50 Shades of Green.

Hello Friends and Family. I made it to the old country of Ireland two days ago! After almost no sleep I got to my new home, which currently holds four people with special needs, and four co-workers. It is set off the beaten road a bit with spectacular views of the peninsula. The house is set on the base of a mountain. I got the first day to explore and get unpacked. It was spent camera in hand wandering paths behind the house, where I nearly got trampled by cows being moved to a pasture, a herd of cows and the farmer all running down the road. This would only happen in Ireland.

Everyone at the house has been extremely welcoming and helpful as I settle in. I am thus far the only American co worker, many come from Germany and one is from Korea. The farm and gardens are about a five minute drive from the house and got showed the farm by a live in resident at Camphill who took me up the cliff walk which holds our donkeys who appear to not be enclosed and just wander the cliff path freely. Then in the pasture holds the cows and sheep. As you get to the top of the cliff walk you are surrounded by animals, ocean and cliffs. The town of Dingle to one side and you turn around to pasture after pasture in every shade of green imaginable. I find myself just staring at it because it's so beautiful. Today was my first official day. I will sleep well tonight. The daily tasks are split up between the co-workers. Some spend the day cleaning in the house and making lunch while the others go and spend the morning in the gardens, or vice versa. Then everyone comes back for lunch and then heads out and works again. My day started at 7:30 for breakfast, then went for morning meeting, and started my day in the garden sorting potatoes and weeding. At 11 is one of several tea breaks....where we do just that, take a break and have tea or coffee and biscuits. Then head back to work until 1 when we have lunch. Then following lunch there is another tea break and a bit of a relax before heading back out to the mainland as its called and work. I was back in the garden putting seaweed over turned soil for winter. Later, I picked raspberries, basil, and beans before tea break yet again at four. The day ended back at the house with an early dinner as half the house was heading into town for a book reading. I have found it very easy to fall into step with the people and way of life here, yes its only been a few days but as you will soon see in the pictures its hard to feel stressed or miss home when the backdrop I'm surrounded by is so calming. The people I am surrounded by are constantly surprising me and the co workers are all light hearted and always laughing or smiling.

N.H.Boston.Dub.Kerry-Here I Go

Tomorrow I start my next big adventure! My three week vacation from the working world is coming to a close. Vermont has been a whirlwind of friends, family, animal therapy and laughter. I made a point to reconnect with old friends whom I haven't had the chance to see since I moved to Boston, and couldn't be happier with that decision. The visits were all way to short, but I know I will see them and we will always pick up where we left off. Until then I forge alone going down the road of no pay, stress, and lack of sleep they call service work and can not wait.

I recently sat down with a grandfather figure I've known most of my life who asked me where I get my drive to do service work, it's not an easy job and there is hardly any money in it. I said partially to figure out what I want to do, as I don't know, but also I want meaning in my life, a job that is fulfilling for myself as well as hopefully making a small difference in some one else's life. That is what's hard about service work, you never know if the people you work with will actually remember in ten years. You have to try to not forget that you are making a difference. It's a constant struggle for me but I try to not dwell and take every experience (good or bad) and look at it as a learning opportunity. A big moment for me was accepting that I had to buy Carhart work pants. For most Vermonters this is standard. I don't really scream Vermont at heart so this is a big moment. Saying that I will be spending my days outside gardening and working on a farm it makes complete sense but they are far from fashionable. So pictures will follow with me wearing them. A big event that set me up for buying these pants was having to cut down a tree using a handsaw that had fallen in a storm blocking me and my friend in her driveway. The fact that two girls did this was huge and we both bragged for the day about our triumph. Great feeling, I suggest all women to cut a tree using a handsaw. Now a little about where I will be moving. It's the furthest southwest you can go in the country of Ireland, known as the Dingle Peninsula, I will be just outside of the town of Dingle. It is one of the most beautiful places in the world. It has been my dream to get the chance to live on the water. This year I get to fullfil that dream. Yes, it is so different from anything else I've ever done, but if not now when! This is the furthest I've lived from home for this amount of time. A big thanks to my amazingly supportive family and friends for their constant encourage and support. love.