Why WWOOFing and Van-Life is Important to Me
A while ago I posted a brief blog about how I know and it got re-established in my mind that I am not the type of person to work in an office job and that I plan on getting a van and traveling around for awhile. I didn't give much of any explanation as to why I want to do this and just simply stated the fact that yes, this is what I'm doing. This is still true and I don't think anyone can push me off of this path, but I realize it might also be good to tell my viewpoint and why I want to do this and why it's important to me and important to my journey in life.
I have heard a few times that I am too good for these counter-culture type things and that I need to be doing something bigger and better or that I need to "settle down" and to that I say, let me live my own life. This is my life, you have your own and if you don't want to live in a van and work on farms...I simply don't care what you do or don't do and I would like for you to extend that courtesy to me as well. This is something I have wanted to do for a long time and I am going to do it because why the heck not? I understand that people aren't always going to understand my radical choices for my life, my heart, or my well-being. Even loved ones and family are going to question, challenge, or even ridicule me but I am going to do it anyways.
With that being said, I would still like to share my thoughts and viewpoints to maybe help others see the alternatives to life or to inspire others to try out something new and different. In reality, anyone can get a job...anyone can sit behind a desk and do a task, but it takes a special kind of person to say screw society I want to do something else with my time.
For those of you who do not know, WWOOFing is an organization that allows you to connect with farms and farmers to help work on their farm planting, harvesting, etc for an agreed upon time. All the farms are organic farms and they can be found world wide. My plan is to get a camper van and travel up the West coast of the United States while WWOOFing to earn food and a place to stay.
I want to travel mainly because how else am I ever going to experience the world, new ideas, new people, and open up my mind to new possibilities and ways of living and thinking about life. Sometimes its easy to become stagnant looking around at the status quo. Yet, you have to keep pushing, keep evolving, keep opening up your heart. I can't ever grow from being comfortable and only seeing the world from one view point. If you have never left your hometown, your perspective is limited literally and metaphorically. You haven't stretched your mind by experiencing new streets, architecture, slang, food, or local culture. It doesn't have to be international travel to make an impact on your thoughts either. I once read that we must travel for "our health, education, to realize the limitation of our own views, to be able to improve conditions at home, to appreciate the various kinds of beauty in the world, and to appreciate home."
I want to live in a van because I feel it will give me the freedom to move throughout the country freely without having to rely upon lodging and it will save me money in the same respect. I chose a van because I want to be able to drive it through the mountains with ease and to carry my beloved pet cat with me wherever I go. I want home cooked meals on a little camping griddle that will fill my whole van with a delightful aroma of my dinner. I want to decorate my van to make it as much of a home as a house is and I do not want to wait for this to happen later in my life. This is what I want now and I have the time for it and so it will be done.
I want to WWOOF, because how could I ever think I can help people in my future if I don't know what they're dealing with and what their lives consist of. My main focus is on environmental sustainability and my goal, which will be accomplished, is to work for the federal government in the EPA, Parks department, or Bureau of land management and then the UN for climate change. It doesn't seem right to be to assume what farmers need and to change legislation based upon assumptions instead of actuality. During my time at these farms I will learn what goes into creating a sustainable crop that can feed our citizens. I will learn more things than I can ever imagine right now that will be so incredibly useful for my future as well as the future of this country and the world. I can't help conserve the land if I don't know how to work it. I can't manage the land if I've never seen anyone base their livelihood off of their crops. Climate change is going to dramatically affect farmers and they are the first ones to notice these effects. If I don't know how to help them when I am in a position to create legislation and regulations then we have no sustainable future. There is a lot to be learned before any big change can take place in Washington or the UN and I think it's important to get first hand knowledge from those who live through it day to day.
So yes, I have heard people give me a hard time and suggest alternate routes for me but I am doing exact what I want to do and I am being taken on the path I need to be on. You may not see where each step takes me, but this path is not for you. I
t is for me and I see the finish line no matter if you do or not. I am just choosing to have some fun, travel, and enjoy myself along the way.
I have heard a few times that I am too good for these counter-culture type things and that I need to be doing something bigger and better or that I need to "settle down" and to that I say, let me live my own life. This is my life, you have your own and if you don't want to live in a van and work on farms...I simply don't care what you do or don't do and I would like for you to extend that courtesy to me as well. This is something I have wanted to do for a long time and I am going to do it because why the heck not? I understand that people aren't always going to understand my radical choices for my life, my heart, or my well-being. Even loved ones and family are going to question, challenge, or even ridicule me but I am going to do it anyways.
With that being said, I would still like to share my thoughts and viewpoints to maybe help others see the alternatives to life or to inspire others to try out something new and different. In reality, anyone can get a job...anyone can sit behind a desk and do a task, but it takes a special kind of person to say screw society I want to do something else with my time.
For those of you who do not know, WWOOFing is an organization that allows you to connect with farms and farmers to help work on their farm planting, harvesting, etc for an agreed upon time. All the farms are organic farms and they can be found world wide. My plan is to get a camper van and travel up the West coast of the United States while WWOOFing to earn food and a place to stay.
I want to travel mainly because how else am I ever going to experience the world, new ideas, new people, and open up my mind to new possibilities and ways of living and thinking about life. Sometimes its easy to become stagnant looking around at the status quo. Yet, you have to keep pushing, keep evolving, keep opening up your heart. I can't ever grow from being comfortable and only seeing the world from one view point. If you have never left your hometown, your perspective is limited literally and metaphorically. You haven't stretched your mind by experiencing new streets, architecture, slang, food, or local culture. It doesn't have to be international travel to make an impact on your thoughts either. I once read that we must travel for "our health, education, to realize the limitation of our own views, to be able to improve conditions at home, to appreciate the various kinds of beauty in the world, and to appreciate home."
I want to live in a van because I feel it will give me the freedom to move throughout the country freely without having to rely upon lodging and it will save me money in the same respect. I chose a van because I want to be able to drive it through the mountains with ease and to carry my beloved pet cat with me wherever I go. I want home cooked meals on a little camping griddle that will fill my whole van with a delightful aroma of my dinner. I want to decorate my van to make it as much of a home as a house is and I do not want to wait for this to happen later in my life. This is what I want now and I have the time for it and so it will be done.
I want to WWOOF, because how could I ever think I can help people in my future if I don't know what they're dealing with and what their lives consist of. My main focus is on environmental sustainability and my goal, which will be accomplished, is to work for the federal government in the EPA, Parks department, or Bureau of land management and then the UN for climate change. It doesn't seem right to be to assume what farmers need and to change legislation based upon assumptions instead of actuality. During my time at these farms I will learn what goes into creating a sustainable crop that can feed our citizens. I will learn more things than I can ever imagine right now that will be so incredibly useful for my future as well as the future of this country and the world. I can't help conserve the land if I don't know how to work it. I can't manage the land if I've never seen anyone base their livelihood off of their crops. Climate change is going to dramatically affect farmers and they are the first ones to notice these effects. If I don't know how to help them when I am in a position to create legislation and regulations then we have no sustainable future. There is a lot to be learned before any big change can take place in Washington or the UN and I think it's important to get first hand knowledge from those who live through it day to day.So yes, I have heard people give me a hard time and suggest alternate routes for me but I am doing exact what I want to do and I am being taken on the path I need to be on. You may not see where each step takes me, but this path is not for you. I
t is for me and I see the finish line no matter if you do or not. I am just choosing to have some fun, travel, and enjoy myself along the way.
