Workaway reviews, feedback and ratings - page 6

I spent about 3 weeks in December in Ojika island, it was the best possible start of my journey into Japanese culture and cat world!^.^ I’m an animal lover and I have experience handling dogs but didn’t know much about cats so I was a little bit anxious about it. But I met the most friendly rescued cats at Hiroko-San’s shelter and that says a lot about her love for them and the amazing work she has been doing along with the volunteers, both workaway and locals. Despite most cats being super friendly and interact with humans, a few of them are shy and won’t trust you right away, just give them time. Don’t forget about the shy cats when everyone else is playing, you will find ways to make them curious you just need to be patient and keep trying. In the end they all have different personalities, you just have to be observant and adapt each one of them. I can’t thank you enough for this opportunity Hiroko-San, I will always love your cats and I miss them every day. They became part of my life and they are in my heart. When you are not volunteering you will be making human friends around the island, yes friends. Even if you don’t speak Japanese you will find ways to communicate. Not many speak english but that won’t stop you from meeting people and getting to know them as you will meet the most kind, generous and lovely people. I spent very little time alone, Hiroko-San and everyone else around made sure I was part of their community and indeed I was. 3 weeks felt like a lifetime and I think I’m still dreaming of Ojika…. ありがとうございましたHiroko-San, Tsuki-Chan, Nobuko-San, Jesse-Chan, Sayaka-San, Ryoko-San, Akko-San, Makko-San, Mami-San, Kou-San, Kohei-Chan, Sanae-San….またね! 猫の日おめでとう!

Isabell hat uns 2 Wochen lang bei der Bewältigung des Dschungels in unserem Garten geholfen - bei jedem Wetter!! ! Sie ist mit ihrer landwirtschaftlichen Ausbildung im Background ein großer Gewinn für jeden Garten - oder Landbesitzer, sowohl mit ihrer großen Zuverlässigkeit, Ausdauer und Eigenverantwortlichkeit als auch mit ihrer zugewandten , lustigen und kommunikativen Art. Wir hatten sehr viel Spaß zusammen! Ich empfehle sie wärmstens weiter. Und gerne ein anderes Mal wieder hier, Liebe Isa! Gute Reise, Birgit

Rita is an excellent host. She's welcoming, funny, understanding, full of knowledge and an amazing storyteller. You can literally talk about anything with her. She has lots of ideas, is a big thinker and therefore very inspiring. Her therapeutic gardens are sth I've never seen or heard before, a true gem and I really enjoyed working there. We did lots of weeding, planted some trees and other plants, tried to fight the bamboo which was everywhere and then built terraces out of it. Truly the best thing in this workaway was meeting Isabel, an amaaaaazing woman, the nicest and most positive one I've met in my entire life. Together with Sjorscito we played cards in the evening or went climbing on weekends, which was always lots of fun. If you wanna practice your Spanish, this is the place to go, as we talked 95% of the time in Spanish. Todo en todo: bien plus!!! I can nothing but recommend staying with Rita, her 2 sweet dogs and her little parrot. Otra vez Rita: muchas muchas gracias para este tiempo maravilloso ✨ 🙏 Nos vemooooooos

Hugo and Zélie were a pleasure to host. They helped a great deal with stacking firewood and organizing different areas around the property, which made a real difference in my daily workload. Both of them were very kind, respectful, and easy to get along with. They worked with a great attitude and adapted easily to life here. It was truly enjoyable having them around. I’m very grateful for their help and would gladly recommend them to any host.

Nathalie, Paul, and Naim were wonderful to host. They originally planned a shorter stay but ended up staying almost two weeks, which I was very happy about. All three of them were incredibly kind, respectful, and very easy to live and work with. They helped me significantly with my new house, especially with the window frames, which made a real difference in my progress. Paul also gave me valuable help in the bathroom, and Naim was a great support with firewood. Beyond their work, they were simply very nice people to have around — helpful, flexible, and always bringing a positive, cooperative attitude. They adapted easily to life here and were a real pleasure to share the space with. I’m genuinely grateful for their help and would gladly recommend them to any host. I highly recommend hosting them wherever they continue their adventures.

Carolina and Ion spent two weeks with us and they did an absolutely amazing job! The helped with carpentry, painting, cleaning and organizing, and emptying a building that was full of old equipment, windows and doors. They cooked delicious meals too and we learned a lot about their culture and adventures. Carolina and Ion are very nice people and we had many great conversations around the dinner table. They left the rooms were they stayed spotless, and we couldn't wish for more pleasant workawayers. We hope to welcome them back when they pass through our region next time. We highly recommend them!

Paul is a very nice person who has many skills. He stayed at my place for around 3 to 4 weeks and did various tasks. Thanks again and always welcome.

Thank you for choosing us! It was wonderful meeting you. He kindly offered to do a language exchange with our students, and they truly enjoyed talking with you. I am genuinely impressed by his dedication to learning a new language, and we miss you very much. Wishing you a fantastic trip ahead! Let’s keep in touch. Thank you once again!

