Workaway reviews, feedback and ratings - page 8

Nora and James spent 3 weeks with us in January 2026. We had a great time with them around the place. They are early risers, hard workers, and really keen to try new experiences and learn new skills. When they arrived we had only just moved the priority work back to the cottage restoration project. They were charged with the responsibility of restoring the Western wall of the cottage. This involved replacing weatherboards destroyed by termites, scraping back years of paint, repairing fascias and soffits, gap filling, paint preparation, priming and top coating. They grabbed the job with both hands, worked well as a team and performed a fantastic job, with minimal supervision and a cheerful, we can do this attitude. Over the 3 weeks they transformed a derelict old wall into something to be proud of, that will stand the test of time for the next 20 years. (We hope they plan a trip back here by 2046 to touch up the paint). There were many other tasks they completed that are too extensive to list, but included, vehicle maintenance, road construction, creative construction utilizing PVC and other products, use of hand and power tools, and redesign and manufacture of a new improved mango picking stick and much more. Their contribution on the property is greatly appreciated. On the social scene, apart from a concert they had booked before they arrived, we were able to include a day sailing on the bay, a fun filled evening of barefoot bowls, many evenings of yarns around the circle down at the barn, introductions to some extended family and friends, and many nights of card and board games. There was also an overlap with other workawayers from the UK and America where we all learnt new games to to keep us entertained. I learnt that Nora is very, very competitive, Quatro can be spelt differently , and Quarto is a very popular game. Around the house they were always quick to jump in and assist with meal preparation and the clean up afterwards. Meal time was always fun with many an interesting life experiences discussed around the table. James and Nora have some amazing life stories to share and are a lot of fun to have onboard. We wish them safe travels and all the best for their ongoing adventures while they continue their travels around Australia. Hopefully they will again bless us with their company if they pass through our area again.

Luca joined our family for one month in December. Luca suited the Sunshine Coast lifestyle extremely well, making the most of the beaches, hikes, sunsets and sunrises. Luca helped support our family through times of illness and celebrated the Christmas and New Year period with us. Luca is organised, creative, efficient, tidy, respectful and a very good cook. We miss her yummy meals and friendly smile. We wish Luca all the best with the rest of her travels and study. Thanks for being a part of our home in Coolum Beach :) xx

Magda, hosting you was truly a blessing for our family. From the very first day, you blended into our home and farm life so naturally that it felt like having our own family member with us. Your gentle nature, kindness, and openness brought a calm and joyful energy to our home. You took part in everything with so much interest and care—whether it was helping in the fields, making chapati, learning alu paratha, playing with the dog and kitty, or simply sitting together in the evenings and sharing conversations. Those quiet moments of togetherness were just as special for us as they were for you. We especially loved exploring temples together and seeing your curiosity and respect for our culture and way of life. Your presence reminded us how beautiful simple living, shared meals, and heartfelt connections can be. Thank you for your help, your warmth, and the love you shared so freely. You left behind not just memories, but a peaceful feeling in our hearts. Our home will always welcome you back, and we are already looking forward to the day you return—especially to learn how to make your German “chapati” pancakes 😊

This was a beautiful experience. Sara is an especially warm hearted, open minded, kind person and a generous soul. I helped with the olive harvest at Sara's mothers house, they are a lovely family and very welcoming hosts. The work was very rewarding. Sara and her friends work very hard in whatever they're doing and I found my time here to be inspiring on many levels. Thank you Sara, Anna, Maria and Valentina for all the shared joys and all the knowledge you imparted :) Que bello! And Etna - Buona energia. Fantastico.

Marie y Will fueron unos voluntarios excelentes, responsables, trabajadores y muy cariñosos con nuestros animales y equipo humano, muy agradables para convivir y aportaron extra con fotos y videos maravillosos que nos ayudan muchísimo. Siempre alegres y dispuestos los recomendamos absolutamente para cualquier proyecto. Gracias Chicxs!!! Se siempre serán bienvenidos aquí.

Mark es un hombre super agradable, responsable, comunicativo y gracioso. Aprende rapido y se esfuerza al maximo por cumplir con las tareas asignadas. Lo pasamos muy bien recorriendo la ciudad y trabajando juntos. Altamente recomendable . Eres bienvenido siempre!

I spent about 2 months at Kathy’s place and had a truly wonderful time. Kathy and her 15 horses and 3 dogs are lovely and very fun to be around. The property is beautiful - large paddocks for the horses and a pool for an occasional swim for the humans included. ;) The cabin I stayed in was very clean and comfortable with horses and wallabies right at your doorstep. I really miss waking up to Manny, Copper and Charlie looking at the cabin, waiting for me to serve them their breakfast. :) The work mostly revolved around the horses: feeding in the morning and evening, cleaning the yards and stable or grooming the horses. There was some property maintenance work aswell, like raking leaves, picking up sticks, weeding or sweeping. In my time off work, Kathy showed me some really nice places around the area. I can definitely recommend the beautiful beaches and nice little Cafes in Port Macquarie, which is only about 45mins from Kathy’s place. We also went on some amazing trail rides in the forest right next to the property and I got to enjoy riding some of Kathy’s wonderful Arabians and Brumbies. I really enjoyed my stay and can definitely recommend this place. :)

