Gezellig World: Glenariffe Farm, New Zealand

Looking back to my sweetest childhood I remember some of my relatives calling me mummy's boy - an appendix of my mum who would never ever leave her lap. Funny how things have turned up, twenty-something years later I couldn't be any further from her, at least not in this planet. Guys, welcome to New Zealand!

Two weeks ago a stewardess woke me up during my flight from Sydney to ask me whether I wanted Teriyaki chicken or potato salad for lunch. I chose the chicken (who trusts mayonnaise on a plane?) and turned to the window to discover the snowed caps of NZ's Southern Alps looming on the horizon. Two boring days in Christchurch later I was approaching the Southern Alps again, this time from the east and on a bus. At this point you probably wonder what I was up to after covering the 40000 kilometers that separate my home from these mountains. The answer is sheep. More precisely Merino sheep.

Believe it or not herding some Merino sheep had been in my to-do list from the very beginning of this trip. Beyond the obvious connection between these beasts and me, I've been long fascinated by the legend of the New Zealand shearers able to shear 500+ ewes in 8 hours. So the questions now is: how the hell does a lousy Spaniard get to herd some sheep in NZ? Easy, through Helpx. Helpx is a help exchange network where people who need any kind of help offer free accommodation to those willing to help them. And that's how I ended up at the Glenariffe farm.

The Glenariffe farm proves that there is some kind of universal justice when it comes to natural wonders like the Rakaia valley. The generosity of the family who run the station is comparable to the beauty of the place. Mark and Belinda share their 880 ha of farmland with 1 cat, 5 dogs, 19 ponies, 15 horses, a bunch of cows, some chicken, and 6000 Merinos, well 6001 while I was there. I forgot to mention my three housemates: goose #1, goose#2 and naughty goose.

During my stay at the farm I did my best with some ordinary farm works such as fencing, tree-pruning, pulling weeds, steering the sheep, collecting the dead lambs, scratching the dogs and other not so ordinary like Jeep-chasing the sheep, racing the quad, putting-off some bush fire, adding an exotic touch to the local rodeo and flying a light-plane! Oh yes, Mark's dad had one.

In conclusion another unforgettable experience to the list and an unbeatable start for my journey across New Zealand. More stories from the antipodes soon!

Interesting things that I've learnt:

• Most sheep are shorn twice a year during a process that can take up to 4 weeks.
• Merino wool is the best and most expensive wool in the world. Who else?
  
• How to ride a quad safely (most of the time).
• Kiwis haven't escaped the madness about disgusting bread spreads. They produce their own version of the infamous Australian Vegemite, they call it 'Marmite'.
• 15-19% of new born lambs don't make it. However and in opposition to European farmers, Kiwi farmers do not mess with (= leave alone) their sheep during the lambing period. Who cares when you've got more than 6000!
• A lot of farming stuff which might not be so interesting for you after all.

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Todavia recuerdo como de pequeño algunos de mis familiares solian llamarme nene de mama, siempre a las faldas de su mama. Quien nos iba a decir entonces que veinte años mas tarde no podria estar mas lejos de mi madre, al menos no en este planeta. Y es que hace dos semanas aterrice en Nueva Zelanda, nada mas y nada menos que el otro extremo del globo.
Muchos son los viajeros que llegan a este pais con intencion de escalar sus montañas, descender sus rios, y disfrutar de la naturaleza salvaje. Yo por mi parte llegue a las antipodas con un plan un tanto diferente, al menos en principio. Mi mision: convertirme en pastor de ovejas merinas por unos dias!
Se que os sonara inverosimil, pero pasar unos dias en una granja de las antipodas estaba en mi lista de quehaceres desde incluso antes de comenzar este viaje. Y todo esto a raiz de una historia que oi a mi amigo Lucas sobre la leyenda de los esquiladores de ovejas neozelandeses, capaces de esquilar mas de 500 ovejas en 8 horas (1000 con ayuda de otra persona).
Y asi es como fui a parar a la granja Glenariffe. Una joven pareja -Mark y Belinda- comparten 880 hectareas de este idilico lugar del planeta con 1 gato, 5 perros, 19 ponys, 15 pura-sangre, un puñado de vacas, y 6000 ovejas merinas (6001 mientras yo estuve alli). Yo por mi parte comparti mi txabola con 3 ocas.
A cambio de pension y comida, durante mi estancia en la granja ayude a Mark con sus quehaceres diarios. Para sorpresa mia (y de mis familiares supongo) manejar la pala, instalar el cercado, arrear las ovejas o podar los arboles no se me da tan mal como cabria esperar.
Y aunque algunas de las jornadas de mas de 10 horas fueron bastante duras la experiencia merecio la pena. Como sino podria haber tenido la oportunidad de explorar semejante paisaje en quad, o mejor incluso, en aeroligero. Olvidaba decirlo, el padre de Mark recompenso mi dura labor en su huerta con un inolvidable vuelo en su avioneta.
En conclusion, dos semanas que valen su peso en oro y un inmejorable comienzo para mi viaje por la tierra de los kiwis. Mas historias en proximas semanas!

