Workaway reviews, feedback and ratings - page 9

I initially volunteered here for 3 weeks, but had such a good experience that I returned two more times in January and February. Ms Thu and her family, the staff, the other volunteers and the children were all incredibly welcoming. I miss them all dearly, and hope to return in the near future if they would have me back. When I first arrived, having no experience in teaching or working with children with special needs, I was a little nervous and unsure. Luckily the staff and other volunteers were very helpful and within a few days I was really enjoying it. Some good advice would be to go in with an open mind and a lot of patience, some of your ideas won't land, but that it's okay and to keep trying and make sure to have fun, as then the kids enjoy it more. The schedule is split between morning and afternoon lessons with the autistic children (class size varies between 5-10), and evening classes with small groups of kids, teenagers or adults (the biggest group was 4 while I was there- these lessons were a lot of fun). Between you and the other volunteers you will work a mix of these, but it is never too much, and there is plenty of time between classes to relax or explore hanoi. The food provided for lunch and dinner always tasted amazing. On weekends, I went to Cat Ba island and Ninh Binh and there are a couple of other destinations within easy reach of Hanoi. The one slight problem I had (which I have had many times while travelling Asia) is that the bed was too short for me (I am 6foot3), meaning it wasn't the most comfortable but I soon got used to it and was sleeping fine. Thank you again to Ms Thu and your family, to the staff and other volunteers for allowing me to have such a good experience where I learnt so much. I only wish I could have stayed longer. If you go in with a positive attitude, patience and a passion for helping others, I think you will have a really worthwhile and special experience.

I had the best 2½ weeks staying with Anne- Maree, Colin and Elijah on Mayne Island. I originally planned to stay for just one week but I ended up staying much longer because I enjoyed my time there so much. From the moment I arrived they welcomed me so warmly and made me feel at home right away and truly like part of the family. Most of the time I helped Anne Maree with organizing and sorting things around the house which I really enjoyed. Working together with her was always fun and easy and she always made sure that I didn’t work too much and had enough time to explore the island as well. She showed me around Mayne Island, took me to different beaches and around the village and they included me when meeting friends, so I got to meet many lovely people. I was also lucky enough to join them on some trips, including to Vancouver and Vancouver Island which was an amazing experience. Communication was always easy and everything was very relaxed and flexible which made me feel very comfortable and safe during my stay. I also stayed in a beautiful, spacious suite with an incredible view of the ocean which made the experience even more special. Lastly, I just want to say thank you for this very special time. It was truly valuable to me, I learned a lot and had such a wonderful experience. I’m really grateful that I got to meet you and stay with you, and I would love to come back if I ever get the chance again. I’m very grateful for the time I spent there and would absolutely recommend staying with Anne-Maree, Colin and Elijah.

Rune looked after my place while I was away for a week. He's a lovely guy. Friendly, interesting, respectful and willing to help as much as possible. He did all the jobs I asked of him, and kept the house safe and kept in touch with me. Thanks for coming to stay and your help Rune, highly recommended!

Hi Zoe it was nice to hear from you. I’m glad you have found use for the jacket. In the back of my mind the intention was it be some kind of armour and protect you. I wish you the best on your adventure. You are always welcome here. Russell

I stayed at this hotel for about two weeks and truly enjoyed my time here. Gustavo is a friendly and chill host. He creates a relaxing vibe and ensures that everyone—both volunteers and guests—feels comfortable and at home. On the weekends, we would receive the shift schedule, and each day there was a clear list of tasks so we knew exactly what to do. Typically, all the volunteers and Gustavo would have lunch and dinner together. It was a great opportunity for me to practice my Spanish with the South American volunteers and learn more about life in Punta Arenas, Patagonia, and Chile. During my two-week stay, I explored the city, walked along the coast, and visited Torres del Paine. Southern Chile is so unique compared to places like Atacama or Santiago; I’ll never forget the stunning landscapes and the kindness of the people here! ​Muchas gracias de nuevo a Gustavo y a todos los voluntarios por todo! 🙂🙏🏻

Sophie stayed at my place in Pichilemu for some time and helped around the house and garden. She was calm, respectful and followed the house rules, which I appreciated. I’m glad she had the chance to enjoy the coast, the sunsets and explore the area during her stay. I wish her all the best with her future travels.

