Symptoms that reveal you’re turning into a true workawayer

You could be on a train to your next Workaway host, chatting with other travellers about the places you've visited; you could be showing your mum photos of your fellow volunteer-turned-best friend; or you could be sat at home after your hot shower and enjoying a cup of tea, but it always comes as a surprise when you realise you've become one of those people. Not just an average traveller, but one who has completely adopted the Workaway way of thinking and living! Have you become one of us? We ask our Workaway Ambassador and one of our regular bloggers Ellie, to share some very real and telling signs that indicate you've become a full-time, hardcore Workawayer:

2. You’ve learned some amazing recipes from cooking together with volunteers from around the world

4. Your family can never quite keep track of where you are or what you’re doing, but they’re happy so long as you are – just don’t forget to call them from time to time!

6. Long-distance friendships have become your new norm, with your friendship group now emerging from every corner of the world

7. You never quite know what each day will look like; you’ve learned to expect the unexpected and go with the flow

8. Your next step is never certain; having a flexible leaving date has become a crucial part of your travel style

9. You pick up a new twang just about everywhere you go, which never fails to amuse your family back at home😆

10. Your next destination might be a tiny town in the middle of nowhere that no one’s ever heard of – but without Workaway you would probably never visit these hidden gems!

11. Your journal entries often get shorter the longer you spend at a Workaway, as you’re too busy exploring and getting sucked in to your new adventure

12. You’ve learned that solo travelling doesn’t mean you will always be alone. Staying at Workaway projects that host multiple volunteers simultaneously is one of the best ways to meet like-minded friends on the road

13. Second hand clothes left behind by previous Workawayers are the way to go. Old wellies, holey jumpers, oversized rain coats – anything goes!

14. You always get the hang of people’s names just when it’s time to move on again…

15. You are overly grateful when simple things such as towels are provided – a break from your compact travel towel is always welcome!

16. You fight the urge to shout about Workaway every time someone asks how you manage to keep travelling for so long on a fairly minimal budget

17. You’re always hopeful that your new host will have a dog, as there’s no one better to rely on whilst you’re finding your feet

18. You spend as much time scrolling through Workaway hosts as you do Instagram reels

19. You’ve learned to really appreciate that feeling of being clean on your days off, even though it never lasts very long

20. You have a random assortment of keepsakes and tattoos that retell your adventure – they never quite make as much sense to anyone else as in your own mind, but they're some of your most priceless possessions! 

How many did you get, Workawayer? Let us know or share other "symptoms" that helped you realise you've become one of us!