Colin

United States
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Travel information
I am currently
Travelling
Activities i am interested in:
I'm in the south of Austria and will be in Graz from the 21-25. let's explore and get a coffee together.
Description
My name is Colin and I am 35 years old. I am from the United States, I graduated from university in Scotland, and I’ve been living in Istanbul, Turkey for 10 years. I work at a university teaching academic skills to first year engineering students.

I am a reliable and responsible person who takes things seriously while also maintaining a healthy sense of humor - I really appreciate being around people who make me laugh (which isn't difficult). I maintain a healthy lifestyle with daily exercise and nutritious cooking - I'm no master chef, but I prepare most of my own healthy and filling meals with fresh, whole foods. I live alone so I am pretty self-sufficient, but I really enjoy connecting and talking with people of all different backgrounds.

In my free time I most enjoy walking around the city with my camera photographing interesting moments or scenes that catch my attention and showing love to the street dogs I come across (they are everywhere in Istanbul!).

For outdoor activities I like hiking, rollerblading (or biking), and swimming (especially in natural bodies of water).

To relax I enjoy reading fiction, looking at photography books, and listening to podcasts about history, art, and sport.
Interests
Self development
Pets
Fitness
Camping
Nature
Photography
Hiking
Cooking & food
Books
Animals
Languages
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
Turkish: Intermediate
More details about my language interests
I am a trained English teacher, so I can help people improve English and I am happy to pick up some of their language as well.
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Skills and knowledge I'd like to share or learn
I'm interested in:
Life at a Farmstay
Eco Projects
DIY and building projects
General Maintenance
Some knowledge of:
Gardening
Animal Care
Charity Work
More details about your skills
Currently I work as a university teacher, but my past work experience includes food preparation, food service, house painting (interior), and landscaping (planting, mulching, mowing, trimming, edging, etc.).
Age
36
What else ...
As a teacher, I am lucky to have a lot of free time in the summer to travel, meet people, and experience new things. However, I prefer to have structure and routine in my life to help me stay busy. That is why I am seeking a work-stay experience – to have a productive and fulfilling experience while connecting with new people and exploring a new place.
Some more information
- Smoker
- Driver's licence
- Allergies
- Special dietary requirements

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28 Oct 2024

Left by Workawayer () for host (Creating a nature sanctuary, ...)

First let me apologize for writing this feedback with such a delay; Laura and Markus deserve better!

I stayed with Laura and Markus for two weeks in early July 2024, and it was a perfect first workaway experience for me! They have been hosts for a while and it shows; they really know how to treat their guests so that everyone can get the most… read more out of this exchange.

Accommodations / Facilities: I was the first workawayer of the season so things were pretty slow when I arrived, which gave me a chance to settle in and enjoy the peace and calm of the beautiful surrounding area. I stayed in the tiny house and loved it, it was perfect for me with a bed, comfortable reading chair, and screen on the door so I could leave it open at night. The outdoor kitchen was well equipped for cooking, making coffee / tea, etc. and they continually stocked it with more delicious, healthy food than I could eat! Shared bathroom facilities are large with plenty of hot water in the showers.

Hosts: As mentioned, Markus and Laura are experienced hosts and know what they are doing. Before I arrived, Laura communicated their expectations / offer in writing, which I appreciated and found very reasonable. Laura is friendly and open with a warm and empathetic personality, and is easy to communicate with. Markus is a laid back guy who is on the quiet side, but he has a great sense of humor and we had a lot of laughs together. I enjoyed spending time with both of them and found it easy to find common ground. From a work / managerial perspective they both empower workawayers to take initiative, make decisions, use tools etc., but are also very approachable for guidance and help when needed.

Work: I mostly did landscaping / gardening / property maintenance-type stuff like cutting back overgrown trees, bushes, vines, weeding the vegetable beds, etc. because I was comfortable with that based on past work experience. We also refinished and painted the floor of the indoor communal space, and I assisted Markus with a minor plumbing project. Other work included moving some bricks around the property to use for new vegetable beds. The property is large and there are a variety of projects going on and Markus and Laura are flexible about letting people do what they're comfortable with or interested in.

Free Time / Fun: Part of my daily routine was taking Venus the dog for a walk in the countryside - I loved the views out there and there are some trails through meadows and forests that are really enjoyable. Once the other workawayers arrived, we enjoyed cooking / eating and spending time together in the outdoor kitchen, and we made several fires together in the evening down in the fire pit. We went to the community pool several times, and 2-3 times we went to a nice lake not far away in Hungary. The castle in Gussing is worth climbing up and looking around. The nearby (~1 hour) city of Graz is definitely worth a day trip or overnight; I went there for a day and fell in love and decided to go back and stay for 5 days on my way out of the area - I highly recommend a visit!

Overall my stay was a very enjoyable experience for me and part of the reason I fell in love with Austria. I am planning to return to Austria and I hope to pay Laura and Markus a visit to reconnect with them and to see how their property has evolved. Thank you for everything Laura and Markus!

(Excellent)

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