Workaway reviews, feedback and ratings - page 7

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. :)

I had a chance to stay here only for two weeks. I planned a longer stay but unfortunately had to cut it earlier due to my family health issues. I surely would like to visit here again when things get better for me. Even though it was a relatively short stay, I cherish every moment I spent there. It was a truly amazing experience for me as I met great people all around the world. I also experienced the workaway and the communal life for the first time, and here are my observations in a nutshell: - Huge building and living area is effectively managed by the residents by sharing tasks among themselves, such as volunteers, artists, digital nomads, renovation etc. - Volunteers' tasks are monitored and guided on a daily basis and with the weekly Monday meetings. Targets are clearly set and insturctions are well explained. - 5 hours of daily work is expected and no further work is requested. - Cleaning and sustainability of the volunteers' shared spaces are enabled by the weekly tasks allocated to each volunteer. All the places were sparkling clean. - Food ingredients are sufficiently provided and supported on a daily basis. There's a space for them like a small grocery store. - Living area in the kitchen is well decoreated. There's a large smart TV, small bookshelf (a big one is on the upper floor), couch and other small items for entertainment. Volunteers are also allowed to use common spaces like yoga place, Gym, etc. - There's a clothing room including very sufficient variety of clothing one may need at there. It is very helpful for the ones who is not well prepared for the different seasons in longer stays. Work clothes are also provided. - Work stations are well equipped. There are stations for wood work, plumming, electricity, painting and other building / maintenance works. - There are groups in Signal app and announcements, ride share requests or oveall chats are managed effectively. - Ride share is managed by a token system. It is clearly stated how many tokens are required to go each place nearby. - Weekly sauna is one of the best activities. - Walking to the lake through green area was very calm and relaxing. - Bicycles are available, which made a very nice journeys for me. All in all, the residents are trying their best to effectively and fairly manage the community while enjoying their time and transforming the idle spaces into beneficial area at the same time. It was very motivating for me to know that I was helping for these nice people while enjoying the rest of the place. I would like to thank everyone for making this experience an unforgettable one for me. As I mentioned, I definitely would like to come back to here again :)

I stayed for 8 weeks with Kristjana and Brynjar and I had a truly wonderful time staying with this family and can highly recommend them as hosts. From the very first day, I felt warmly welcomed and at home. Their household is calm, relaxed and very easy-going, exactly as described. My main tasks included babysitting Mikki, helping with the animals and supporting with normal household chores. Everything was clearly communicated, fair and flexible, and I always felt appreciated for my help. Their son is lovely, curious and fun to spend time with, and I really enjoyed playing games, baking and talking with him. :) A very special part of my stay was their wonderful dog Tyra! I took her on countless walks, and those moments became one of my favorite parts of the day. She is such a sweet and loyal companion, and spending time with her was truly a joy. I already miss her! The whole family is kind, open-minded and respectful. We shared nice conversations, meals and everyday moments, which made the experience feel very personal. They also respected my free time and encouraged me to explore the area and enjoy my stay. I am deeply grateful for their hospitality, kindness and trust, and I will always look back on this experience with great appreciation. Thank you so much!

The time I spent with Katrin and her family was one of the most wonderful experiences I have ever had. From the very first minute, they made me feel like part of their family. Whether it was drinking punch with neighbors, sledding with the tractor, long evenings by the fireplace with deep, wonderful conversations, learning vocabulary with Henry, Leni's toy horses (which kept me company in the shower ;)), great conversations and moments with Grandma Hiltraud, cuddling with the cutest dog ever, completely natural moments with the cuddliest Icelandic horses (who would have thought that collecting horse droppings could be so therapeutic;))... I could go on forever with the list of wonderful moments in the countryside. Unfortunately, I only had a week for my visit—but it flew by. THANK YOU for that! I have taken you all deeply into my heart and would love to come back :). And to all Workawayers: if you have the chance, visit these lovely people – it will be worth it ;). And to conclude with Katrin's own words: “This place does something to you.” Mic drop :)

When the Workaway arrangement we had made was cancelled at short notice, Cécile was the first to respond to our search for a last minute hosts. We arrived during a power cut, having just experienced a 34 hour black out, and she welcomed us with a fire and a lovely meal. We spent 5 days helping her clear the house and atelier and pack her life into boxes in preparation for downsizing to a small flat in Paris. Letting go of so much is daunting and potentially traumatic, but Cécile is determined, resilient, and has a great sense of humour. She found time to share good meals and interesting trilingual conversations, and we enjoyed meeting the friends who came to help and cheer her on. We left feeling we spent far longer than we did, and took away far more than we contributed: lovely clothes, books and ceramics, lots of travel tips for Sardinia, a bag of apples from her garden and cuttings from her beautiful carqueja. A special mention for Paolo, who enlightened us on the hunting strategies of polar bears, convincingly explained Einstein’s theory of relativity and the various uses of a cantaloupe in Quebec. Last but not least, Ziggy, the long-tailed queen who claimed me as her slave… Thanks for everything Cécile, à la prochaine!