We almost never do interviews, but our friend Anna Rósa is collaborating with The Lotus Flower to empower refugee women in Kurdistan to care for their own health, their families and communities, and to start herbal businesses to support themselves as they rebuild their lives.
We are so excited to support her efforts, and we wanted to tell y’all all about it too!
You can learn more about the collaboration here:
Herbal Sisters Workshops for Women
And you can find her fundraiser course here – all proceeds go to support the Herbal Sisters project!
The Healing Power of Icelandic Herbs
DISCOUNT CODE: Use code commonwealth to get 30% off the price! Valid until June 30th, 2023.
If you enjoyed the episode, it helps us a lot if you subscribe, rate, & review our podcast wherever you listen. This helps others find us more easily. Thank you!
Our theme music is “Wings” by Nicolai Heidlas.
You can find all of our online herbalism courses at online.commonwealthherbs.com!
We almost never do interviews, but our friend Anna Rósa is collaborating with The Lotus Flower to empower refugee women in Kurdistan to care for their own health, their families and communities, and to start herbal businesses to support themselves as they rebuild their lives.
We are so excited to support her efforts, and we wanted to tell y’all all about it too!
You can learn more about the collaboration here:
Herbal Sisters Workshops for Women
And you can find her fundraiser course here – all proceeds go to support the Herbal Sisters project!
The Healing Power of Icelandic Herbs
DISCOUNT CODE: Use code commonwealth to get 30% off the price! Valid until June 30th, 2023.
If you enjoyed the episode, it helps us a lot if you subscribe, rate, & review our podcast wherever you listen. This helps others find us more easily. Thank you!
Our theme music is “Wings” by Nicolai Heidlas.
You can find all of our online herbalism courses at online.commonwealthherbs.com!
Hi, I'm Kaia here at Commonwealth Holistic Herbalism in Boston, Massachusetts, and today I'm here with Anna Roso from Iceland. And I am so excited. Y'all know, we almost never do interviews on our podcast, but this is something really special and I'm super excited to talk to y'all about it. Before we just launch right into this whole thing, I just have to do the quick reclaimer, but you know, Rin isn't here to keep me on board and remind me what the script is. So I'm gonna do the shorty short version, which is, we are not doctors, we are herbalist and holistic health educators. And all the stuff that we're gonna talk about today is for educational purposes only. There's no medical advice here. So, um, let's go, let's do this,<laugh>. So this is Anna Rosa. Hi
Speaker 2:<laugh>. Hi<laugh>.
Speaker 1:Um, Anna Rosa and I and Rin met at an herb conference in the us Um, I think it was the International Herb Symposium. It
Speaker 2:Was, yeah, I think it was while back,
Speaker 1:2007 or, yeah, a long time ago. Mm-hmm.<affirmative>. Um, and then when we got married in 2014, we went to Iceland on our honeymoon, and we visited on a Rosa who took us all around to see different herbs growing in Iceland. And it was an amazing experience.<laugh>. Um, one of the herbs that I remember in particular, um, meeting was Ola. And Ola is an herb that, of course I knew about before I went to Iceland, but it, I had never really understood it. Like I had never really formed a, a relationship with it. I didn't really feel comfortable knowing how to work with it. It was like an nerve I knew about, but I didn't had, I didn't know about it in my body and I definitely didn't know about it in the world. And then I went to Iceland,<laugh> anda gave us some and took us to harvest some, and it was amazing. So I'm gonna just let you talk about that for a little while.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I remember that very clearly when we did that. Um, and what I think is so important is that you don't connect with the herb, really, really, until you've actually done that. So I remember standing there with you and digging up that root by hand just like we were allowed to there by the sea, I remember mm-hmm.<affirmative> and, uh, and just breaking it. And you can actually smell it. You can see the colors and you, you kind of get a totally different feeling for it. Mm-hmm.<affirmative>. So, um, and it, it, in Iceland, it grows both wild and, and then it's, uh, very common in garden as well. So I live in a street which actually has three Ola plants on it.<laugh>, which, which delights me no end because I say hello to the beach time I go outta my house, kinda, I, I wonder what the neighbors thing, you know,<laugh> probably that I'm quite weird. Um, and then you can occasionally find it in the counterside as well. But it is that kind of connection, which is so important if you, if you're gonna be a herbalist, to actually recognize them, to taste them, to smell them in the nature. If you possibly can't, of course you can't with all the herbs you work, but, but, uh, Ola, it's easy to grow in the gardens, for example. So you could do that in the States. It,
Speaker 1:Yeah. Um, but it doesn't, it doesn't last you have to regrow it regularly. Like it's, it's an in here,
Speaker 2:Is it? Alright. Right. I didn't know that because it's, it's not here. Of course. Okay. Takes a long time to grow though. At least five to seven years, I think.