Nicolas stayed on our farm for 9 days, and I honestly feel very grateful to have met such a wonderful person. He is an incredibly pleasant and easygoing human being — the kind of person you genuinely enjoy spending time with. What impressed me most was his strong sense of responsibility. It’s rare to meet someone who takes full ownership of their work the way Nicolas does. He completed every task with great care, precision, and dedication. No matter the weather — wind, sun, or rain — he kept going without losing motivation. Looking back, I truly wish we had spent more time together. It felt too short. I sincerely hope Nicolas will return one day — maybe even to see the trees and flowers he planted with such effort and heart. He will always be welcome here.

As a first time Workawayer, I found Sam to be a dream host. From the very beginning, he was always a kind and generous host. I stayed with him for about a week when I first arrived in Auckland, and he had me help with cleaning his garage and gardening. The hours were never too much, and he always checked in to make sure I wasn’t getting too hot or exhausted in the heat. Sam is also an amazing cook! All the meals were delicious and definitely made me feel at home. We got to share many great conversations together over those meals. Sam was even generous enough to let me and my friends stay for a couple of nights when I got back from my road trip down south. Sam is one of the most caring, genuine individuals I have ever had the pleasure of meeting, and anyone would be lucky to be able to stay at Sam’s.

We had an excellent time with Lorrain. We stayed for two weeks and spent our work time doing mainly construction and gardening. We did tasks such as pruning olive trees, using cob to fill in a wall and chiselling away at a wall to reveal the stone underneath. We would generally make the food as well. It was interesting and fulfilling work. In our free time we went for delightful walks in the mountains with Max the dog, who is a free spirit. Lorrain is good company and we would not hesitate to recommend a stay on his project.

From January 23rd to February 24th, I had one of the most meaningful experiences of my life. I am so grateful to have found this place. From the very first day, I was welcomed as part of the family. The owners, adults, and teachers dedicate themselves to these children with remarkable generosity and commitment. What they are building here is truly special. The children are loving, resourceful, and always ready to help and participate. Life here is not about strict schedules, it’s about being present, sharing daily life, meals, and moments together. You don’t just volunteer; you become part of the community. I always felt safe, supported, and welcomed. This place became my second home in Thailand. To future volunteers: come with an open mind, take initiative, and allow yourself to follow the rhythm of the community. If you do, this experience will stay with you for a long time.

Having Luzie, Clemens and their daughter Pippa stay in our finca was a truly great experience. From the very beginning, communication was easy, warm and reliable. They helped us with painting, house sitting, garden cutting and various general tasks around the house. Everything they did was completed carefully and responsibly. They worked independently, were well organized and always willing to support wherever help was needed. Beyond the practical help, they were lovely people, respectful, friendly and easygoing. We are very grateful for their support and highly recommended to any host!

Ed and Eve were real wonderful help during 2 weeks! A good mood, real easygoing, cooking good food, no problem even with physical works, and respectful of the place, people and animals. I didn't have all the time I would have like to work with them but they were autonomous enough to get all the jobs done even if I wasn't around. You are welcome anytime you are around again guys! Many thanks again, a plus!

I stayed four weeks with Clare, PK, Eloise, Katie and Loki in Winter and it was a great experience! They welcomed me in their cozy home and I directly felt included to their family life and valued to be there. I had my own room and a bathroom that was almost only mine:). It was a pleasure to support this family with every day tasks like cleaning, vacuuming, cooking light meals and tidying after dinner so that they could spend more time together as a family. I worked on my own most of the time and a huge part of my tasks were the Loki walks. Together, we explored the area, hiked through forests and fields, played in the garden and trying to work on some skills. He is a very kind dog and loves attention:) I was offered to take the car and to help myself with meals. Dinner was always shared together and they offered me to take part in their every day life like their cozy Pizza Friday with Movie Night and hiking or skiing at the weekend. Once I went swimming with the Kids and PK while Clare was abroad. I felt myself safe the whole time and it was really easy to communicate. Sometimes, I played or painted with the Girls aswell! They are really handsome and cute! At the weekends, I often went Cross Country skiing or took the bus (around 1h) to Oslo where I explored a lot. I was always offered to join them for little trips but they completely understood when I wanted to go on my own. Moreover, I learned some Norwegian and had nice conversations about Norwegian Culture and Lifestyle. I already miss my time in Norway and of course you guys! Hope to meet you again and best wishes 🥰

Nuestra experiencia con Jordi fue realmente maravillosa! Estuvimos un mes y medio, y desde el primer minuto nos hizo sentir como en casa, la verdad es un excelente anfitrión (y ahora un gran amigo!). El lugar es realmente hermoso, con mucha paz y tranquilidad. Las tareas que hicimos fue alimentar a las gallinas, cuidar de la casa, juntar leña, algunas otras tareas es el exterior y por supuesto pasear y cuidar a Trampa (la perra más dulce y cariñosa, tal vez de toda Catalunya). Jordi fue siempre realmente muy bondadoso con nosotros, compartimos muchos momentos conociendo lugares del Monseny, comidas en la casa con sus amigos, muchas horas de divertirnos y jugar a las cartas y por supuesto pudimos disfrutar de su increíble risoto. Estamos muy agradecidos por todo este tiempo en el que hizo sentir su casa, como la nuestra!

