About Mariah Friend

• Using Workaway
• Inspiration

• about 4 min
• 1 Comment

“There’s no place like home for the Holidays”, but have you ever wondered what Christmas is like in Prague? Or heard of the Sankta Lucia festival in Sweden? If you’re itching to celebrate the holidays in a different corner of the world this year, we’ve got the perfect recommendations! From sunny beaches to winter wonderlands, here are our top places to spend the holidays abroad with Workaway.

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• Using Workaway
• Inspiration

• about 5 min
• 4 comments

Summertime is officially here, calling us to give in to our inner free spirit and let the wild side of ourselves shine! And we can't think of a better way to do this than by exploring the world and getting involved with these special Workaway adventures to make it extra unforgettable...

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• Using Workaway
• Travelling Tips

• about 6 min
• 86 comments

It can be intimidating if you’re new to volunteering abroad (or need to reassure your parents). Here are a few tips for your first Workaway that I’m sure will give you the confidence to go for it and have one of the best adventures of your life.

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• Inspiration

• about 3 min
• 8 comments

Putting ourselves in new situations, countries, and cultures isn’t easy. It’s brave. When we do it with a willingness to learn instead of fix, we reap the benefit of a wholehearted experience that challenges our perspective, gifting us with a new way of seeing the world.

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• Travelling Tips
• Inspiration

• about 4 min
• 7 comments

As a solo traveller and workawayer in her 20s, Mariah has always dreamed of sharing that with her kids. But when she started traveling with her baby at five months old, she quickly realised how different it was from her past experiences, and challenging it could be. Read on for how she embraced these changes by shifting her perspective and setting realistic expectations to turn the stress into immense joy!

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• Inspiration
• Travel Stories

• about 4 min
• 12 comments

When I was younger, I often heard, “Travel when you’re young!” as advice from older folks. Even then, I knew I wanted to keep traveling no matter what age, but part of me wondered if it were true. “Will I ever be too old to travel?” I worried. Now that I’m well into my thirties, I can definitely say that traveling in your 30’s is not only possible, it has advantages! Not just because of my age, but because my experiences and all of the lessons learned have shaped how I navigate the world.

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• Inspiration

• about 6 min
• 0 comments

There are two types of travelers—those who crave the quiet beauty of a more rural landscape, and those who love the bustling skylines of the world’s biggest cities. Which one are you? Think you know for sure? Read on to see if these Workaways in some of the top cities might tempt you to explore further!

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• Inspiration

• about 3 min
• 9 comments

Small acts of revolution happen when we allow others to expand our view of what it means to be human. It happens thousands of times through experiences like Workaway. When we practice connecting to someone else’s reality by intentionally permitting them to change our own, we cultivate a broader sense of belonging, not just to our homeland, our culture, or our family, but to the whole planet.

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• Inspiration

• about 4 min
• 3 comments

Nothing spreads faster than inspiration! In a world that’s more connected than ever before, people are hungry for stories that remind them of the beauty, joy, and purpose of travel and life. Why not share yours?

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• Inspiration

• about 5 min
• 2 comments

Call it whatever you want. Take it whenever you hear the call. Here are some of our favourite ideas for how to make your gap year abroad the most memorable and meaningful year (or two or three) yet.

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• Inspiration

• about 4 min
• 8 comments

When I tell people now that I quit my job as a nurse to travel solo around the world for fourteen months, it seems kind of dramatic. In fact, I believe it’s the decision that saved my life, the one I was meant to live! Learning to trust and believe in the strong desires of your heart won’t give you all the answers. However, it will give you the courage to live your life according to your own rules.

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• Using Workaway
• Inspiration

• about 3 min
• 51 comments

Kids are the best teachers of life and to teach kids is both a challenge and an adventure. We have homeschooled our children for six years. During that time we travelled a lot, exposing them to varied cultures and lifestyles, yet it was only when we started hosting Workawayers that the dynamics of our homeschooling experience has changed so much for the better.

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• Travelling Tips

• about 6 min
• 17 comments

As Nelson Mandela reminds us, “If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart.” But how does one go about learning a new language while travelling, exactly?

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• Inspiration

• about 5 min
• 14 comments

I knew my purpose in life from a very young age. Or so I thought. Three years into my field and mid-way through my twenties, I realized I had lost my original sense of purpose, and myself in the meantime. I knew I had to make a change..and these are some of the lessons I learned about re-discovering my purpose after a year of volunteering with Workaway.

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• Workawayer of the Month

• about 7 min
• 3 comments

Chester from Singapore started out from going on short hiking trips while working for an ad agency, to creating a life between traveling, writing and hiking full time! We got to hear more about his journey so far around the world, the connections he had made through Workaway, and the new lifestyle he has found for himself.

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• Host of the Month

• about 7 min
• 3 comments

This month we talk to host Heather from the Skopelos and share a slice of magical Greek island. Come uncover the beautiful well-trodden paths of the past, while enjoying the spectacular natural backdrop of Mamma Mia’s romantic island!

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• Workawayer of the Month

• about 9 min
• 1 Comment

Renata and Aline are a Workaway couple who’ve been travelling together since 2017. With their project, “a world without walls”, the duo is on a mission to inspire your next trip and challenge your perception of the world.

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• Travelling Tips
• Inspiration

• about 4 min
• 4 comments

Travelling gets us out of our routine (which is usually the point) but it can also make some of our healthier habits more challenging. So here are some practical tips for how to stay fit and active and still have an amazing time during your adventures abroad!