Speaker 1:Yeah. We're just, for it to be really happy here.
Speaker 2:Yeah. It's probably too hot for it or something like that. Mm-hmm. Yeah. I'm guessing that<laugh>. Yeah, but I have, I have like 30, because I've been working as a help list for 30 years, so I have about 30 years experience with Ola, and it is one of the herbs I have used the most mm-hmm.<affirmative>. So, so I'm talking really from experience, for example, in the, in the course and the online course I'm doing on Icelandic herbs now, the healing power, I'm, I'm talking about working with patients or clients, whatever you call it here for 30 years with Ola. And also I sell it in like 50 chemist shops. So I get a lot of, uh, feedback from people just taking that, not in a mixture or anything like that. And it's such a good one for anxiety
Speaker 1:Really. And like
Speaker 2:Everyone is anxious by now in Iceland, just like anywhere else. Although we do claim that we are the happiest people in the world or something<laugh> according to all surveys, but then we're riddled with anxiety.<laugh>, kinda, kinda a bit of a controversy, I think<laugh>, but that's what, that's what I have been treating so much anxiety and young people of course. Mm-hmm.
Speaker 1:I feel like what I knew about Rodeo before I came to visit you was just, oh yeah, it's the happy herb mm-hmm.<affirmative>, and that didn't really give me enough information about how to work with it. But once I learned it from the Icelandic perspective, and I saw it in its climate with the cold and the damp all around it, and the, you know, maybe you go many days without sun and here's this plant with this bright yellow beautiful flower and, and that, those are the things that helped me to really understand the right te like it's rodeo is maybe not for every single anxiety, but when you start to realize how this plant lives in its own environment, and then you can start to see like, oh, I see the kinds of times when it would be the, the right answer for anxiousness.
Speaker 2:Mm-hmm.
Speaker 1:So I always like to tell people, um, I have this Viking analogy about rodeo, Ola<laugh>.
Speaker 2:You see, I think about it differently because I've seen a lot of, uh, writing and material, especially in the States, that you have to be careful with it. That is not for everyone and, and all that. But that is not my experience. That's absolutely not my experience. I have given it to thousands of people and it's literally for everyone. I do not see side effects from it. That has been extremely rare. I mean, you do see that from some herbs as we know, but Ola no, and I'm giving it in a couple, I'm not giving it in drops. I'm giving big doses is much bigger than you do the stage. And we're talking about a regular tincture here, which I make myself. Yes. Uh, it's just in, in, uh, the ratio one to five or might even be less. No, I think it's one to five, the one I'm doing. And, um, and it's just, I don't find this to be the truth. At least. It's difficult for a lot of people. I've never seen it literally one, one patient per year who might have a side effects from it or something. Sorry, go on.
Speaker 1:You and I have had this conversation before and always to me it reinforces how to work with Ola because if I find that if I'm working with someone in a really hot place and they're just totally wilted, that's maybe not the right feeling for rodeo, but you're never in that situation.
Speaker 2:Exactly. Yeah. That's a very good point. I'm never, ever in that situation. Everybody is cold here and, uh, and we are all depressed of course because of the darkness and so forth. So that might be the explanation then. Yeah. But my thing is, my thing is also the dosage. I, I wonder about that because I've never ever given it in few drops. I mean, I don't do that generally, but I mean, I give it in a big dose per day as well. I find it centers
Speaker 1:People
Speaker 2:Only,
Speaker 1:Is it like damp in the environment because it's an island, but also everyone's in the hot tubs all the time.<laugh>, like, so everybody water all of the time. So it's fine to give something really as stringent to people who are surrounded by and often submerged in water<laugh>. That's
Speaker 2:A very good point. You're giving me a new view on it now. For me it's just like normal. Give ola to absolutely everyone. I come across<laugh> literally, and it works. That's the, and the thing Isola, I find when I take it, I find it really centers me and I find it effective immediately. Like the same day.
