4 Questions to Ask Before WWOOFing

Feature photo: www.worldon2wheels.com; Photo: emma.maria

In response to my question about how many hours a day the WWOOFers worked, the host replied, “We expect the WWOFers to enjoy the work enough not to mind how many hours they work.”

A red flag should have begun waving itself madly, but all I could see was the cheese factory on site, the fact they made their own pasta, and the assortment of animals on the farm. I ended up working about 12 hours a day on that farm, but never with the cheese or the pasta.

After having good and bad experiences WWOOFing in four different countries, these are the questions I’ve learned to ask:

1. How many hours do I work each day?

The purpose of this question is to be prepared for the expectations of the farm. The answer also gives you a reference point for addressing concerns if you find a significant discrepancy once you’re at the farm.

Asking about days off is also a good idea. One guy arrived at a farm and thought he had every weekend off. He was unpleasantly surprised to learn this was not the case.

2. What kind of work will I be doing?

Photo: strikeael

I always like to know there is a variety of work to be done. At one farm I never did the same thing twice; I faced new challenges like milking goats and making a basket out of willow.

At another farm I only did two things: herd goats and cut grass. Which one do you think I enjoyed most? This question is important because you can find out if the work will suit you physically and if the tasks offer the experiences and challenges what you want.

3. I only speak English. Does that matter?

In France, I WWOOFed at a host who had moved from England, so language was not a problem. In Italy, however, I encountered a few problems at two farms. The first host did not like speaking in English. Instead, the host spoke to the other WWOOFers who spoke Italian, never directing anything to me.

Photo: strikeael

Their listing had indicated English was spoken, but it was a quiet and unsocial two weeks. At the second farm there was frequent miscommunication because the host spoke little English and was impatient with misunderstandings. Better to be clear from the start!

4. Do you allow WWOOFers to use the internet?

WWOOFers are often travelers who want to stay in touch with family and be able to make further travel arrangements. Yet I was surprised by the number of farms that were unhappy to let me send a quick email or look up a train schedule.

Some people are simply of an earlier generation, don’t use the internet themselves, and don’t see why you should. Others have had bad experiences of WWOOFers using their computers. Either way, if you plan to stay connected, it’s wise to ask about the host’s policy.

Make sure you leave for a host prepared; otherwise, unpleasant surprises might take away from what could be a rewarding experience.

Community Connection:

Read some other practical tips in our First-Timer’s Guide to WWOOFing.

Powerful Pilgrimage: Insight on the Camino de Santiago

Statue of Santiago on top of the Alto de San Roque/ Photo: Fresco Tours

Through advances in science and technology, we have unprecedented access to knowledge. Yet the ‘Information Age’ has left us bereft of wisdom.

We are now entering a dangerous new period — an Age of Ignorance. The worldwide launch this week of the film, The Age of Stupid, suggests we are headed towards a 6th mass extinction, the 5th being the end of the Dinosaurs.

‘Change’ is the new buzzword. It was not only Barack Obama’s platform, but also became the catchphrase of the recent G20 gathering. Individuals in every country know that we have to dramatically shift our modus operandi to achieve a stable and sustainable future. More of the same is a recipe for disaster.

Enter the Camino de Santiago — pilgrimage routes throughout Europe that are a powerful agent for positive change.

Our Past and Our Future

Photo: compostelavirtual

Of course, every age has inspired humanity to grow to meet new challenges, but this time we have reached the limit to growth. The capacity of the earth to meet our incessant demands is reaching the end point.

Virtually every independent scientist (the ones not employed by government or by multinationals in the oil, motor, pharmaceutical, food and finance industries) and forward thinking individual accepts that fundamental change is now urgently needed.

Humanity’s collective greed spreads like a cancer that, if not checked, threatens to kill the host. For example, an increase in global temperature of a mere 4 degrees means humanity becomes history.

Through the exploitation of natural and human resources, we have created enormous environmental and social degradation. The core issue, however, is not about environmentalism or ethics — it is about the crisis of the human spirit.

The World Wisdom Council, and its affiliated Club of Budapest, are made up of some of the most illumined minds of our time. They include world leaders from a broad background of enlightened engagement, such as the Dalai Lama, Mikhail Gorbachev, Muhammad Yunus, and Desmond Tutu.

The Club’s manifesto includes reference to another Nobel Peace Laureate, Albert Einstein, stating:

The fact is, one cannot solve a problem with the same kind of thinking that gave rise to it. When all is said and done, we come to a basic insight: we need a more evolved consciousness. Entering the 21st century with the consciousness that hallmarked the 20th century would be like entering the modern age with the consciousness of the Middle Ages. It would be not only inappropriate, but dangerous.

So what does this have to do with the Camino de Santiago? Put simply, the Camino, with its winding roads and paths, offers respite from the business of modern existence. It provides a unique opportunity to reappraise our direction, and helps to shift us from the Age of Ignorance to the more evolved state noted by the World Wisdom Council.

