HOW TO WWOOF FOR BEGINNERS - THE BASICS FOR WORK + CHEAP TRAVEL
Summary
TLDRDans cette vidéo, l'animateur partage son expérience avec Woofing, un programme d'échange de travail agricole à travers le monde. Il explique le concept, comment se connecter avec les hôtes, et les différents types de farms et d'expériences possibles. Il donne également des conseils pratiques pour réussir son伍fing, tels que la communication avec les hôtes, la préparation et la souplesse face aux inconnues. L'animateur encourage les spectateurs à rester ouverts d'esprit et à saisir l'opportunité de découvrir de nouvelles cultures et de nouvelles personnes.
Takeaways
- 🌍 Woofing est un programme mondial d'échanges de travail sur des fermes biologiques.
- 📅 Le premier expérience de l'orateur date de 2009, mais n'a pas été réalisé via le site officiel de Woofing.
- 🌾 Les expériences de Woofing varient du travail dans des fermes traditionnelles à des petits espaces dans le jardin d'une personne.
- 🔍 Chaque région du monde a son propre site web Woofing avec des membres et des profils de fermes différents.
- 💬 Il est important de communiquer clairement avec les hôtes de la ferme pour éviter les malentendus.
- 🏡 Les conditions de séjour, les types de travail et les heures peuvent varier considérablement d'une ferme à l'autre.
- 🍲 Les fermes peuvent offrir la nourriture produite sur place ou un argent de poche pour acheter des vivres.
- 🤝 L'expérience de Woofing peut être un moyen de faire de nouvelles amitiés et d'apprendre sur la culture locale.
- 📋 Il est recommandé de se préparer à l'avance, de lire les profils de fermes et de contacter les hôtes pour plus d'informations.
- 🧳 Emportez moins de bagages pour simplifier votre voyage et faciliter la vie en communauté.
- 🌟 Ouvrez-vous à de nouvelles expériences et prenez le temps de vous adapter à votre nouvel environnement.
Q & A
Qu'est-ce que le woofing et comment cela a影响了 l'auteure ?
-Le woofing est un programme d'échanges de travail agricoles mondialement, où les participants aident sur des fermes en échange d'un hébergement et parfois de la nourriture. Pour l'auteure, le woofing a été une expérience profonde qui a ouvert la voie à un nouveau chapitre dans sa vie, l'ayant introduite à de nombreuses personnes incroyables et lui ayant appris beaucoup sur elle-même et l'agriculture.
Quels ont été les endroits où l'auteure a woofing ?
-L'auteure a woofing dans plusieurs endroits, notamment en Ontario au Canada, en Californie, à Hawaï, au Thaïlande et au Costa Rica. Elle a également envisagé de le faire en Nouvelle-Zélande.
Quelle est la première expérience de l'auteure avec le woofing et qu'est-ce qu'elle a appris de cette expérience ?
-La première expérience de l'auteure avec le woofing remonte à 2009 en Ontario, Canada. Elle a passé deux semaines sur une ferme recommandée par un ami et a eu une expérience fantastique. Elle a appris beaucoup sur l'agriculture, la terre et la culture locale, et a également établi des amitiés durables.
Comment les régions du monde sont-elles associées au woofing ?
-Chaque région du monde a un site web de woofing différent et une adhésion spécifique à cette région. Par exemple, il y a des sites pour les États-Unis continentales, Hawaï, le Canada, et chaque pays en Europe a le sien. Il est donc nécessaire d'acheter une adhésion pour chaque région où l'on souhaite woofing.
Quels types d'informations faut-il vérifier avant de se rendre sur une ferme pour le woofing ?
-Il est important de vérifier les détails tels que la durée du séjour, les heures de travail, le type de travail, la nourriture fournie, les installations de sommeil, les moyens de transport disponibles, et l'emplacement de la ferme par rapport à la ville la plus proche.
Comment l'auteure a-t-elle abordé le processus de recherche de fermes pour le woofing ?
