France

...before I go

I mentioned in my last post, that I'm about to go volunteering in France. 

The placement came about through looking for volunteer placements that didn't cost too much, that had the combination of a holiday and working and was a new type of adventure. 

I found workaway; an organisation where you can search for a unpaid, voluntary work and contact a variety of hosts; this can be anything from conservation work to child minding to working in a hotel. 

This is by no means an endorsement of the company, and anyone interested must do their own research before commencing. 

I want adventure in the
great wide somewhere

I was quite keen to go to France; I've been once before, in my long-forgotten days of studying Art and Design, when we went to Paris to peruse the stunning Louvre and Rhodin galleries. I've always wanted to ramble through the French countryside and absorb the natural curiosities that it envelopes. It might have had something to do with Beauty and the Beast and their petites villes de province (small provincial towns). I've always wanted to road trip too. I love driving, it relaxes me and on a wide open country road, there's nothing more freeing! 

After plenty of scouring and some false starts, I emailed a family that sounded lovely with lots of land and work to be done. They asked if I could come to do some species identification and survey work, just so they knew what animals they had and how to find mega and mini beasties. In exchange for work, I am being fed and housed, which is brilliant; as most people know, money is mostly spent on accommodation and food when traveling. 

So I go, tomorrow. I start my epic (mini-epic - epic for me) road trip to France. I've very excited. I haven't quite packed just yet, and still have a million and one, normal everyday things to finish. I have gone much further than France but this is my first time driving abroad. As I mentioned earlier, I'm always looking for a new type of adventure; some trips are big and daunting, others can be something small but equally as rewarding. 

There are so many things that are baffling my brain about driving abroad, that go beyond just the wrong side of the road; making sure I have enough of and the right type of fuel... going the wrong way round on a roundabout... what do I do if I get a flat tyre... they're actually all basic worries, that when you're travelling in the UK (if this is where you normally drive!) you don't even think about. But the prospect that you have to navigate your way around this in another language, makes the whole thing ten times scarier! 

One thing I haven't addressed is that I'll be travelling by myself. 

This is not the first time I've traveled abroad as a single traveler. I've been called all sorts of names because I'll to go places by myself: brave, idiot, nutter, bonkers, fool, insane... mainly by family and friends. 

I got fed up of waiting for friends to go travel; travel somewhere further afield that the all-inclusive pool and bar. I enjoy being busy, investigating and going on an adventure. 

A sunbathing holiday is nothing less than the most incredibly boring thing you can possibly do (or at least, it is for me). 

I used to work with a couple who went to Cuba for their anniversary. I've seen so many National Geographic images of Cuba; their vintage cars and painted buildings, parties in the streets... it looks incredible, and is high on my list of places to visit. 

I asked if it looked as amazing as the photos I'd seen, if the cars are really 1950's American vintage, to which they replied "we didn't leave the resort". 

Such a wasted opportunity. 

So I have my survey equipment, including bat detector, pooter and quadrat and I'm eager for this little adventure...

I'm hoping, when possible, to keep you updated on our finds and sightings, and how you can conduct your own surveys in your gardens or by getting involved with local charities. 

Any questions about volunteering abroad, please contact me through the comments section!