Gezellig World: Din Dang Natural Building Educational Centre, Thailand

And now it's finally the time to reveal what I've been up to these busy weeks. As I've said repeatedly on this blog, I'm the kind of traveler that enjoys doing things rather than staring at them. Bearing that in mind during the planning of my trip I searched for projects where I could learn stuff that nobody teaches at school or at uni. One such initiative is Din Dang Natural Building Education Centre. The project -founded in 2007- is located in a small Thai village called Paksong in the area of Phato. It aims to promote ecological and traditional building techniques and it does in the most pragmatic way: by getting your hands dirty!

For three weeks I had the chance to share a wonderful time with Bow (the head of the project) his delightful family, and a bunch of volunteers from France, Holland and Thailand. We built stone walls, lay some clay, cut wood here and there, nailed this and that... but above all, we had a terrific time together!

Beyond the handworks, what I would like to highlight from projects like Din Dang is the opportunity to get soaked in the culture of a foreign country. Visiting a school, walking through the local market, observing carefully how simple things are done, watching the daily routine of the villagers, sharing a beer with them, tasting a fruit offered by a friendly monk, chatting about life, learning a new recipe... those kind of things are what make the different between a real traveler and a mere visitor. Here a modest advice from an aspirant to globetrotter: if you ever have the chance to take the next step, don't hesitate, you'll discover a new world that has been lying in front of your eyes all the time!

More info about Din Dang at http://www.dindangcom.page.tl/

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Y por fin llego el momento de descrubir que demonios he estado haciendo estas ultimas semanas. Como ya he mencionado en varias ocasiones no soy el tipo de persona que se conforma con observar las cosas a su alrededor, siempre me gusta dar el siguiente paso. Por ello, antes de comenzar mi viaje recopile informacion sobre proyectos en los que pudiera aprender algo util, el tipo de cosas que no te ensenan en la escuela. Asi es como di a parar con el Centro Educativo En Construccion Natural Din Dang. Esta especie de campo de trabajo fue fundado en 2007 en la bella aldea de Paksong (region de Phato). Su objetivo primordial es promover tecnicas de construccion ecologicas y tradicionales de una manera practica.

Durante tres semanas tuve la oportunidad de convivir con Bow (organizador del campo), su acojedora familia y un grupo de voluntarios franceses, holandeses y tailandeses. Juntos construimos paredes de piedra (ahi queda mi homenaje a mi padre y a mi tia Esther que hicieron algo parecido no hace mucho tiempo atras... saludos!), mezclamos arcilla para la construccion, cortamos madera... en fin, un festival de la bricomania de andar por casa!

Sin embargo, lo que me gustaria destacar de proyectos como Din Dang es la oportunidad que ofrecen de empaparse en la cultura de un pais. Visitar una escuela, explorar un mercado local, observar con detenimiento como se hacen las cosas, aprender una receta nueva, charlar sobre las preocupaciones mundanas de las gentes del pueblo... ese tipo de cosas son las que marcan la diferencia entre un viajero y un viajante. Aqui va mi modesto consejo de trotamundos, si alguna vez teneis la oportunidad de dar el siguiente paso no dudeis, solo al darlo descubrireis el mundo que se esconde justo en frente de vuestros ojos.