Our experience with Monique was simply amazing. We shared a month and a half with her, and during that time she went from being a Workawayer to becoming a friend. She is a lovely person, always in a good mood and happy to help. She is very resourceful and has the energy to do a thousand things. She can do a bit of everything (DIY, sewing, photography, painting, gardening, cooking, babysitting, design, etc.), and her creativity is overflowing — she always comes up with new ideas and initiatives. She was also wonderful with our 7-month-old baby: very gentle, attentive, and completely natural with her. Monique brought a lot of joy and humour to the house. After just a few days with her, you start wondering what life was like before you met her.:p It was a real pleasure sharing this time together, and we hope our paths cross again in the future. We recommend her without any hesitation.

Meeting Cata, her dogs, and her family was such a happy experience for me. Before coming here, I didn’t have much experience with dogs. But during the two months I stayed with her, I had the chance to take care of big dogs and even help rescue some dogs. Through these experiences, I learned a lot of new things. If you truly love dogs, this is definitely the perfect place for you! She really knows everything about them. When we weren’t working (to be honest, a lot of the time there wasn’t much work, so you could choose to find something to do or just rest, she would take me to her house in Algarobo or to Cambo to see the my frist almond trees!! I also had the chance to explore the south and many places around Santiago with her. In Las Condes, you’ll be welcomed warmly by her family and receive lots of kisses from the dogs. The neighborhood is very safe and everything you need is nearby. There’s also a hill right behind the house where you can watch the beautiful sunset. While staying here, I truly felt so much love and kindness from the whole family. Honestly, I still don’t know how they could be so kind to someone they had just met. If you come here, I’m sure you’ll leave Chile with so many loving memories and happy moments. I’ll be waiting for her and her family in Korea someday. Thank you so much for giving me such a happy time!

Tivimos una experiencia hermosa en este lugar. Nos sentimos como en casa; Mauro, Yose, Valen y Salvi quedarán para siempre en nuestros corazones. El trabajo en verano es básicamente ayudar con la loza de la casa de té y un poco en la huerta. Meliquina es un lugar increíble, pura naturaleza. Y como en muchos lugares en medio de la naturaleza, el ritmo y las comodidades son diferentes a los de la ciudad. La luz funciona con energía solar, los residuos orgánicos van a la compostera y el reciclaje debe lavarse y secarse, así que es importante ir con esa mentalidad de sostenibilidad. El equipo de voluntarios que conocimos también fue increíble, y hubo mucha colaboración y amistad durante el tiempo que estuvimos allí. Mauro y Yose, ¡gracias por todo! Cuando podamos, volveremos.

Hermosa experiencia con Cami!. Trabajamos muy bien en equipo, siempre predispuesta a las actividades. Compartimos muy lindos momentos de trabajo y disfrute por el arte. Gracias Cami por elegir mi lugar!

Santiago and our stay at the olive farm was the best thing that could have happened to us in Mendoza! We only came for a week, but it was an unforgettable experience. The idea of restoring an abandoned finca, caring for the sick trees, and Santiago’s way of life is truly inspiring. We were there in May, so there weren’t many olives left on the trees, but we still picked the ones that remained, pruned the trees, and harvested pomegranates. Life at Santiago’s place is very peaceful self-sufficient – meals are prepared with ingredients available from the farm. The work wasn’t hard, only about 4–5 hours a day, and there was plenty of free time to play with the adorable Simon Simonowicz! Santiago taught us a lot about Argentine culture, food, and curses :pp (he speaks English AND POLISH very well). It was an amazing experience and beautiful memories. Thank you so much Santiago!!

¡Me iba por casualidad, en el último minuto… y volveré planeando mi viaje lo antes posible para poder quedarme allí el mayor tiempo posible! Y decir que este es el caso de todos los voluntarios y huéspedes del hostal habla por sí mismo... los otros comentarios ya describen muy bien las maravillas de este lugar… Les estoy tan agradecida de haberme dado la oportunidad de hacer este voluntariado.

It was a great experience on one of the most beautiful places i have ever stayed, since the beginning the roles are very clear, you work independently on your projects and communication was always on point, breakfast is really good, nature walks and perfect weather, pool, gym and sauna that you can use makes it a superb experience that i can highly recommend to anyone who enjoys spending time in nature. Thank you Andrew and all the gang for this unforgettable experience and i hope to be coming back soon.

I fell in love with Michelle’s and Len’s beautiful ranch on a short visit in summer and had to come back as a Workawayer. Even in winter time the place is beautiful, peaceful and I enjoyed all the cuddle time with the wonderful dogs and cats. Work in winter is mostly taking care of the animals and some household organization tasks. It’s been a short, but sweet cozy stay and I’ve learned some awesome new healthy recipes! Thank you lots again!