The Camino allows time away from the familiar and habitual so that new insights can be revealed. A wider perspective opens up, where we begin to realize who we are and what we came here to do.

Our lives are currently lived at such high speeds that we often forget to press the pause button. Many find themselves at the end of life too exhausted to care, while others feel powerless to make any difference.

Making the Shift

It is a given that we need a more evolved consciousness, but how do we make the shift?

Photo: compostelavirtual

Barring divine revelation, such as Paul’s conversion on the road to Damascus, we are unlikely to make the leap to an entirely new way of thinking while our noses remain welded to the grindstone.

There are, of course, many different paths that we can follow that may help elevate our lives and our collective consciousness. We can join a yoga class, start a daily meditation practice, go on a retreat, take a mid-career break.

But there are always temptations that come to rob us of our new resolve. How easy is it to miss just one class and then another, to skip the morning meditation because we have a deadline, or to use our timeout to travel to some exotic location where we are tempted to drink too much Tequila or to eat too many Fajitas?

With the Camino, no such temptations arise. Each day is lived in the simplicity of the path where we travel at a more natural pace of just 2 miles an hour. This allows time to witness the rising sun, the sacred landscape that surrounds us with its rich array of fauna and flora.

We proceed slowly towards the welcome that awaits us at the day’s end where the warden of the next pilgrim hostel greets us. Along the Camino, these guardians are called ‘hospitaleros,’ a softer term from which we get the word hospitality.

The Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh has his main ashram adjacent to one of the Caminos in France. Here, he and his community practice ‘mindful walking’ every day.

He explains that mindful walking is one of the most effective forms of meditation for our frenetic western mind. He suggests that sitting meditation is simply too difficult for many of us and that meditation has to form part of an activity to be more generally effective.

The Divinity Within

Walking an overtly pilgrim route, such as the Camino de Santiago, reminds us every day of the divinity within ourselves and within all life.

As we walk through the landscape Temples of France and up over the Pyrenees into Northern Spain and Galicia, we are reminded every moment of that spirituality that connects us all, irrespective of our differing religions and philosophies. We find ourselves in the company of like-minded individuals that form a traveling community unique in the world.

Country cart path along the Camino / Photo: Fresco Tours

There are many pilgrimage routes, such as the way to Fatima, but that is exclusively Roman Catholic in orientation. The Hajj is exclusively Muslim, and the Kumbha Mela is sacred to the Hindus.

Only the Camino de Santiago transcends our differences to unite us in an eclectic bond of openness and shared values.

Only the Camino has been designated Europe’s First Cultural Itinerary, recognized by UNESCO, and given World Heritage status on account of “…the testimony to the power of faith and the 1,800 buildings of great historic interest that lie along its path.”

That power is as potent today as it was over a thousand years ago when the first pilgrims set foot towards Santiago. If you are in need of some spaciousness and change in your life, put on your boots and join a community dedicated to lifting collective consciousness by mindful walking along the Camino, which translates simply as ‘the Way’.

What do you think about the possibilities of the Camino de Santiago? Share your thoughts below.

Community Connection

Interested in other spiritual pilgrimages? Check out an interview with Spirit Quest Tours’ founder in Greg Roach Wants You To Make A Spiritual Pilgrimage, and amazing places to worship throughout the world in The World’s 12 Most Spectacular Houses of Worship.

Portugal Reports Results of Drug Decriminalization Act

Photo: Foxtongue

Five years ago, Portugal decided to do something bold about its drug problems: pass a full-on decriminalization act, making the possession and use of even hard-core illicit drugs–including cocaine and heroin–a public health problem rather than a legal/criminal justice issue.

While drug dealing and trafficking still carried criminal penalties, possession and use resulted in diversion to treatment and intervention, rather than imprisonment, in most circumstances.

Decriminalization is a drug policy tactic that has been considered by other governments, but remains deeply divisive in the United States.

Portuguese officials, however, offer evidence that the legalization strategy might just be the best means of addressing at least three social problems–drug use, prison overcrowding, and poor public health– simultaneously.

In this article, published in Scientific American, a US think-tank analyzed Portuguese public health drug-related data since the decriminalization act was passed and reported the following:

“Five years later, the number of deaths from street drug overdoses dropped from around 400 to 290 annually, and the number of new HIV cases caused by using dirty needles to inject heroin, cocaine and other illegal substances plummeted from nearly 1,400 in 2000 to about 400 in 2006….”

Beyond the benefits to public health, a US criminologist also quoted in the article noted that the decriminalization act did not–as some critics expected– cause Lisbon to become a magnet for drug-seeking tourists.

So is decriminalization a viable policy where you live? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.

