The distant Scottish island is ready to pay $ 28,000 to anyone who is willing to work as a shepherd. Sounds like utopia, doesn't it? Do sheep bring so much profit to their owners that they are able to pay such salaries? And Scotland itself is a very prosperous country, but it is not at all the place of residence of millionaires from the Forbes list. Nevertheless, it is true.
Where do you need to graze sheep?
Those who do not tolerate cold and are afraid of piercing through the winds, and also do not have a developed vestibular apparatus and can not work with their hands, can not pack their bags. It is not in vain that work is so highly paid; not everyone can cope with it. Even not all people can live in the proposed conditions.
The vacancy is open on the island of North Ronaldsay. This is the most remote land area from the mainland, located at the tip of the Orkney archipelago of Scotland. There is practically no civilization, and in the literal sense. People coming to the island seem to be in the Middle Ages. Of course, there is electricity here, there is a connection. However, the Internet works very poorly, TV and radio are also often turned off.
The climate is unusually harsh. Heavy storm winds, torrential downpours, a very short summer - all this does not add to the charm of island life. From entertainment here, most of the long dark nights are only available for gatherings in a local pub. Many do not even try to turn on the TV or go online, but immediately go to the tavern. Of course, you can’t always look at the mainland too, most of the year the island is cut off from civilization.
What kind of sheep is this?
If the conditions in which you have to live and work are not scary, then you should learn a little more about the sheep themselves. This is a unique local breed, famous for its unusual coat. However, outwardly animals also differ from their relatives living on the mainland.
It is generally accepted that the properties and texture of the wool of local sheep are determined by the specifics of their nutrition. Animals eat algae, which continuously surging waves literally "hang" on the coastal cliffs. There is no scientific justification for this belief, but the grazing site was walled in the Middle Ages. This was done so that the sheep ate algae, and did not leave to graze in the meadow.
What are the responsibilities?
“Dream job” means working 35 hours a week. However, the vacancy stipulates that additional loads are possible. The position is called a “caretaker” and it is paid from the budget, from state funds.
Those who believe that they will have to guard the sheep, spending time in the fresh air and reading books or drawing, are deeply mistaken. The caretaker is responsible not only for the safety of animals, but also for their diet, as well as for the condition of the wall that encloses the place of grazing from the meadow.
That is, a person will have to make sure that the sheep obediently eat algae, do not run away to areas covered with grass and heather, and in addition, repair the wall. Of course, the building is durable, but gale winds still leave their mark.
Given all this, wages no longer seem so big, and the work itself is easy. It is not surprising that island self-government bodies have not been able to find a person for a long time who would agree to their proposal.
