from garlic to grapes

where do i begin?

my life is one hilarious mess. i love traveling without a set plan b/c my plans always change.

after i left the farm in the sounds, i found my way to blenheim and in to the koanui lodge/ backpackers.

i had planned to stay only one night, but as i was playing german card games with all the germans, karen at the desk walked past and asked if everyone had a job. i kinda jokingly said, "no, but i'll probably just leave in the morning." her response, "okay, we'll you can start tomorrow on the field."

alrighty then.

so. . . the next morning, i was up and ready to go at 5:50 without any clue of what i had just gotten myself into. work as it turns out is harvesting garlic in a big dirty field {see pictures}. the work is by far some of the most physically demanding work {reminiscent of those fabulous mississippi days friends!} i have ever done in my life.

after seven hours, 42 full buckets of garlic, and a sexy sunburn, i didn't know what to make of my first real job experience abroad.

it is the real deal now though, kiwi bank card/account/ employer and all! i love that this whole experience fell in my lap and although it is challenging, it is a job and it pays for my rent these next couple of days.

today was really lovely though b/c we got to work in a vineyard. garlic harvesting is not what i plan to do with the rest of my life, but i think i could get used to vineyard work. the darling grapes were just starting to change color and our job was to simply prune and pluck. i genuinely loved it!

i'm currently overwhelmed by all of the emails/skypers/and fb messages, so i need to stop this post shortly, but before i sign off, know that i'm happy, healthy, and content in this lovely little farming community and town!

i've been online for about an hour now and i've already cried once {i have such a lovely support system back home and i've loved and appreciated every sweet email}, almost wet my pants with excitement {amazing offer in nepal opened up, but bad timing. . . so. . .}, and i have not stopped thinking about how crazy it is to be this far away from home. . .

all the love!

{many more pictures to come. a.) rainbow on the way to work yesterday. in short, it was the perfect way to start the morning. b.) sarah, ali, and i on the fields. these two brits help me through each day. i'm so thankful for their positivity and for the sing along sessions! and c.) the lovely vineyard from today!}