Midori is a great lady and she was the greatest gift you can wish. An excellent and great help for two weeks. She worked much more than expected - as much as you would in two months. In this short time, she has performed true miracles and quickly completed my work, which had needed to be done for years. Midori is talented in so many areas, and also very gifted with her hands and artistically. I would especially like to emphasize her ability to work with so many different materials. She spontaneously and without hesitation transformed my many vague ideas of various tasks into reality. And how masterfully! And yet she is so calm, unflappable, and modest. And incredibly fast at everything! That's truly rare! Midori painted a wall freehand. The idea and its execution were like magic. Absolutely fantastic! And finished in a flash. She weeded hundreds of square meters of wild spring-meadow very thoroughly and professionally, and was able to distinguish these very small and different sprouts, which were unfamiliar to her, very well. The work was physically strong! She was also very skilled with all the tools. Midori helped me with cleaning, and she was just as good and fast at it. Here too, you need to know what you're doing to do it correctly. And she did it better than anyone before her (myself included). Furthermore, to everything, she altered a mountain of clothes for me. All sewn by hand very exact. Always with the right stitches. She wasn't just a perfect seamstress; she also gave me excellent style advice how to redesign my super old clothes, made of wonderful fabrics. Midori organized boxes full of jewelry beads, gemstones and silver/gold accessories. There are several ways to sort this, but I never had to explain anything; she knew what to do (better than me) and I could trust her with the real metals because she knew them and could distinguish between them. She always left everything clean and tidy. Also, when she left. Not to forget the numerous Origami she made for me. Also in miniatures. Lovliest! By the way : Midori knits the most beautiful sweaters! And it's worth looking at the pictures of her extensive travels. There's nothing superficial about them. This Superlady is responsible and dependable, friendly and unagitated, open and humorous -and great to spend time with. And she can also keep herself occupied and was active in her free time as well. Midori truly performed miracles. Also with our old cat! I can highly recommend Midori, who is a wonderful person (and a valuable workaway). Hope to see her again as soon as the premises here are in order. Thank you, lovely Lady, for your best service!

I had a nourishing time at Clare. She has a beautiful property, she is respectful and has strong values on how to care for the land. I came with an intention of introspection and I got it while eating lot of oranges, kakis , greens and homemade olive oil. Thank you!

Kurtis is a kind soul, eager to help wherever he can. He stayed with us for a week and helped with trail maintenance, pruning grape vines, compost sifting, and meal prep. While he had a short visit, we had a great time and hope to have him back in the future.

Leni was supposed to stay with us for one week, but she was so fabulous we extended for two and a half weeks! She has a wonderful, warm and friendly disposition and eager to help with anything and learn. She did a most fabulous job, sorting and organizing and we would love to have her back again I highly recommend her as a hard worker and very easy to get along with! Leni became part of our family and we will miss her!

We realy enjoyed our time with André, Monique, and Rose. For two weeks, we were part of your family, just like our fellow Workawayer, Sadie. Your warm personalities made us feel adopted from the very first. The meals, mostly prepared by Rose, were extensive, healthy, and above all, delicious. So our communal meals were not only very pleasant but also a culinary delight. We must have gained a few pounds in those two weeks. It certainly gave us lots of energy to roll up our sleeves. You had nice work, both practical and creative and we were free to choose and express ourselves. You also provided the necessary materials, or we went to the stores to pick them up together. Thanks to you, we discovered the sushi restaurant in Tortosa. On one of the last days you took us out for dinner. It was truly delicious, and also a lot of fun. When we're in the area again, we'll definitely go back there. Thank you André, Monique, and Rose for this wonderful experience. We'd love to come back and see how you're doing

I stayed with Irini and Vassilis for 5 weeks. And I can say that I was very lucky to have them at my very first workaway experience! It was exactly what I had been wishing for. From the first second I felt that I was needed, that I was respected and trusted in! They are very kind hosts and they are so keen on making your stay as agreeable as possible, even though their jobs require a lot of energy. Daily chores around the house are transparent and leave enough space for individual timing and decisions. I could learn a lot about Greek daily life and got the opportunity to share several family events and free time activities. I was taken to parties, invitations with friends and traditional dance events and to the local carnival. What an experience! So I got to know quite some interesting and nice people. I particularly appreciated the unimaginable time with Irinis amiable parents in the nearby village of Kritsà, where I helped them with the work in their garden. Ágios Nikólaos is an inviting and lively place, a great town that offers everything you need. Shops, bars, restaurants and coffee shops. There are natural beauties you can explore, you can do fantastic hikes and swim in the sea. Swimming in the sea from early February on: just great! Irini and Vassilis, I thank you so much for the unforgettable time! It would be great to come back again.