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• Travelling Tips

• about 8 min
• 24 comments

Have you re-packed and re-packed your backpack, trying to squeeze one last item inside? Have you ever found yourself dazed staring at the travel aisle with all of the gear wondering what you’ll actually NEED? Well, we’re sort of experts on this and have a guide of things to pack on your Workaway trip to make it easier (Your shoulders will thank us)!

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• Workawayer of the Month

• about 9 min
• 5 comments

Brendon and Karson are a young travelling couple from the heart of the United States who both grew up in small towns with families who never dreamed of traveling anywhere beyond the U.S. So how did their families react when they decided to quit their jobs and adventure around the world for an entire year? They share their perspective on defying expectations and having experiences that last a lifetime.

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• Inspiration

• about 5 min
• 2 comments

Have you ever come back home after travelling to realize you just don’t think the way you used to? Or noticed people giving you the crazy eye after sharing one of your travel stories? You’re not alone! Call it experience, perspective, or a case of incurable wanderlust…there are just a few ways travellers perceive the world differently.

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• Travelling Tips

• about 5 min
• 27 comments

Throughout my travel adventures, I learned a lot. But I always credit my first solo trip for giving me the courage to follow my dreams. I want to pass some of that courage on to you, too. Here’s what I’ve learned and advice I wish somebody told me before my first solo trip.

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• Travelling Tips

• about 4 min
• 8 comments

Let’s face it- there’s something romantic and almost nostalgic about being poor. Think about all of the crazy adventures that begin by trying to save a little cash. Penny pinching may not sound glamorous, but the memories made while travelling on a shoestring budget will definitely be worth retelling. If you’re not convinced, here are 8 ways travelling on a budget can improve your trip and definitely earn you some backpacker badges of honour.

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• Inspiration

• about 4 min
• 6 comments

Will you answer the call? Will you say yes to adventure? Will you dive head first into the deep waters of discovery? Here are six ways you can answer YES and take a risk while traveling. Read on if you’re ready to throw caution to the wind and learn to soar!

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• Inspiration

• about 5 min
• 6 comments

I was in my mid twenties, living in a hip part of the city in a comfortable, one bedroom apartment with a backyard and a front porch. I had a respectable job – one that paid well and helped others. I was right on track, doing everything I was supposed to be doing. Yet, I had a growing sense of emptiness, an unshakable anxiety that told me there was more to life than this.

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• Host of the Month

• about 6 min
• 1 Comment

This month, we caught up with Hester who lives on a sheep farm in South Africa with his family. His vivid description of the beautiful landscape and the history of the region are out of this world. After just a glimpse of seeing the farm through his eyes, we know you’ll be dreaming of visiting soon!

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• Host of the Month

• about 5 min
• 1 Comment

This month, we talk with Juan who helps run a guest house in Ecuador on a remote beach in Santa Marianita. Drawing on his experience hosting over 100 Workaway volunteers (!), he shared valuable wisdom and his compassion for helping others. We’re already imagining the beautiful breeze coming off the waves and know you’ll be wanting to book a flight ASAP!

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• Travelling Tips

• about 3 min
• 7 comments

There’s no doubt that travelling can be good for the mind, body, and soul. We don’t have to convince you of its many personal benefits, but is it as good for the environment? Not always. The good news is that there are many ways to practice sustainable travel. With intention and a little preparation, following even a few of these steps can go a long way in helping preserve the treasures we seek around the world.

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• Host of the Month

• about 5 min
• 1 Comment

“It is more than just a farm, it’s a way of life :). We really love what we do. We wake up every day at 4:00 AM with a smile on our faces, ready to start a new day. We feel lucky that we have a good life.” This month’s Workaway “Host of the Month”, a beautiful organic farm from the Jordan Valley reminds us to slow down and enjoy the view.

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• Using Workaway
• Inspiration

• about 3 min
• 12 comments

Is it better to stay home rather than participate in voluntourism? Was I making a positive impact by volunteering abroad? Or was I simply hurting the very people I was trying to help? Was my presence an act of neo-colonialism?

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• Host of the Month

• about 6 min
• 3 comments

This month, we talk to Samira and Alan with this school project in a Ecuadorian Amazon village. Dedicated to helping protect indigenous culture in the heart of the Amazon, they need volunteers like you and me to help teach English in their remote village. We’re inspired by their project and know you will be too!

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• Travel Stories

• about 3 min
• 5 comments

I stand out. Like a sore thumb. Like a neon glow stick against a moonless midnight sky. Will I ever truly belong? Can I ever truly belong? I have been a foreigner many times. Yet, this is the first time being a foreigner has been so obvious to me and everyone else, too. It’s the first time I’ve felt an unshakeable sense of vulnerability and loss of anonymity.

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• Inspiration

• about 4 min
• 3 comments

With the rapid growth of the travel industry, there is an app or guidebook for everything. Information is literally at our fingertips. For someone who’s dipping their toe into the sharing economy, taking an Uber to get around town might be enough of a first time experience. For more seasoned or adventurous folks, carpooling through a site like Bla Bla Car, or using Hitchwiki to help you navigate your travels might be more fun.

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• Inspiration

• about 4 min
• 9 comments

With “eyes to serve and and hands to learn”. We travel because it opens our eyes, changes our perspective and teaches us tolerance.

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• Travelling Tips

• about 5 min
• 16 comments

While travelling alone, I began wondering, what was the difference between rational and irrational fear? How do you overcome fear and step outside of your comfort zone?

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• Travel Stories

• about 6 min
• 7 comments

What I couldn’t know then was that my first Workaway solo trip would teach me important lessons that I still rely on several years, and many Workaways later. Whether you’re considering your first solo trip with Workaway or your thirtieth, I hope you’ll find them valuable too.

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