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Published: November 25th 2010
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So I went to Ilbilbie to work on this farm for a week, when I arrived it was raining for the 5-6th straight day. (Which was really getting old since it has rained about 10 days out of the 15 days ive been in Australia.) When I got to Ilbilbie they had gotten 10 inches of rain in four days so there was a river where the road to their house used to be, and with it still raining it was looking like I wouldn’t be leaving anytime soon…
When I first saw the river over the road I though “they are not really going to cross this, are they?” and my second thought when I realized they were was “these people are crazy- I just might like them!” the water was moving really fast and was about maybe 4 feet deep (over the road) well over my head everywhere else. BUT, we made it across like it was nothing.
My hosts are….how do I put this nicely? Awkward and sort of um…I think maybe hillbilly is the word. Maybe a little dishonest as well. In their post it said 4-5 hours work per day for room and
board, which turned out to be more like 7 hours of HARD work like fencing, lifting heavy panels, sanding, ect. They had also said many attractions were a “short drive away” yesterday I rode my bike to the waterfall (the closest attraction) 9-10 miles away. When I asked how far some other things were the answer was a 30 minute drive. I guess that’s a short distance in Australia. Not close if you don’t have a car, so I was stuck with them all day- in the middle of nowhere.
But the worst part of all of it, is that this was supposed to be an “exchange” But as it would seem we weren’t getting much out of the deal. I think I had decided to leave after the first day. After working 7 hours we got to cook THEM dinner and afterwards watch them each drink 3 cold beers, while we are only allowed warm rain water (not kidding), I was ready to get out of dodge. After hearing a hundred “You reckon?”’s later I was thinking of running far far away from them.
This "exchange" is a good deal for them. They bought this place as
a fixer-upper 7 months ago and have since always had 2-4 people here, working their tailends off for free. So, naturally, the place looks pretty good. After the first day, I wanted out. But the river was too high so I had to wait until day three. I was polite about leaving and they were civilized about it too, thankfully. I had planned out in my head what I would do if they wouldn’t let me leave. It involved leaving in the early morning, walking a good 10 miles, and then hitch-hiking back to town. Luckily- I didnt have to do that.
Lesson learned, I guess. I wont be working anymore on this trip. I worked pretty hard to be able to come here so I don’t know why I would work here anyway! I don’t know what I was thinking.
BUT, in the end (besides 7 days of my trip wasted and the 60 bucks it cost me to get here) I didn’t really lose much. I can say I did it- and now not do it ever again.
I did enjoy a nice bike ride to a “nearby” waterfall😊 and it was very pretty out there.
Saw some Kangaroos. Heard the kookaburras (noisy birds that sound like monkeys) . I hear someone saw a green python out here that was like 5 inches around. Don’t know if that was true.
After a week of rain and this lovely experience I was getting a bit discouraged about this trip, but, I have received the best news ever today.......RYAN IS COMING! he will be here three weeks from today and I cant wait!!!!
I changed my ticket to leave for Tasmania this Saturday and will meet Ryan in Melbourne. Hopefully I will enjoy Tasmania much more than Queensland!
SPEAKING AUSTRALIAN
TA- THANK YOU ( I HEAR THIS ONE EVERYDAY- USED TO REALLY CONFUSE ME)
HOW YOU GOING- HOW ARE YOU/HOWS IT GOING
RUBBISH- GARBAGE
SCHOOLY- WEEK LONG, END OF SCHOOL CELEBRATION WHERE LOTS OF KIDS GET ARRESTED
BREKKY- BREAKFAST
MACCAS- MCDONALDS
LOLLIES- CANDY
FLAT WHITE- COFFEE AND MILK
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