Community Connection:

Read about other decriminalization movements in this article, Latin America Changes War on Drugs Strategy: Legalize!

It’s Always Snowing Somewhere

Photo: geoftheref

I gazed out the bus window last Sunday afternoon to see…well, nothing.

No jagged mountains or endless pampas as I’d imagined. Instead, a solid sheet of white hung like TV static out the slowly progressing bus window. Blizzard-like conditions were slamming Patagonia’s Route 40.

This was the first time I saw it snow during my now six months in South America. And I was just as shocked as I had been back in January, flying out of snowy Boston to arrive in the humid, hazy summer of Lima. How amazing that it’s possible to switch seasons in a day simply by hopping a plane.

Photo: lepiaf.geo

However strange it may feel, I’m ready to take advantage of what Patagonia’s throwing at me.

Over the next month or so that I’ll be here in Esquel, Argentina, volunteering with Asociación MAPU (which just so happens to be a Matador member organization), I should have a couple days free to hit the local ski mountain, La Hoya.

And if I were to venture a bit farther north, I could sample a couple of the 5 Best Southern Hemisphere Ski Resorts that Trips profiled earlier this year.

The other three are in Australia/New Zealand.

What about my fellow Southern Hemisphereans? What are your plans for enjoying the winter of 2009 while our cousins up north steam and sweat? Let me know in the comments.

Community Connection

To connect with other Matador members stationed below the belt, search the community destination pages.

Ten of the World’s Farthest Flung Gay Bars

Photo (and feature photo): Tseandwyer

Frenz Frenzy. Osaka, Japan.

The only gay bar in Osaka run by a foreigner, Frenz Frenzy looks better designed for a Sid & Marty Krofft show than it does for drinking. Dubbed “rainbow heaven”, the venue looks like some kind of twisted first grade glassroom. You’re definitely going to have nightmares after you finish that crantini.

Real. Almaty, Kazakstan

Yes, a gay bar in Kazakstan. Believe it or not, many people say that Christian influence in this part of the world is what’s softening up Muslim attitudes toward gay life. Trip on that for a minute. A website for the area turns up a few bars, including Real, which seems to be the dandy of the scene. Friday nights prove the worldwide ubiquity of the Drag Show.

Beyonce? We think not. Photo: Babasu

Ying Di Jiu Ba. Xian, China

You’ll have to work hard to find this spot, marked only by its telephone number (8762-6676). Once inside “Indy” you’ll find a packed house. Prize night is very popular – simply pay Y$10 to open one of ninety sealed boxes and find out what’s inside. Terrifying.

The Blue Light. Sheboygan, Wisconsin, USA

The Blue Light is host to the Mr. and Miss Lakeshore contest, although it would appear from photos that the winner in each category may have a penis.

Linga Bar. Siem Reap, Cambodia

If a day of exploring Angkor Wat has made you long for some dude love then this is the place for you. Linga Bar serves all kinds of fruity cocktails. Featured in the January 2009 Travel & Leisure, we’re wondering if the author was aware that many of the patrons (who are quick to sit on your lap) seem to be interested in a little bit of side work.

The Linga Bartenders. Photo:Asiax89

Flamingos. Hobart, Tasmania

Open on Friday and Saturday nights, Flamingos has been a mainstay in the Greater Hobart Area. They’re currently in the middle of a little facelift and will re-open later this summer. Google alerts, people!

Ko Ko. Yangon, Myanmar

While not listed as a gay venue, this cafe is owned by a renowned hairstylist. That’s code where we come from. Not surprisingly, reports say that the crowd tends to be hip and stylish. It’s a bit hard to find, so go armed with the address: 9 Sayar San Rd (near Mr. Guitar).

Q Bar. Reykjavik, Iceland

The self-proclaimed “hottest gay bar in Iceland” is in Reykjavik. This is one of those multi-faceted bars with a night for everyone, from the kind of (elderly, drunk) folks who like pub quizzes, to the (tweaked, drunk) folks who like to dance to bad house music. June 2nd was Speedo Night and we’re not asking for pictures.

Q Bar in Reykjavic, before doors open. Photo: Wendycrockett

Pegs N Pints. Delhi, India

A blog about this place gives a real sense of how difficult it is to be gay in India. Pegs N Pints seems to be Delhi’s sole outpost and is only open on Tuesday nights. Things change fast for gay establishments in this country, so make sure that it’s still open if you plan to attend.

Acid. Beirut, Lebanon

Acid is renowned as the first gay bar in the Middle East. It’s as weird to type as it is to read. Not surprisingly, very little information is available online about the outlet, however a website makes sure to point out that “Excessive same sex affections and body contacts are not tolerated.”

Editor’s Note: The author has several lesbian friends, knows the drill and wishes to head off many tirades by saying that there is a planned follow-up to this article just for girls. Chill, please.

Scuba Diving the Red Sea, Egypt.

