Yes!!!

Italian farmstay.

Writing as it happens...

On Friday I started my very exciting journey to THE farm. A two and a half hour bus ride took me to a town called Sora, which btw I could not find on any map or in my rough guide... In a hurry I hopped on a bus which I was 95% sure was going the right way. I therefore spent the next two and a half hours a bit worried that I was on the wrong bus and would get lost in who knows where. I arrived in Sora about 7 ish and called Antonello which has been my contect by e-mail. He said they would come and pick me up straight away. The ten minutes I was waiting, a thousand things went through my mind. What do I expect from this? How are the people? Am I alone as a voulenteer which was my biggest fear. What will I do there? Why would I ever leave beautiful Rome, I mean WHY?? Anyways! A car came, full of people, all happy and very friendly. Turns out there are two other volenteers here and a girl who never left! The main house is big and have a nice common space. Me and a girl from Berkeley called Gianna share a room, a bit cold, but a nice view facing the valley. A good dinner and a bottle of home-made vino later I am content wiht the situation and the people surrounding me. Domani it is rise and shine at 07.30 for breakfast and then work.

First day working I found it a bit hard and different than expected, although I did not really expect much. We work from 08.00 to 12.30 every day and then we have the rest of the day to do what we want. The family has a big property, houses and other places as well. We all went to another "farm" where there is a big project going on. We helped cleaning a creek for trash and moving big wooden logs down a hill and up the other. That was hard work! Since this is not what I had in mind when I first found this farm, it was a bit of a shock. As the viking I am I pulled my self together and got through the day but I must say I was happy to discover that I was not the only person that found it hard. A bit low spirited and with sore hands, I rested in a hammock while enjoing the sun. With a cup of tea and a volunteer friend by my side, I recharged my batteries and decided not to jump to any conclusions too fast. If there is anything I have a lot of, it is time.

The farm has another project running a "farm" nearby as well, for now there is one guy from Austria but in the summer there will be more. I would go there if it was not for the fact that there is no hot water and no heating and all of this, and as my mum knows I have certain standards which I can't go below. I wish I was this strong but I have nothing to give.. Maybe when I grow up and out of it :) Anyways, we went there and I had a good look around the property. We found wild asparagus, a bit undone but still, wild asparagus! After a while we returned home to discover that one of the goats had given birth to two kids! Wow baby, that was cool.

There are four volenteers here, me, from Norway, Gianna, from Berkeley in California, Radu ,from Romania and Anna ,from Austria, the girl who never left... Anna also studies here and join us every once in a while but most of the time is the 3 of us working. We have a lot of fun and get along well. This is the third day working and we have done all sorts of things. In the morning we help Giuseppe, "the grandpa" with the animals before going off to do other work. We have picked trash and and moved big wooden logs and who knows what :) Inspite of everything I'm happy here for now and am enjoing my days in the Italian countryside.

Our biggest question today is, Do we set the clock back an hour or what is going on? California thinks so, nobody on the farm cares and I don't have a watch so it is non importante! All the volunters are sitting here is still wondering... Maybe somebody can post a comment here and share their knowledge about setting the time. Any takers?