The Intern
It’s official, they know it in the village bar so there’s nothing to hide, we’re going to open a Rural Coliving in Cantabria. It’s a space for social innovation, where we’re going to carry out experiments in kindness and generosity, a laboratory of life.
These weeks we’re learning how to manage the house, I’m doing internships with the owners to learn how to use the tools and thus be able to keep the property in perfect condition. The relationship we’re building as a result of this new project is a luxury, a beautiful friendship to continue with the property that they started, that they built with their own hands, to take care of the space.
We’re starting the practices with the hedge trimming machine, I start by fixing the row of the parking lot. Most of it comes out straight, with some small holes and unevenness, which doesn’t worry us too much because it grows back. Then I move on to a rounded hedge, as well as another large one that closes the property, I trim it like Edward Scissorhands, I enjoy the task.
Next we get into the laurels that surround the farm, a real engineering task. I start from one side and end up climbing the scaffolding. I also go over the cypresses and it’s nice to see the result, although I’m covered in scratches, it seems like I’ve had a fight with some cats, it’s the best bikini operation ever invented, working all afternoon. Next are the laurels that divide the cabins, I trim them little by little and we collect all the leaves with a wheelbarrow and a rake, I only need the yellow tractor.
I’m gaining the trust of the owners and they teach me how to use the chainsaw to cut down a dead tree. This is already heavy weaponry, first we start by learning about maintenance and care, how to grease and place the chain, how to take care of the tool. Then I cut down my first tree, it’s incredible that they haven’t had to buy wood in almost 20 years. Where I am not good at is cutting wood, they give me a hand axe and a wedge, but I realize that it is not my thing and I must practice more, it is the only way to improve.
We go with the mower, I learn to take care of it before using it, check the oil, grease the bearings, then I try to go straight, not to make too many marks on the ground, although there are some circles that look like a flying saucer has landed, I like physical work and I keep going. It is time to pick oranges, and they have filled a dozen boxes for us. In addition, the farm has lemons and plums, they make a jam in summer that lasts all year. There are walnut and hazelnut trees, pear trees, apple trees and fig trees, peach trees do not grow, but they have planted blackberries and they grow by themselves.
So far, the Faithful Gardener has done wonderfully, but in spring you have to mow every 10 days. We go with the animals, I learn to take care of them every day, they are rabbits, chickens and hens, some cats also come, although these take care of themselves. Thank goodness he doesn’t have a pig, that would be too much. I start to remember the food sovereignty that a rural family achieved, with the garden and the milk, with some chickens and rabbits, with some sheep, with the slaughter. Nowadays they direct us to the supermarket, but with the opportunity that we have now we are going to continue producing and consuming what we can from home, because the farm also has four gardens where everything that is planted comes from.
We continue learning, all the management and cleaning of the 6 cabins, maintenance of them and laundry service are missing. There are some tools left to learn, they have a cement mixer, welder and compressor, a high level for an intern. I know that with time I will get the certificate, yes the “handyman” one, which I have never been given. I start with the basics, but I am eager to achieve it.
In September we are left alone on board, when the summer comes back the farm changes hands, we are ready, I know we are going to enjoy this family adventure and we will manage to make many people who visit us happy. We would like to turn a rather private and closed place into something more open and public, a place where things happen, where there is some cultural offering, training, movement, some social event, we have come to play.
The official opening party will take place with the annual October SUMMIT, a meeting where European entrepreneurs who have passed through Cantabria in these years will arrive, members of the The Social Circle community from different corners of Spain and the Cantabria Impact Network, without forgetting of course the neighbours and some friends.
For the moment, to get started and pay the bills, we will continue with the holiday rental, reservations are accepted, although we will add the surname of solidarity, since we do not distribute dividends and we finance Hola Ghana projects, in addition to other initiatives based on the economy of generosity that we will start in Cantabria.
The first thing we will do is to prepare the garage to turn it into an office, to enjoy a Coworking space where we can work daily and organize events from time to time. We are going to launch a Crowdfunding campaign with Goteo, with attractive rewards to attract the first visits, a collective financing strategy, because we are committed to the CO paradigm, of trust, collaboration, co-creation, awareness and common good, another way of doing business, another way of being in this world, another project to generate social capital and continue working on the first base of the ecosystem.
And you… Do you become an intern from time to time?
