Brandon Lawton, of the University of Vermont
Chilean Swallows circle about as the spring sun shines through my window. It’s early in the morning, and I remove the crust from my eyes. Peering outside, I see pasture and fields with yet to be cultivated vegetables. The Baker River lies a short walk away, and the craggy Patagonian peaks beyond.
A sunny day over Patagonia’s peaks. Photo by Johannah Frisby.
Faint conversation reaches my room from the kitchen, and I slip on my cozy pink Crocs to join the crowd for breakfast before a day of work on the campo. My experience working on a farm is minimal, making our homestay experience a very exciting and unique part of my time in Patagonia. I have lived near farms and visited them on field trips, but never experienced even one full day on a farm — my parents have always been city folk. While my time on a farm is short, my time in Patagonia has allowed me to imagine the life of a gaucho. In many ways, my time on the campo with Nelson and Marisol represented the image I had of the Patagonian farmer.
Brandon works in the campo. Photo by the hostmom, Marisol.
Our days consisted of time spent frolicking in the dirt, eating large quantities of food, and speaking simple Spanish with our homestay family. The five days on the campo left my stomach expanded to a point it had never reached before. Nelson and Marisol made sure we were always fed and rested for our days of work on the farm. We would wake up at 7:30 every morning to sip bitter mate and have groggy conversations with Nelson and Marisol about the upcoming day. The experience was less about the work, and more about our insertion into Patagonian culture. The work had us in the dirt, planting vegetables and weeding the gardens. We lugged wood through throughout the farm, and corralled the sheep in between episodes of petting the two spotted sheep dogs. Spending time with Nelson and Marisol allowed us to practice our Spanish and witness the life of Patagonian farmers. As I weaved in and out of the days, I considered the fact I was thousand of miles away from home working on a Chilean farm with fellow students I did not know two months ago.
Brandon and Cam walk with Marisol on their campo. Photo by Johannah Frisby.
Nelson shears a sheep. Photo by Will Green.
Here I am, tasting Calafate jam while Marisol explains to me what my next task will be. I nodded with uncertainty, having no real idea what she wanted me to do. After four more attempts at instruction and ample hand motions, I understood that she wanted me to set the table for lunch. Simple! Then, she called me a chascon, a man who does not brush his hair. The five days felt like a convergence of many different worlds. American students meet an old Patagonian couple proudly living off the land, powering their farm with solar power and enjoying their new washing machine. Most of all, I was appreciative of their hospitality and friendliness. They were patient with our Spanish and gave us a comfortable home. We were allowed to gain a new perspective on a way to live, and I feel grateful for my time on the campo. As my Spanish improves and we continue with the program, its hard not to love Chilean hospitality.