So this trip is very much in the planning stages. I still need to find a job, book tickets, and plan an itinerary. The first thing on my list has been jobs, and so far my search has turned up some pretty exciting looking opportunities! One of the ones I found that I’m most excited for is WWOOF.
WWOOF stands for World Wide Opportunities in Organic Farming. Basically the idea is that in exchange for food and accommodations, you work on an organic farm for a certain period of time – this time period can last anywhere from two or three weeks to 6 months, and is negotiated entirely between you (the “wwoofer”) and the host site.
As I was looking for options in Europe, this is one that came up again and again. The thing about this trip I want to take is that i have to do it on a budget. While I have some money saved up, I would really rather not spend ALL my money on this trip, leaving me with some rather limited options. I need to either find a job there that pays, or find something that offers some level of compensation. I’ve been looking at summer camps, internships with international organizations, and a ton of other random things. WWOOF, however, keeps coming up again and again – I really think that even if I find a steady job, I would like to spend at least a month on a farm, learning about alternative lifestyles and farming methods.
The next item on my list is figuring out how I want to travel, so that I can budget properly, and start planning my stays! The trip, in my mind, has always included a gigantic backpack. I want to travel light; I want the experience of living out of a very limited pack. Right now, I have tons of stuff, and while I’m very thankful for everything I’ve been given, I’d like to spend a little time trying to get by on as little as possible. With that goal in mind, I’m planning to spend the rest of this year carefully going through my possessions, and giving away all the items I either dislike or don’t use anymore.
I’ve always wanted to try to live minimally, and in many ways I’m viewing next year as my opportunity to do so. What better time to try than when I’m forced to live out of a backpack?
In India Ink 