WHAT/WHERE
A scuba trip with friends in the waters of Marsa Alam, Egypt.

NETWORK CONNECTION

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3 New Gadgets Worth Checking Out

Photo by Lola Akinmade

SanDisk Solid State Drive

When I think of SanDisk, I think of solid flash memory cards for digital SLR cameras and to a lesser extent, affordable MP3 players around the $40 range.

Now, the storage powerhouse has revealed its new 2.5-inch G3 solid state hard drives, available in 60GB and 120GB versions.

According to Engadget:

You’ll also be thrilled to know that the G3 range supports the newest Windows 7 TRIM feature, which enables the drive to “continuously manage its resources and retain optimized performance throughout its lifespan.”

The drive will cost you around $229.99 for the 60GB version ($399.99 for 120GB).

New Asus Eee Netbooks

Photo courtesy of Blogeee

Ultralight netbooks at just 0.7-inches thick with a purported battery life of 14 hours?

While no release date has been set yet, Asus is planning on releasing three new models of netbooks.

Both the Eee PC 1015P and 1016P will have up to 14 hours of battery lufe (with WI-FI turned off) while the 0.7-inch superthin Eee PC 1018P will have an integrated fingerprint reader and 10 hours of battery life.

Panasonic’s 3MOS HD Camcorders

Panasonic loyalists swear by their products’ topnotch Leica lens optical quality.

Hence, why photographers Uncornered Market, Pam Mandel of Nerd’s Eye View, and myself all carry backup Panasonic Lumix digital cameras in addition to our main DSLR cameras.

Panasonic has now released a range of handheld High Definition (HD) camcorders for shooting professional-quality video – the HDC-HS700, HDC-TM700 and HDC-SD700.

They come with 35mm Wide-Angle Leica Lenses (sweet!), 18x Intelligent Zoom, SD card slots, and 240GB hard drive in the HDC-HS700. All three snap still photos with 14.1 pixels and support Full-HD 1920 x 1080pixel resolution recording – the highest resolution for handheld camcorders currently available.

Panasonic plans on releasing the camcorders in March and prices are rumored to be within the $1,100 – $1,800 range.

Community Connection

For more nifty technology, check out Top Gadgets To Travel With In 2010 and our lineup of cool gadgets in Technology Bytes.

Know of any new, practical, and cool gadgets coming out soon? Please share with us below.

Children Play at Swayambhunath, Kathmandu, Nepal

Photo: Laika slips the lead, a member of the Matador Photography Flickr group

COMMUNITY CONNECTION

Remember, we’re always accepting submissions for Wordless Wanderlust photos over at the Matador Photography Flickr group. Stop by, sign up, and share your shots.

Technology Bytes: What to Expect at SxSW Interactive

Photo by boltron-, feature photo by adria.richards

I’m a gadget geek, sure, but I’m a music geek first. So when I hear about the SXSW festival in Austin, my first thought is always “who’s playing?”

But this year I’m more curious about the latest in technology rumors that will surely start flowing through the blogoshere on March 12th. As TechCrunch pointed out, Twitter won the SXSW Web Award…in 2007. Well before it became the “OMG I can’t live without it” little piece of social media that it is today.

So what should we expect in 2010? Scrolling down the schedule, a few things in particular catch my eye:

Could The iPad Have Saved Gourmet? The (New) Future of Magazines – Love the title. Hope someone sends the memo to a few folks in the publishing industry.

Interviewing the President: How YouTube Can Do It Better – As the event description says, “come learn how engaged citizens, accidental reporters, aspiring journalists, bedroom vloggers, cable news-clippers, and the mainstream media co-exist in the YouTube news ecosystem.”

Recession 2009-2010: The Best Time to Launch Your Startup – They say more than half of our biggest companies were started during a recession or depression. Possibly some great tips here for those ready to break free and do their own thing.

Social Media Marketing for Your Business – Sound advice sure to be found here for those social media douchebags we all know and love.

And those are just on Friday. Other highlights answer serious issues, like how to promote your brand with apps, to the seemingly inane (but most likely necessary) question: can you copyright a tweet?

What do you expect to see from SXSW 2010? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

Matadorians in Chile: Let us know you’re ok

Santiago before the quake. Photo: Julie Schwietert

Senior editor David Miller felt the quake all the way down in Argentinean Patagonia, in El Bolson.

Matador members Eileen Smith, who lives in Santiago (but is currently biking around New Zealand), and Craig and Linda Martin, who are traveling in Chile, have all checked in and let us know they’re okay. Friend of Matador, Roberto Parra, also posted a note on Facebook saying he’s okay.

We have lots of Matador members and friends in Chile, though, and we want to hear from you. If you’re anywhere in the Southern Cone, leave a message and let us know you’re ok. And if there’s any help Matador can provide, please let us know what we can do.

Peace.