I say something equally as ridiculous at a minimum of 15 times a day. If I played a drinking game with "respect" as the key world, I would be loaded by noon (luckily, I don't do that during work hours). It's tricky to try and dissect the last 2 months and describe what it is like, exactly to leave the cove of the farm and be launched into another community with so many similarities and stark differences.
The same: I work about 60 hours a week. There is no separation between work and eat and play. I live in a beautiful setting. I am in charge of the garden, with vegetables and medicinal plants and flowers (as if anyone could really be in "charge" of something so headstrong as a garden). I have little cell phone reception. I am surrounded by intelligent, interesting people who CARE.
The different: It doesn't feel like I'm working most of the time. I am attempting to edumacate masses of easily-excitable munchkins about why they should A) care about the environment and do something positive for it, and B) like themselves and eachother. I also take care of 3 snakes, 5 turtles, 2 collared doves, and a small (but growing!) colony of mice. I miss the farm and its unintentional community / intentional chaos. A lot. I live in the MOUNTAINS now, within a mile of TWO beautiful waterfalls.
Yesterday, I spent the day pretending to be in the 1850's. Dressed in calico. And taught half-hour spinning (no no, not the trendy bike thing) with real sheep wool, 8 times in a row. Today, as atypical a day as any, I spent the morning teaching a class about "Bugs" (a term that gives the entomologist in me the heeby-jeebies). Then spent the rest of the day working in the garden and on our composting system. After dinner, Tay Tay and I led a campfire with songs and skits for a group of 1st through 3rd graders. In a "disco era Norwegian" costume.
The hardest part about this job is that I feel as though I'm giving up some of my own ideals in order to reach lots of kids. I'm living in a community where water conservation is a concept, not a lifestyle. Energy conservation is only turning off lights (sometimes) when leaving a room. Food is best when cheap or free, not the ecstatic fiasco of "party in my mouth" I am used to (beets! pesto! cherry tomatoes!). Basic perceived philosophy: Environmentalism is a cool idea, and one we should all agree to. As long as it doesn't involve actual lifestyle changes.I guess this is how the more-enlightened half of society feels. It's just strange to emerge from an extreme corner of the world and find out that I have become ... extreme?
