selena sprout

I need to brush up on my English skills, so I came up with the idea that I will write more posts in this blog in English. It is great to use something new I learn while studying in Ireland. Here is the first post.

So the first time of Wwoofing let me travel to learn about Co Meath, the largest lake Lough Corrib and the biggest river Shannon in Ireland. The second Wwoofing took me to see the highest mountain Galtee on land and the beauty of Limerick. 

I decided to take the second Wwoofing experience in Ireland just a few days before Spring break began. After sending four requests, a family agreed to host me. I had several exhausting months of studying, so I really want to get off the hook and let loose. I set off a bit late and forgot some personal stuff on the day I left Heyday. I have a bad habit of always being a hassle before any trip. Luckily, I did not miss the boat, I got on the bus on time, only 2 mins before it ran. My attitude was that I would make the most of my trip to learn and experience new things.

When my mom decided to uproot the family from Central Highland to Northern Viet Nam, more than 10 years ago. During the very first years, I lived with my uncle’s family in a small village, I started to learn and work in the field (cutting grass, cleaning weeds, feeding cattle, etc). They live in a small house, but own a huge field with a fast-paced lifestyle and busy farming activities even in a rural area. They are always busy all day round, all year round, with many many things to do from wet rice planting, and cattle feedings to the small noodle stall in the local fair market. My aunt is a traditional woman, she manages everything and taught me a lot. I used to work very hard to support them when I had spare time. This was how I started to learn and integrate my life into Northern culture day by day under my uncle’s house roof for several years before 100% living as a Northern Vietnamese. I believe that everywhere we travel, the farmer is the person who keeps many traditional things and can tell a lot about this place.

This trip is the same to some extent. I want to dive deep to learn more about Irish culture with the hope that I can shorten my integration time here. Although two weeks is so short, with many cultural barriers as well as language barriers in an local family, I learned many things. And, my life slows down a lot. Normally, my day ends so fast with typing and reading papers on the computer. Here, in the evening, I only study a few hours. I’m still working on many assignment deadlines and two upcoming examinations in May. 

I live in an Irish cottage (originally built around the 19th century) with an English family, located in a solitude and remote mountainous area (very very far, mid of nowhere 100%). The cottage is the last house at the end of the small muddy street, approximately 50 mins travelling from Limerick city centre. It is great to experience a 90% self-sufficient lifestyle with an organic garden and a lot of colourful chickens and listen to a lot of beautiful stories.  Before I leave tomorrow, I would like to write some things down about this family and their hospitality during my stay there. 

I am only a WWOOFer here for two weeks with Rebeca, her husband, their dogs, cats, and their very beautiful garden and colourful chickens. It’s a cosy cottage in a remote area amidst the beautiful landscape of Limerick. It’s a great time to WWOOF with the Rebeca family as they begin a new season in their garden. They are all more than 50 years old. Observing how they make season plans, prepare seeds, tend to soil beds, maintain polytunnels, and many other household tasks allows me to understand how skilled they are.

The tasks aren’t fixed and depend on the highly changeable and unpredictable weather, but they’re easy to manage. I wish I could help their family more, but they’re so nice to treat me like a guest, so I often tried to ask to join in more family activities. I supported Rebeca’s sewing classes with local children. She believes in me even though English isn’t my native language. In terms of gardening, many new native plant and vegetable names have been added to my dictionary. I joined a hand to clean the weeds in the polytunnel and small garden in front of the house. In addition, Rebeca is also a cooking lover, seen clearly in her kitchen room. She taught me how to prepare, cook great, inexpensive, and nutritious vegetarian dishes. She also shared her favourite cooking book and recipe, how to store the food in the winter,….Many new vocabulary words about cooking tools and equipment I learn, mostly related to bakery, because in Viet Nam we of course do not eat much baked things. Last but not least, I learn more and more from the stories she shares. I believe that everyone will be moved, touched, and inspired by her stories…. many many other private stories I can not write enough here. 

The weather there is typical in Ireland, rain and rain, fog and clouds in the mountains, windy, and grey sky most of the day time. It is terrible on some days, to say the least. I always bundle up my body, it is much colder than Dublin. But I love to look at the valley with lovely meadows, wild tiny flowers and green hills. The fresh air in the morning wakes up all my body cells. Sunlight lasts only several hours per day. I often go out to stay still and take in all the beauty of this land or enjoy it while working in the garden. I could not place there, but it has many similar natural landscapes like Son La, Moc Chau in Viet Nam. 

The family was on a very well-known television series in the UK showing how they sold their house in the UK, bought and renovated a cottage in Ireland. The documentary (20 years ago) is a bit dramatic (as usual) in some scenes. Several key facts you would like to know if you watch the film; (1) they are very good at DIY skills, which Chris, is a carpenter, learned in university and Rebeca learned sewing in college, (2) they did not receive any funds/ donation, just small money amount from tax refund from UK. But it is still a good film that allows me to see how the family starts the life they live now. The house has changed a lot since this film was released, it is more cosy, more warm with a house spirit.  

Here are two videos you can learn about her family

Youtube – Part 1

Amazon Prime – Part 2 – E9: Revisit Ireland

https://www.primevideo.com/detail/0RV75T86EAA0B30P0OIAXZTNXE/ref=atv_dp_season_select_s3

I never travel somewhere and stay up to two weeks. To be honest, I’m counting down the hours until tomorrow. I really miss my friends and Heyday. I also need to wrap up my papers for deadlines next week. All in all, I acknowledge that integration in a new culture, even in an absolutely different country far away from my loved home. It has many challenges, but I will hang in there. I am happy to choose to lean forward. I love this island. 

Thank you, Rebeca and Chris, for your warm welcome and generosity. I greatly appreciate your kindness and care. I hope you both are healthy and happy, with many blessings. I hope your garden flourishes this year. I believe that your passion for sewing, sustainable self-sufficient living, and organic gardening will continue to spread to more people. Thank you so much.