An Real Hands on Cultural & International Experience...
WWOOF:
WWOOF:
- Stands for "Willing Workers On Organic Farms"
- WWOOF is a worldwide movement linking volunteers with organic farmers and growers to promote cultural and educational experiences based on trust and non-monetary exchanges, helping to build a sustainable global community.
- The picture to the left is of myself in Tasmania on the farm I was living and working on. We were building hot houses to plant and grow berries in. I can't remember the name of what I am holding, but it was a type of lizard we came across.
- WWOOF is a great way to travel and experience the culture of the country and the people. I would highly recommend it to anyone!! :D
In October 2007 I left my homeland and traveled across the world to Australia. I had a quick stop over for one week in the beautiful, exotic country known as Fiji where I spent my time soaking up the sun, learning the famous "Bula" dance, eating some delicious Fijian food, mingling with the people and drinking Cava!! The picture to the left is one of the Fijians who worked on the Island where I stayed, "Papa Joe."
I only wish I would have been able to spend more time here in this beautiful place with these kind beautiful people. I hope to revisit one day and spend some more discovering this exotic landscape...
I only wish I would have been able to spend more time here in this beautiful place with these kind beautiful people. I hope to revisit one day and spend some more discovering this exotic landscape...
I arrive in Australia on the 12th of October 2007 and spent my first few months traveling up the East Coast. I then made my way down to the South to the city of Melbourne where I lived with a single mother and her two daughters and worked for an organization called "Camp Australia." During my 5 months in Melbourne I realized how much I love this country and how much I wanted to stay. I was on a "Holiday Working Visa," which was only for one year. However if you work 3 months doing seasonal work you can apply for a second visa and extend it for another year. So I found out about WWOOFing, bought my membership, and quickly found a host in Lorinna, Tasmania where I lived and worked on an Organic Farm for 4 months. Lorinna was a small community of about 60 ppl in a valley. A lot of the people lived, or were working to live self-sufficiently. It was like a lil' piece of 'Heaven on Earth." It was here that I fell in love and developed a passion for agriculture, farming, animals, and the life of 'living off the land.' The picture to the left is where I lived. It was one of the oldest houses in the community, it used to be an old post office. There was no insulation or heat, so I had to bundle up at night time!! Oh and I had lots of company.... rats who would eat my homemade soap if I didn't cover it up, and who used to often scamper across my bedroom floor. :)
My second WWOOFing experience in Australia was in a place called St. Lawrence on the East Coast of Australia in Northern QLD. It was here that I Mud Crabbed for 3 1/2 months, probably one of my most favorite jobs. I lived with a family in a small town of about 200 people and went out on a boat with my boss everyday for 4-6hours per day taking in and putting out crab pots.
I didn't WWOOF again until I went to New Zealand after my two years in Australia. However I did work for 6 months on two different cattle stations in QLD and the Northern Territory. I LOVE THIS LIFESTYLE AND I LOVE THE HARD PHYSICAL WORK!!!
My duties on these cattle stations was a little bit of everything, from cooking, household duties, fencing, mustering, cattle work in the yard, lick runs, and anything else that happened in the run of a day. I miss it everyday.
My duties on these cattle stations was a little bit of everything, from cooking, household duties, fencing, mustering, cattle work in the yard, lick runs, and anything else that happened in the run of a day. I miss it everyday.
My next WWOOFing experience was in New Zealand in Waipuk, North Island on a Dairy Farm. This was a hard few months, I must say I didn't really like the work and lifestyle as much as the cattle station. Getting up at 4am or earlier to milk cows, twice a day.. 12 hours days was exhausting, and there just wasn't the passion of real farming, it was more about making money, "factory farming." The cows also I think were put through more, there were definitely some unpleasant days in the shed.
The next place I WWOOFed was in Gisborne on the North Islan. I spent one week on an organic orchard picking Tangelo's. Very similar looking to a tangerine, and very yummy!!
I spent 2 weeks WWOOFing for an older couple with another Canadian girl. We worked on a Organic Truffle Orchard, pruning the trees, gardening and a little bit of everything!!!
After WWOOFing in New Zealand I moved on to the shearing sheds where I worked for shearing contractors. This was an amazing experience, the shearing sheds are like a world of there own!!
Usually my day started at 4am where we would drive to different sheep farms and work for 10hours a day. We had 4 hour runs, 2 hours each, with a morning, lunch and afternoon break. It was very hard work, they reckin' shearing sheep for a full day is like running a marathon... these shearers do this everyday if there is work and will continue until it rains. When it rains you can't shear the sheep.
Usually my day started at 4am where we would drive to different sheep farms and work for 10hours a day. We had 4 hour runs, 2 hours each, with a morning, lunch and afternoon break. It was very hard work, they reckin' shearing sheep for a full day is like running a marathon... these shearers do this everyday if there is work and will continue until it rains. When it rains you can't shear the sheep.
After 3 years of traveling abroad I finally decided to make my way home to Canada However, Hawaii was a lovely place to relax and visit for one week on the way!
Before going to Hawaii I read a booked called "Honolulu." The story was actually based on true historical events and characters.
Honolulu was a story about the Korean Picture Brides, who went to an agency to get their photo taken. The photo was then sent across to men in Hawaii. Many of the men were Korean as well who wanted a wife to care for them why they worked on the plantations, they wanted the Korean tradition of a woman's place in the home.
The men paid for their tickets (by ship) and when the woman arrived they were married right away. The story was focused on one Korean women and her story of her life in Korea and Hawaii. It is a touch story and a great read.
I loved reading this book before I went because I was able to learn a lot about the history of Hawaii before World War II. Hawaii is a beautiful country, I must say it was sad to see how it has turned into a huge tourist destination. This place in the pacific has a story, it has a history.
Before going to Hawaii I read a booked called "Honolulu." The story was actually based on true historical events and characters.
Honolulu was a story about the Korean Picture Brides, who went to an agency to get their photo taken. The photo was then sent across to men in Hawaii. Many of the men were Korean as well who wanted a wife to care for them why they worked on the plantations, they wanted the Korean tradition of a woman's place in the home.
The men paid for their tickets (by ship) and when the woman arrived they were married right away. The story was focused on one Korean women and her story of her life in Korea and Hawaii. It is a touch story and a great read.
I loved reading this book before I went because I was able to learn a lot about the history of Hawaii before World War II. Hawaii is a beautiful country, I must say it was sad to see how it has turned into a huge tourist destination. This place in the pacific has a story, it has a history.
And finally... Prince Edward Island...