Taking a gap year is a funny thing to do because it makes you realize how structured and rushed the first 25 years of life tend to be. Truthfully, we didn't want to continue college right after high school. We weren't ready, and it felt like we were being swept away by the tide, onto the next step--and we wanted to gain our footing before diving right back in. This gap will give us the chance to do just that: breathe, recollect, and prepare to enter college (or whatever is next) with a more intentional mindset.
Rachel and I knew we wanted to travel and take in a new environment. We wanted something away from the classroom, without homework, tests, or exams. And while we felt extraordinarily appreciative of our education, it was hard to ignore the toll that academic pressures took on us during the school year. We wanted something different and adventurous. And, realistically, we needed something low-cost.
So here we are, having decided to go WWOOFing for 5 months in Europe. First, we will stay in the UK, then travel to France, and finally to Italy. We aim to spread our time evenly in each country, at stay roughly 2 weeks per farm. That will give us enough time to experience the rhythm of daily life on each farm, before we move onto a new destination.
Rachel lives in Orange County, and I live in Shanghai. Since both of these are urban areas, you might be thinking that these city folk have no idea what they're getting themselves into. You're probably right. We don't really have much knowledge of what life on the farms will entail. The high school that Rachel and I attended had a farm which we visited a few times a year to take photos and buy ice cream. I imagine WWOOFing will actually be quite different from that. Hopefully the ice cream part is the same.
If our 5 months abroad are successful, we will return to our homes with not just some muddier shoes, but also more perspective, appreciation, and cultural competence. Whatever happens along the way, we're happy to share it with you here on this blog. We will post photos, anecdotes, and thoughts that we gather during our travels. We hope you enjoy Spud&Bud!
New possibilities
Fortunately for Rachel and me, our colleges were receptive and agreed to our deferrals after just a few, quick emails. We were then faced, however, with the decision of what in the world we would do for the next 12 months. The options seemed endless! Volunteering for a nonprofit. Taking up a new instrument. Biking across the country. Working to gather funds for college. Even just resting a lot and watching Hulu.Rachel and I knew we wanted to travel and take in a new environment. We wanted something away from the classroom, without homework, tests, or exams. And while we felt extraordinarily appreciative of our education, it was hard to ignore the toll that academic pressures took on us during the school year. We wanted something different and adventurous. And, realistically, we needed something low-cost.
Enter WWOOF...
WWOOF currently stands for World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms. You can familiarize yourself with the organization here. For now, just know that WWOOF is essentially an exchange between volunteers and the owners of organic farms. Volunteers offer their (typically unskilled) labor to farmers in exchange for free accommodation and food. Farms are located all around the world, and WWOOF can thus provide a great way to go abroad for little money.So here we are, having decided to go WWOOFing for 5 months in Europe. First, we will stay in the UK, then travel to France, and finally to Italy. We aim to spread our time evenly in each country, at stay roughly 2 weeks per farm. That will give us enough time to experience the rhythm of daily life on each farm, before we move onto a new destination.
Rachel lives in Orange County, and I live in Shanghai. Since both of these are urban areas, you might be thinking that these city folk have no idea what they're getting themselves into. You're probably right. We don't really have much knowledge of what life on the farms will entail. The high school that Rachel and I attended had a farm which we visited a few times a year to take photos and buy ice cream. I imagine WWOOFing will actually be quite different from that. Hopefully the ice cream part is the same.
If our 5 months abroad are successful, we will return to our homes with not just some muddier shoes, but also more perspective, appreciation, and cultural competence. Whatever happens along the way, we're happy to share it with you here on this blog. We will post photos, anecdotes, and thoughts that we gather during our travels. We hope you enjoy Spud&Bud!
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