Speaker 1:It depends. I find that too. Yeah. Ok. So here's my, here's my Viking analogy. I always think about it. If you imagine like a, a Viking and they're going from Iceland or from Norway or from wherever they're from, and they're gonna go all the way to Greenland or even, you know, they got all the way to North America, so they're gonna do that. But it's not like they did that in a luxury cruise liner. They did that in a, in an open boat and maybe they were rowing for a lot of that time. And so just imagine these, these, these men and also some women, it was cold, it was damp, it was gray, there was no land anywhere. And there's gonna, it's gonna be exactly the same tomorrow and the day after that and the day after that. And it's kinda hopeless if you think about it. Just, are we ever gonna get there? And I haven't had bought meals forever. And so if that's the situation you're in, just surrounded by gray fog and it's not gonna get better tomorrow, that is the perfect time for rodeo. It like perks you right up and makes you feel like, yeah, I can road to North America, no problem.<laugh>.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I think you've, I think you've totally got it there. Basically<laugh> it really, and I've often heard it because with a lot of the herbs, you wait for kind of two weeks for them to work, or at least one week months sometimes. But with Ola, I would say it's instant. I don't, I have no idea how many feedbacks I've had like that. Mm-hmm. Like, it really worked the same day. And for ht h d as well. Yes. But then I, yeah, it, it works for loads and loads of other things too, you know. Um, but definitely one of my favorite. Mm-hmm.
Speaker 1:Well, I want to transition to your new course. Um, so you've started this new course as a way to raise money for your work with Kurdish refugees. And we're gonna talk about that work in a minute, but mm-hmm.<affirmative>, I'm kinda also really excited about your unique perspective in this course because, um, it's focusing on Icelandic herbs. But the really cool thing for us here in North America is that all these herbs that you're teaching about, almost all of them grow here too. And learning them, like my experience of learning ola from you, as opposed to what I heard about it from people here in the States mm-hmm.<affirmative>, I didn't un I could not unlock my relationship with that plant until I learned it from you. And so I'm kinda excited that you got this whole course together with your perspectives on all these herbs that people can learn. Um, so why don't you tell us a little bit about this course that you're offering as both this amazing thing for people and also a way to raise money for your refugee work. Mm-hmm.
Speaker 2:<affirmative>. So what I did was I, I put together 14 herbs, because those 14 herbs are the ones I have been, uh, wildcrafting and working with nonstop for over 30 years. So I didn't pick, uh, the rarer one, and I, I really picked the common ones. Mm-hmm.<affirmative>, uh, because, well, I did this course originally in Icelandic, so it was for the public here in Iceland to actually go out and grow. And it has been very popular for that. And then I, I kept on being asked about it in English as well, partly for the people who speak English here in Iceland, but also just from abroad. I've had a lot of requests because, um, well, the, as you say, those are common herbs wherever you go, except maybe Iceland moss might not be, that's one of the 14. I think you might type in Canada, but not in, in, in the States maybe. Yeah.
Speaker 1:It doesn't grow here, but it's very easy to purchase here.
Speaker 2:Yeah. That's the other thing. All of them are very easy to purchase. So I wanted to, to do a course with common things because it's pointless having a rare thing. I mean, the thing is, you can do almost absolutely everything with 14 herbs.<laugh>. Yes. I have always that kind herpes. I, I've never worked with 300 herbs, uh, and lots of unique things or whatever, you know, I have had be partly because half of the herbs are illegal here. I have a very small flora, so I can't pick that many. I mean, it's very tiny compared to, to the states. So I've just had to make due and I've done that and discovered that I literally can do most things with those 14 herbs. But that, that's the whole thing, you know, that's, that's always how I have worked mm-hmm.<affirmative>, uh, through the years. So, um, so that's why I picked those ones. And, uh, my main thing has always been to harvest myself. That's what I've always done. So I did specific videos just on that, like, uh, my, in my<laugh> authentic style, I'm not that good at videos, but in the videos you can really see the plant and I really show people where I cut it and why and talk about it, and maybe diseases or whatever. So I'm literally giving all my harvesting tips I've accumulated for the last 30 years. But then of course, I do a lot of talking about the, the ucs scientific research habit, everything, you know, it's, it's literally an encyclopedia about those 14 herbs.
