Two Weeks

I can't believe that I've already been in Italy for two weeks! The time has just flown by! I've got a little bit of down-time right now so I'll give a short little update. Right now I am still in Orte and everything is still wonderful. People are always coming and going, though I'm sad to say that the two other helpers that were here have both left. But Elisabeth always has friends and people she knows stopping by and there is another helper, a girl from England, coming on the 11th. Elisabeth showed me a picture and she's pretty cute too! I plan on staying here until near the end of June, but then moving around a little after that.

My routine here is pretty simple and somewhat relaxing. I wouldn't even call it work, just helping out. The "farm" is very small, only a few acres, and mainly used to sustain food for the family and guests. There really isn't enough to sell to others, and so it's hard to call it a farm. One of the best ways to describe it was my first day here when we were preparing lunch. One of Elisabeth's friends was preparing lunch and told another helper to get some basil. She asked where, and right outside the house is an herb garden with the basil. Amazing! Elisabeth is a big advocate of self-sufficiency, growing organically and not being wasteful. It's amazing to see all of the ideas come from her head about how to re-use things and not waste anything. Everything gets put back into the environment or used in a way that isn't harmful to the Earth. Living here less than a week has already been a life-changing experience and is most definitely going to change the way I live when I get back home. I am learning so much about many different things.

Sunday I went into Rome to see the finale of the Giro d'Italia. We went a little bit late and so I just got there when they had started the presentation of the awards. However, I was able to make my way through the crowd to the front of the fence where many of the racers were waiting after the race. I'm not sure why they were there, but many of them were just hanging out. I got to take a ton of great photographs and even shook hands with Yaroslav Popovych and Jani Brajkovic!!! They are two riders from Lance Armstrong's team called Astana. I was so close I could talk to these guys and touch the $10,000 bikes that they ride!!! The pictures are of the winner, Denis Menchov, being congratulated after receiving his final "maglia rosa" and the trophy, and of how close I got to the bikes leaning against the fence. Cool stuff.

It's been a rainy past few days, but still fun. There was a German family that came to stay here for two days and today I went with them to Viterbo to the hot springs. There are natural hot springs that have been formed over thousands of years. Just like a hot tub in the open, but there is definitely a sulfur smell that comes up from the ground. Still very enjoyable though to relax in the naturally hot water!

Today is also Italy's independence day and everyone has off school and no one is working. It is called the Anniversary of the Republic that marked the fall of Fascism on June 2nd, 1946. After WWII on this day Italy abolished the monarchy and became a republic.

My plan now is to stay here for a few more weeks and then travel all over Europe using help exchange. I hope to visit Austria, Germany, Switzerland, France, Spain, and Ireland, all by working on farms and helping people out! I already have my one in Cork, Ireland all set up, but I am still working on the ones in-between. Then I will fly home from Dublin at the beginning of October. I hope everything is going well with everyone back home! I miss everyone and hope to hear from you all. Thanks for the comments people have been writing, I changed the settings so that I think now anyone can post a comment, even if you don't have an account. Also you can e-mail me at matthew.harris12@gmail.com. Take care! Arrivederci!