-L'auteure a lu chaque profil de ferme pour la région qu'elle cherchait, a élaboré une liste de fermes qui l'intéressaient, et a envoyé un e-mail à chacune d'elles en utilisant un modèle pour présenter son parcours et ses disponibilités. Elle a également utilisé un tableau pour suivre les fermes potentielles, leurs heures de travail, leur emplacement et les informations de contact.
Quels sont les avantages du woofing selon l'auteure ?
-Les avantages du woofing, selon l'auteure, incluent l'apprentissage de nouvelles compétences agricoles, la découverte de nouvelles cultures, la formation de relations durables, et la réflexion personnelle à travers l'interaction avec la nature.
Quelle est la recommandation de l'auteure concernant la préparation pour le woofing ?
-L'auteure recommande de se préparer à l'avance, de packer légèrement, de prendre en compte les besoins spécifiques de chaque ferme, et d'être ouvert d'esprit et respectueux envers les coutumes locales et les autres woofers.
Que faire si les conditions d'une ferme de woofing ne correspondent pas à vos attentes ?
-Si les conditions ne correspondent pas à vos attentes, l'auteure suggère de donner une chance à la ferme, de communiquer ouvertement avec les hôtes si nécessaire, et de partir respectueusement si ce n'est pas une bonne correspondance.
Comment l'auteure gère-t-elle les situations où elle doit apprendre de nouvelles tâches agricoles ?
-Lorsqu'elle doit apprendre de nouvelles tâches agricoles, l'auteure insiste pour obtenir des instructions claires et détaillées afin d'éviter les erreurs et de s'assurer qu'elle respecte les attentes de son hôte.
Quelle est la recommandation finale de l'auteure pour les personnes intéressées par le woofing ?
-La recommandation finale de l'auteure est de rester ouverte d'esprit, de donner une chance à l'expérience même si les premières impressions ne sont pas favorables, et de profiter pleinement de l'opportunité pour apprendre et grandir.
Outlines
🌾 Introduction to Woofing
The video begins with an introduction to the concept of 'woofing,' which stands for Worldwide Opportunities on Organic Farms. The speaker apologizes for the delay in addressing this topic, citing its profound impact on their life and the desire to provide in-depth information. They mention receiving a message from a friend inquiring about their woofing experiences, prompting the creation of this video. The speaker shares their personal history with woofing, starting in 2009 in Ontario, Canada, and subsequent experiences in California, Hawaii, Thailand, and Costa Rica. They emphasize the positive aspects of woofing, including the connections made, the knowledge gained about farming and local culture, and personal growth. The speaker also notes that age is not a barrier to participating in woofing, having met participants from various age groups.
🌍 Understanding the Woofing Network
The speaker explains the structure of the woofing network, highlighting that each region has its own website and membership system. They detail the process of becoming a member, setting up a profile, and browsing farm profiles. The importance of having a good profile with clear pictures is emphasized. The speaker also discusses the ability to refine searches based on preferences, such as farm type or location, and the usefulness of reviews from previous 'woofers.' They share their personal approach to selecting farms by reading every profile in their desired region and contacting the ones that appealed to them, using a template email to introduce themselves and express interest.
🏡 Preparing for the Farm Experience
This paragraph addresses the realities of what to expect when participating in woofing. The speaker clarifies that not all listings are traditional farms and that the exchange may not always include full room and board. They share their experiences with different arrangements, such as farms that provided food from the land or offered a stipend for groceries. The speaker advises viewers to read farm descriptions thoroughly and communicate well with hosts to understand the expectations and conditions. They also caution that there are no external standards or inspections for the farms, which can lead to varying experiences, and encourage viewers to proceed with caution and clear communication.
