WWOOF #2 I won't be going baaaaack

I'm not sure how to write this one. It started out fine, but at the end I was terribly unhappy. It wasn't a terrible situation really, it just got in my head and took over. I had started writing about what I was doing the first day or two and it was all happy and optimistic, but that's not what you're getting now.

So it was really a mix of good and bad. A lot of decent things happened this last week. A couple really great things happened. It seems a bit overshadowed by darkness at the moment. I would just like it noted that there was a lot of shadow ignoring and I still think I got a lot of good out of the experience. So here it goes.

I went to a 'farmlet' (read: hobby farm) just south of Tongariro National Park. The main reason I went was because they (a couple probably in their 60s who I will rename Jane and Jeff) had 40 sheep that they were going to sheer that week. They said they could use the help and that's an experience I would really like. So the plan was that I would be there for about a week, leaving before Christmas, helping with sheering and gardening. Sounds nice.

I planned some things I wanted to do in the area. Jane said it would be fine, better even, for me to do a full of work then full day off pattern instead of just half days. Still nice.

So I arrived in the early afternoon and Jane needed to help her daughter move, so I helped with that, which was fine. There was a moment where I found myself on the side of the road next to this large van with a flat tire(tyre?), stranded with someone who was basically a perfect stranger. I again wondered how my life is becoming all these strange moments. We solved the problem and all was well. Still good.

The next day I just did a half day because that was how it turned out. I enjoyed what I was doing. I trimmed hedges and weeded. It turns out that I really like trimming things. It's kind of artistic, like sculpting nature. Lovely.

I started to notice that Jane and my personalities did not go together well (read: I hated hers). She was good at making me feel stupid when I wasn't. Obviously I didn't know exactly the way she gardens and I'm not familiar with all plants ever. If I didn't know what to do next, I'd feel like I should have. But if I guessed and wasn't quite right, I'd feel dumb too. But working with people different from you is part of life, an important part, so I wasn't super worried.

The next day, Friday, I did a full day. In the morning I did some pool cleaning, which wasn't really what I came to learn, but was fine. Then I did more trimming and weeding, so I was happy enough. I was free all Saturday and then we'd sheer sheep on Sunday. Great.

I had a great Saturday. I went to the Army Museum, which actually had a lot of rugby in it and was very interactive.

I smelt it. I don't know why.

Then I did some hikes in Tongariro and enjoyed the day.

Volcano!

I need to touch that water!

I got back around 7:00 to find that they has sheered the sheep without me, the whole reason I was even there. Jane pretended that she had been distressed that I wasn't there and that she thought I'd be back earlier. But she hadn't bothered to text me, and she's not a great actor. I started to figure out what I didn't like about her personality. She was controlling in kind of a passive aggressive way. She'd ask how you'd like to do something or when. But then tell you how. But almost sneaky; yet not at all. Just in a difficult way to counteract.

I was going to do the Tongariro Crossing (a very popular full day hike) on Monday. But since we wouldn't be sheering on Sunday she decided it was best for her if I did it then, but tried to make it sound like it was best for me. I was going to take a shuttle where you park at the end and they take you to the beginning. But Jane insisted that was dumb and there was a shuttle that would pick me up. So I did that and ended up hiking at my speed and enjoying myself and walking the Tongariro summit and missed the shuttle back by 15 minutes. Even though I really rushed myself at the end. So I was stranded about an hour from their place, but was able to get myself back. I was mad I'd let myself be bullied into things that were wrong for me.

But the hike itself was super great and beautiful and wonderful and I loved it. Here are some pictures.

Gary climbing Mt. Doom

So at this time I just start to fester in my own anger. I'm living with them, so I have to be nice and...I don't know. It's just a weird situation.

On Monday I worked a full day since I'd taken Sunday off. But what I was doing seemed to be devolving into cleaning and chores and things that I did not come to New Zealand to do. I knew that I was being take advantage of and was not happy. So I made up an excuse (read: I lied) and said I needed to change plans and leave the next day. Which I did and was great and I'm happy again.

I am a little upset that I never confronted Jane and she doesn't know how much I disliked her. Or that I was aware that she was taking advantage of me. Oh well. I'm getting over it. Thanks for the therapy session.

I'm now back to camping and hiking and doing whatever I want. Hurray!

Other things of note:

• Credit to my dad for the title pun. He's been using it my entire life.
• I did upload some videos of me being a lunatic. They're more for future me to enjoy than anyone. But if you have too much time and are missing being annoyed by me, here you go. One, Two, Three.
• It's Christmas Eve for me right now. Merry Christmas!!
• My hair is growing. The short bangs have descended.
• In the rare occasion I listen to the radio, it's all Justin Beiber and One Direction. I think it's growing on me. Send help.