Speaker 1:It's so excellent. So, okay, in the show notes for this pod, we will put the link for where people can find this course mm-hmm.<affirmative>. Um, and it's awesome and amazing, just like your book is awesome, amazing. And everything you do is awesome and amazing. But the most awesome and most amazing part about this is that this course is helping you fund a project that you have started a new long-term relationship to work with Kurdish refugees. And I am so excited about this work, and I would just love for you to talk about who you're working with and the projects that you're doing and your plans for the future, and just, ah, tell us all about it. It's
Speaker 2:Ok. Ok. Ok. I'll try.<laugh>. Okay. So that is my biggest passion in life now. Um, and it feels a bit like my biggest passion was herbs when I was 21. And then I had a call, like a literal calling for being a herbalist. Uh, and then now, five years ago, I had a, a, a same thing happening to me from Instagram this time. Last time it was newspapers. I just go with the media. I know I'm very modern. Uh, and so I had this kind of a calling that I needed to work with refugees. And that was a weird thing happening to me because I had no connection. I hadn't been following refugee situation in any particular way except on Instagram through photographing. And so slowly I sort of started to think, well, I need to do something too, you know, if, if that person can do this, uh, well, can't I do something? So it was literally like a calling, but it was really weird because, um, there was no one else around me with those kind of ideas. And I had a calling to go to the Middle East, which I had never been to, and, and not until I went to Iraq, uh, Stan and Iraq this year. Uh, so it was really weird to be setting up an idea of a project, uh, in a faraway country I'd never been to, didn't know anyone at all,<laugh>. Uh, and then if I would mention those ideas here in Iceland, people would just look at me and think like, C certifiable or something like that. I mean, honestly, if I tried to talk to people here, they really thought I was just like, bonous or whatever you say, you know? I mean, honestly. Uh, so I was kind of like, um, I waited for those five years to actually let it materialize because I needed to kind of sit with this odd idea, un and I never, it never went away. And with good ideas, that's the whole thing. They actually don't go away. And it didn't matter if I tried to ignore it, it always pop up again. Mm-hmm. So eventually I went on Instagram because that's my source of information, information,<laugh>, you're always saying social media is so bad, it's not. So it's just the way you use it, you know, that's my experience. You just have to use it properly. And I, I def most definitely do because I went on Instagram and found an organization that I simply emailed and said, here I am, do you want to work with me? And they said, yes,<laugh>. And I was just like, okay, I'm going<laugh>. But, and it was literally few emails. They were like, put a lot of trust in in wanting to collaborate with me. And we didn't even zoom, we didn't even talk. It was just decided in like five emails and yes, you can go to Stan in Iraq, we'll support you and give you access to our people, and so forth. And off I went, and I had the most fabulous time ever.<laugh>, literally.
Speaker 1:I think that is actually really important because, um, a lot of times we see that, um, ideas for support don't work out because maybe people don't have access into a community that they wanna support. But what you did was you found an organization that was already doing this work and contacted them and said, I have resources, I have, I have ideas, I have plants, I have all these things, and I would like to be of use to you. I would like to be in service to you. Is that something that you would like and mm-hmm.<affirmative> when we, when we operate that way, like you said, people are like, yes, I would love it if you would come and participate in this work that we're doing.
Speaker 2:But I think most organizations actually don't work like that. I think they're fairly bureaucratic. They are huge international. That, and I just lucked out with this organization, which is called the Lotus Flower, by the way. They've been working there, I think for eight years, and they're doing fabulous work with the women in the refugees camps, and the comes for in internally placed people, as well said, not just refugees. And so they have set up all kinds of brilliant programs like for mental health, for cyber health, for genders, for food, all to assist the women to learn about things and become independent, setting up their own businesses. And that's where I come into, because my idea is, I, I've been there, of course, and I, I went to three of the camps and, and I taught workshops and how to make ointment. And that was a bit tricky because it's, it was not like I could just find herbs like that in, in Stan Iraq. I couldn't. I went to the market, didn't recognize half of them, and in the end I found Nettle andile. And I thought, well, I can work with that. I can do anything with nettle and kamile. So those two herbs I was recommending basically for everything for the rest of the trip because I could tell people, you can go to market and get them. Yes. So I made recipes with those, and few spices may be along with it mm-hmm.<affirmative>, But that is, that is when it comes in a good stand that I have worked with so few plants, I have no problem with working only with three plants, because if they're the, the really good ones, like Commonwealth and Nettle, you can't literally do most things. You do
Speaker 1:So much. Right. That
