Let's start off with some numbers, shall we?
153 – Number of days I have been away from Los Angeles
127 – Number of days since I quit my job
98 – Number of days I have been traveling (not counting my bumming around days in The Philippines)
96 – Number of days since I last wore high heels
98 – Number of days I have been traveling (not counting my bumming around days in The Philippines)
96 – Number of days since I last wore high heels
Have I been gone that long already? Or rather… have I only been gone that long? Jeez, sometimes I feel like I’ve been traveling for years. My back definitely feels the strain of my backpack, that’s for sure. J But hey… who am I to complain? As far as life goes, this sure beats sitting on a cubicle all day.
So here I am, still in The UK, jumping from England to Scotland and to Wales, taking my time, and having a lot of fun with my friends. I’ve attended birthdays, helped friends move, stalked an actor on a film set outside my friend’s apartment, did weekend getaway trips, explored Scotland, did a full circle on my Harry Potter obsession and visited everything Harry Potter related in the UK, attended a music festival… Seriously, I’ve done more than a Brit could ever do in his own country, I feel like I live here already! It’s been an AMAZING couple of months (not counting the time I got annihilated by bed bugs, but that’s another story all together)
BUON GIORNO!!!
And so the first leg of the tour has finally come to a
close, as this time next week, I will be in ITALIA, kicking off the second leg!
Just to give you a refresher – the second leg I’m referring to is the HELPXBackpacking Europe Experience!
Helpx or Help Exchange is an organization where you get to work for a few hours a day in exchange for free board and lodging, and sometimes food too! The work that you do varies, depending on the needs of your hosts. You could work for an organic farm, helping with various tasks from harvesting fruit and vegetables to feeding the donkeys. You could also work for a B&B, helping with housekeeping and bar work… OR you could just help a family with some chores around their house. Possibilities are endless!
Just to give you a refresher – the second leg I’m referring to is the HELPXBackpacking Europe Experience!
Helpx or Help Exchange is an organization where you get to work for a few hours a day in exchange for free board and lodging, and sometimes food too! The work that you do varies, depending on the needs of your hosts. You could work for an organic farm, helping with various tasks from harvesting fruit and vegetables to feeding the donkeys. You could also work for a B&B, helping with housekeeping and bar work… OR you could just help a family with some chores around their house. Possibilities are endless!
I have been able to secure two volunteer opportunities in
Italy, both of them at a small, family owned B&B. So starting next week, I
will be making use of my strong built and customer service skills, working in –
I guess, housekeeping! Italian style! Earth2Eartha – at your service!
For more details, check out my post on Help Exchange HERE.
For more details, check out my post on Help Exchange HERE.
WHY AM I DOING THIS?
Well, for one thing – it sure saves a lot of money. These past couple months, I’ve been hounding on my siblings to sponsor various things for me, like excursions, a musical, a bottle of perfume…Seeing my savings take a huge dip really isn’t doing anything for my nerves. It keeps me up at night!
6 weeks of “working”, although doesn’t necessarily give me any money, at least prevents me from having to spend too much. All I need is the money to get me there, and a few Euro’s here and there for basic necessities and I’m golden!
Mainly though – I want to do Help Exchange because it’s the best way to get myself immersed in the culture. I get to meet, spend time and interact with locals everyday, and I *know* I’m going to learn *so* much about their lives and their lifestyle. You can’t buy that, can you? J
It’s exciting… plus I’m really looking forward to working again. I know it’s manual labor, and it’s nothing like what I used to do – but that’s why it’s exciting! I get to work with my hands and sweat a little for a change!
While I’m over there, I’m hoping to be able to take day
trips to Cinque Terre and Rome, and maybe explore the Amalfi Coast for a few
days too. After that, the tentative plan is to head over to Croatia, then
Greece, for hopefully another HelpX opportunity.
IN THE MEANTIME
"Una ragazza e un cavallo"
...is the first Italian sentence I learned on my Rosetta Stone Language Tutorial. I have no idea how "a girl and a horse" will ever come into conversation while I'm there, but I’m hoping to be able to learn enough Italian to ask for directions to the
toilet at least. I’d also want to impress my hosts. I *am* working in their
country after all… it’s always good to show them a little respect, nowatimsayin’?
Wish me luck, everyone! Or should I say – una donna e un automobile!
Ciao!!!
