Well, folks, we've gone and done it. We made it the country that has sat at the top of our "countries to see" bucket list since we had dreamed of traveling together. And I tell ya what: New Zealand does not disappoint.
After staying with some friends of a friend in Christchurch for a few days, Colin and I ventured an hour south along the west coast (of the South Island) to a farm that we had connected with through helpx.net.
It was quite a fun drive, seeing snow capped mountains on our right and knowing that the Pacific Ocean was just a few miles to the left. The road was surrounded by farms. We saw different kinds of grains, kale, cows, and hundreds and hundreds of sheep. On the small country road that we turned onto to lead us to the farm, we literally drove through two different herds of cattle. They were being moved from one paddock to another.
We made it to the farm and met Jane. She was our first help exchange host in New Zealand, and we are so happy it was her. Jane is energetic, productive, warm and kind. She has two children 13 and 16, and is also starting a new business. Jane's time is in hot demand, yet she always had a smile and time to chat.
We spent one week with Jane and her family. It was a wonderful time. We helped around the farm and house each morning and in exchange we were given a place to stay and 3 meals a days. Not bad. The food was wonderful. Jane is a great cook and all the meat she served came directly from the farm.
They primarily raise sheep for wool. Unfortunately, we just missed shearing time, but we were shown the wool shed and learned how the process works. They also have about a dozen cattle and the obligatory work dogs and farm cat. :)
It was a lot of fun for Colin and I to experience life on the farm. We did all sorts of jobs: chain sawing, clearing brush and tree damage from a big storm, stacking firewood, assisting in moving the sheep and cattle, cooking, cleaning, gardening, etc.
And there was plenty of time to relax. The house is heated by a big wood burning stove in the living room, so that is where you could have found us when we weren't exploring the area or working. In our time off we also went to Jane's children's sporting events: a netball game and a rugby game. It was the first of both that I had ever seen. I'm pretty sure I grimaced my way through the whole rugby game. Not used to seeing bodies collide and tackle that hard without American football gear on! We also got to be apart of the monthly wool shed party. Once a month, friends and family from the local farming community in the area get together for a BBQ at the wool shed to catch up and stay connected. We were warmly welcomed by all.
New Zealand has been a great experience so far, and spending time on Jane's farm was a big gift for Colin and me. Being adopted into a family and community for a week is the perfect way to start a new adventure in a new place! Thanks, Jane!
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