Speaker 2:That's the whole thing. So I'm not too bothered, but I don't recognize anything in, in Stan. I'm just there going to the market and sort of Yep, okay. Tastes nice, but I have no idea what it is.<laugh>. Yeah. I'll figure it out though. I have found people, um, uh, a agriculture is who know additional plants and they are helping me out because they know the Latin names. So I will figure it out in the end what is available. But, uh, so I went to the workshops and started teaching them how to make ointments, which was very well received, because of course, well, firstly they just wanted ointments. They needed that for all kinds of things. They wanted to learn about it as well. And I had great fun teaching there. Absolutely wonderful. I mean, the women were so nice. Uh, and then I'm assisted by, um, I have a translator of course, because I don't speak any of the language and lots of lang languages there, not just one. Uh, so I'm lucky that the organization provides me with a translator and, um, well, a driver and all those kind of things. So I couldn't do it without another organization because you just go, don't go there and knock on your door and say, here I am. I want to do something in the refugee. Right. So you need to, doesn't quite work like that. I figured that out. At least<laugh><laugh>. But, uh, but so I'm very lucky that I can collaborate with them. We call the Project Herbal Sisters because they have a lot of sister programs. So they did, we just named it Herbal Sisters, which is very suitable. And so I have all kinds of, uh, ideas. I, I want to develop quite a few other purple product products with them. So the, and my idea and the end goal is that at least few of them could start selling those products so they have some income and can support the families. Uh, they, some of them are very keen on that idea. Um, but I need to also figure out ways around things. Like I can't make tinture, like usually because they are religious Muslims, a lot of them, so they don't drink alcohol. So I have to move on to glycerides, which I'm not used to. So it's all these kind of things to figure out, which is not difficult, but just takes time to develop. Right. So different. And also, I can't get hold of good essential, all kinds of things. I don't, we don't have to think about it in the Western world. So what I'm doing is I'm only working with material I can find there. I'm not importing Herb, I'm not looking for donations of herbal products, because that's just impossible. You're not gonna send them to Iraq, or I'm not gonna bring suitcases with me that that is not gonna work. So I, the only thing I have is to work with what is there. I think, and of course there are lots of Medician hubs there, but they're not necessarily sold where I go. I mean, they're all kinds of things to figure out. Yeah. Anyway, I think that's actually
Speaker 1:Really important on a few levels, because on one hand, the fact that you are only working with the herbs that are available there, that is a very sustainable model. So that what you're teaching these women is not just like, well, wouldn't this be nice? You could do these things. It is literally, you can do this because all the materials are here and you can support yourself and care for your family this way. Yes. Because we're specifically working with what's here. But I also actually love that you are going there and starting off with the, the herbs that you are most comfortable with, but there's so much space to grow and not everything has to come from you. They know those spices, they know a lot of that stuff. Mm-hmm.<affirmative>. And you can, you can teach them new ways to think about it. Mm-hmm.<affirmative>. But all of this is a collaboration. It's not just you parachuting in and saying, this is the one way. It's always
Speaker 2:Like that. And I did a lot of, um, sort of gathering of material. So I always, in those workshop I asked a lot. Like I was really trying to, to ask them, are you used to this one? What you call that one? And how do you use it? Uh, there was some knowledge, not that much I was expecting more, but maybe they would just shy. I don't know. Mm-hmm.<affirmative>. Uh, but it's always a collaboration. What I am doing more than anything else is that I'm bringing the confidence, I'm transporting my 30 years of experience and the confidence that I know the herb's work, which you don't if you're not used to it. And if it's just sort of lala something women do and not important, we, we know those kind of prejudice, you know? Yeah. And I'm transporting my confidence to those women and telling them, you too can learn this. And it's not difficult. And I will teach you. And you can have the confidence and you can become your own community herbalist as well, which is another part of my plan. I want to, uh, there are, um, people within the organization who want to study herbs. So to train people to be herpa list in some way, at least that's definitely one of the plans. I would like to set up a clinic there as well, but then I'm not gonna live there. So that's more difficult.
Speaker 1:<laugh>.
Speaker 2:Uh, so I, I think of it like there are endless, uh, I don't think of it as challenges, endless opportunities. There are endless way to grow in whichever direction you want to do. So, so that's why I'm doing the course, that's why I'm marketing it literally abroad, because I'm gonna take the profit from it and, and use it directly. If you buy the course, you are directly sending money to the women in the refugees card. There's just a, you can, I think you can trust me on that one.<laugh>,<laugh>,
Speaker 1:I'm setting,
Speaker 2:I'm setting up a charity too, you know, and registered charity with a board of people who have already agreed to work with me. So it's not, I'm not just fundraising out of the blue and, and just take them on and do something. This will be a, this will be done properly. Let's put it that way. I think that's everything
Speaker 1:Is, that is very much your style,<laugh>,
Speaker 2:Thank you. But it's also just very important that it's transparent, that there are other people involved who are not just doing whatever they, I mean, I could just otherwise do whatever I like. If there is no, no one looking over my shoulder, you know, and that's not on, not in terms of money, uh, and if you want to fundraise properly, but, so yeah. That's, that's why I'm doing it, basically.
Speaker 1:I'm so excited about it. I wanna go back to the thing you said about confidence. Yes. Cause that I think more than anything that is actually a thread through all of the sister projects, um, that this group, um, is doing that every, like, they have a project where they're teaching the women to box, um mm-hmm.<affirmative>, and they have where they teach like other kinds of business models, baking or whatever, um mm-hmm.<affirmative> and then educational projects. But the line through all of that is to give women confidence. It's not that the women don't already know how to cook or bake or whatever. Yeah. But there's a big difference between knowing how to do something for yourself and having the confidence to put it out there as a business that's going to support you.
Speaker 2:Mm-hmm.<affirmative>
Speaker 1:Support, like a way to support yourself is the most important thing that people, that refugees need.