🤝 Getting to Know Your Hosts
The speaker provides advice on understanding the expectations and requirements of the host farms. They discuss the importance of knowing the length of stay, work commitment, and type of work involved. The speaker shares their experiences with different farm environments, from solo stays to larger communities, and the impact these had on their social interactions and learning opportunities. They also mention the importance of understanding the sleeping accommodations, transportation options, and the potential need to budget for additional food. The speaker encourages viewers to ask questions about the farm's practices, such as the types of plants grown and the kitchen arrangements, to ensure a good fit.
🧳 Practical Tips for Woofers
The speaker offers practical advice for prospective woofers, emphasizing the importance of packing light and being prepared for communal living. They share personal anecdotes about the challenges of adjusting to new environments and the value of being open to new experiences. The speaker suggests arranging transportation from the airport in advance and recommends getting arrangements in writing to avoid misunderstandings. They also discuss the importance of treating the woofing experience like a job, respecting the hosts and their property, and planning ahead to secure a spot on a farm. The speaker encourages viewers to give themselves time to adjust and to stay open-minded throughout their woofing journey.
🌟 Embracing Change and New Experiences
In the final paragraph, the speaker encourages viewers to embrace the changes and new experiences that come with woofing. They share a personal story of initially feeling out of place and second-guessing their decision, but ultimately sticking it out and having a rewarding experience. The speaker advises viewers to be patient with themselves and to give the farm experience a fair chance, even if first impressions are not positive. They conclude by thanking the audience for watching and expressing their love for sharing and discussing woofing experiences.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡woofing
💡X
💡有机农场
💡文化交流
💡自我发现
💡社交
💡会员
💡住宿
💡食物
💡工作类型
💡旅行
💡适应性
Highlights
Woofing is an acronym for Worldwide Opportunities on Organic Farms, offering a platform for individuals to work on farms in exchange for room and board.
The speaker has had a profound personal impact from woofing, which introduced them to many amazing people and set the stage for a new chapter in their life.
Woofing is not limited to traditional farms; it can also take place in backyards or smaller plots of land.
Each region of the world has its own Woof website and membership, making it accessible in most countries but requiring separate memberships for different areas.
The Woof organization provides a platform for hosts and woofers to connect, but there is no external authority ensuring standards or inspecting the farms.
Woofers should be clear about their intentions and priorities before choosing a farm, such as learning about farming, seeking a social environment, or exploring travel opportunities.
It's important to understand the exact length of stay, work hours, and type of work expected at the host farm before committing to a woofing opportunity.
Woofing can be a life-changing experience, as the speaker formed lifelong friendships and even a romantic relationship through their woofing experiences.
Woofers should pack light and be prepared to live communally, as there is often an abundance of shared or left-behind items at the farms.
Transportation and location relative to town should be considered, as some farms may be remote and not easily accessible.
Woofers should be prepared to ask questions and seek guidance, especially when it comes to unfamiliar tasks or plants.
Taking advantage of the local knowledge of the host can enrich the woofing experience, providing insights into the community and culture.
Treat woofing like a job, showing up on time and respecting the host's home and farm, to gain the most from the experience.
Planning should be done well in advance, with at least six months to a year of preparation and communication with potential host farms.
Woofers should be open to change and give their host farm a fair chance, even if first impressions are not positive.
If the woofing experience is not a good fit, it's important to communicate respectfully with the host and consider leaving if necessary.
Leaving a fair review on the Woof website can help future woofers and hosts to understand what to expect and how to improve the experience.
