The WWOOFing Opportunity

For the sake of accountability, I am going to give a small update on my goals which I will follow up later with a post describing what I am doing to reach each goal. Thus far I have done little towards reaching the goals I set, however, number one and four have seen some improvement. The first goal, of spending more thoughtful time with my husband, was improved by reading scriptures together and having family prayer every night. For my goal of creating a more christ-centered home, I have lowered the amount of ignorant television programs I watch. I hope to do more work to reach the goals this coming week, but I would like to say that some of these goals are about creating better habits and habits aren't formed in a day or even a week. 

At the end of my last post I announced I will be traveling to Wales and England in September. I am overjoyed by this opportunity, but also by the support I have received from my wonderful friends. In addition to the support, though, I have received advice and concern about my trip. I welcome the advice and concern, but I want everyone to know I have not taken this decision lightly. In fact, this one decision to WWOOF has caused me to delve into a sea of information and forethought I would never have otherwise come across. 

For all my readers who do not know about the WWOOF program, it stands for World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms. This means farms all across the world host volunteers to help them with daily tasks. In my experience everyone's reaction to this brief information has been, "you're going to work on a farm for free?" "It sounds like they are in it for cheap labor", and "you are going to be miserable." However, what many people are failing to see is the opportunity you have to learn from these people, observe them, and immerse yourself in the local culture. Have you ever wondered what is it like to live in other countries and cities? Did you every travel somewhere and want to have the "local" experience? That is what you can do with WWOOFing! 

When I first found out about this opportunity through a friend, I was a little perplexed too. I did tons of research about the concept and went looking at multiple WWOOF country websites. I also sought out blogs with personal WWOOFing experiences so I can get an understanding of what it is like, what to expect, what to look for, and the personal rewards you receive. Many of the experiences I read about related how much they learned about organic farming and how much they enjoyed their hosts. In my research I also found out about how long you have to work each day and each week and what the host will give to you in return for your work. Hosts are required to provide accommodation and food during your stay, but most go beyond that by involving you in their homes, at their dinner tables, and in their weekend activities. The amount of work you do varies depending on a host's requirements, but you get to choose your host and you correspond with them. 

For example, my hosts will be picking me up at the train stations and will be hosting me in their homes. One of them has told me I will be helping to make homemade apple cider from the apples I pick. The other host has informed me I will be helping alongside two long-time, returning WWOOFers (as we colloquially call ourselves) and dining with them for dinners. Plus I get the weekends to myself to venture out in the surrounding areas. 

The WWOOFing opportunity, as I would like to call it, has introduced me to many possibilities with traveling and also with interesting thoughts about a simpler kind of life, which I mentioned in my last post. However, it has made me rethink my life more than anything (except for the gospel, of course). In another post I will give in detail some of the thought-provoking information and ideas I have come across in my research. Until then, if you want to find out more about WWOOFing opportunities you can visit the individual country's website. In general, even if you don't plan on WWOOFing, it is still pretty interesting.