Alexandra

Estonia
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Profile information

Travel information
I am currently
Travelling
My next destination:
Bucharest, Romania - from Mar 2024 until May 2024
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Description
Austrian-born Artist, Marketer, Explorer.

Looking for Workaways in Romania (April, May), preferrably around Bukarest and/or Sibiu.

My interests: people, animals, plants and tech. :) Excellent cleaner, painter (see before-after pics on my profile), and cook.

Special skills: Digital Marketing, International Public Relations (featured myself and clients on 80+ int. magazines, podcasts and blogs so far, including: Family Office Magazine, Reader's Digest, BBC, Euronews, USWorldNews, various Top 5-20% Podcasts)

NB: I have a flexible part-time job (25 Hours), working for the German government (online)

This is NOT negotiable (I have a credit to pay off), but can be worked on Mon-Fri 9-19.30 flexibly, with a schedule determined a week in advance.

Fluent in German-English.
Interests
Yoga / Wellness
Languages
Fitness
Architecture
DIY & crafts
Performing arts
Self development
Sustainability
Pets
Gardening
Movies & TV
Charity work
Astronomy
Events & social
Cooking & food
Music
Plant care
Technology
Writing
Art & design

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Languages
Languages spoken
German: Fluent
English: Fluent
French: Intermediate
Spanish: Beginner
Estonian: Beginner
Italian: Beginner
More details about my language interests
Can teach German, if needed
Find a language buddy
Skills and knowledge I'd like to share or learn
I'm interested in:
Babysitting and creative play
General Maintenance
Life at a Farmstay
Eco Projects
Animal Care
Helping with Computers/ Internet
Teaching
Some knowledge of:
Gardening
DIY and building projects
Creating/ Cooking family meals
Helping around the house
Charity Work
Able to teach about:
Hospitality/Tourism
Languages
Art Projects
More details about your skills
Cooking

Cleaning

Arts: drawing, playing, creating art with children and teenagers (or animals!), singing, phantasy makeup, building and making things (pretty broad bandwidth- challenge me)

Gardening, fixing small things in the household (constructional, electronics, painting, other)

Marketing: SEO, Basic Webdesign, Content Writing, Public Relations

Teaching: Languages, Self-Expression, Writing Content
Age
45
What else ...
I am a pretty organized person, and would like to focus on learning new skills, and helping out during my travels. I work best when on a schedule- not so great at dealing with chaos (unless I help clean it up:).
Some more information
- Smoker
- Driver's licence
- Allergies
  I suffer from Mastcell Activation Syndrome, an inflammatory disease. This is no issue at all unless I am exposed to toxic behaviour, fast food or very hard, physical work better suited for men.
- Special dietary requirements
  ideal (but not necessary): low gluten (spelt only), low histamine, low milk product diet

Feedback

29 Apr 2024

Left by Workawayer (Alexandra) for host (Help create a safe space in ...)

This was one of my best workaway experiences so far- highly recommended.

Excellent people, exciting work, and an ambitious project. The nature around Bran is serene and incredible- with colours that look like photoshop in real.

Ioan (=John) speaks fluent English and is only present on the weekends, since he works in Bucharest during the week.… read more

(Excellent )

18 Apr 2024

Left by host (Experience village life and ...) for Workawayer (Alexandra)

Alexandra, you were a great help to me, we did some demanding work together in the garden, which I needed to get it done. You were very proactive to teach me English and I really appreciate it even though I'm far to be the best learner.
Thank you for the wonderful tea and coffee you prepared in the morning and during our breaks. Thank you for not… read more

(Excellent )

13 Apr 2024

Left by Workawayer (Alexandra) for host (Experience village life and ...)

Elena is a fantastic host- the extreme opposite of what I experienced before.

She sticks to the rules, cooks tasty food, and if you have dietary restrictions, you can discuss them with her and she will be supportive.

She gives you space, when you need it- and takes your own personal routine into consideration.

What matters, is that you stick… read more

(Excellent )

2 Apr 2024

Left by Workawayer (Alexandra) for host (Organic beekeeping ...)

This Workaway has issues.

I will separate my experiences into a positives and a negatives cathegory.

Positive:

- If you have an agreement for working times, the host will stick to it. So if you're a digital nomad or student, other obligations won't be a problem.
- you can get a lift to and from the station for arrival and departure.
- you can… read more help yourself to snacks or food in the kitchen, even though attending official meal times (7.30-8.00, 13-14.00, 20-20.30) would be considered polite.
- if you're from a farming background, you can learn a lot about bees at every imaginable level.
- You will get a room that's warm, fast internet, and access to a bathroom. (Accommodation itself is dusty, dirty and mouldy.)
- Diet is very milk and gluten rich, but host and his current girlfriend are good cooks, predominantly vegetarian (with occasional bacon) and meals are as organic and local as they can get.
- If you are repetitively and actively demanding, they will get special food for you you have to pay for on their weekly delivery rides into town, and you will be able to choose tasks that fit you from a selection of available tasks. (We were three from week three onwards, so always found tasks that were ok for each one of us. Before that, alone, it wasn't so easy.)
- the kids are lovely, and the Hungarian girlfriend, Andrea, is empathic, competent and nice.

Negative:

- Host dislikes workawayers, considers them "wimps" (as opposed to wwwoof-ers). You will hear that A LOT (no matter how you work).
- If you're looking to learn Romanian, or seek immersion into Romanian culture- you won't find it here. This is a minority household, and the language spoken is German or Saxon-German dialect.
- Host has very specific niche views on how the world should function, and you are expected to share them. technology is the devil, basically.
- work security issues. I was made to clean industrial equipment with only dishwashing liquid, and sponges, no gloves, for the first few days. That basically meant that one sponge a day fell to pieces from the hard scrubbing, and I cut my hands open on the sharp steel edges multiple times. One cut went so deep I couldn't move my swollen middle finger for a few days. Then, and only then, I was given gloves. I asked myself how, if this host has been receiving so many people over the years, he doesnt think about supplying proper cleaning equipment and liquids. Some of the machines you work with arent exactly safe to work with, either (wood shredder, for example).
- #redacted text#
- It is recommended not to go there alone as a female (I wont go into the specifics, but lets say there were a few quite unpleasant situations). However, if you're a guy, specifically with a background in farming, you will be fine. Couples should also be ok.
- Host REALLY enjoys talking about the bees mating. At every possible possible opportunity he gets.
- A general lack of empathy or interest in others. (Example: EVERY host in any country who I contacted so far, instantly enquired about my diet, or any other things to consider working with a disabled person.) In general, workawayers are being regarded as tools- just like his animals, bees, machines and other "objects". And he treats them all fairly negligently. The dog is in a cage most of the time, isolated, dirty. One cat has a (FIVE year old!!) tumor so big its half of her size, half broken machines, etc.
- if you get sick or have your period, like happened to another girl, having taken time off on the weekend to relax are being angrily questioned. Again, you're just work tools having to function.
- The biggest part of the place (that was likely awesome a few decades ago) is in disrepair, and some rooms haven't been cleaned for 10-20 years. I have cleaned on and off since my student years, and I clean well and I work hard. But with basic means, this is a serious challenge on your joints, tendons and back.
- People with a dust, mould, pollen, bee-sting or related allergies may not apply. (everyone's noses were running all the time, at least two of us had hay fever)

SUMMARY/TLDR:

Great for fit-as-a-fiddle males with a background in bees or agriculture, who love to grind hard. And travelling couples. Not so great for anyone else. (I came down a major autoimmune flare a day after the "experience".)

(Good )

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