First off I must appologize for any worry... I am Fine.
I do not have interent at the house, nor a phone with reception.
I do have a phone. numero 346 102 5044 think think plus 39 for italy... ?
But international calls cost me 20 cents to receive. So this is emergency knowledge.
Anywho!!!
I am good. I am in Ostuni, Italy...Ceclia Messipica actually. A small farm with the 2 owners, 2 Italian wwoofers, 1 Italian man, and today Patricia my friend from MUM will get here!!! No one speaks much English, so I am working on my Italian, and its a bit lonely in my American mind.
We pick olives all day, starting around 9am. Ishu, is up in the tree cutting down branches, and we pick them up and with this plastic claw run it through the branch spitting them out onto the netting on the ground..without stepping on any. We usually eat a late lunch...around 2 or 4. And then keep working until dark, around 5pm. We usually do about 2 trees a day, about 150 kilos of olives. ooph! The weather has been sunny...when the sun is out it is hot, when the sun is behind a cloud it is cold...so it is a dance with my sweater every few minutes...
The land is amazing. There are stone dome structures scattered throughout the country side. There are about 6 or 7 in the immediate mile radius. I am always blown away when I see them as Im walking. There are olive trees everywhere, as well as pomigranet (sp?) and almond and walnut trees, but they already harvested them.
My first night I arrived on the train...oh! and on the train conversed with this Morracon man..who speaks French, Italian, and Arabic...but not English..and sadly all I speak is English...
so I whipped out my Italian cheat sheet (thanks to Lynett) and my auto-translater (thanks to Raina) laughing the whole time...and we had a pretty good conversation and exchange for the hours on the train. Who knows how acurate we were...but it was super entertaining for me.
Then...my first night I get off the train and into a van full of Italians...we drive a half hour to the house...I get out of the car and they are all staring at me ....ALTO! (tall!) I laugh..yes yes.
Alessandro...this super cute older, Italian...calls me the Giraff...with a strong G like in Jugg.
And he is always surprised when I pick up the bucket of olives myself and has wide eyes...saying strong in italian. its funny. Then we go into the kitchen and there are woven baskets filled with fresh nuts, and fruit everywhere!! so romantic!
So the days are filled with million of olives...the nights are colder, and filled with playing soccer with the dogs, small runs or walks through the groves, but cant go too far cause there is hunting guns in the distance...and then i shower...a quick hot shower(savoring the warmth).....then reading and writing by the fire, wearing all my clothes to try and be warm...with everyone talking about things I dont understand...or lieing down listening to their chanting CD.
They are really into yoga, and meditation...and India. So it is homey...but sometimes too much...but ok.
I then usually go to bed early between 8:30 and 10. It is nice...seeing my eye bags slowly disolving and waking up fresher every day...
So this is my life right now.
I said I will stay here until mid December...the season ends Dec 20th. And then Angelo in Rofrano said I can come there late December....so we shall see.
I NEED TO FIND OUT WHAT HAPPENS IF I STAY IN EUROPE LONGER THAN 3 MONTHS.
ANYONE KNOW? I MIGHT CALL THE EMBASSY BUT I DONT HAVE AN EASY PHONE ACCESS...
I want to go to Greece in January...but Jan 21 will be my 3 month date. Can I leave the EU for a few days and come back? ...or does it have to be a long time?...in that case maybe I can go say hello to Niyazis home in Turkey and then go back....but weird to go to Greece and then Turkey and then Greece? I dunno these things...
k anyway!! if anyone know something you can email me
amelliaschuldt@gmail.com
So yes, I am an olive oil farmer. Im not so sure if Im actually learning much...more just helping them...but we will see how this works out....I kinda done with it...lol but Im kinda spoiled....but I usually love hard work...the rythm of it...but not so much here...it is an amazing experience and I love it.
I miss everyone!!! And hope you are all staying warm and love in your hearts.
LOVE
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2 comments:
Hi Amellia,
What a great adventure! I just checked where you are, and you are in the area of the Truli, which I think are the domed houses you mentioned. I discovered them a couple of years ago and was so struck by them I bought a whole book on Truli. If you get a chance, take some pictures and post them on your blog. I have never been there, it must be fantastic. According to Steve Boss, that area is known as a great vegetable growing area.
You can get to greece very easily by ferry from Brindisi, which you probably already know. If you go, stop at the island of Corfu (it is midway from Brindisi to Greece) and go to the Pink Palace if you are up for adventure. http://www.thepinkpalace.com/
I made that trip once, and once I got to Greece I went to Santorini by ferry from Athens, where I met Valerie. The village of Ia is one of the most beautiful places I have been. I hear the weather can be a bit dicey this time of year. Any chance my food class can call you in about two weeks? Or Skype you?
I hear the weather can bit bit dicey in the winter in the Cyclades islands.
Amellia the Giraffe,
I think you can do a bit of internet searching to find information about staying for more than three months. I saw some postings on Google suggesting that leaving the EU (to Switzerland, for example) and getting your passport stamped then re-entering, can get you another three months...I do not know.
You are also very close to the fatherland, Albania. I do not know the status or progress of the school project, but that might be worth checking into as well. It is also a ferry ride from Brindisi, but travel alone in Albania is sketchy for a tall blond.
We miss you but are so glad you are there!
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