Workaway reviews, feedback and ratings - page 3

hello :) we, paula and chris, spent about 5 months in markus’ house in dafins, from summer into late autumn. markus’ hospitality is absolutely on point and we deeply appreciated it. we couldn’t have chosen a better host for our first workaway experience – that doesn’t mean it was always easy :) but it doesn’t always have to be easy – every experience is valuable. we navigated very beautiful and very challenging times together and everything contributed greatly to our personal growth. let’s be honest: the work is partly (depending on the area) very demanding and can sometimes drive you a little crazy – which is usually self-imposed – because there is always space to communicate. but that lies within one’s own responsibility. if you manage to open your mouth, peaceful solutions are found in conversation, whether one-on-one with the lord of the house or within the group. markus has a huge heart, big ears that listen well, and open arms when you need a hug. nobody’s perfect and putting ideals into practice is rarely easy – but a level of openness to criticism like markus shows is something we have rarely – maybe never – experienced before. he genuinely cares about fairness and about everyone being well. of course, sometimes annoying work has to be done, but there is a general interest in balancing that out with cool work as well – unless you want to torture yourself, then you’re free to do annoying work for days. you have that freedom too – you just need to be aware that everything you don’t change, you choose. :) the man has big visions, but you can contribute at your own pace, in the things that suit you or that you’re interested in. we found that mega. for the work you do, you get a lot back, and we would judge the exchange as really fair. the rooms are comfortable, the care and the food are fantastic (when someone cooks who knows how ;D). right now, sitting in costa rica eating the best papaya in the world, we’re dreaming of rob’s delicious bread and the amazing local cheese. we experienced quiet as well as turbulent times – it can get pretty busy when the house is full, but we have hope that the occupancy of the house will be a bit more balanced in the future ;D cooking for more than 10 people is quite something, but also a good exercise for life, like so much of what you experience here. no skill is useless! overall, there are endless opportunities for growth here. if you want, you have time for yourself, and you can also build enriching connections, form friendships with people from all over the world. you'll probably laugh your butt off with amazing people you otherwise would've never met, and maybe you'll shed a few tears too when saying goodbye. a perfect training ground to practice social intelligence, emotional intelligence, communication. there is so much to learn :) we’re forever grateful for our time in dafins and are already looking forward to coming back. we love you, magda, rob, markus, luter, akira and the duckies :) kisses and hugs to you all!

I stayed for a good two weeks and felt incredibly safe. Bonface gave me a very warm welcome at the start. I really appreciated that he quickly trusted me to work with a lot of autonomy and independence, giving me the space to drive my own projects. I used this freedom to teach music, assist with the computer course, and help out with the feeding program—seeing the meals being prepared on charcoal was impressive! Another highlight was helping at a neighboring school, sorting and distributing donated uniforms to the children. Since I wanted to make the most of my time, my days were packed! The activities usually went on until after 4 PM, and I loved spending my breaks with the kids too (who sweetly walked me home). Combining this full dedication with exploring the city in the evenings was an adventure – looking back, I’d recommend future volunteers to perhaps plan a few extra days just to relax and process all the beautiful impressions! The exchange went both ways: the children were so open and even taught me how to play chess. A huge thank you to Joshua, who is such a warm-hearted person and great for deep conversations. Also, Agnes, Tony, and Sam were amazing, and honestly, every single staff member and volunteer was a huge support. Finally, I have to mention Grace’s delicious cooking, which really makes you feel at home. All in all, I had a wonderful time here and I really hope to come back someday!

Ilse came at the residency for a month. She came across very calm and collected, focused and really keen to get involved with the local community that we serve. She created an impressive social media content for the project, did community photography, and painting. I did not get as much involved with Ilse as I would have loved to because it was a busy season. However, she was self-driven enough and managed to get work done within available time and resource. I'm very thankful for her commitment to what she came here for, and her last days transferring some editing skills into the residency. We cannot measure her humility, modesty and integrity during her stay. We will keep in touch with Ilse.

