S (O/U) MMER 2015 @soummer2015-blog - Tumblr Blog

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hey! i found your page b/c I was looking for people that have been wwoofing in Canada. Was it a good experience for you? How long did you stay :C? (I hope you don't mind me asking, just curious haha)

Hi, no worries at all!I was there for two months and found it to be an incredibly amazing and enriching experience. It isn't always easy, definitely challenging, but that's part of the fun.And I just absolutely loved the area I was in, the landscapes I saw were just beautiful!But feel welcome to have a look through the blog, I also answered someone else's question very lengthily, which might be insightful for you too.Hope that's of any help! If not, ask away again!

Thinking about WWOOFing after graduation in May. Do you have any suggested places or advice on the process?

I absolutely loved it in Canada, though I think I might have been quite lucky that I actually got to see a bit of the region I was in.

I think it’s always good to start looking early on, and know what you’re looking for. When you look at profiles, go with what your guts tell you. I also think it’s good to go to more than one place; the first place I went to was amazing and fit very well, at the second one we just kinda lacked chemistry. Had I only gone to the second one, the experience wouldn’t have been as good.Think about whether you want to work with livestock or animals, or if you’re more interested in the gardening side of it. Would you prefer a big farm, or just a house with a garden (the first place I was at in Canada was a mere acre, but there was always something to do and the work was very multi-facetted). What type of family do you want to stay with.

Once you’re there, remember why you’re there. I often did more than 7 hours, 6 days a week, at my first place. It was hard work, but I learnt a lot and loved the place. I was part of the family, thankful for having people who hosted and provided for me. Also, it’s a temporary thing, so there really isn’t much sense in having an attitude. It’s an adventure, something unique, so on days when I was a bit more tired and fed up with my tasks, I kept reminding myself how much I’d miss it once I’m gone. And as a WWOOFer, you’re kind of experiencing as a holiday what other people do for a living. Definitely taught me a lot of respect.

The one thing I’d really recommend is asking questions about the nature of the work, the hours, and the kind of things you can do on free days. I guess that sounds a bit business-like, but when deciding on where to spend weeks, maybe months, it’s good to know what you’re in for, at least to some extent. I’d think about what I want to get out of it, and then try to find something as close to that as possible. And then don’t be surprised or upset when it turns out completely different.Still, at the place I was at by Wales, we were alone in the building we slept in, there were lots of creepy noises. Walk to the bathroom in the dark was no fun either. I don’t think I would have enjoyed that on my own, but found it was fun with another person. So asking about where you sleep might be a good idea, too.And ask for what kind of things and clothes you should bring. A fellow WWOOFer came to Canada without a jacket…

So, I really don’t think you need to travel far from home to do all that, except if that’s what you feel like. I tried getting out of my comfort zone, and in retrospect, feel really lucky and accomplished.

Hope that kind of answers the question, good luck with graduation! (:

Zusammenfassung // Bottom Line

Zweieinhalb Monate, 74 Tage, zwei Kontinente, zwei Länder, drei Familien, drei Hunde, 22 Schafe, 18 Hühner, 24 Kaninchen, unzählige Berge und ein Fluss, ein Dutzend inspirierende Menschen - mein Sommer 2015. Ich habe gesät, gepflanzt, gesäubert, geharkt, geschaufelt, gegraben, umgepflanzt, gedüngt, gemulcht, gemäht, gepflückt, geschnitten, getrocknet, geerntet, gefüttert, gejätet, gelesen, gesehen, gehört, geschwiegen, gestritten, gelacht, geweint, gekocht, gebacken, gegessen, getrunken, nicht gemocht und geliebt. Ich bin gewandert, geschwommen, gerannt, geradelt und gefahren, wurde gebissen, gekratzt, umarmt und geküsst. Und zuletzt habe ich gelernt. Ich habe gelernt, wie mensch einen Garten aufbaut und am Laufen hält. Ich habe gelernt, wie ich Obst, Gemüse und Kräuter konservieren kann. Ich habe gelernt, wie unterschiedliche Familien unterschiedliche Zustände handhaben. Ich habe gelernt, nichts zu sagen und meine Arbeit zu erledigen, auch wenn ich manchmal keinen Sinn erkennen konnte. Ich habe den Unterschied zwischen “respektieren” und “respektvoll behandeln gelernt” - und habe beobachtet, wie Menschen (ich eingeschlossen) beides mal getan und mal nicht getan haben. Ich habe gelernt, wie schön dieses Leben und dieser Planet sein kann, und habe versucht mit dieser erdrückenden Schönheit, die einem die Tränen in die Augen treiben kann, umzugehen. Ich habe gelernt loszulassen. Und werde an all diesen Erlebnissen und diesem Wissen festhalten.

Ich bin dankbar und glücklich - von Hoffnung, Perspektive, Ambition und Frieden erfüllt.

Two and a half months, 74 days, two continents, two countries, three families, three dogs, 22 sheep, 18 chickens, 24 rabbits, countless mountains and a river, a dozen inspiring people - my summer 2015. I sowed, planted, cleaned, raked, shovelled, dug, transplanted, fertilised, mulched, mowed, picked, cut, dried, harvested, fed, weeded, read, viewed, heard, listened, was silent, fought, laughed, cried, cooked, baked, ate, drank, disliked, and loved. I hiked, swam, ran, cycled and drove, was bitten, scratched, hugged and kissed. And lastly, I’ve learned. I’ve learned how one builds up a garden and maintains it. I’ve learned how to preserve fruits, veggies and herbs. I’ve learned how different families handle different situations. I’ve learned to say nothing and do my work, even if sometimes I couldn’t see the purpose. I’ve learned the difference between “to respect” and “to treat someone respectfully” - and have witnessed people (including myself) do, and not do, both. I’ve learned how beautiful this life and this planet can be, and have tried to deal with this overwhelming beauty, that can bring tears to one’s eyes. I’ve learned to let go. And I will hold on to these experiences and this knowledge.

I am thankful and happy - filled with hope, perspective, ambition, and peace.