I spent about 5 weeks with Candy, Greg, Willow (the cutest little french bulldog) and their 5 horses and had the most lovely time! Candy and Greg are incredibly welcoming and I instantly felt at home at their place. The herd of five mares was amazing to be around and every one of them is so special in their own way. Candy taught me a lot about natural horsemanship and I’m very grateful for the little lessons she gave me with the horses both on the ground and while I was riding Sapphy. The work was absolutely fair and never actually felt much like work, as most of it revolved around the horses. There occasionally was some house work aswell, such as vacuuming, ironing or hanging up the laundry. The surrounding area is absolutely beautiful and I loved our frequent swims at nearby water holes or taking Willow for a walk in the pine forest. Both Uralla and Armidale are not far and have lovely little cafes and bookstores to spend your time at. On my days off, I was lucky to be able to take Candy’s car off to places nearby - there are many astonishing gorges and waterfalls with beautiful walking tracks to explore! I absolutely loved my stay with Candy and Greg and can highly recommend their place! :) Thank you for everything, I’m sure I’ll be back for a visit!

This hostel has a great vibe, you can just feel it! So many great people, that very quickly you feel that you are surrounded by friends. Work was very chill, changing beds, frying some eggs... And lots of just chatting to guests and playing board games, which doesnt feel like work at all! And Chiang Rai is a lovely place to explore... Big thank you to the lovely hosts! Hope to see you all again sometime :)

Really enjoyed my stay with Daniel and Ora! They were lovely hosts. Daniel is keen to show you around the area and share his knowledge. It's a very nice way to get to know Chiang Mai. The vibe was very laid back, which I always appreciate. Thank you for the lovely stay! Vlad

It was a pleasure to host FEDE and CAMILLE. Not only were they delightful to be with , they are resourceful and willing to give a hand with so many various tasks. You can be lucky to host them .

Francesca and Adrian were truly wonderful during their time at the shelter. From day one they showed genuine care and respect for every animal, always patient, attentive, and incredibly kind. They were not only reliable and hardworking, but also consistently positive and eager to help wherever they were needed. Many times they went above and beyond what was asked of them, taking initiative and putting their hearts into everything they did. Their presence brought great energy to the team, and their connection with the animals was beautiful to see. We already miss them very much and their absence is genuinely felt here.

We had an incredible stay! You immediately had us feel very welcomed to your Mdumbi family and your beautiful home. The place, the owners, the staff and the animals were wonderful, very loving and fun to be around with. We got a good insight into the open minded Xhosa culture and their great people and delicious food. The work felt meaningful and varied from reception shifts to flexible/self-managed gardening, maintenance, painting, guest interactions etc. We had more than enough free time and off days to enjoy the many beautiful things that Mdumbi has to offer. We had countless Braais and pizza nights with the owners and other volunteer, surfs with dolphins, whales and turtles, play dates with little Liwa and the dogs Zanzi and DJ, game nights, chats and giggles. We will for sure keep coming back to our new second home. We miss you all so much already <3

Moi aussi, je n'ai qu'un mot à dire : fantastique ! Cecile et Michel sont toujours de bonne humeur, spontanés et enthousiastes. La maison est entourée par la nature, on peut aussi faire de très belles promenades ! Si vous recherchez le calme dans la nature, vous êtes au bon endroit ! La nourriture était fantastique ! C'est toujours préparé à partir des produits du jardin. Comme il y a des chasseurs dans la famille, nous avons également mangé du chevreuil et du sanglier. Les sorties au restaurant étaient bien sûr inoubliables ! Les soirées cinéma étaient géniales, cela m'a aidé à améliorer mon français ! Cecile et Michel étaient toujours patients lorsque je ne connaissais pas un mot (alors, ils sont souvent patients :) ). Merci pour tout !

**can not recommend this place, unless you don't care about meaningful work or learning As an experienced volunteer, I've seen challenges from both the hosts and the volunteers side. My main concern here is volunteers contribute to owner's personal business goals instead of learning. good Communication, effective work structure, and good attitude from hosts are the areas with issu 1. This expereince is a BUSINESS for profit. despite the NPO goals for local kids. Volunteers receive work order and execute based on owner's personal preferences. One of the host, Manee, was there each morning to had out her requests on what to be done, while the other host Pinot, rarely spoke to any of us. he refused to show me how to ferment cacao beans (which was an agreed upon task before my arrival) 2. at the time I was there, the biochar work was finished and volunteers were instructed to make chocolate, build a concrete toilet, and some general maintenance around the garden. except the chocolate work which I managed it myself with another volunteer, all of us were expected to work autonomously. that's OK, but neither hosts worked along side volunteers. I learned nothing else, or almost anything from my host. 3. the most significant negative feelings I had at the farm was the ungrounded authority from the hosts. while appearing to be friendly, the hosts give orders rather than working with volunteers. while claiming to be open to ideas, she defends her idea of the business by repeating similar stories to everyone, yet when I challenged her way of communicating work, I was given the response "this is my place, I do it my way". if this place was advertised as it is, and there is sufficient, and mindful communication, my experience wouldn't t have been this negative. I appreciate the opportunity to make chocolate there.