Transcripts
[Music]
today we're going to talk about woofing
and I apologize this is something that I
have been wanting to talk about for a
really long time especially since my
travel video I've gotten so many
questions on this topic and just in my
personal life I still find that people
don't really aren't aware about what
woofing exactly is and if you're one of
those folks what it stands for is
worldwide opportunities on organic farms
so that's what we're going to cover in
this video and also this could probably
be applied to help X as well which is
another website and another organization
that does similar work trade exchanges
so the reason has taken me a long time
is for me personally whooping has had
such a profound impact on my life it's
really been something that set the stage
for a whole new chapter in my life and
introduced me to so many amazing people
so for me it's something that I could
really talk in depth about but then the
other week I got a message from a
personal friend to message me and she
says blah blah blah I was talking with
so-and-so and he mentioned that you have
done a lot of woofing I've been really
interested in it for the last while and
I'm trying to collect some more info
please let me know what you know about
it
yada yada I haven't decided on that
place yet okay so this made me think I
can just compile some basic how to wolf
101 advice tips and things like that
that's what we're going to cover in this
video I'll try and keep it really
organized in short and let's get started
then a little bit about my history with
woofing I first started back in 2009 and
for that one I actually didn't go
through the official Wolf's website I
just had a farm that I had recommended
to me from a personal friend and that
was in Ontario Canada and I had a really
fantastic experience I believe it was a
two-week exchange and then I've also
since done it in California and Hawaii
and when I was in Thailand traveling I
looked seriously into doing it there and
I also looked seriously into doing a
while in Costa Rica I have that
experience and then I also have many
many friends who I've talked to you
about their experience looking as well
like I said I really had a fantastic
take time with all my exchanges I'm so
fortunate to have had such good hosts
and such good fellow Wofford I know
that's not the case for everybody and
truly I am lifelong friends with so many
of the people that I met along the way
and I'm still connected to that
community and my friend group grows
because of that aside from just the
fantastic people I did really learn a
lot about farming about the land about
the local culture and I definitely
learned a lot about myself which is a
whole tangent we could get into about
when we look at nature it just mirrors
oneself so clearly and becomes the best
metaphor for life so I definitely
learned a lot about myself as well it's
really something that I would recommend
to anybody I think there's a farm or a
work exchange that can really fit any
person's capabilities or what they're
looking for and I would also say that
age is not an issue if you're
able-bodied and open-minded I've met
woofers all the way from 18 19 years old
up into their 50s and 60s so there's
really something for everybody I believe
let's get into just the website basic so
something you should know is that each
region of the world has a different
worth website and membership for that so
let's say there's mainland USA I'm
listing then there's Hawaii whooping
there's Canada then there's may be each
country in Europe has a different one
there's New Zealand so it's not just
like you buy a membership for all of
woofing in the whole world
even though it is available in most
countries so you pay the membership and
it's a really reasonable price and I
believe it lasts a year for most of them
and after you do that you set up a
profile for yourself make sure you have
good pictures you know smiling and maybe
outdoorsy and from there you can browse
Farm profiles so some of them have short
descriptions some of them have longer
some of them list their website or even
have social media like Instagram account
which is super helpful some of them even
do with their location which is awesome
because then you can go and put it into
Google Maps and kind of get a sense of
where they
are like I said every wolf region has
their own website so I haven't been on
all of them but the ones that I have
been exposed to I found that you can
refine your search and that's a really
helpful tool if you want to let's say
take the boxes for a vegetarian farm or
if you want smoking versus non-smoking
like with many sites you can also just
keyword search let's say you're
interested in banana farm so you can put
in bananas and then all of arms that
have bananas on them that have been
written about in their description would
come up for that a feature that they
added in recent years again just from
the website that I've been exposed to is
the feature of reviewing farm so you get
to see the ratings that previous woofers
have given to that farm which is an
incredibly helpful tool also on their
profiles they should have their contact
info that's really what you're paying
for when you pay for the membership is
opportunity to get in touch with these
hosts and arrange your time there like I
said they might have their address
listed they might have their website but