Thomas is a very friendly, polite person, he works hard, he is a wonderful friend for my dog- my conclusion: he is the perfect workawayer even he looses when we are playing Skipbo, he never looses his humor.;-) I am happy to have him her around me, and to know that there will be a wonderful, trustful houskeeper when I will be away. It would be wonderful to welcome him again!

I was wondering what to write for a review for a long time, it is such a unique place it feels impossible to do it justice. But alas, now I have finished the kilo of chestnut flour I bought back with me I know what to say… you cannot get chestnut flour anywhere else! Its incomparable! So sitting here now eating my necci (pancake) from shop-bought chestnut flour and lamenting its lack of flavour, I find I also miss a lot of other things about my time here. I was there for a beautiful three weeks in September when the chestnuts were falling and the sun was almost always shining. Sleeping in the yurt and hearing the wild boar, picking chestnuts in the silent forests, listening to innumerable beautiful songs around the campfire. If you want a workout you could move some firewood or stones, or dig for the building projects – it is possible to become hercules if you are so inclined. The people were truly inspiring and I still think about them often. There was such an atmosphere of kindness and positivity, perhaps I was in a particularly lucky time, but I think a large part of it stems from Colm’s own kindness and understanding. He treats the place like a family. So if you have the chance to go, don’t think twice. Everyone seems to go back to this place… there’s something special about it. Thanks Colm for all your kindness and hospitality and I hope I’ll see you again soon

Ingrid came from Oslo, Norway and was a city girl. There were a lot of challenges to being on a working farm (especially as winter approached), but she adapted very well. Ingrid is a great communicator and we had many discussions about many worldly topics, as she in inciteful and well spoken with a good education. Ingrid fit in as a family member very quickly and helped out a lot as she was very easy to get along with. She got to ride 3 - 5 horses a day usually 4 to 5 days a week. Some had more training that others and it was awesome to see her skills progress as she constantly tried to apply what she learned. In the final month of her stay there was complete confidence that she could ride any horse, even a newly started filly with under 30 rides. Sharing Christmas was fun and a Norwegian influence made it all the more interesting. Ingrid has great passion for animals and they warmed up to her personality. We will be interested in keeping in touch to hear about the development of her educational career and future adventures. Good luck to her, and thank you.

Nicht weit von Salzburg liegt der kleine Hof in dem wir zwei Wochen eine schöne Zeit verbringen konnten. Unser Hauptanliegen war, mit Ziegen vetraut zu werden und das Melken zu erlernen. Sohn Adrian war super begabt! Eigentlich hätte auf dem Feld noch viel Arbeit gewartet, aber der fast durchgängige Regen machte diese Möglichkeit zunichte und so gab es ein wenig mehr im Haus drinnen zu tun. Wir wohnten in einer kleinen Hütte im Garten hinter den Apfelbäumen, und sind im Haus lecker bekocht und morgends mit einem riesigen Frühstück verwöhnt worden. Wir haben auch einmal über Nacht das Haus samt Ziegen allein gehütet, damit Gabi und Tochter Filippa einen größeren Wanderausflug machen konnten. Das man uns das zutraute, war eine annerkennende Herausforderung, die wir gerne angenommen haben. Ein kleines Museum in der Nähe haben wir am Wochenende besucht! Wir denken gerne an euch zurück! Dankeschön an Gabi, Gernot und Filippa für die herausragende Gastfreundschaft in eurem hübschen alten gemütlichen Bauernhaus!! Es war für uns das erste Workaway!

Un endroit magnifique, rempli d’énergie positive. Un couple exceptionnel, généreux et sincère, qui m’a très bien accueilli. J’ai énormément appris, autant humainement que techniquement. Nous avons partagé de vrais moments, simples et forts, qui me marqueront longtemps. Merci pour cette période, pour les discussions, pour l’ambiance, et surtout pour m’avoir fait découvrir une cuisine incroyable, généreuse, authentique et savoureuse 🥰🤗

Had a wonderful time in Hanoi, thanks for such an amazing stay.

