Arrival

I think the feeling has finally started to penetrate my thick skin. I'm really here. I actually did it. I removed myself from the chaos of my home and flew from the tropics to a place just shy of the arctic circle, without a plan and only an inkling of a job. As soon as I woke up yesterday morning after my long flight, the beautiful drinking water (tap water) washed some reality over me. I have arrived!

I made my way to the farm where I have previously been a WWOOfer, because the kind mama and papa farmers offered me a job in their cafe. I helped out a bit, picked and washed some lettuce, bussed tables and brought in dishes. In the washroom I found a fat, green inchworm curled up at the base of head of lettuce I had just harvested. Joy! I love inchworms and find them adorable. For Mother's Day I had made a short video of encouragement for my mom, who's been going through some difficult times. It showed an inchworm scooching along, and was accompanied by a text of encouragement to "just keep going, inch by inch." In a way I may have made that video for myself as well as for here, and I have to stick to my own advice. Everything is going to be okay. Take it a day at a time. Even little step will get you somewhere. Just keep going. It's all about the journey...

Seeing that inchworm made everything click. I felt like I had just received some sort of a sign that I was on a good path. After lunch I met for a fika with the main chef of the cafe, whom I've known for 2 years, and he started to tell me about a house on a farm, which had been in the care of his recently deceased grandfather. Apparently the family is looking for somebody to take care of the place and fix it up. He mentioned sheep, chickens and a huge vegetable garden, and that maybe I could be the one to do it! Not even 24 hours in this country and I've already gotten an offer to live in a house in the countryside! It sounds like an amazing opportunity. I'll keep it in my bag of possibilities for a while.

Afterwards, I met with mama and papa farmer and the rest of the real kitchen/ cafe staff for a meeting. I've attended morning meetings with those farmers everyday for over three months, but this meeting was extra exciting. I've already signed up for two days of work this week, and lots to follow in the next weeks. At that point my energy-slurping monster of a jet-lag drowned in a lake of happiness and that over-tired-wired feeling.

This time I feel like I can start to grow some roots. The idea of furniture is not just part of some far-off storybook dream-house, but a reality. This time I can look at dishes and sheets and actually consider taking them home with me. But first thing's first, I'm going to Järna today to attend this two-day preserving and fermenting foods course as a part of the Summer of Soil program. I can't wait! After that I'll take a short trip to Germany to pick up my winter clothes and spend a last week with my family.

Life is just happening and it's awesome!