Andrea & Ed

Travel information

We are currently

Activities we are interested in:

- hiking
- swimming
- running
- crafts such as pottery
- animal care
- kayaking

We want to develop our skills in:
- woodwork
- gardening

Description

Hi there! We’re Ed (31, m/nb) and Andie (28, f), a couple from the South West of England, excited about immersing ourselves in new cultures, learning new skills, and contributing wherever we can. We’re eager to work, learn, and connect with people who share our passions for the environment, wellbeing, creativity, and community.

Our Interests:
Nature & Outdoor Enthusiasts: We love spending time outdoors and are fascinated by the natural world. We have some experience with animals and have done some foraging, although we're far from experts we’re enthusiastic about learning and getting our hands dirty! We’d love to help with planting, animal care, or any eco-friendly projects.

Creativity & Crafting: We have a deep interest in arts and crafts, including pottery, woodwork, and silversmithing. We've taken part in some classes and workshops and are keen to learn from those with experience to grow our skills. We’re eager to help with creative projects or even try our hands at building and creating under your guidance.

Cooking & Cultural Curiosity: We enjoy cooking, experimenting with different foods, and learning about global cuisines. We’re more than happy to assist with meal prep, kitchen duties, and learning new cooking techniques. We’re also passionate about learning from other cultures and love sharing stories and experiences with new people. Andie's been vegan for over 3 years, and Ed describes himself as "vaguely vegan" although we're still not sure what that means!!

Our Values:
Openness & Fairness: As a queer couple, we value inclusivity and diversity. We strive to be open-minded, respectful, and kind in all our interactions. We hope to connect with hosts who share these values and create a welcoming space for everyone.

Environmental Awareness: We care deeply about the planet and are committed to sustainable living. We’re eager to help with projects focused on environmental stewardship, and we’d love to learn more about sustainable practices like organic farming, eco-building, or conservation efforts.

Wellbeing & Community: We believe in fostering a sense of wellbeing for ourselves and others, both mentally and physically. Whether through working with our hands, sharing creative ideas, or engaging in meaningful conversations, we’re committed to personal growth and supporting the community around us.

Why Workaway?
We’re here to learn, grow, and give back. Whilst we're stepping away from our professions in mental health (Ed) and early years education (Andie), we’re more than happy to take on new challenges and learn the ropes, whether in the garden, kitchen, workshop, or with animals. We’re excited to exchange skills, share experiences, and build connections with hosts who are passionate about what they do.

Looking forward to hearing from you and contributing to your project!

Interests

Winter sports

Vegetarian or vegan

Van life

Sustainability

Self development

Pets

Outdoor activities

Nature

Mountain

LGBTQ

Hiking

Fitness

Events & social

Drawing & painting

DIY & crafts

Cycling

Cooking & food

Culture

Charity work

Camping

Carpentry

Books

Beach

Art & design

Animals

Languages spoken

German: Intermediate

Skills and knowledge we'd like to share or learn

We're interested in:  

Art Projects

Eco Projects

Gardening

DIY and building projects

Life at a Farmstay

Creating/ Cooking family meals

Helping around the house

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Some knowledge of:  

Charity Work

Animal Care

Helping with Computers/ Internet

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Able to teach about:  

Teaching

More details about your skills

At a glance:

Ed:
cooking & meal prep
pet care
computer and internet skills
artistic
bar & cocktail experience
teaching, training, & workshop delivery (mental health and EFL)
Full car and motorbike license

Andie:
Animal care
chicken coop & animal enclosure maintenance
pet care
teaching, training, & workshop delivery (early years ed.)
Au pair experience (1 year)
Full car license

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-> Ed:
I've had a passion for learning, education, psychology and mental health for as long as I can remember. I have an undergrad degree in psychology and neuroscience and have studied at postgrad level for a total of three years in cognitive behavioural therapy and supervision.
I've loved being able to work delivering therapy to young people for over six years, supporting them, families, and schools and communities. Alongside this my other professional experiences have been as an associate lecturer at Exeter University creating and delivering material to train therapeutic supervisors and I began my working life in a secondary school supporting young people with autism.

These experiences have given me skills in creating and delivering workshops, training, talking and engaging people from diverse backgrounds and balancing pressures with self-care. In my downtime I've been passionate about nature, in particular mushrooms and woodland. I've been learning foraging skills at home in the UK and love taking care of plants through slowly creating an indoor jungle (ok I'm just talking potted plants here!). I've loved doing a pottery course recently where I learnt the basics of hand building and can't wait to learn more! I've built my own PC and have some solid computing skills with windows PCs.

Whilst studying, I worked in my community at a wedding venue on an organic farm, serving drinks on the bar, supporting in the kitchen, and as a waiter and general help. I have volunteer experience teaching English as a foreign language and supporting adults and children with additional needs and am passionate about empowering people in their everyday lives.

Andie will testify that I love to cook and will try any new recipe. Food is a passion for me and I love to test out new spices and flavour combinations - I've been learning more vegan recipes for Andie but can cook for anyone. In line with my love of flavour I've been exploring cocktail making too, learning from recipes and my sister who's a cocktail waitress - I make a mean Espresso Martini!

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-> Andie:
I have worked in early years education for 10 years. I have a degree in education specialising in early years, wellbeing, and the outdoors. I have used the knowledge I gained from my degree to work in a variety of settings including two Reggio Emilia nurseries, an outdoor Danish based nursery and also Au paired for a family with four children in Germany.

Working in Germany during the pandemic as an au pair for four children in a busy household taught me a lot. I cooked and cleaned for the family, walked the dog, cared for the chickens, home schooled the two eldest children and played with the younger two, it was a busy and happy time. The family were very practical, I learnt lots of different skills from pruning fruit trees to splitting logs with a machine. We built fires together on the weekends, went on cycle rides and hiked in the Schwabian hills.

After living in Germany I came back to the UK to work at a Danish based outdoor nursery, I completed my Forest School training and became more interested in animal care. I became head of animal welfare whilst at the setting, caring for donkeys, goats, sheep, chickens, a working cat, rabbits and a lot of guinea pigs. As part of this role I ensured the enclosures were well kept, being solely responsible for day-today maintenance. I also helped put in an electric fence after the goats learnt how to escape!

Age

29 & 31

What else ...

We enjoy painting, playing card games, reading, foraging and cooking.

We want to learn new skills such as crochet, carving and guitar.

We’re hoping to improve our pottery & silver smithing skills, and physical health. We hope we'll create connections to local communities to return to time and again in the future.

Some more information

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  Smoker

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  Driver's licence

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  Allergies

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  Special dietary requirements
  Andie is vegan. Ed eats everything