they should all have their email listed
so what I did for myself is I found I
sifted through I literally read every
single farm profile for the region that
I was looking for and I found the ones
that really spoke to me and that I
thought would really meet my needs and
then I wrote them all an email and I had
kind of a template set up I am cat a
little bit about myself and my
background and also what drew me to
their farm and then what dates I was
looking for my availability and then for
me maybe you're the same really like to
be thorough and organized
I even had a chart going on my word
document where I had all my perspective
farms listed and all the hours they
required and the location and our
contact info and their availability and
all this stuff you can work with that
whatever way you like obviously maybe
that's just a little organization
inspiration let's move on to what you
should know before going not all farms
are farms exactly even though it says
that in the acronym for example I did a
wolf gig for a month and it was just in
somebody's backyard I was totally fine
with that and it was something I knew
going into it and I
only what were there I did help them
grow food and fill out the market and
all this but just something to keep in
mind that there's not exact strict
definition for what qualifies as a farm
for this website not every exchange is
for full room and board so I made sure
that the farms that I went to did cover
full room and board if they didn't
provide the food from the land there was
a stipend that would cover enough for a
week's worth at a time but not every
farm this is the case for example the
ones that I looked into in Thailand I
ended up not going because they required
work like a full load of work and then
they required payment on top of that
because they were thinking it was
payment for the education I don't know
how they justified it but that kind of
setup wasn't working for me so I didn't
pursue those I know some of the farm an
area that I'm living they do provide a
place to stay they offer you to do less
hours if you want and you can supplement
your own food so there are different
parameters for each farm so that's why
you really have to go in and read the
descriptions thoroughly and have good
communication so you know what to expect
thirdly on this point there are no
standards that are really up kept by the
farm at least how should I say it it's
more up to the host it's not that
there's an authority coming in from
outside with a clipboard saying all
right safety is okay over here
cleanliness has been kept up over here
it's not like that it's really up to the
host I actually do know personally the
owner of woof Hawaii and he doesn't have
time to go around and personally
investigate every single farm and also
new farms are coming up all the time and
even if that were the case you know you
go to see a farm one day and it's
completely different or Thunderer new
management the next so it's really
something that's hard to keep up with
and this is something that I like to
share because as I mentioned in the
beginning of this video I had a really
fortunate time with my arrangements but
it hasn't been the case for a lot of
friends that I've talked to they have
on a farm and it ended up being a
disaster for whatever reason it was just
a dump or it turned into kind of slave
labor and I say that not to scare
anybody off but just to kind of say
proceed with caution
and to really be communicative with your
hosts beforehand and there are more
points that I'll go over in the rest of
this video that should help you avoid a
situation like that know what your
intentions are before showing up and
before arranging the farm even really
ask yourself what your priorities are
and keep these in mind when you're
looking at farms and really I think it's
nice before traveling anywhere just to
be clear with that for yourself too it
really do something that benefits you
and also benefit to the farm that you're
showing at that getting clear about what
you want is it learning that you're
really after do you legitimately want to
learn about farming and organic culture
and how you can grow your own food at
home that kind of thing it sounds like a
very basic question but not everybody
who goes woofing is interested in that
and that's okay some people do just want
a place to stay and it can still be
mutually beneficial for their hosts in
them perhaps you're looking for friends
and a social environment and that can be
a really fantastic way to go about doing
it because you're living in community
together and you're spending so much
time working and playing that you really
develop these intimate relationships
very quickly I find perhaps you're
interested in just the travel aspect of
it
so again maybe the emphasis is less on
the farming and you just want to go
there
and make sure that you have enough time
off to see the area that you're in of
course you can be interested in all of
these or just one of these but really
have it in your own mind where your
priorities are so you know which farms
might be a good fit some things to find
out about your perspective host farm so
what is the exact length of stay that
you'll be there what is the commitment
that they require for instance I've done
places for a couple weeks at a time and
that's totally okay with the host other
places they really prefer to have like a