I had the pleasure of working with Kannan for a month, and it was an incredibly positive experience. Kannan worked tirelessly on our community outreach program, organizing program and managing social media content. He consistently demonstrated great initiative and was a proactive problem-solver, tackling challenges with enthusiasm. His ability to communicate with both the team and the community was outstanding, and he always approached tasks with a can-do attitude. Kanna's impact was clear—he helped boost engagement in our programs by 30%, and his efforts created a more connected environment for everyone involved. We're truly grateful for everything Kannan contributed during his time with us. His hard work and positive spirit were a true asset to the team. We would welcome him back in any future capacity and wholeheartedly recommend his for any volunteer or team role.

I stayed here for three weeks and really enjoyed my time!! The hours and work asked of you is more than fair leaving you plenty of time to explore Santa Ana and the surrounding areas. The hostel is super cosy and homely and I met some lovely people, both the other volunteers and guests, I also had some really interesting conversations with the locals who drink at the bar. I was made to feel super welcome here by Hanna and everyone else, thank you! :)

Я провела здесь, недалеко от Талгата, больше двух недель, и это было идеальное место. Оно идеально подходит как для тех, кто ценит тишину, покой и близость к природе, так и для тех, кто ищет общения и новых друзей. Каждый день у меня было новое задание на курорте, и я заводила новые знакомства. А по вечерам я ходила в город: в кинотеатры, театры, кафе, музеи. В Талгате хорошо организована работа, а волонтеры очень дружелюбны и всегда готовы помочь. Спасибо, Никита, Симон, Азат, Кимбат, Алмаз, Алексей, Коя и все остальные. ✌️До встречи!

Natalie was a wonderful addition to our family and we enjoyed very much having her with us. She was helpful and kind and always a pleasure to have around. She celebrated Christmas with us and we enjoyed showing her Icelandic traditions, and young Mikki enjoyed telling her all about the 13 Santa clause of Iceland. We missed her and Týra our dog and Mikki were especially sad to see her go. She will of course always be welcome back ❤️

Nono is a beautiful person! They were here for around one week doing the olive harvesting, a really heavy work. They were super hard workers and still a smile on their face all the time. It was really fun to be around them, to share meals and work. I hope they come back to enjoy another season. They are a really fun combo. Especially Nono is an amazing person you want to have around. Smart, funny and comfy. Thank you for being part of our farm.

Thank you Hiro and Shaya for the lovely stay! This was my first taste of California suburbia and it prepared me for my journey ahead. The house is beautifully set on a hill overlooking a valley and the area is safe for anyone. Only drawback is it's quite far from that LA that you're probably planning to explore, unless you got wheels. Laguna Beach is about a 45 min drive and it's breathtaking! This is a perfect place to stay if you're self sufficient and, want to see the California side of Los Angeles rather than be in the thick of it. I'd stay with these two again... Maybe they'll invite me ;-)

Josephene, thank you for the lovely stay and sharing your home with me for the first segment of my LA adventure. The place couldn't be more central and the area is incredibly safe, don't be surprised to be yelled at by some random unhoused fellas while sitting in a sidewalk cafe enjoying your morning coffee, this is LA not Munich ;-p. Josephene made us tasty healthy meals and her apple melon kale smoothies gave me serious energy to cycle around and explore the area. With that said, keep in mind, the place is a one bedroom in a highrise. Although I had a bicycle which took up some fraction of the sleeping area. Josephene was accomodating enough to allow me to keep it inside. Travel light, be kind and don't you dare spell her name J-O-S-E-P-H-I-N-E. It's Josephene :)

Victor helped us with our clients at the turnstiles. He was efficient and hardworking. At home, he was always neat and tidy, and he took the initiative to re-hang the wallpaper. We can recommend Victor to other homeowners.

beautiful! we felt so welcomed by the whole family and the other workaway team members. The environment is stunning. Our first workaway experience will be a very hard act to follow!

Dali was a friendly person and students loved his teaching of English and discussions on various subjects during lessons. He taught extra hours when students requested.

Beautiful setting, very welcoming and relaxed people, lots of cute animals; this island is really special with party and spiritual events. I had a wonderful six weeks teaching English & Math to Laly. I will miss you all! Thank you for the opportunity. :)