A second home on the other side of the world

As already announced, we would spend the next 10 days with a New Zealand family wwoofing. Wwoofing stands for "world wide opportunities on organic farms", but the term is often used simply for a stay with locals, where you get accommodation and food for 4-6 hours of work per day (usually gardening, farming, or housework). However, the most important thing is the opportunity to experience the typical (farm) life, as well as meet new people and cultures. So we had chosen a 3-member family near Dunedin on a dedicated internet platform, where we wanted to help out for a few days. The small family includes the parents and a charming 12-year-old girl, as well as the aging dog Taco and the talking budgie bird Delphi. In addition to these house residents, there is the pony Chester, the two goats Gracie and Billy, and a handful of cows. So when we arrived on our first day, we were naturally excited about what to expect and whether the family would actually welcome us warmly and openly in their home as indicated by the "reviews". In addition to a large villa with a veranda that almost surrounded the entire house and an incredibly beautiful but huge garden, we found our own room with a bathroom there. After our breakfast and an initial introduction, we were immediately allowed to start our first task, which was to collect pony poop. After we had completed this rather funny task, we continued with collecting pinecones and splitting firewood. Another helper joined us there: Tanja, also from Germany. By noon, our work was done and we got to taste the homemade bread of our hostess for the first time. And yes, being so far away from good bread, it was a treat and we enjoyed our first lunch. We then had the afternoon off until we had dinner with the whole family and could chat afterwards. In principle, the following days were all similar, except that we no longer had to collect pony poop, but our work mainly consisted of weeding and splitting firewood, and we were able to experience many cool things with the family and Tanja besides work. We could "borrow" Taco and go fishing with him at the river, or we went with the whole family and the canoe to the river in the evening, paddled back and forth there, and Toni could hold his fishing rod in the water. Here he actually caught his first fish. We were also warmly welcomed and served excellent meals, often with the meat of the family's own cattle. After just a few days, we felt at home there and enjoyed the break from the mostly exhausting and unpredictable journey. Besides the great trips, it was just as nice to sit together in the evenings, eat dessert, and listen to the Gumboot Song. We will also not forget our tour through Sylvannia, a toy town of the daughter that extended across the entire hallway of the house. On our last evening, we all went to the lake together with the canoe, paddled around a bit, and had burgers. It was visibly difficult for us to say goodbye to this wonderful family and the dear Tanja, whom we had all taken into our hearts until then, and so a few tears were shed from all sides. Thanks to the whole family and to Tanja for the wonderful time there, and we hope that we can take some of the hospitality and openness that we encountered here home with us.