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Join in on transformational marine equine experiences and art projects in US Virgin Islands

Virgin Islands (U.S.)
Last activity : 15 Sep 2025

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Host rating
80 %
Last replied
11 Jul 2025
Reply rate
54.6 %
Usually responds within 10 days
Feedback
15
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Availability

2025

Min stay requested: at least 2 weeks

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Description
Our mission is to increase education and employment opportunities that strengthen the connection between people and nature: beyond our backyards...into communities...across the globe. We are a 501(c)3 non-profit education organization offering university and high school internships, scholarships, marine & equine apprenticeships and experiences, SCUBA classes, snorkeling, kayaking, eco-tours, horseback riding tours into the sea, outdoor education, home school programs, transformative travel, cultural exchange experiences, community art exhibits and mural projects.
Types of help and learning opportunities
Art Projects
Help with Eco Projects
Gardening
DIY and building projects
Animal Care
Farmstay help
Help around the house
General Maintenance
Help with Computers/ Internet
House sitting
UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve
...
...
What's this?
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
Workawayers may collaborate with local organizations and community leaders among St. Croix’s Crucian culture in the US Virgin Islands, including conducting needs assessments and sharing meals and transformational experiences with local people and tourists making new friends from around the world!
Help
assistance with morning and daily ranch tasks, beach cleanups, horse & animal care, field trips, school programs, volunteer groups, art projects, planting trees, fence mending, painting, cleaning, pool maintenance, garden and eco-tour projects, and miscellaneous repairs throughout the ranch and home sites. Remote location with limited access to stores and towns, a way of life more than a job.
Languages
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
Spanish: Intermediate
This host offers a language exchange
This host has indicated that they are interested in sharing their own language or learning a new language.
You can contact them directly for more information.
Accommodation
private bedroom & bath/shower with separate entrance, outdoor shower, shared and stocked kitchen and living areas with office space, some meals provided and/or meal allowance. Remote location with limited access to stores and towns, a way of life more than a job.
What else ...
In your time off you might find yourself snorkeling, scuba diving, riding horses into the sea, kayaking in a bioluminescent bay, and visiting local attractions like the Point Udall, Botanical Gardens, restaurants, beaches, and mountain hikes with breathtaking views.

Due to the remote location and limited access to transportation and stores, this opportunity is more of a way of life than a job. Time flies when you’re having fun, being productive, building new projects, and making a huge difference in the world while learning something new. Most days start early (6am) and are long and physically active with rewarding outcomes. Every day includes a swim or two in the Caribbean Sea, panoramic sunset views, a happy space to work and play with animals, and positive human connections.
A little more information
- Internet access
- Limited internet access
- We have pets
- We are smokers
- Can host families
Can host digital nomads
Reliable, high speed wi-fi, several outdoor covered areas and indoor areas to work. Enjoy space in your private or shared room and feel welcome to use the kitchen and community spaces freely.
How many Workawayers can stay?
Two
My animals / pets

Host ref number: 456655755458

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Feedback (6)

13 Oct 2024

Left by Workawayer (Vera) for host

From the moment I arrived on the island I felt at ease as Jacqueline right away took me under her wing. The experiences I shared with both her and Cowboy, as well as the other volunteers and workers, are some of my most favorite memories to date. My understanding of horses, myself, and this world (especially the ocean as Jacqueline is a marine… read more

(Excellent )

7 Oct 2024

Left by host for Workawayer (Vera)

Vera is an old soul who connected very well with other volunteers, new friends in the community, and most importantly children on field trips, riding tours, and those participating in equine therapy. One severely autistic child we have been working with for a little over a year really opened up to Vera, and held her hand, asking her, "Are you a… read more

(Excellent )

7 Oct 2024

Left by host for Workawayer (Samantha)

Sammy was a pleasure to host! She had no prior experience with horses and her eagerness to learn set her out on a grand adventure to accomplish new skills riding and training horses on day one. She was able to accomplish any task set before her, for example, after one riding lesson she led entire tours on horseback and guests were in awe that it… read more

(Excellent )

1 Oct 2024

Left by Workawayer (Samantha) for host

My experience staying with Cowboy Steve and Jacqueline was once in a lifetime. I stayed for about 2 weeks and from my first day there when they picked me up at the airport, I was welcomed into their home and family. They encouraged me to be fully myself, and to speak up if there were things I wanted to see or do on Saint Croix! Living in their… read more

(Excellent )

7 Oct 2024

Left by host for Workawayer (Meena & Richard)

Meena and Richard are genuine kinfolk who have caring family values and a strong work ethic. They are excited to help and willing to take on new projects no matter how complex or mundane - if it was helpful, they wanted to do it! They helped mend fences, planned and constructed a new gate, showed up in times of need to help carry, clean, and put… read more up gear after tours, and talk to guests. They removed barbed wire and rusty screws off poles near feed buckets.