three month or even six month commitment
which i think is pretty reasonable
knowing
farm managers myself personally it's a
lot to have people come in every few
weeks and have to retrain them and show
them around and teach them the ins and
outs of the farm so I would expect that
more than the shorter-term
but like I said you can really find
something for everybody you're also
going to want to find out your exact
hours and work type what is going to be
expected of you while you're there is it
that you're going to be on a flower farm
and you just have to pick petals or is
it that you're going to be on a cattle
ranch and you really have to shovel
manure every day knowing what to expect
was something I was really interested in
and I also wanted to know what my days
would look like is it going to be a 6
a.m. wake up and we work till midday or
is it a nine-to-five gig is it Monday to
Friday what kind of days awful I have
well I have enough time to explore town
and things like that obviously that
would also help you figure out what
you're going to need to pack find out
what kind of food is provided for you so
if it is included that's one thing and
then also finding out if it's not and
you might have to consider budgeting for
extra food while you're traveling maybe
they do grow a lot of stuff and you're
able to eat off the land so you can
inquire about that to farm that I have
been on they haven't been able to fully
sustain their whole woof crew just with
locally farmed produce unfortunately but
it was totally ok we got so many dollars
a week to spend at their grocery store
where we could buy essentially from
other farms that were growing on the
island so it worked out in the end if
you're on my channel you might be living
the fur knife style which makes sense as
you would want to do whooping and again
that was something really important for
me to find out I wanted to work on farms
that grew their own fruit so that I
would be exposed to that learning and
also be able to eat fresh right off the
tree so that might also be a priority
for you if you're like me you may also
want to find out how many woofers are
going to be there at a time I have done
both so I did that spot in someone's
backyard that I was talking about and
that was for a month and I was the only
person there I was just flying solo and
it was fabulous that was really what I
was after at that time I kind of wanted
more space for myself
and just to really start out my
experience with the opportunity to clear
my head in that way and then I scheduled
following farms after that to have lots
of people so the next place that I say
that there was anywhere from like six to
ten woofers at a time plus kind of a
larger community around that it really
just magnified my experience to have so
many fabulous people around me and like
I said I'm still friends with them to
this day and I even got into a
relationship with a fellow woofer there
for a number of years and then after
that the manager of that farm became my
partner
so it's just crazy you never know who
you'll meet so I say stay with an open
mind and really be down to enjoy
yourself
I'd recommend finding out what your
sleeping accommodations are going to be
like do you need to bring your own tent
are you going to just sleep in a tent in
someone's backyard like I did are you
going to just sleep in a room in
somebody's house I've seen different
types of accommodations all across the
board hammocks two bunk beds two sweet
so you'll also need to get clear on that
so you know what to pack transportation
around that area so is it a situation
where it's actually walking distance to
town or maybe the farm provides you guys
with bikes I know one place that I was
staying at they had a band for the
woofers and we would have our manager
take us into town to do grocery shopping
once a week and then we'd also ask to do
different group activities like oh let's
all go to the waterfall on Saturday you
know on our day off something like that
maybe you want to think about bringing
your own bike from home or buying one
when you get there some neighborhoods is
really normal to hitch around so that
may also be an option for you possible
questions for them so if their
description isn't super detailed and
you're going to contact them via email
you might want to ask them questions
about the following how much experience
is required on your behalf so some farms
are totally okay with woofers being
newbies and learning on the job and then
other farms would like to have a little
bit more experienced woofers what is the
kitchen type gives it a situation where
it's vegetarian only and you're going to
be a meat-eater going into it and you
show up and you realize oh my gosh now I
have to potentially like fast for the
month maybe it's the opposite situation
where you're really strict fruitarian
and you show up and then there's lots of
blood in the kitchen and that's going to
be an issue
your dishes and you just want to be
prepared make sure you don't have any
issues what do they grow so again if
it's like a moral thing I know for me I
didn't want to work on any kind of
cattle ranch or farms that work with
animals I wasn't comfortable with that
so there's that aspect and then there's
also learning about what they grow is it
going to be the kind of education you
want are you going to work on a flower