Speaker 2:Yep. And
Speaker 1:We can, we can donate food in whatever, and we should, but ultimately, over the long term, what they really need is to be able to support themselves. And that's also what they want. I mean, everybody wants that. Yeah. And, and it really comes down to that confidence feeling. Mm-hmm.<affirmative>, after everything around you has maybe been destroyed or taken or ruined mm-hmm.<affirmative>, and now you are not in your home and you're uprooted and everything else. Mm-hmm.<affirmative> the thing to, to get back so that you can move forward is that confidence. Exactly. So I think it's, I think it's really beautiful that that's also your, um, attitude as you go in there. It isn't that you're the expert bestowing all the things. It's<laugh> confidence that we can all collaborate and, and yeah. Build this beautiful work. And, um, I'm super excited about it.
Speaker 2:And you just have to also just raise the awareness of her policeman. I happen to be in Stan, Iraq, so it will be my job to raise the awareness because I mean, it's not looked up as a proper thing in most, most places in the world. We know how that is. Mm-hmm.<affirmative>. So here I am, I come in, I have 30 years experience. I've written books. I'm running my own companies, selling cosmetics, doing good and all that. Well, if I can do it and I can teach it, I can give the confidence. Then it's also about having the confidence of being independent and, and, and running a business that, that is, uh, that is partly, uh, or part of what I can do as well. Because if, if there is anything I have been doing is being independent myself for the last 30 years, you know, um, I
Speaker 1:Was gonna say something about that, because<laugh>, I think that if I were making a dictionary and independent was in the dictionary, I would just put your picture next to it.<laugh>
Speaker 2:As a compliment. Okay.
Speaker 1:But everything you know about your story, like you've, you've lived in a lot of places, you've traveled all around, you've done some really cool and very different things. Everything. Like, I mean, you're inner list now, but you were a banker and you go like all these different things, you know? Oh
Speaker 2:Yeah. I was a banker once. That's right.
Speaker 1:Different places and Yeah. In different languages and like all this stuff. And I, I just sort of look at you in the world and, and even when I just think about you like, oh, my friend Anna Rosa, I just think about like, you're just such a force. You're just like<laugh>. Like, I think that if anybody was gonna go role model confidence and also confidence as a woman in a, in a world where it's not always easy to have confidence as a woman, and it's not the
Speaker 2:Art is important. Very, very important. Yes. Absolutely. That's the other main thing, right?
Speaker 1:Like your spirit is the spirit I want them to, to be infused with and to, and to be like, I wanna be like her. I wanna be me with that energy, you know,
Speaker 2:<laugh>,<laugh>. Yeah. Yeah. I get you. Um, you know how I think of this, I'm just doing what I like. I'm always just doing what I actually, like, I say no to a lot of things because I'm always constantly being asked to take part in whatever projects and other businesses and so forth, but I just say no, because I know I'm doing exactly what I like. Mm-hmm.<affirmative>, I think it's very important to learn to say no and just follow your heart. I'm following my heart more than anything. I mean, if you get a calling like that from Instagram of old places,<laugh>, And I got the calling from a regular newspaper to be aist, and I just read, that was like, when I was 20, I read that article. I was like, I have to be Aist<laugh>. And I'm not, I'm not such an impulsive, I'm fairly careful in many ways, but it was just like instantly, okay, I know what I'm gonna do with my life. I'm gonna be aist. I mean, how lucky is that to know that when you're 20? Then I digressed, digressed a little bit and became a banker for a while, but I didn't stop being a student. Well,
Speaker 1:And you have to pay your bills, so it's okay.<laugh>
Speaker 2:Have to. Yeah. But I actually thought it was interesting.<laugh> actually like the banker bankers. Well, too. Uh, uh, but, um, no, I, I think it's the, the thing about you just have to like what you do. And I have, I've always been very lucky if, if you call it luck, to, to be passionate and just do things I really like, and this is the same thing. I mean, I went there and I met only absolutely gorgeous people wherever I went. The people in the organization, they were as, they were just absolutely awesome. Like, all these young people I was working with, most of them, 23 or something, you know, didn't matter at all. They're fabulous. I'm, I'm what's upping with them today? That kind of thing. You know? Uh, they want to learn about herbs. They're really keen on what I'm doing and, and want to learn. And they want to, to be able to also tell the women they want to be able to teach as well, because like, they can see, of course I can do all of this my myself, just one person. But if I can sort of spread the word out. Yeah. And, um, and, uh, then things will happen, you know? But it, I am only doing it because I really like it and I'm having fun. That's the other thing. And the people were so worried. I constantly was bothered by people from<inaudible>, like, are you okay? Is everything okay? And I was perfectly safe. This was like us safe, us being in Reg Vic. But if you Google it, uh, you google it, you're not supposed to go there at all because it's so dangerous. And that is simply not true. I mean, I was there for two weeks. Absolutely. No problem. Also, and you can feel it, because I've been in many countries and, and quite a lot of countries much more unsafe than that one. So in, in the area I was, it was perfectly safe. And the people were the most hospitable people I've ever met in my life.<laugh>. I could pay for anything if I went to shop to buy. They were like, no, no, no, no. We are giving it to you. I'm not joking. It literally is like that. I was just like, whoa.
