Into the “real” world
Into the “real” world
On return from 5 months travelling South America I went straight into a summer filled with fun, creativity and music, working at festivals. Sadly, this all ended far too quickly, and it was time to get back to “reality” – to find a “proper” job!
Having grown up on a farm, with a florist as a mother, I knew I wanted something practical, creative and outdoorsy! Something with variety!
After weeks of traipsing the internet, attending uninspiring interviews, and re-writing my CV for the umpteenth time, I was getting fed up and thought I better start thinking more realistically about what I actually wanted. Until….”Farm Events Manager” popped up on my google search!
Everyone kept telling me there was no such thing as “the dream job” but I have to say, this sounded pretty ideal!
Somehow I managed to get an interview!
One word of advice of my fathers’ was to play feel-good music on the way to the interview. So after blasting out Mumford & Sons ‘I Will Wait’ at full volume, as I drove into the gorgeous scenery of the Yorkshire Dales on the way to my 2-day (!) interview – I actually GOT THE JOB! It obviously worked!
1 new car and an 8 hour drive up from Dorset, I was instantly welcomed into the Farm Adventure Family, especially by Bonnie.
From day 1, I was filled with information, that I tried (and am still trying!) to retain! But with a view like this out of my office window, I thought it can’t be too hard!
Coming from a fairly remote farm in the heart of the Dorset countryside, I thought it was going to be tricky to beat the views I grew up with…I was wrong!
People ask me what my “typical working day” is. After nearly 3 months here, I can say every day has been completely different, and totally unique.
We try to start the day off with our “morning meeting”, however, due to the laid-back attitude of my fellow team, this usually doesn’t happen! When it does, it consists of Laura, Rob, Jess, Steve & myself drinking copious “cups of tea”!
Talk about variety – one minute I’m chatting away on the phone to a maid of honour wanting to book our new all-inclusive “Muck & Manners” package for a hen do, or I’m off to IKEA with Laura to buy some new equipment for our accommodation, or looking at baby stuff online, or cutting onions up for a Saturday BBQ, or mucking out the pigs, or submitting TENS documents, and next I get a another Whatsapp message from Jess down in the lambing shed: “LAMBER!!” so I rush down to lamb another ewe – brilliant! (the lambs are popping out all over the place today – I’m just waiting for my next “LAMBER!”)
Saturdays are event days!
6 weeks in – and I’m taking my first group. Nerve-racking thought but a lot of fun, especially when you have a hilarious, mad bunch of ladies to take round on a surprise 50th Birthday!
I have to say though, I cannot wait until the weddings start to get my creativeness kicked into action! The ideas flying around the office about a new Pallet bar, Jäger cow, rustic wedding barn and upcycled glass bottle chandelier (to name a few) are so exciting.
For those of you who have discovered Pinterest, you’ll know what I mean when I say hours pass and you have so many crazy, amazing ideas buzzing around in your mind!
And the inspiring visions the couples come with – village fete, festival, or a rustic barn theme with copious amounts of bunting and wild flowers – are fantastic!
Highlights so far have to include:
- My first hug – from a lovely wedding couple WHO BOOKED UP!!!! (my first wedding booking)
- My first mention on TripAdvisor!!
- My very first in-tray (the small things in life…)
- Lambing my first ewe this season!
- Getting snowed in and having to cycle to work (& falling off!)
- Admiring Bonnie…
The only problem I find is:
- The Language Barrier!
- “Ey up“
- “nowt“
- “brew“
- “int/ont“
What does all this mean?!
Well…if this is the real world then I can’t complain!