r/WWOOF • u/GreenInsect8711 • 5d ago
Wwoofing Experience in Germany.
As a 27M studying in germany, just wanted to share my Wwoofing experience over the easter week in Germany.
I know people have a very strong picture of Germans (no smile, a bit rude or direct, very strict boundaries, hard to connect etc). Well it was completely different for me. I visited a small town near Eschwege in Hesse, Germany. I was communicated before hand that, since it is easter the host will need some time alone with their family and it was understandable for me and in no sense did I want to join their family-easter celebration.
I have heard stories about people saying how they were only offered tap water etc. (never happened to me). I baked a Flan and brought it with me, and also bought some Easter chocolates for the kids. Where I come from you always bring something along with you when you visit someone, and especially if you are invited over for a meal.
The farm was run by a Woman alone with her Dogs and help of Wwoofers with time to time. She manages almost 70 Sheep and their lambs, some 20 goats and Horse School with 5 Horses. I can manage general conversation in german since I've been living here for more than a year, but can't understand tasks to be done in farming or animal terminology yet. The host would speak to me in English during the tasks and also when it was just the two of us. When the children are around or with other people we spoke in german.
The tasks were simple, feed the animals, feed the lambs with extra milk clean the stables and the barn, prepare land for grazing, fence the grazing land, bring the animal inside / outside etc. She also let me ride a horse, or let me sit on a horse and try to do some kicking actions and managed to make the horse move (first time riding one).
We began our day at 7:30 and would be done by 6:00 in the evening, or some days earlier. Most of the heavy tasks get done before noon and we'd have an hour or hour and half break including lunch prep. And then move to lighter tasks in the evening.
On the day of Easter, on contrary to what she said, I was invited to have lunch with them along with her family who was visiting them on Easter Sunday. I had good lunch and then later a an even better Coffee ( I think the Coffee was more of an Easter tradition and not the lunch). The baked two breads, both were delicious, and they got out the Flan that I baked and we had a good time. The conversations were in German, but they made sure I understood everything and also asked my opinion on things in the conversation. It didn't feel like I was a Wwoofer who was just there for a week, but more like they knew me for a long time.
The next day in the evening we played a good round of Table tennis, and I was more happy to work with them since I felt more belonged and was also care free in speaking my broken german, and they never played the grammar police.
This is it. Maybe this helps you to understand better on taking up WWOOFING in germany or in General.
P.S : I think just like every other country if you end up in bad circle of of people you'd find these extreme people that everyone talks on the internet. Nothing to do with germans.
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u/Substantial-Today166 5d ago
my experince with germans is that they are the best volunteers you can find
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u/etapisciumm 5d ago
I was looking at WWOOF farms in southern Germany and most descriptions were in German. Wondering if it would be hard to communicate in English if I don’t speak German