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Published: June 24th 2009
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Sleepzone Hostel
Galway, Ireland
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
One thing I was annoyed with when scouting out this WWOOFing business was that nobody had really written a guide on what to expect and how to prepare for first-time WWOOFing. I can't say that this will be a comprehensive guide, but it should help people who are looking (moreso than the vacuum that exists now). So here are my words of wisdom (you might say this entire article is going to be a 'lessons learned' article):
Ask what the accomodations are. One of the farmers I met who takes in WWOOFers in Co. Clare has no power or running water, and it's surprised some of his helpers in the past. Make sure you ask about where you'll stay, if you'll have your own location or if it's a dorm, and who else will be rooming there.
Ask what you need to bring (and make sure to bring it). At the nursery, I was told to bring only sturdy shoes and a good raincoat. That was exactly what I needed. Don't expect to do real work in sandals, and a raincoat is needed because the work doesn't always stop when the rain starts. Also, research the climate of the area you're going to. If you're going somewhere that has highs in the 60s, make sure you're taking sturdy-ish pants. Actually, even if it's going to be hot, it's probably best to take sturdy-ish pants. I wore my jeans, despite many warnings not to bring jeans, and used them for work pants. They held up fantastically, and I was happy at how well I was able to clean them afterwards.
When you're told that you're done for the day, don't feel obliged to keep working just because they are. Look, here's the deal: this is generally going to be the liveleyhood of your hosts. If you try to do all they're doing, you'll wind up putting in 15 hour days. Your hosts should make the expectations of you known up-front. In fact, it should have been on the WWOOF listing of the farm. It's not my fault you didn't read it.
Enjoy your time off. You'll generally be eating with the family or owners, so talk to them. Enjoy their company. If they're involved in a new project, ask about it. Hopefully you're doing this as more than a cheap way to travel, so you'll be genuinely interested in what they're doing on the farm. For instance, I was really interested in the turbine/solar setup that Chris & Hilary had put in, so I asked all about it. And they were happy to show me the setup and talk about it.
If you don't like what you're doing, ask if there's something else you can do. Generally there will be multiple jobs you can do. This isn't always the case, but usually you can change jobs sometime. Your WWOOF hosts want to keep you as happy and productive as possible to keep you from leaving early or slacking off, so they'll generally accomodate this request when possible.
Don't be afraid to get dirty. Your nice clean travel clothes? They might get covered with mud. They'll wash clean. This isn't a pure holiday, you're actually expected to work. If you're worried what the work will be, ask in advance. A lot of what you might be doing is 'stoop work', where you're stooped over a lot. Be ready for that. They're not going to work you to death, but remember that you're sharing whatever resources they have (which could be limited, depending on the farm).
If you're not sure what you're doing, ask. Don't just go weeding off in a bed, you might be pulling up future cabbages. No, I didn't personally do this, but just saying that it's possible.
Don't demand accomodations for your day off. Instead, it's better to ask what's available. Being demanding really turns hosts off and increases the possibility that you'll not be picked to work for them.
Have fun and enjoy the moment. We all have deadlines and the 'real world' to get back to. However, most folks are using WWOOF as a means to escape and do something else. Enjoy what you're doing. Find the pleasure and sense of accomplishment of weeding a whole bed in a morning. Feeling frustrated or angry? Take it out on the wood pile. There's always something to do. However, don't just think of it as mindless work, instead you might want to try and be mindful of where you are and what you're doing in the moment. Of course, that's true in everyday life...
Just a few words of wisdom from your friendly neighborhood WWOOFer. Signing off from Galway...
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kelly
non-member comment
What the heck
is wwoofing?