TLDR; after a job lay off, I tried to live and work on a farm with an alleged ex biker. Currently contemplating if I should finally give up the rat race and stay.
I don’t know how I got to this point lol but all I know is that it started with me being anti-work. So I was indirectly laid-off couple weeks ago. I took an unpaid leave in May for the summer and when I finally tried to return I was rejected and told “there’s no work”. I have my beef with this company, they did me so dirty after all the hard work I put in while they treated me as a nobody. Well now I’m left to apply for unemployment for the time, which is stressing me out because I need a full time income in time to move out to a new place (which I have yet to find). I just know I needed a first and last in 2 months, with no job…
I was browsing for new places the other day, just rooms as I can’t afford a whole place to myself anymore. And that’s when I came across an interesting ad – “swap/trade: free room and board for farm help”. I have been slaving away to the system to save money to do this actually, but in Europe (Italy or Spain). So now that I have no job, need a new place, and this is a 2 hour drive away, I took the opportunity to get in contact with the advertisers which turned into such a random weekend.
So this farmer is textbook: white trash, radical, old man – plaid and fishing hat included. He is racist. He’s anti-government. He is an “antiques” hoarder. He is a pro fisher and pro hunter (claims to have been on TV). He has 86 acres of complete bliss and a handful of animals to go with it. And me, I am a 29(f) first generation, visible minority with a diploma in Social Work. Lol. This is definitely top 3 most ridiculous situations I have gotten myself into, but I am loving every moment of it. He is a complete story teller. I didn’t think anyone could talk this much . He spoke for 10 hours straight, I’m not exaggerating. It just seemed like he wants a buddy (he told me this is his nickname for me lol). I could also see the joy and passion he has when he shares his stories. And these stories are f-ing nuts. So many stories of biker wars, bar fights, getting arrested, guns to his face, getting stabbed, I could go on forever. He doesn’t actually admit to being a biker till later in the evening when he tells me a tale of him getting arrested for starting a grow op in a government housing apartment back in the 70s. I laughed at almost everything he said because the details are just so ridiculous. He tells it all so well, I am highly amused. I know he could also be completely lying, or maybe he has dementia idk. But the joy he has in telling his tales is so infectious. If he is interrupted he’ll eventually continue again until he has told the entire story, no matter what.
I know I mentioned he is a racist and radical. Some of the things he says are highly inappropriate and you’re probably wondering why/how I could I tolerate it. I try to humble myself in this situation. I know that I have a college diploma, I grew up in an immigrant household and have been exposed to many cultures. He on the other hand is uneducated, he only has up to grade 9. He says his father only had grade 6. He has also never left Canada so he is heavily underexposed. Also, despite him saying out of pocket things sometimes, he has only showed me kindness and encouragement which tells me he’s not a malicious person. He’s shown me more appreciation than any paid job I’ve ever had. Now I’m not excusing his behaviour at all, I know it is wrong. But instead of getting into an argument with someone that is technicallyyyyy not qualified to do so, I take it as an opportunity to educate instead. He is so happy to learn too, he even thanked me for clarifying different types of Islam to him as he only thought there was one kind – “the one they show in the news.” He ended the conversation with sharing that every Muslim woman he has ever met was always so “kind and warm”. That made me smile.
Before the farm, I was applying to any and every job I was qualified for, but nothing. I had only one phone interview and the guy had so much background noise it sounded like he was putting his dishes away during a house party. I felt so disrespected. That made me feel even more fed up and put a bad taste in my mouth about joining another company that will probably not even care about me, just to get bossed around by some power tripping a-hole. I know I don’t want to be part of the workforce anymore. I know for sure I’m tired of being a damn monopoly piece on this bullshit board of capitalism. I’ve just become so fed up with playing into this system that I didn’t even ask to be a part of. So this is what makes me want to stay. It also gives me the opportunity to save up quite of bit of money which is nice.
Anyway, I’m trying to decide if I’m going to do this for real or not. They really like me there and asked me to stay (he has an older woman friend who has helped him for 20 years and a handyman that started 3 weeks ago – also met through posting). I came back to the city to get clean clothes but also to transition slowly so I don’t go into a culture shock and check out of something I’ve always wanted to try. I really have been so fed up and tired of this rat race Western society has forced us to participate in. It’s no wonder mental health issues are a bigger issue on this side of the world.
I do want to say that not having to wake up to an alarm for a job that doesn’t even care about me, felt so. good. Instead, these last few days I was just existing, while I learned how to care for the land that can completely give me life’s necessities. It was so peaceful. My mind felt so clear. Isn’t this the way humans are truly meant to be living? Not selling our souls to keep the rich, rich.