Esther's world trip
Esther's world trip
vakantio.de/esther-around-the-world

A new dimension to the concept of cleanliness

Veröffentlicht: 07.09.2018

Wow. I don't know where to start. I guess I wouldn't be me if I didn't start with the most pressing issue I'm facing right now: the lack of cleanliness! So please be lenient with me for not starting with the general chitchat of where I am, what I'm doing here, what the people I'm staying with are like etc.

Before my departure I was a bit worried about my standards of hygiene in the house and I was well aware of the chance of being challenged in this very respect. I had actually thought myself bold when booking a bed in a mixed dorm in Reykjavik (out of financial considerations), at the time totally oblivious of the fact that staying in this dorm would be no jumping in at the deep end at all. Quite the contrary: the hostel was great, unexpectedly clean, really quiet except for the light snorring of one of my dorm mates, and thanks to the curtains in front of every single bed, it even allowed a decent amount of privacy.

Yesterday I arrived in Hvolsvöllur, a small town in the south of Iceland. Here I'm staying on a farm working for board and lodging. The people are very friendly but, alas, their house is a mess! There are five Icelandic sheep dogs and one cat, Garfield, living in the house as well so everything is full of pet fur, even the clean clothes in the closets. Besides that, the bathroom is really nasty resulting in me not wanting to drink anything so that I won't have to go there more often than absolutely necessary. In the kitchen I've cleaned up behind the farmer several times today because he likes to just leave everything he has used on the counters and kitchen table. This kind of work doesn't seem to be appreciated (or recognized as such) as the farmer's wife just commented on the amount of work I had been doing which did not include all the wiping, sweeping and dishwashing etc. 

Please don't get me wrong: I don't mind the (natural) dirt in the barn, I could even live with all the pet fur in the house, but I get the sense that there exist two completely different concepts of cleanliness, and I'm in the unfortunate position that this mess really bothers me. I have already hinted at the idea that I could be in charge of doing the cleaning in the house, but this idea wasn't really met with the expected enthusiasm. It seems that they just don't care and regard it as a waste of time. Oh dear, I don't know how I'm gonna cope with that...

Antworten (3)

Kat
😁 ja, ja..., mal sehen wo das alles hinführt. Poor Esther.

Mini
I'm sorry but I can't help but crack up as I read your words. Yes...I know you would not think my words funny..BUT.....again....I can feel your pain transmitted through your words and can relate to similar experiences I've had and survived. This too shall pass and you will laugh at the experience at some point in the future. I know....your not laughing now as you read my words. BUT.......trust. Create your own bubble of cleanliness according to your standards, Let the others live in their own dirty mess bubble. It's their world and it works for them. Experience take away....take care of your won needs and let others be who they are. We can only change ourselves or circumstances by choice, not others. Got tetanus and hep shots in order? I KNOW YOU'VE GOT MILK.

Isabel
Stay positive & look on the bright side of life! You won’t be there for long ... courage sister!!! 💪🏼Next stop may be different 😁

Island
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