TheBurg

32 | theburg | 06.16 o ver the last decade, I have lived among the Amish. at is—I've stayed at authentic Amish bed & breakfasts in Lancaster County for one weekend each year. Why? My fascination with their lifestyle runs deep, perhaps satisfying the part of me that secretly wishes to disengage from my fast-paced life, at least for a little while. Ironically, my trips start through the most modern of technologies—the Internet. e Amish, of course, are not on the web, but you can book through a third party. I find my hosts through a site called "Amish Farm Stay." After booking, you'll need to make some other concessions to your tech-infused existence, but, hey, that's part of the experience, right? For instance, the Amish usually don't have phones in their houses, but in booths at the end of their driveways, which means that doing business directly with them is on a time-delay. en there's the fact that innkeepers don't accept credit cards. But these are just small bumps in the road, and you may quickly realize, as I do each year, how much modern technology has invaded every aspect of your life. MoDeSt AND CoZY ough each yearly trip has its nuances, the weekends follow a familiar pattern, much like a quilt. Once we turn the Jeep on to the winding driveway, a mood settles overhead that is decidedly calmer than the traffic on Route 30. A cloud of dust rises from the driveway, already signaling readjusted expectations. e dog greets us first. He sniffs until satisfied we are good people. en the kids peek from hiding places, their barefoot steps tentative, their hair straight as hay. A little girl points at me and asks a question about my lipstick, clothes or wild hair. An older brother shushes her. My mother asks them 100 nosy questions. No one dares shush her. Finally, our hosts appear from the sprawling farmhouse, carrying baskets and babies. ey are kind, yet guarded. I always ask the innkeeper if my mom and I can visit their church. ey always politely decline, explaining that the every-other-week service is said in High German. An older boy takes our bags to a modest guesthouse, separate from the main house. With the exception of the family's house, we may roam the farm unescorted. e barn holds antique farm equipment almost as dusty as the driveway. Horse gear is near one small buggy. How do they fit all those kids in there? After a decade of visits, we haven't figured this out. e animals we encounter are friendly. At least, they are tolerant and not attacking us. Sheep, cows, horses, chickens and goats chomp rows of farmland. Dogs and cats eat the farm animals' feed. ey aren't sneaky about it, either. If we're lucky, we see baby versions of the animals. (Once, we saw a calf being The Simple Life a visit with an amish family puts a break on the rat race. bY gINA NAPoLI

• Cover