Richard checked farm vehicle fluids without having to be asked, refilled windshield wipers fluid even in our personal cars, and did some research to replace a crock pot lid so we didn’t have to throw it away or buy a new one. He is an awesome self-starter who never complains and works well with little supervision. The vast amount of landscaping work he did cutting down invasive bush he did with pleasure to help keep his arms strong for his golf swing! Richard is the first volunteer who cleaned the barn and water troughs as good as we like them cleaned. He never gave up and did the best job he could do in all situations. It was an honor to celebrate Richard’s 70th birthday while he was here and he was just as strong and capable, if not more, as young volunteers.

Meena was equally as helpful and worked very hard to keep the farm and home clean and tidy. We had a house full when Richard and Meena were here and they adjusted very well to the experience. Meena graciously helped with loads and loads of laundry and cleaning out closets (which was going way beyond expectations!), in addition to kitchen chores, housekeeping, and encouraging meetings the evening before to come up with a morning plan so she had an idea how tomorrow would go. Meena offered good ideas on how to do things better, including advising the team to extend the fence around a big shade platform so the barbed wire was not too close to the shade tent. When the guys made the fence too close to the platform, Richard worked very hard to dig the stakes up and extend them to where they were needed. We had to remind them not to work too hard and to take breaks!

Meena liked to keep a list of tasks needed clear in her mind, so we have since created a volunteer notebook with a project list written down that volunteers can reference when they are unsure what to do, so they can easily remember and reference what tasks are important on a daily basis (feeding, watering, cleaning buckets, trimming bush, mucking stalls, etc.) If Meena had a question or concern, she was willing to communicate and talk about it to clear up any misunderstanding. She is very respectful and considerate and wants things to go well. She did her best to please everyone and is a fantastic role-model and comforting mom figure for the younger volunteers and workers.

Most importantly and memorable, they helped make our school field trips a stunning success. Richard helped with wrangling students to and from stations and preparing the site, and Meena was incredibly positive with children riding horses for the first time as she spotted them mounting and getting off. She walked beside them the entire time carrying on conversations to help them overcome their fears of being so high up on a big horse at the ages of 7 to 10! Meena must have walked with 50 or more children that day as we took each child on their very own horse ride to discover the monarch butterflies and host species milkweed from the back of a horse while gaining a sense of accomplishment and amazement. Meena really cared for the children and her grandmother skills were key to the success of that day’s events.

Richard and Meena are accountable, trustworthy, capable, loving, kind, generous, sharing and caring people. We are happy to have been able to accommodate them as they had planned on doing some camping but having them in our home was a memorable treat. They are always welcome back. We often have the urge to call them up, see what they are up to next, and invite them to come visit again.

(Excellent )

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(5.0)

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(5.0)

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(5.0)

13 Oct 2024

Left by Workawayer (Vera) for host

(Excellent)

7 Oct 2024

Left by host for Workawayer (Vera)

(Excellent)

7 Oct 2024

Left by host for Workawayer (Samantha)

(Excellent)

1 Oct 2024

Left by Workawayer (Samantha) for host

(Excellent)

7 Oct 2024

Left by host for Workawayer (Meena & Richard)

(Excellent)

7 Oct 2024

Left by host for Workawayer (Philippi)

Philippi is a mindful, thoughtful, and productive volunteer and friend to all. He is an optimistic, hard-working, mature, honorable, sweet soul - a natural leader. He radiates a smiling glow of pure joy throughout the space around him. He smiles a lot when he speaks, making it natural and contagious to smile back and have fun on the job. He was… read more easy to be around at work and home - and is also smart and helpful!

Philippi is fully present and mindful in conversations and thinks before he speaks, showing caring concern in all situations, including in welcome circles where we share, on risky roads and trails and in the sea riding and guiding horses, and monitoring the safety of individuals with varying experience levels of riding. He is fully present and mindful in horse training activities, while handling injured horses, and during veterinary examinations and applications of equine medical care. He knows his limits and when to stop, think, readjust, and act. He is solid, reliable, confident, and intelligent help: “The kind of help that helps,” says our farrier.