Isla Is tough, capable and a brilliant person to have around. You will be very very pleasantly surprised by this workawayer and then you will absolutely not want her to leave. I envy the workaway host that she moved on to because they got REALLY lucky when Isla approached them. Isla stayed with me for 6 weeks on two separate occasions, November/ December and then January/ February. Initially she was here with another workawayer and then returned for a second period, and then made her own workaway account, so now I can finally do her a review! Her contribution to the household and my projects was immense. Bearing in mind that this time of year here is not so attractive to workawayers... it’s cold, raining/ snowing, but Isla will brighten your life with her enthusiasm for EVERYTHING ! Even clearing the overnight snow around the house at 0600 with me. And we did hours of snow clearance! So, lets give you an idea of what Isla did... With another workawayer, and over several days, Isla deep cleaned, sanded, and re-painted the interior and seats, front and back, of my Landrover.. a restoration project. Over a week we all moved several cubic metres of earth and rocks to re-landscape the garden before the snow came. Isla took total charge of my chickens, feeding, organising food restocking, cleaning chicken house, unfreezing their water before the day stared, etc every day that she was here. When the snow started we were shovelling snow morning and evening, and were often clearing the car track/ parking area of ice (frozen snow meltwater) with a pick axe and shovel. This is very physical work and Isla is strong! She showed up even if I’d gone outside on my own to do it, and says 'you’re not doing that on your own!'. She always has a smile and likes to finish a task so it’s done properly. I also had a challenging task which I’d been putting off doing myself but Isla took it on completely.. she created bespoke to fit giant cushions from old sheets which we filled with insulation to block up an old doorway to stop the cold air coming into the house. Isla worked out how to replace the broken internals in the toilet cistern, fixed up door handles and hooks using a drill, and helped when we had to adjust the kitchen worktops. Helped me go through and clear out the barn and was really helpful with why something could be kept and what could be thrown away. With Isla in the house, the washing up and cleaning gets done without me noticing, she had ideas for preparing meals and loved to cook. She’d know what we needed to shop for and what we could make for dinner. The kitchen was always spotless. Like living with the best housemate ever. On the two separate occasions that she was here, there was between 1 and 3 other people staying in the house, so up to 5 people in total and Isla planned / prepared and co-cooked with me on every meal. She makes amazing pastry dishes… quiche and pie, and omelette, fried English breakfasts, and so much more. Isla got on extremely well with the other two workawayers that were here while she was here, and with my friends who’d come to visit for a week. People love her, she's polite, very respectful, but after a while becomes very funny and cheeky, she's super bright and enhances every social conversation. Basically your life is better with Isla in it! Isla wants to learn everything that she has the possibility to learn. So in our spare time she learnt snowboarding (from me), cross country skiing, she loves SUPing on the lake, temperature doesn’t matter! And she also embraced cold water immersion (which I do everyday here at the house in an icy barrel!). And learn barrista skills from a fellow workawayer who brought his coffee machine set up. Isla introduced me to wrapping up warm and sitting out under the stars in the morning (0500), countless times (whenever there was a clear sky). She introduced me to marvelling at the enormity of the cosmos and finding the Andromeda galaxy. Isla embraces being outside and in nature and never wanted to miss a sunrise or sunset which we timed with walking my dog twice a day. Did I say that your life will be better with Isla in it? Oh yeah I did, well I just said it again :) Hey Isla come back soon! Me, the dog, the cat, the chickens, and Melvin the snowman all miss you, and your breaking into song at every possible occasion!

Amanda and her family are kind and generous hosts, they made us feel like home. We are grateful of our time there, it's a beautiful place surrounded by nature and loving pets.

I'm very happy for the 2 weeks I spent here. Graham and Sarane are great to work with. Graham taught me a lot about taking care of a piece of land, as well as taking care of a family. Sarane is a very loving mother and loves her family very much. It was great to talk with her. The work was fun and rewarding at the end of the day. They are hard working and very friendly. The family dog, Ziggy, became a good friend of mine and we went on walks, the surrounding natural environment is magical. Thank you very much and I hope to see you again sometime. It was great to meet you.

This was my first farm stay, and I wasn't very confident in my English ability, so to be honest, I was quite worried, but the time I spent with this family has become a treasure to me. They made everything I had dreamed of experiencing on a farm a reality. The whole family was kind, the animals were gentle, and we had the best time. On our last night, we had a karaoke competition, went for walks with their child, Bobby, cooked, and swam in the pool, so our time outside of work was very fulfilling. The necklace she gave me has become one of my treasures. When I come to New Zealand again, I plan to visit them and their new family. I’m already starting to feel like missing them:)