East Italy Travel Photography ~ Volunteering at an Organic Saffron Farm

I had never been abroad alone before, without family, friends or programs to plan the itinerary.  Italy was the first stop of my two-month European adventure, and it was the perfect place to start as a solo traveler.  Thanks to Workaway.info I had the most heart-warming experience volunteering on an organic saffron farm in Rotella with a beautiful Dutch family and lovely people from across the globe.  It was simple work … wake up at the crack of dawn, pick flowers, take out the stigmas, and go to bed.  In all honesty, I did not know how to enjoy simple work when I arrived, because it allowed my mind so much time to wander.  Never in my life has time moved so slowly.  I cannot remember the last time I felt like time was not escaping me.  Working on the farm was essentially the same as all day meditation, and I developed a deep love for it.  It gave me an opportunity to learn how to feel whole.  I learned to love waking up before sunrise, because I loved the sounds of birds echoing in the fields.  I became excited about sitting in the lab and picking stigmas for hours on end because every hour was filled with laughter, and games, and deep conversation, or peaceful silence.  I became accustomed to noticing the small things that make life so beautiful, like smell, touch, and taste.  I can only hope that for the rest of my life, I continue having adventures that remind me to take it easy and literally smell the roses.  Thank you Delicious Nature for giving me such an experience.

{East Italy Travel Photography ~ Organic Saffron Farm Photography ~ Volunteer in Europe}

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