is unable to be located. In which case, you will all be thoroughly updated upon my arrival back to the internet.