WWOOFing

So, we've been here a week and will send all the blogs when we get to Ullapool on Wednesday. Em has been trying to get her phone/internet service fixed but no repairman has shown up yet.

What I've experienced is that WWOOFing is more a way of life here than a short term situation, and there are a LOT of WWOOFers. Every single WWOOFer we've met has been doing this for over a year and plans to continue until "things change". Some people just live this way. Most of the people are younger - in their early twenties. They'll move from farm to farm with no definite dates, just moving whent the time is right- always finding a new place. Backpacking and hitching their way around Europe. They may get a job here or there to make a little money and they're back to WWOOFing.

That matches perfectly with the Zimmerman/Journeyman from Europe. That is their way of life - to move around and see the world, using their skills to do work for a little while and then move on to the next place. I wasn't sure how long they would stay here but they're building structures for the camp and are enjoying it - and we're feeding them well! They aren't getting paid for this work but they're OK with that. They ask for the compensation that they feel is appropriate for the work they are doing. If they work for a business they expect pay that is equal to that of other skilled workers so that the business can't exploit them. Sometimes they'll do work for little or nothing to help out someone in the community. It's a sliding fee scale and they get to call the shots.

Overall, the Zimmerman have fairly strict rules that they play and work by - and they are very serious about being Zimmernan. I guess you'd have to be to do this for 3 years and a day. They're wonderful guys.

For now, it's off to bed and up early to walk to Ullapool.

Julia