We have been hosting Workaway volunteers now for over two years and have had in excess of 60 travellers come through our doors. It has been an overwhelmingly positive experience, however we had a situation recently that really left us scratching our heads and wondering what to do and what the right course of action should have been...
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.
Want to stay in an idyllic house for free at your dream destination? Grab all these wins with one of the many house sitting projects on Workaway. Explore the special spots of your travel destination and enjoy your home away from home.
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!
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!
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?
It’s been a whole year since we started interviewing our hosts, and what amazing people we have spoken to! This month is no exception with Geneviève and Erick from France, at their beautiful organic farm community.
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.
Am I too old to host on workaway? Or too young? Who would want to come to my area? What if I don’t speak English that well? Too much of this, not enough of that? Here’s a short list of potential self-doubts or preconceptions a new host might have with solutions to overcome them.
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.
This month may be one of our favourite interviews so far. We sent 2 of our team members Shirley and James to Vietnam to discover hosts away from their laptops. Little did they expect to meet such an amazing 12-year old girl and our youngest ever host– ok, her family are the one that are actually hosting, but she loves Workaway so much we just had to interview her!
Before even embarking on the experience, a host needs to be prepared mentally and practically for a visitor – it’s not always easy sharing your space or adapting to someone else’s. Here we’ve got a 10 point step-by-step guide to help you get the most of out of your experience as a host…
Be a good guest by following some of the advice here to make your Workaway stay an enjoyable and productive one where both hosts and volunteers benefit.
“There’s always a funny or heartfelt story each and every day. We often get to witness people experience whale watching or catching fish for the first time!”