One cool aspect about Phillipi is that he doesn’t act like he knows everything- he is teachable and absorbs like a sponge. His ability to comprehend and apply new and existing knowledge to solve problems on the spot are remarkable. He is able to repeat instructions back to you accurately, adjusting and questioning when necessary to improve the process and experience. His curiosity leads to innovative answers to questions that deserve more thought, or that we might have been pondering for some time. He brings new insights and creative ideas to on-the-spot decision- making and seems to value listening over talking, yet he will speak up when the time is appropriate. He also loves to share life stories and experiences from his entertaining travels around the world and interacts with a new group of people like life-long friends. He is fun and easy to be around, good natured, good company.

Philippi demonstrates deep-hearted integrity, common sense, strong will, and capability to learn and try new things and new ways of training horses. His passion for understanding and working with horses flows through his every thought and movement as he considers how the horse is thinking and might react. He maintains calmness and awareness in all situations. He is confident, strong, and effective when handling older, ornery, younger, more spirited, or less trained horses in unpredictable situations. He researches and reads about topics of interest and shares valuable information to help the entire team learn and grow. He contributes.

Phillipi shares a strong work ethic and demonstrates authentic care and interest in upholding high values and principles. One example is being a positive and productive role model for the teenagers, families, and community members working and volunteering with us, and considering his surroundings with compassion, understanding, and respect for his sisters and brothers working and/or living together in a community setting. He keeps a joyful attitude in the morning, noon, and night and is always ready to go on time and with a zest for life. He can get his job done and still have time to help his ranch mates if they need a ride, always willing to adjust his schedule or plans to accommodate others. Philippi always gave more than he took. He even took one of his hosts scuba diving and after he left, he helped Cowboy Steve out when he lost his hat. We received two new hats in the mail and a bunch of fun gifts. He gifted everyone on our team with nice work gloves. We think of our time with Philippi every time we put them on, which is almost every day!

If we could keep Philippi here forever we would, but there is a big world out there waiting for him. He is our dream Ranch Manager, a big-hearted horse and human lover, collaborator, individual, and unique gem. We are honored that such a high caliber professional would spend a month of his awesome life volunteering with us and we value Philippi as part of our forever family. He is welcome back anytime!

(Excellent)

18 Mar 2024

Left by Workawayer (Philippi) for host

The three weeks I spent with Jacqueline, Cowboy Steve, and the rest of the herd was one of the most enjoyable experiences of my traveling life! Their hospitality, loving acceptance, and dedication to the care of animals made me thank the kind spirits for each day I was able to share in their lives and the beautiful community of Rust Op Twist. In… read more

(Excellent)

29 Feb 2024

Left by host for Workawayer (Natalie )