Speaker 1:It's so funny when you go to countries that really have hospitality as a part of their culture, at least as, as a person who lives in the United States, because that's not necessarily part of our culture here. And, um, oh, I
Speaker 2:Think it's
Speaker 1:Depends on, it depends on the context, right? Yes.
Speaker 2:Yes.
Speaker 1:Um, you know, any place where you find people who are just happy to see you and happy to work with you and happy to share and everyone share, like, that's so amazing.
Speaker 2:Well, people just so genuinely nice. It was not that they wanting something from you, which is often the case, you know? But it was like, like that genuine. I mean, I was driving around the countryside with, with two friends, I would say. And we just went and talked to a farmer and, and we ended up drinking tea with him. And I gave him a recipe for his diabetes. Well, obviously Naline KA was all very good for diabetes. So<laugh>, so I, I built the recipe for me, and he was very happy. We had this very nice conversation through translators and in those almond trees, and it was just a gorgeous experience. And I literally think people are like that wherever you go in that country, that, that was the feeling I got. So I'm, and I'm hoping to be able to go twice per year and spend a month each time. Mm-hmm.<affirmative> and I'm not being salaried or anything like that. The, the money that I fundraise will go towards, uh, towards what I'm doing. Not, uh, not bringing a salary for me or anything like that. That's just definitely will never be on. Right.
Speaker 1:But that's not the reason for the work. That's, I mean,
Speaker 2:No, no, it's not. But people could think I was doing that kind of thing. So I just want to be clear about, I will write it on the website too. So I'm setting up the charity and the whole thing, and I hope to go in Autumn next time. So I was only in March. So it's a short while I was there. And if I can go twice per year, that would be fabulous. If I can get off my, my regular work of making cosmetics in nice life,<laugh>,
Speaker 1:Um, you were talking about setting up a clinic, and, um, I think that is a really amazing and wonderful thing. Um, we, I love that had that work in West Virginia too, where we, we don't live there, but we had people who we were training and then we would go to do the clinics together mm-hmm.<affirmative>. And now they can do that themselves. You know, like people, people learn the work and if you are Yeah. If you are able to support them online while you're not there. And then when you are there, you're able to say, okay, now let's take everything you learned over the past six months and let's do it in person together. It moves people forward very quickly. Um, so I think that the plans for that are really exciting.
Speaker 2:I think so too. I would love to see that happening too. And the other thing is, it's not like people have much options in the camp. I mean, there are probably some doctors there don't know how good they are. I mean, medicine expensive and maybe not that good. So it's not like they have access to great health service at all. They don't. Right. They've hardly any access at all. So anything that can help really matters, I think. Yes. So of course, herbs come in there, we know that. I mean,<laugh>, they can go and pick them next door kind of thing. So in some cases, so that's another thing to actually find the fields around the camps. Yes. What, what herbs can we find? I mean, there, as I said, and then also growing, because I know the, uh, organization is quite keen on, on growing in greenhouses. And, and I would like to set up, of course, uh, uh, growing lots of herbs and, and a proper clinic and all that. And, and maybe that will happen. I, I wouldn't, wouldn't surprise me at all. I just have to figure out a few more, few more things and, and set that up somehow. Get, get more in people involved and like you say, teach people. Mm.
Speaker 1:It's so, so,
Speaker 2:You know.
Speaker 1:Yes. It's so exciting to be at the beginning phases of this project and be watching like all the little sprouts. Um, and to think about like five years from now, how different it will be, um, and all the different things. Like all I haven't,
Speaker 2:Haven't heard of that<laugh>. Yes.
Speaker 1:That for me, I think that's one of the most amazing things about, about working as an herbalist and specifically about teaching other people, is that, you know, you teach people and they already know lots of things, and now they also know some stuff that you know too. And they go out into the world and they do it differently than you did and in different places than you would, and like all places you maybe couldn't get to or whatever else. And, and it's just like plants, like everything spreads and grows and there becomes all sorts of variety and diversity and inter and um, that's
Speaker 2:A beautiful analogy. Mm-hmm.<affirmative>, it's amazing.
