My Experience Working on a Farm in Puerto Rico

Have you ever wanted to hop on a plane, leave home, and immerse yourself in a whole new world for a little while? I've decided to share my experience of when I did exactly that, and hope it inspires someone to take the leap of faith towards new experiences, lasting memories, and a whirlwind of stories to look back on!

Where it all Started

WWOOF stands for Worldwide Opportunities on Organic Farms. This organization was founded in 1971 by Sue Co, and now opperates in over 130 countries. In a cliff notes explanation, you can make an account with WWOOF, sign up for any farming opportunity (i.e. medicinal, seed, animal, and vegetable/fruit farming. Plus, many, many more!), and start volunteering at that farm. There is SO much more that I could talk about regarding the incredible things WWOOF has to offer, but to keep it brief for those who are really looking to travel, I'll give you guys the link here :)

https://wwoof.net

Wanting a change of scenery and having had an interest in visiting Puerto Rico for a little while, I found an opportunity on WWOOF that seemed perfect for what I wanted to immerse myself in. It was a seed production farm near Isabela, where the produce they grew was intended for seed harvesting. The opportunity seemed a waste to pass up, so I booked the ticket and was on my way!

The Experience

As PR came into view, I tried embarrassingly hard not to leave too many fingerprints on the window. The views were unbelievable as we landed in San Juan. I got a rental car, and set off to my hotel before making my way to the farm the next morning. Car renting was quite a stressful process for my first time, as I should've planned it better. You absolutely DO need a car to get around the island. The drives were a lot longer than I had originally thought (A round-trip around the coast of PR, with stops, can take up to 10 hours)!

Arriving on the farm, I was welcomed very warmly by the staff, the owner, two very affectionate dogs, and his pregnant cat. I spent my mornings from 7:30 - around 12 or 2 p.m. working with the staff, picking the ripest produce from their rich crops, weeding their herb gardens, and learning a lot of Spanish in the process! They process the seeds in the ripest produce so they can sell the best seeds and test them in bulk for proper germination.

FACT TIME: PR Spanish speaking, according to the locals, is a LOT faster than other dialects of the language. Made sense why it was a bit harder for me to catch on!

One of my most unforgettable experiences was hiking to a Gozlandia Waterfall. I was told about it by one of the lovely women I worked with, so I decided to go see it for myself early that next morning...and although people say "pictures don't do it justice," I think I managed to salvage some justice in my shots:

On my afternoons off from harvesting produce in that brutal PR sun, I found a lot of beautiful beaches to cool off by and take in the scenery. I never grew up a beach girl, but it's really hard to deny how mesmerizing those blue waves are while lying on sandy shores. My favorite beach had to be Las Dunas. There were so many secluded spots that made it feel like a private beach.

TIP TIME: I did get eaten alive by sand fleas, so I would absolutely recommend bringing a clean towel to sit on, and don't lie directly on the sand! The gorgeous views made the itching go away though :) ...slightly

Final Thoughts

The people I met, the sunsets I watched, and the work I did truly gave me such a profound appreciation for taking in the moment. It is way too easy to get caught up in the annoyances and routine of daily life, that we often forget to take whatever small moments we have available in our schedules to do something that puts us in a position where we can take time to feel gratitude for the world we live in. As hard as I know that is to do right now, being in nature reminds me of what I really love and am grateful for in this life. I would encourage anyone to take the leap of faith, do the thing you're afraid to do, and live life vicariously through your own dreams, not through others.

Final, FINAL Thoughts

Ok...this isn't a thought. Do you remember me mentioning a pregnant cat on the farm? On day two of my trip, she had her KITTENS!