Nat is the best! Don’t let her slip away! There is no one like this amazing human. For 3 years she has helped with us and volunteered many hours to improve our standards, our lives, as well as ensure a safer and ridiculously fun work environment. From the time she leaves in the spring we count the days until she returns in the fall. She is strong… read more as an ox and runs to lift heavy objects that we older timers should not be lifting. She makes a point to do all the heavy lifting before having to be asked. If you ask her to do something she has already done it most of the time and even if it’s not urgent she gets it done quickly so tasks don’t pile up. She is strategic and mindful. She finds courteous ways to engage and motivate staff and volunteers to pitch in and be better team players. She can help with any age from inexperienced teenagers, to corporate executives, to people with disabilities and mental illnesses, to older Cowboys set in their ways. She is courageous and will risk her own life to step in front of a horse to help a child or anyone in need. The horses respect her. She is eager to learn and researches new ways to do things, and proposes and implements best practices that others have not thought of. She takes her volunteer seriously as if it was a career job. She is a self starter, taking little guidance and oversight, she is easy to manage and given any responsibility you can depend on her to follow through and exceed expectations. She is honest about what is possible and backs up her theories with detailed research and extensive knowledge - she is practically an encyclopedia! She is mindful of others’ feelings and needs and has a huge heart. She is reassuring and encouraging in times when one might feel defeated or helpless. In our welcome circle she is funny and entertaining and has a special way to make everyone feel like they belong to the group. She is humble and doesn’t mind getting dirty and sweaty. She has a way of making everyone feel accepted. In all this, she is a unique and capable leader, a friend to all regardless of their background and beliefs. Her leadership is not even intentional, it seems, but rather natural and her life stories are unforgettable and awesome. We talk about Nat all year in anticipation of her return, and above all, the animals love her which says it all. She came to us with a childhood history of horses that weren’t the nicest, she had been thrown off as a child and regardless she gave helping with us a chance. She got in there and conquered her past reluctance of helping with horses and quickly became our #1 volunteer and we hired her as a result. Seeing her conquer new horizons on the ground grooming, tacking up, and riding almost every horse we have in the trail fleet has brought us (and Nat) great joy. She listens to instructions and learns quickly and also knows when to speak up and stand up for what is right and honorable. If we could hire Nat as the ranch manager, she need not even apply. She is the one and only Nat. She also has a unique style and fun loving nature so at parades she is the first to show up for the party and dress up a donkey and go out and give free rides to children. Nat would be a wonderful addition to any establishment from gardens and farms, ranches, your home, and there really isn’t anything she can’t do. So we often tell her she is the one we would want to take care of us when we grow old because she is trustworthy, strong, caring, calm, cool, and collected. Did we mention she can cook?! Anything! From vegan to grilling up the finest meals of every culture and flavor. She makes her own Cesar dressing, handmade falafels, marinades, banana crème pie with only the best homemade crust, handmade tortillas, she knows about nutrition- what to eat for any ailment. Nat is a true Jack of all trades. She can fix a car, we wouldn’t doubt is she could fly a plane with no formal training. She knows about boats, soil, plants, you name it. When we have a question, we say, “ask Nat, she will know and if she doesn’t she will learn and find an answer.” Nat is the most unique, loving, informed human we know. While she has a communications and marketing degree, we believe and see that her real knowledge comes from living the most fulfilling life of any human we have ever met. Her international travels across dozens of countries on foot, bike, boat, and more seem to be so valuable and her love of all cultures and acceptance of all different people come together to create a human like no other: Nat is one of a kind and if you take her in as a workaway, be sure to treat her right because she is too good to let slip away. Your life, work, and home will forever be filled with joy, happiness, positive vibes and long lasting memories. Nat will leave things better than she found them and really prides herself on helping others and making the world a better place. She is a painter, an artist, she will paint you a Christmas and birthday card instead of buying one, paint a canvas of your cat, paint a tattoo on your heart with her friendship. What else can we say, this is only a fraction of her marvelousness- so, treat her well. She is the best. Everyone loves Nat. You will too!

(Excellent)

29 Nov 2023

Left by host for Workawayer (MARIANE)

Mari is not just a volunteer, she is a charismatic, caring sister, an enthusiastic team member, a go getter and self starter, a genuine person who loves life and is always positive and thoughtful. She went over and beyond to care for our animals, and to care for us as if we have been family for many lifetimes. Mari loves to learn (she learned… read more English in just one year and you would think she has been speaking English her whole life.) She enjoys sharing her Brazilian tea (terere siestas!) and culture with her fellow teammates, she laughs and makes jokes to keep everyone happy and smiling. You cannot have a bad day around Mari. She can also cook and goes out of her way to make community meals that will knock your socks off - homemade hand rolled lasagna, pasta, sauces that keep the home smelling amazing, and she can also wrangle a cow, administer medicines to large animals and livestock, down to the smallest kitten. She is driven to learn anything she can - she learned to float/snorkel during her time in St. Croix and overcame her fear in the water to the point that she was swimming with horses and assisting with our tours in the most meaningful, happy way. She loves children and would bend down on her knees to talk eye to eye at their level, and she does this with every human any age. She was a teacher and worked at a vet's so she automatically clicked with our field trip groups and our animals loved her and listened to her. She is a brave and courageous soul who will go far in life. She also loves to clean while listening to good music, and you do not have to tell her what to do - she is very good at looking around and figuring out what to do without having to be asked, anything from laundry at home to construction on the ranch. She is charismatic with our guests and all of our clients and visitors fell in love with her. Mari will always be a part of our family. She is a person who we will know for the rest of our lives - she stays in touch and often checks in to give us updates and see how we are doing. If you are lucky enough to host Mari at your place, you will try to figure out every possible way to keep her there forever! We are so excited to see where the road takes her and give her our very best recommendation for any job opportunity that arises, from cleaning, to care taking humans and animals, to construction, to gardening, to you name it - Mari can do it or figure out how to do it with the biggest smile from cheek to cheek that shines deep from her heart's bright light!

