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I was longing to get on the road again, and so within a month I had left my job, my girlfriend, my house, my friends and family, and exchanged it for an organic Wwoof farm in the valleys of central Switzerland.

European Tales: Switzerland 2001, a lengthy tale

Joseph Tame
2006-06-30 17:46:43

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filled with 10-year-old Swiss cheese. Also, we're now allowed to use hot water (in 1996 it was too expensive - the taps were removed).

The first summer I spent at Kleine Scheidegg was magic. I was very fortunate in that I had some lovely colleagues. Much time was spent walking the beautiful trails of which there are many in the area or perhaps relaxing on the mountain slopes as the sun set with a cool beer in hand. My self-confidence returned once more as I appreciated that I wasn't the complete failure that I'd felt to be in the past. I regained my reputation for being the Scheidegg Village Idiot as I disregarded any judgemental views from those around me. The day I'd left England I had changed my name back to Joseph (since the age of eight I'd been known as "Joe"), and I truly felt like a different person. Looking back, it seems that Joe was always wearing a mask, trying to prove something to someone even if they didn't know it. Joseph however is a free spirit, and a very happy one at that.

My main reason for being here is not the money; it is the space that enables me to be myself. The money is of course a nice bonus, as is the complete lack of responsibilty.

Over the summer months I became increasingly fascinated with our seemingly forever happy and polite Japanese tourists, and thus it was that I made the decision to journey to the Asian islands for my seven-week break between seasons.

Japan was fantastic; I just had the best time ever. Returning to Scheidegg in early December was a little difficult as I missed my newfound friends in Tokyo, Osaka and those on the island of Hokkaido. Still, I knew that I was free to return anytime I wished; no one would rob me of my freedom now.

As is usually the case up here, Christmas and New Year were an absolute nightmare. Many hours work and little rest - no chance of a party either. However, with previous experience I knew that the blues would ...