HOW TO WWOOF FOR BEGINNERS - THE BASICS FOR WORK + CHEAP TRAVEL

Summary

Dans 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

00:00

🌾 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.

05:00

🌍 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.

10:00

🏡 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.

15:02

🤝 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.

20:04

🧳 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.

25:05

🌟 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.

Keywords

💡woofing

Woofing est un concept clé du vidéo, qui signifie 'worldwide opportunities on organic farms'. Il s'agit d'un programme d'échange de travail agricole où les participants aident à travailler les fermes en échange de logement et parfois de nourriture. Dans le script, l'orateur partage son expérience personnelle avec le woofing, l'ayant utilisé comme moyen de voyager et de se faire de nouveaux amis.

💡X

X est mentionné comme un autre site web similaire à Woofing, offrant des échanges de travail similaires. Il est utilisé pour illustrer qu'il existe plusieurs plateformes permettant aux personnes de participer à ce type d'échange de travail agricole.

💡有机农场

有机农场, ou 'organic farms' en anglais, fait référence aux exploitations agricoles qui pratiquent l'agriculture biologique, c'est-à-dire sans utilisation de pesticides conventionnels ou d'engrais chimiques. Dans le contexte du vidéo, les fermes participantes au programme de woofing sont souvent des fermes biologiques.

💡文化交流

Le terme '文化交流' fait référence à l'échange et à la compréhension mutuelle des différentes cultures du monde. Dans le vidéo, l'orateur mentionne avoir appris beaucoup sur les cultures locales lors de son expérience de woofing, ce qui illustre la richesse de l'échange culturel que peut offrir ce type de programme.

💡自我发现

Le concept de '自我发现' fait référence au processus d'exploration et de compréhension de soi-même. Dans le vidéo, l'orateur parle de la manière dont le woofing l'a aidé à découvrir plus sur lui-même et à comprendre ses propres capacités et intérêts.

💡社交

Le terme '社交' fait référence à l'interaction et aux relations qu'un individu entretient avec les autres. Dans le vidéo, l'orateur souligne l'importance de la communauté et des relations qu'il a développées lors de son expérience de woofing, mettant en évidence comment cela a enrichi sa vie sociale.

💡会员

Dans le contexte du vidéo, '会员' (membre) fait référence aux personnes qui ont souscrit à un service, en l'occurrence pour accéder aux opportunités de woofing. Les membres peuvent alors accéder à des profils de fermes, communiquer avec les hôtes et organiser leurs séjours.

💡住宿

L' term '住宿' fait référence au lieu où les personnes peuvent séjourner pendant leur temps de woofing. Cela peut varier de la simple hébergement dans une maison à la location d'un espace pour un tentement.

💡食物

Dans le contexte du vidéo, '食物' (nourriture) se réfère à ce que les participants au programme de woofing recoivent en échange de leur travail, qui peut inclure des produits de la ferme ou des allocations pour acheter de la nourriture.

💡工作类型

Le '工作类型' fait référence au genre de tâches que les participants au programme de woofing sont censés effectuer sur les fermes. Cela peut varier du travail physique dans les champs à des tâches de gestion ou de maintenance.

💡旅行

Le '旅行' est un aspect clé de l'expérience de woofing, où les participants ont l'opportunité de visiter de nouveaux endroits et de découvrir de nouvelles cultures. Cela est souvent une motivation majeure pour les personnes qui choisissent de participer au programme.

💡适应性

L' 'adaptabilité' fait référence à la capacité de s'adapter et de gérer les changements ou les situations inattendues. Dans le contexte du vidéo, l'orateur encourage les participants à être ouverts d'esprit et à s'adapter à de nouvelles expériences lors de leur séjour de woofing.

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

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