(Excellent)

29 Nov 2023

Left by Workawayer (Nichola) for host

Jacqueline and Cowboy Steve are without a doubt two of the kindest souls I've ever met. They took me in at short notice, made me feel welcome in their home, and treated me like a friend and valued part of the team. I was only able to stay with them for a week but in the short time I was there they made me feel so welcome in their home, showed me… read more

(Excellent)

6 Nov 2023

Left by host for Workawayer (Nichola)

Nikki was a rare gem and a blessing! She is a kind, thoughtful, and brilliant communicator and organizer with a gentle mindset and demeanor, taking the home and work community into consideration as a whole. She felt like a sister, a good neighbor, someone you would like to live around. She is fun to work with, to share meals with, to learn about… read more

(Excellent)

29 Apr 2023

Left by host for Workawayer (Jordan)

Jordan was and will always be an amazing gift to our lives, and to our mission as an organization and extended family. She has the kind, positive, caring, mindful, motivation and love for life that rubs off on everyone around her. She makes work fun and immediately fit right in... so we all, the volunteers, staff, horses, Miss Molly the donkey,… read more cats, chickens, and all of the wildlife around our home and ranch all miss her so much that it was even a bit hard to sit down and recognize that she is away, all of us hoping she comes back to see us again. Jordan is a cool amiga with a sweet heart. Her energy, dedication, drive for completing projects, and accomplishing many small and large tasks day by day truly made her mark on our ranch and home. Even when you offer and suggest she take a day off to play, she likes to work on some project, go check on the animals, feed them, keep them company, and give them love. That is not work to her. She seems to truly enjoy life to the fullest and makes work fun. I never imagined our new gardens could look so good - she had a vision and we have now harvested our first crop of kale, chard, basil, tomatoes, ackee trees, and are growing dragon fruit, passion fruit vines, marigolds, and many flowers to bring pollinators. Jordan works diligently toward her goals, she is strong, passionate, funny, and the horses (and we!) love her and enjoy working with her. She has a kind and gentle demeanor and a very funny sense of humor. She fit right in with the horses even though she had no prior horse experience, you could never tell. In no time, she could handle every one of the horses with confidence and patience and love. She groomed nearly 20 horses in one day to prepare for an equine vet visit and helped feed, water, clean, and administer medicines. She helped on big, important, inpromtu field trips, parades working with families and giving little children donkey rides. She does everything with a smile and sense of humor. She is lovely to have in the kitchen and she cooks such good vegetarian food that even a meat eating cowboy loved it and filled his belly with nourishing happiness. She helped everyone stay healthy, active, and she also enjoyed quiet time, yoga, good music, and chilling out - she knows how to entertain herself and doesn't ask for much. She also house sat while I was traveling and she took such good care of the cabins and guests - they all loved her too. She gives so much of herself we don't know how to ever thank her other than to say that our door is always open and Jordan always has a home here with us, Miss Molly, the horses, monarchs and giant milkweeds to study, and our big goofy and loving animal family and friends here in St.Croix. Jordan, we are honored you came into our world - keep being AWESOME!

(Excellent)

28 Mar 2023

Left by Workawayer (Jordan) for host

Jacqueline and Cowboy Steve are some of the most welcoming, warm, and accomodating folks that I've had the pleasure of staying with. I enjoyed it there so much that I ended up staying a few weeks longer than anticipated.

While there, I mostly helped care for their 18 horses and the other animals on the property - including the sweetest donkey,… read more

(Excellent)

7 Mar 2023

Left by host for Workawayer (Clayton)

Clayton has been a remarkable gift to our lives, the horses, and all of the animals and plants around our home, ranch, and work. He has a gentle spirit beyond what words can describe and the horses took to him right away which says it all. He has a unique ability to gently handle even our biggest horse with grace and it was a pleasure to watch the… read more

(Excellent)

6 Mar 2023

Left by Workawayer (Clayton) for host

My time with Jaqueline and Cowboy Steve was one of the most incredible experiences I’ve had while traveling. They are gracious, patient, and loving souls.

During my stay we mostly cared for the horses: feeding, watering, brushing, and preparing for riding tours. I also had the privilege to help out with some of the rides. There are many projects… read more

(Excellent)

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Homestays, Volunteering & Working Holidays in Virgin Islands (U.S.)Homestays, Volunteering & Working Holidays in North America NGO Virgin Islands (U.S.)Sustainable project Virgin Islands (U.S.)

Join in on transformational marine equine experiences and art projects in US Virgin Islands

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Description

Types of help and learning opportunities

UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve

Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

Help

Languages

Accommodation

What else ...

A little more information

Can host digital nomads

How many Workawayers can stay?

My animals / pets

Chat with Workawayers who've visited this host

Feedback (6)

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