Work, Play, Fun at La Giraudiere
Do you think work should be fun? At La Giraudiere there is a lot of talk and laughter going on while the volunteers are going about their work. This probably has a lot to do with working in a beautiful countryside environment where the air is clean, fresh and invigorating, the sky is a beautiful shade of blue and the sun shining. Pollution isn’t a word that is relevant to this pristine countryside. Work, Play, Fun at La Giraudiere is the ethos here. The teams work together, project manage and problem solve without any of the tensions or petty power plays which sometmes occur in workplaces. The seven dwarfs spring to mind as the volunteers go about their work – hi ho, hi ho, it’s off to work we go – with a shovel and pick and a walking stick – hi ho, hi ho. There is no grumpy or lazy, just happy travellers enjoying their stint at volunteering in the countryside in the south of France.
Michelle from Canada and Alina from Russia hard at work on the property.
Joanna and Emily from UK tree trimming. Great job!
Morning tea comes around quickly and then lunch around 1 pm – no fast food or junk, nutritious healthy food – tomatoes that taste like they were just picked off the vine and breadsticks so crunchy on the outside and soft in the middle, cheeses that melt in your mouth. Lunch is a lively time with discussions which range on all sorts of subjects. It is easy to forget what is going on in the world as none of it seems to matter in this peaceful environment. Work, Play, Fun at La Giraudiere is the order of the day.
Once work has finished for the day, there is plenty of time to wander down to Brossac Lake for a swim or mini golf if you like or just to enjoy the walk through the countryside and hang out at the lake. The long hours of daylight certainly allow for a lot more outside activities. Nightfall doesn’t close in until around 10.30 pm so a long walk before then can be done in broad daylight. So much safer than trying to do the same thing in the dark.
La Giraudiere volunteers walk to Lake Brossac after finishing work for the day.
Lake Brossac – Emily showing Olivia from UK and Kathryn – intern from Scotland some moves. Go Emily!