Mas informacion sobre Din Dang en http://www.dindangcom.page.tl/

Gezellig World: Phoudindaeng's Youth Centre, Laos

The preventive treatment against the Willy Fog's disease is probing its efficiency. My days in Vang Vieng fly by as my morale keeps climbing steadily. However today I wont talk about my miraculous cure. Instead I will add a new entry to the Gezellig World section of this blog.

Last week during a visit to one of the many lagoons near this town I met a big group of local teenagers. Apart from their great courage (some of them were jumping into the water from +10 m high branches) what surprised me the most was the fluency of their English. Even though tourism is spreading rapidly in the area, most locals still struggle with the foreign languages. A closer look to the group revealed two young western girls who seemed to be their teachers. A short talk with Rachel (27, Canadian) confirmed my guess.

The group of boys and girls were members of a youth centre located in Phoudindaeng, a charming village 3 km north of Vang Vieng. Established in 2002, Phoudindaeng's youth centre offers a wide range of activities that include - among others - English courses, guitar and dance lessons, social studies and a sewing club. The centre was born as a brother project of the village's organic farm. In 2007, the Korean NGO AVAN (Asian Volunteer Action Network) included the centre within their 'Equal Education For All' progamme. With their support, locals and foreign volunteers built several clay huts that house the centre's library, classroom and computer room. Since then the centre has been sustained by short and long-term volunteers that collaborate with Lao staff.

As I will explain in future posts, I had the chance to see the good labour of these teams in first person. Local children and teenagers have found a place where they can play and learn while they develop a sense of community. This doesn't not only grant them a better future in a region where speaking English can make a big difference, but it also reinforces the links between the families - mostly farmers - who live in Phoudindaeng.

Although it is expected that the centre will be autonomous (i.e. able to run without direct intervention of AVAN) by 2010, foreign travelers are always welcome to share their time and skills. The good results and the rewarding smiles of the students make the visit one of the most worthwhile experiences that one can find Laos. More info here!

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Mi tratamiento preventivo contral el mal de Willy Fog va dando resultados, moral alta y subiendo y can ganas de volver a la carretera. Sin embargo hoy no os voy a hablar de esta cura milagrosa sino del Club Juvenil de Phoudindaeng, el segundo proyecto solidario para la seccion Gezellig World. La semana pasada durante una visita a una laguna cercana conoci a Rachel, una voluntaria canadiense que daba clases de ingles en este centro para jovenes de la zona. El centro es una iniciativa de los fundadores de la granja organica de Phoudindaeng. Con el soporte de la ONG coreana AVAN (Red de Voluntarios Asiaticos en Accion) jovenes voluntarios extrangeros y locales contriyeron las chozas de arcilla que albergan el aula, la bliblioteca y la sala de ordenadores del centro. Desde que fue construido el centro se sustenta de voluntarios extrangeros y autoctonos que imparten clases de ingles, guitarra, baile, costura... De esta manera los jovenes locales han encontrado un lugar de reunion, aprendizaje y divertimento donde ademas se estimula un sentido de desarrollo en comunidad, muy imporante en este entorno. Como explicare en futuros articulos, tuve la oportunidad de presenciar el buen trabajo de estos equipos mixtos en primera persona. Aunque esta previsto que el centro sea autonomo (independiente de la ayuda de la ONG Coreana) desde el ano que viene, transeuntes y voluntarios extrangeros seran siempre bievenidos. Yo os puedo garantaizar que la experiencia merece la pena! Mas informacion (en Ingles) aqui!

Gezellig World: Disabled Children in Bhaktapur, Nepal

At the beginning of this blog I stated that its main goal was to show you some of the wonderful things that populate the globe. So far I have posted about architectural marvels, heavenly bites, stately nature, exciting activities and such. However until now I haven't spoken much of what really makes this roundy home rock. I'm talking about the great people that make our planet a better place to live.

For this reason I have decided to open a new section named 'Gezellig World'. Gezellig is my favourite Dutch word. In a brave attempt to translate this term I'd say that it describes a small place or group of people wherein one feels confortable, happy, welcomed. Therefore within this category I'll include different projects and initiatives characterised by a firm solidary nature which -in my opinion- can serve as an inspiration.

