Moving On

I can't understate how grateful I am for all of the amazing friends I have who have WWOOFed both in the US and other countries, and the stories they have shared with me about bad experiences with hosts.

The Arroyo Seco farm did not work out.

There were a couple of reasons :

1. As it turns out, this site was not a farm at all but rather a personal garden. The tasks that I and the other volunteer, Hannah, were given involved landscaping (trimming native bushes) and household work and it seemed to us that WWOOFers were being used more for labor than for mutual benefit.

2. Having been there for a week before my arrival Hannah had already experienced a bit of discomfort and frustration. In addition to the general feeling that our presence there was being exploited, Sunday evening we had a very aggressive and uncomfortable encounter with our host. After discussing our feelings about the situation we determined that it would be best for us to leave the following morning and so after just two nights there, Hannah and I left early this morning for Albuquerque where her family is generously letting me stay until I get back on track.

Among things gained from the experience: A couple of days spent in gorgeous Arroyo Seco, NM (despite the 3 inches of snow we received yesterday); the lesson learned to clarify the details of daily life on host farms and work expected from volunteers in advance of arrival; and my new friend Hannah!

I will update as things fall into place!

Love and miss you all!