farm when you really want to learn about
growing vegetables you're not going to
come away with education you want
there's that aspect of it and then
there's also what kind of food do they
grow so that might give you some insight
into what your diet might look like
that's again something I would ask them
about are you allowed to eat off the
property location relative to town so
some of these farms are really out there
and it can be quite a shock for someone
to show up especially if they're coming
from living in the heart of a city for
example and now they're 30 minutes by
bus to the nearest gas station or
grocery store or something like that so
something that I would really urge
people to look into before they get out
there and also if you're the kind of
person who does like to be independent
and have access to services or the
grocery store or something like that or
maybe it just falls into the other
category of being really important for
you to travel or to go to the beach
every weekend finding out the location
will really help you understand how
feasible that will be lastly I'll just
cover some general tips number one I
would definitely recommend packing light
so you want to be a minimalist when
you're woofer for me it was a situation
where I really just brought you know two
pairs of shorts and two pairs of shirts
and one pair of flip-flops it very
minimal very very minimal you're going
to regret it if you bring too much stuff
it's kind of the number one thing that I
hear among other woofers also it's the
case where you're going to be living in
community so I find there's a lot of
free stuff and from other woofers who
have left their stuff behind on purpose
or by accident there's usually no
shortage of stuff so you'll likely be
okay
arrangements
so for a lot of people who are younger
this might be your first time traveling
alone and just make sure to go over all
the basic stuff like know how you're
going to get from the airport to the
website for me it was something I was so
excited with the farm that I didn't even
arrange that portion is a total brain
fart or something it ended up being fine
I got a ride from my previous web host
but it's something that I think could be
overwhelming for a lot of people just
going abroad and you kind of forget to
do all these little arrangements for
yourself and I having said that also on
that point try and get all of your
arrangements in writing or save your
emails especially if you're going to
another country and there might be a
language barrier just so you're all on
the same page and you're really clear on
what to set up is going to be like you
have something to go back to on this
point I kind of had a funny situation
happen with one of my web hosts so I had
arranged a ride for the session April
1st and when I got there I showed up in
the office and was just like I'm here
I'm cat and I had the manager look at me
with this blank look on his face like
who are you they had a situation on
their side where the person I arranged
my stay with was a manager who had left
since I had arranged the stay so when I
got there they really weren't expecting
me at all it ended up being totally fine
I was very fortunate that I had very
capable people running the show that ran
with the punches and I also did but
really I could see how that could go
terribly wrong and then you're just
stranded there in a country with no
place to stay and nothing to do and no
real immediate resources at your
disposal
so really understand on their behalf
they're arranging a lot for a lot of
people and things fall through the
cracks so really do your part to keep
your end arranged understand that is
totally normal to feel a little bit
uncomfortable about trying something new
like this where you're going to another
place and living with people you don't
know and if you're having some fear
around it or maybe your parents are
having fear around it something I would
suggest is definitely look through the
reviews of past woofers and ideally
actually if you could get a farm off of
personal recommendation from a friend
that would be the best way to go but
like I said if you or your parents are
feeling uncomfortable know that you can
always contact the host and ask to maybe
do a full session or a Skype session
with them and get a feel for who they
are and maybe that will give you a
little bit more comfort this one goes
for anything in life but particularly
job-related my advice is you don't know
just ask and for me this kind of came up
in a really uncomfortable situation so I
wanted to looking no experience at all
no gardening no farming no nothing and
one of the first places that I was at
this is the one where I was at someone's
house in their backyard and we had done
all the stuff for the veggies that day
and there was some extra time that I
still had to spare for my hours that I
needed to complete that day and so he
asked me to read his lawn and I tried to
really urge to him I said you know treat
me like I'm the newest of new I I don't
know all the plants I don't know even
what's a weed and what's not a weed so
I'm going to do my best but please just
give me as much guidance as possible
even so he sent me on this task and I
weeded that front lawn as best that I
could he wasn't there supervising he was
gone like an hour or so and he comes
back to check up on me and kind of has a
mini freakout uh turns out I didn't pull
