Semana Blanca Part 1: The people that crossed my path

Last Sunday I began my long road journey to a pueblo of a pueblo in another part of Andalucía.  Two buses, one taxi, and nearly 8 hours later I walked down a dark path, "torch" in hand (thinking what-the-eff have I gotten myself into), and knocked at the blue door of Sunseed Desert Technology.

But I would first like to describe my experience through some of the people I met during my week.  In a small effort to make it anonymous, I’ve stuck with initials. 

Ms. K (British): One of the staff members and the leader of the garden and the first SDT face I saw when I arrived.  I worked with Ms. K the first day turning compost piles in the garden.  I instantly gained respect for her as she shamelessly pored gallons of stale urine on the compost piles.  Her haircut gave away her past head of dreads, which one could picture around her sweet face and falling down her heavy woolen jacket easily.

Ms. A (Kiwi): Another staff member whom I worked with from day one, in charge of the dry lands and nursery.  We started with compost piles on the first day (she didn't seem quite as adept as Ms. K, but her effort was just as genuine) and by Wednesday we were driving through Almería to botanical gardens and nurseries researching endangered and protected plant species for the project.  I liked Ms. A a lot, and I think part of our connection had to be my fondness for her home country.

Mr. J (Brit): Project manager whom I probably knew the least after all was said and done.  The first night standing in the kitchen we had a conversation about responsible meat eating, of which he doesn't participate - of the meat-eating part.  The dialogue came to an end when his opinion was such that if one is willing to kill an animal, one should be willing to kill themselves.  I disagree, to say the least.  But disagreements we're few, and so were interactions as he usually took on solo or technical projects during the volunteer hours.  What few we did have didn't always leave me with the best taste in my mouth, but it was hardly lasting either.  But he did play the didgeridoo, and that made him pretty cool.

Ms. G (Wales): Trustee from the British end of the project whom I crossed paths with for only the first 24 hours before she left again on a two day bus trip to return to the UK.  I understand that travel-by-land is usually greener than air travel.  But, two days??  I commend her because it certainly would not be worth it to me.  I'd rather plant the extra trees (but I'm hardly doing that either...)

Ms. C and Mr. F (Canadian and Irish):  A cute young couple that was staying at SDT for two months while traveling around the south of Spain before settling back in Belfast.  They each spend three years in Korea teaching, which gave them a lot of street cred from my p.o.v.  Mr. F was intensely working on this bridge made of caña (like bamboo) and when Ms. C wasn't sewing pillows for the community, she generally was too.  

Sra. P (Castilla Leon, Spain): One of two Spaniards on the project with a beautiful dark mohawk finishing with three long dreads.  On Wednesday we went to yoga in Sorbas together, which was one of the few moments we spent together.  She hardly had any time between running around and organizing projects, grants, fundraising, and everything else that nobody else did.

Mr. M (Landcaster, England): Friend of Ms. K that was visiting for most the time I was there.  He was soft-spoken and extremely intelligent, worldly, and traveled.  

Mrs. E and Mr. D (Australians):  I met Mr. and Mrs. Aussie a couple days into my stay and was instantly working with David hauling date palms across the property and going to yoga with Mrs. E later that night.  The two were both engineers looking to move to Europe and find work.  They had been at SDT 3 weeks and were staying 2 more before moving on to France.  At the end I shared a cab with them and we discussed our (what seemed like) similar views about SDT and the project.  I enjoyed their company and wished so much that I had actually gotten to know them better.

Sra. A (Valencia, Spain): I first met Sra. A Tuesday morning and was already helping her to cut and prepare the copious amounts of cabbage from the gardens for sauerkraut.  Like Sra P, Sra A. usually spoke Spanish with me, taking every opportunity to not speak English when not completely necessary (eg., the other staff/volunteers that came usually knowing little-to-no Spanish).  She and I got along especially well, and I would generally volunteer to help her with her kitchen/preserving duties.  On the last days, I was scaling hills picking then pealing Chumba fruit (or what I've always known as Prickly Pear) and we were making jams and breads in my last moments on the project.  She was definitely one of the hardest people to leave in the end.

Mr. B (French Tunisian):  I first met Mr B my second day into the project and instantly liked him; He was young and smart.  Then after a couple more days of his smart(ass-ness) and telling me what he thought I should do/methods I should use/what would be better, I got my share of him just before he disappeared without telling anyone Thursday morning.  Everyone was much kinder to his strange disappearance than I would have been, but I think many were just as relieved.  But he did make some damn good mojopicon salsa - and left before giving me the recipe.  Damn him again.

Mr. Ma (Romanian): One of the few people closest to my age at the project, and it would often be obvious.  I was often left working with Mr. Ma, in the compost or with the sauerkraut as he generally took duties that weren't particularly (physically) challenging.  Probably says more about me than him, but thought my theory was made obvious when he revealed that he wanted to change from being a full-time to a part-time volunteer to have more free time.  I guess I can relate to that - even being a part-time volunteer, I didn't feel like I had as much free time as I was promised.

Ms. F (German): My only other roommate in our 6-bed women's dorm.  She was a smart girl from southern Germany, studying in Vienna.  Her personal project was researching natural/organic cosmetics and household cleansers.  The first afternoon, in an effort to also huddle around the dull fire flame in the dinning room, I read her books and helped her to discover the powers of baking soda and vinegar (if only she had moved in with my family years ago).  Other days we bonded over licking leftovers in the warm kitchen, making tea, and then in the morning complaining about having to go to the bathroom all night, but refusing to venture out into the cold.

Mr. A (Brit): Oh A.  I probably ended up getting to know Mr. A the most as I would generally volunteer to help with dinner prep and A was generally helping with dinner as he was most experienced with cooking for big groups (from his many years of cooking Mexican food at music festivals).  He had been in and out of southern Spain and SDT for years and had now committed to making it home for as long as possible after being shorted out of UK child support and could no longer share in taking care of his two young children.  The first night I met A, he was wearing a hat that disguised most of his age, as I originally thought he was no older than his 20s.  The next day, without the hat I barely recognized him (wait - did I meet him?) but did recognize the youthful personality that exuded him.