Awoke at 5.00 to start work at 6.00. Got a ride on the trailer to the tomato field and picked them until 11.30. It wasn't exactly strenuous work, but it did involve a lot of kneeling, bending, etc.
After that we sorted the tomatoes into large, medium, small, and reject. During this task there was much debate about how the tomatoes were to be measured. (There are wooden templates with three circular holes for this task.)
Sorting area on the Dovers' meshek, Ein Yahav Moshav, Israel.
After the tomatoes, we sorted some yellow peppers that had been picked for the internal Israeli market. This was easy: they were either Class I, Class II, Class III or reject, depending on quality.
By this time we had already worked 8 hours so we had a rather late lunch break and resumed work at 3.30. This was pretty good, because all we did for 1½ hours was make cardboard boxes (fun) and then fart around trying to look busy.
The Nigerian guy said we would claim 2 hours' overtime as well, instead of 1½! Our pay is 28 shekels per hour for 8 hours' work plus 5 shekels per hour for anything above that. Also we are paid 5 shekels per hour for working on the Sabbath (have to take advantage of this!).
The pay may seem low at first sight, but, if you add on costs of accommodation, transport and food to the weekly wage, it isn't too bad at all. I worked out that I was as well off as I would be living in Forest Hill and earning about £10,000 p.a. at Whyteleafe.
Had a bit of a disaster in the kitchen in the evening. I dropped all the dinner on the floor!
After that we sorted the tomatoes into large, medium, small, and reject. During this task there was much debate about how the tomatoes were to be measured. (There are wooden templates with three circular holes for this task.)
Sorting area on the Dovers' meshek, Ein Yahav Moshav, Israel.By this time we had already worked 8 hours so we had a rather late lunch break and resumed work at 3.30. This was pretty good, because all we did for 1½ hours was make cardboard boxes (fun) and then fart around trying to look busy.
The Nigerian guy said we would claim 2 hours' overtime as well, instead of 1½! Our pay is 28 shekels per hour for 8 hours' work plus 5 shekels per hour for anything above that. Also we are paid 5 shekels per hour for working on the Sabbath (have to take advantage of this!).
The pay may seem low at first sight, but, if you add on costs of accommodation, transport and food to the weekly wage, it isn't too bad at all. I worked out that I was as well off as I would be living in Forest Hill and earning about £10,000 p.a. at Whyteleafe.
Had a bit of a disaster in the kitchen in the evening. I dropped all the dinner on the floor!
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