Speaker 1:It's amazing to think about. Um, you know, we'll have to have you back every year to, to
Speaker 2:Where I'm it's gonna be. Absolutely. Yeah. I promised them that I would come, I was in March, and so it was, it was hardly spring then. And so they were urging me. I'd have to come next time in May, so I would actually see the flowers. And apparently if I go in September, October, there would still be a lot of them. Yeah. Because of course, the, the one day I could spend in the countryside was the highlight of the trip for me, being a herbalist, you know, we, we always want to stay with the herbs. I, uh, it's, it's like, uh, I think it's a, it's, I think it's gonna be fabulous if I just think of the absolutely great time of heart for only two weeks. I think I'm in for a good Yeah.
Speaker 1:Good
Speaker 2:Thing. You know, never mind getting ill and all those things, you know, but it's just like, it was just, it's, it was quite something, you know, and it's gonna continue like that. I'm fairly sure of that. Well, I'm not gonna stop. There's no way
Speaker 1:<laugh>,
Speaker 2:There's no way. Somehow the no question about that. Just somehow buy my course, please buy my, so I can go back to continue.
Speaker 1:Thank you so much for telling us all about this. And also, um, if you are out there listening and you're thinking like, well, hey, there's some work that I've really been wanting to do. And look, Anna Rosa had w had work that was on her heart to do, and now she's doing it. And I could do that too. You could do that too. You totally can do that too. Mm-hmm.<affirmative>, um, you know, again, the steps that you went through were to get an idea, then spend a little time, a lot of time sitting with it mm-hmm.<affirmative> and thinking more about it and learning more about it, and then finding an organization that you can plug into. Um, and then just putting all your energy behind it and all the resources that you have to give behind it. And, um, you know, showing up and saying, how can I collaborate? How can we work together? How can I be of service to you?
Speaker 2:It's, it's that kind of thing that you ha I have no choice. That's how it is for me. I have no choice. I have to do this. Is is pulling, it's that kind of pull or calling or whatever you like to call it, but that is what it really is. And you just can't say no, you have to do it. And the plus side is I'm having so much fun, always<laugh>. That's, that's the best thing. But then I'm her, you know,<laugh>, right. But I think we have fun
Speaker 1:Is that when you are aligned with the work that is for you to do in the world?
Speaker 2:Yeah, it
Speaker 1:Is fun. I mean, it doesn't mean that there's never any hardship or whatever, but it is fun and it is joyful because Yeah, because you're in that, you're in the flow of like where you belong, so Yeah. Yeah,
Speaker 2:Yeah. No, there is always hardship too. I mean, I for example, got seriously, I too, I, I have forgotten about that conveniently now<laugh> just like figuring out how can avoid getting each time I go, you know? But I really don't care about that. I'll figure out, I'll take some hers, I'll figure my way around it, but I, that comes with me. You, you get serious illnesses. You, when you, when you go to countries which are not, uh, as sanitized as we are, that kind of thing, you know, it'll be sparks, but who cares? I don't, not really. It'll be okay.
Speaker 1:It'll all be okay. Oh my goodness. Thank you so much for sharing all this. Again, I'm gonna put the link in the show notes of where you can get to the course and also you can, um, support all of this work through that course. So you'll be getting all this cool information from the Icelandic perspective on these herbs that are common here in North America also, and that we can work with every day. And all of the money that is raised with this course is going to work on these beautiful herbal sister projects in Kurdistan. And I'm super excited about it.
Speaker 2:Thank you so much for having me and supporting me all the way through<laugh>. That is really important to have that, this kind of support when you, especially when you're starting out. So I think it's very auspicious is auspicious, is that a word? Yes. Yes.
Speaker 1:It's the right word.<laugh>,
Speaker 2:Right word. For me, it's auspicious that I'm, I'm already, I'm already feeling so supported by the herbal world.
Speaker 1:Again, it's like when you are where you belong, all of the support comes. And I think that is true, whether it is a project like this or even just people who are learning about plants for the first time, and they're thinking like, I need to bring the plants into my life. And then you commit to that inside yourself, but then like the herbs just come to you and they come to you in the form of friends who also like herbs, or they come to you in the form of, Hey, where did this plant in my yard come from? All of a sudden I'm seeing this plant. And it was never here before. And it comes to you in all kinds of ways. And so like
Speaker 2:If ib Iraq, you can do anything where you seriously, that's the whole, you know.
Speaker 1:Awesome. A Rosa, thank you so much. I am sending Thank you Hugs and everybody else on the podcast. Um,
Speaker 2:She
Speaker 1:Does the ending thing, but isn't it, take care of yourselves, take care of each other, and support a Rosa's project in Stan and drink some tea.