To kick off I'll tell you a little bit about Suvadra. It was during my New Year's Day visit to Bhaktapur that I came across a group of disabled children uniformed in grey T-shirts. Apart from the homogeneus clothes, there was something that called my attention in a special way: every single one of the sixteen little boys and girls presented an immesurable smile in their face. I challenged myself to discover the source of their overwhelimg happiness. That's how I met Joyce and Krishna. They are the people in charge of this Dutch-Nepali NGO founded in 2006. This tiny and exquisitely managed organisation takes care of physically -and sometimes mentally too- disabled children from all over Nepal.

Their main project consists in running an adapted home where children can live, learn, play and be treated in a loving environment. Recalling Joyce's words, one of the main principles of the Nepali society is to watch for themselves before anyone else. While this is understandable in a country plunged in poverty, it consignes these unlucky infants to oblivion. As in the European medievo, some of these unfortunate kids are considered a divine punishment by their families. Consequenly the inocent boys and girls are in some cases kept in the dark rooms of the house - where the neighbours' prejudicing eyes do not reach.

Then, how can you explain these children's exulting joy? Well, by looking at passionate work of their caretakers. The privately funded organisation runs on Nepali workers and foreign volunteers. This is the case of -among others- Helen and Peter. These two young dutchies ended up living in the communal house during a break from their studies or early careers. Whether it is only for a few weeks or half a year, these guys learn and put in practice improvised care skills. The positive response of the children shows that mostly love and attention suffice their major needs. Nevertheless Joyce explained that the organisation lacks some professional phisiotherapist to treat the children and to train the Nepali team.

In conclusion, here there is a good alternative for anyone interested in spending some weeks or months in a gorgeus Newari town surrounded by the Himalayan mountains, living in a friendly house, spending very little money and getting much more than anyone could ever give. More info at http://www.suvadra.com/

PS: If you think that disabled children might be too much for you, you can also check another little project run by a couple of Dutch ladies that I met in Pokhara. Here their website: http://stichting-namaste-nepal.nl/

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Cuando comence este blog me propuse descubriros algunas de las maravillas que pueblan nuestro planeta. Hasta ahora os he hablado de paisajes, palacios, comidas y actividades entre otras cosas; sin embargo, todavia no he hecho mencion explicita de la gente maravillosa que trabaja para hacer de este mundo un sitio mejor. Por ello, y para homenajear a estos heroes anonimos he decidido inaugurar una nueva seccion llamada 'Gezellig World'. Esta combinacion de terminos holandes e ingles engloba aquellas iniciativas que me encuentro en mi camino y que me llaman especialmente la atencion por su caracter solidario.

Para estrenar la seccion os hablare de Suvadra. En mi visita Bhaktapur me tope con una tribu de niños minusvalidos. Aparte de su uniforme gris, lo que me llamo especialmente la atencion fueron sus amplias sonrisas. ¿Como se explica tanta felicidad en un pais donde los niños con este tipo de afecciones son en muchas ocasiones considerados un castigo divino (y recluidos en sus casas)? Pues bien, gracias al duro trabajo de gente como Joyce y Krishna. Estos responsables comandan una pequeña ONG holendesa-nepali en la que trabajadores nepalis y voluntarios extranjeros colaboran para mantener un hogar adaptado a las necesidades de 16 niños y niñas con problemas fisicos (y a veces psiquicos). Este es el caso de Helen y Peter, dos jovenes holandeses que decidieron tomar un parentesis en sus carreras (academicas y laborales) para poner en practica improvisados cuidados. A juzgar por la respuesta de los niños la atencion y el cariño son suficientes en la mayoria de los casos; sin embargo, Joyce me comento que la organizacion necesita fisioterapeutas dispuestos a ayudar a formar al equipo nepali para llevar a cabo los tratamientos.

En conclusion, he aqui una buena alternativa para disfrutar de unas semanas o meses en uno de los pueblos mas bonitos con vistas a los Himalayas donde podreis ayudar y disfrutar de la compañia de estos niños tan majos gastando muy poco dinero y recibiendo mucho mas de lo que jamas podreis dar. Mas info: www.suvadra.com