out the weeds of his lawn I pulled out
his lawn the kind of grass that he had
had a above-ground root system it was
kind of like a vine that would vine
across his front yard
I was just super sensitive about it too
especially in the way that he was
expressing his emotions around it and I
just went back to attend and cried oh my
gosh I felt so bad so those kinds of
things can be avoided and really those
kind of things should be expected
because you're going to a new place
you're likely not well versed in all of
the kinds of plants that you're going to
encounter well there so when it comes to
plants or what tool to use or weird to
go for this or that just ask just ask I
know can feel vulnerable to admit you
don't know something but take it as a
challenge to really put yourself out
there and in the end it's going to be
better for everybody take advantage of
your host I mean that in the best
possible way just know that there are
real resource for you it's such a gift
to have somebody who's a local there and
knows the ins and outs of the community
what to do what not to do how to be
respectful to the local culture which is
the best hike to go on all that kind of
stuff don't let the opportunity pass you
by you know ask some questions inquire
about anything you're interested in and
I often see that it is a point of pride
for them as well they really enjoy
sharing about their land and their
neighborhoods and things like that take
it seriously really treat it like a job
I know the hours are going to be
different and maybe you don't have to
wear a suit and tie and things like that
but you still want to be respectful I
mean you're going into people's homes
right and this is their whole life right
now you know a lot of people have put
their own time and money and effort into
building their farm and for you to just
go in there and kind of just mess around
and not show up for work on time it's
really disrespectful and it just doesn't
really honor the whole wolf culture also
for you you'll get more out of it you
know the more you take it seriously
the more that you really show up in
every sense of that phrase the more
opportunities and learning and growth
and enjoyment will show up for you give
yourself time to plan make sure you're
arranging well in advance for me I
started thinking about wolfing and
browsing farm profiles like six months
in advance at least sifting through them
all and contacting them because also
remember that on there and they're
arranging for so many people that
sometimes there's a wait list you don't
want to end up in a situation where
you're really keen on one farm but they
can't take you for like a year out and
then you're just left thinking oh man I
should just started looking a little bit
sooner give your farm a real chance but
for some reason if it's not working out
for one or both parties then remember
that you can leave it's not
if you have a hard commitment I think
that's true about anywhere in life but
if you're going to do that try and be as
respectful as possible really know that
it takes a lot for the host to arrange
to have people come and stay so don't
take that lightly and try and have a
conversation about it they may be open
to constructive feedback and even
changing things around and keeping you
on and trying it again give them a fair
review on the wolf website also
acknowledge that it may not be the right
fit because of something you're bringing
to the table try and prevent this from
happening from the beginning though by
following all the aforementioned points
because I think we can really find a
good fit for everybody it's funny to me
a lot of this list is just ending up
sounding like life advice but last point
is really important stay open so it's
going to be probably a lot of change for
you you know new climate new people new
food probably new bugs new way of doing
things you know new structure to your
day and new workload it's a lot that's a
situation that can be kind of
overwhelming so I want to remind you to
be patient and really give it a chance
that farm that I mentioned that wasn't
expecting me to arrive I remember that
day so clearly that I got there and it
was raining it was kind of a really
dreary day it was on a different part of
the island that I had been before and it
seemed super secluded and like I said it
seemed like it wasn't aligning because
he didn't expect me and I just had many
moments that day where I was
second-guessing my decision and
wondering if I should just take the
opportunity to bounce before I even got
started but I kind of told myself you
know give it a chance you know we'll
just see how it goes so I seriously
considered leaving but I am so glad I
did not I would not be the person I am
today if I hadn't gone through that and
met all those people and that is the
farm that I had the most fun at I
suppose this is a reminder that first
impressions aren't everything and to
really give it a chance that would be my
last wolf tip and I really thank you
guys for watching I love sharing this
kind of stuff with you and love talking
about in the call
and have you had any monthly experience
how was it for you or maybe you're just
thinking about wealthy where would you
want to go I'd love to hear from you
guys and as always I love you so so much
have a good day bye
[Music]
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