No tengo palabras para expresar nuestra experiencia con Anastasija. Es una persona maravillosa, servicial, entrañable, de conversación interesante y por supuesto, magnifica cocinera. Apenas hemos podido compartir 2 semanas y media, ya que por motivos personales, ha tenido que marcharse antes de lo previsto. Pero aun así, ha tratado de cubrir, parte de la ayuda que nos podría prestar en las siguientes semana, dejándolo todo organizado (comida cocina para 2 semanas), para que, para mi, fuera mas fácil. Solo tengo palabras de agradecimiento, porque siempre ha estado dispuesta, y nunca le he tenido que pedir nada. Es muy organizada y sabe aprovechar muy bien el tiempo. Trabaja rápido y es resolutiva, y, a la vez, es capaz de disfrutar, recorriendo los nuevos lugares que le depara su nuevo destino. En cuanto a la convivencia en familia. Maravillosa, hemos podido disfrutar de ratos de conversación, a pesar que mi nivel de ingles, deja mucho que desear, ella siempre ha tratado de ayudarme y corregirme, aparte de tener la paciencia suficiente de esperar al traductor, lo cual no ha hecho que se aburriera, ni desesperara, y fuera capaz de continuar con la conversación. Con mi marido que no habla nada de ingles, igualmente, ha sido paciente, esperando que mi hijo tradujera, y pudiera entender, lo que queríamos decirle. Respecto a la relación con mi hijo, adolescente, a pesar de que no ha podido ser muy continua, ya que él tiene muchas actividades fuera de casa. El tiempo que han pasado juntos, ha sido genial, él ha podido practicar conversación en ingles, y las 2 clases que pudieron dar de gramática, le supieron a poco, y estaba ansioso por dar la siguiente. Ayer precisamente, cuando llegó a casa despues de su entrenamiento, y vio, que ya no estaba, no podía creer, que una experiencia tan maravillosa, hubiera llegado ya a su fin. Esperamos ver a Anastasija, pronto, y volver a compartir con ella. Le deseamos todo lo mejor. Y siempre tendrá su casa aqui en Granada. Si estas pensando en recibirla en tu casa, no lo dudes ni un momento. Quedaras totalmente encantado con su personalidad y trabajo.

Evan came with a particular range of skills that I was desperate for and he did not disapoint. He took on everything that was needed and ran his own ship. The days just ran to plan and everything got done that was on the list. He arranged a new job and accommodation around his work and while sad to see him move on after some weeks it was good to see him get on with life in NZ. Trees, clean up, helping going car racing - it all just happened AND he cleans up after him including the tools. A pleasure to have Evan and he enjoyed Xmas dinner with us later. Chris and Pam

Meine Zeit bei Selena zu Hause war unglaublich bereichernd. Ich konnte zahlreiche neue Erfahrungen sammeln, wertvolle Einblicke in die australische Kultur gewinnen und die beeindruckende Vielfalt der Natur erkunden. Die Arbeit war stets fair und angenehm, und Selena zeigte sich sehr flexibel bei den Arbeitszeiten, sodass sie sich gut mit meinen eigenen Plänen vereinbaren ließen und wir alle eine fantastische Zeit hatten. Ich kann Selena als Gastgeberin wärmstens empfehlen, um diese wunderbare Erfahrung selbst zu machen.

We had a lovely 3 weeks at Caroline’s homestay. We often ate food with her friends meaning we tried more dishes than we would have on our own. We got to meet lots children who told us about their lives in the village. And enjoyed experiencing Vietnamese culture, we saw and ate at a temple with local monks, we were guided in meditation and massage at her friends house and were able to go into town to buy food from the market. Caroline was very open for feedback and if you asked for anything she would respond and help quickly. Although she was often not at the house with us, when we did sit down with her she share a lot of information about her culture and was open and very funny. She trusted us to look after and teach the classes alone. Although we didn’t know what we were doing at the start of our stay and this was a little confusing as we were expecting to assist the class not lead them and the classes themselves were 2.5hrs. When we asked, Caroline sent us lesson plans and explained that the children are here more to meet foreigners and connect with English. We were told to have fun with the lessons as many children have busy study schedules. I believe these past few months have been unexpectedly busy for Caroline due to many reasons, meaning the volunteers had more responsibility and work hours than usual. And communication in both sides could have been better. Overall we enjoyed our stay and feel we learnt a lot about Vietnamese people and culture and made connections with the children. We wish Caroline well and hope other volunteers looking at this workaway enjoy their stay as much as we did. (The beach near cà phê Nu Nu is a lovely way to spend your day off btw). -Anna and Peggy.

Three weeks with her were an interesting time for all of us. She knows everything . Being intelligent and humorous, she knows how to capture everyone’s attention during the lessons. The children learned a lot and made great progress. All we can say is thank you for coming and for choosing us.