Finnlay

United Kingdom
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Profile information

Travel information
I am currently
Travelling
Description
Hi, I'm Finn – a 21-year-old student from the UK who loves to travel as much as possible between studies. I thrive on a free and active lifestyle, and my interests are vast and varied: sport, music, film+culture, religion, art, philosophy, and politics.

Travel allows me to explore these passions globally, appreciating other perspectives and ways of life, and learning about cultural differences. While I adore the physical spectacles of travel, what truly sustains my passion is understanding others and learning what it's like to live in shoes completely different from my own. This is something I think Workaway is a great platform for!

In terms of my personality, I'm fairly laid-back yet adventurous. I enjoy reading, conversing with other travellers and hearing their stories, and being active outdoors. I'm also a hardworking and vocal team player, having worked in many teams during my studies and work.
Interests
Charity work
Farming
Movies & TV
Sustainability
Pets
Videography
Politics / Social justice
Events & social
Culture
Performing arts
Writing
Hitchhiking
Cooking & food
Photography
Plant care
Music
History
Books
Art & design
Animals
Outdoor activities
Team sports
Nature
Mountain
Hiking
Cycling
Camping
Beach
Adventure sports
Languages
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
Spanish: Beginner
More details about my language interests
I'm a fluent English speaker, and would love to have the opportunity to teach! I learnt some Spanish travelling in Latin America but would love to have more formal teaching.
Find a language buddy
Skills and knowledge I'd like to share or learn
I'm interested in:
Art Projects
Teaching
DIY and building projects
General Maintenance
Hospitality/Tourism
Some knowledge of:
Charity Work
Languages
Eco Projects
Gardening
Animal Care
Life at a Farmstay
Creating/ Cooking family meals
Helping around the house
Able to teach about:
Babysitting and creative play
More details about your skills
During my Gap year and ever since, I have worked various jobs in my home town of Cambridge, England. This includes: teaching Guitar, childcare, working at a care home and working at a tea room as a kitchen porter/food runner. I have spent time volunteering in Costa Rica, with various projects. This included renovating school grounds and playing sport with the local children (which is a personal travel highlight of mine) in El Cocal; preparing food and feeding the animals in Natuwa wildlife sanctuary; helping with beach clean-ups and turtle conservation in Montezuma. I am very hard-working and dedicated, and tend to thrive working in a team environment. Throughout my work experience, I have learnt to work and communicate effectively in a team. I am also physically fit and am able to persist through long working days.
Age
22
Some more information
- Smoker
- Driver's licence
- Allergies
  No - I eat anything
- Special dietary requirements
  No - I eat anything

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18 Jan 2026

Left by Workawayer () for host (Share your knowledge with us ...)

I stayed at Zhanna's farm for about 3 weeks (August-September 2025) and it was a beautiful experience.

A few basic points first:
- I slept in a tent, which was comfortable and not too cold (it would be too cold in winter I imagine). Other volunteers also slept in the unused guest accommodation when available.
- There is good wifi available in… read more the kitchen.
- The food is brilliant. I am a rubbish cook, but helped where I could. Zhanna is a wonderful cook, as were the other volunteers I worked with, Assel in particular.
- The work is varied, sometimes more intensive, sometimes interesting, sometimes more mundane. There is always plenty to be doing.
- There are not set days off, but if you ask to have days off/want to go and explore around the farm/take a trip around Kazakhstan and return it should be okay.

I had a wonderful and enriching stay at the eco-farm. Zhanna and her son Denis are complex and interesting people, and are great company once you get to know them a bit. I concur with other reviews insofar as the cultural exchange element is not so accessible at first, but it is there, it just takes time to settle in and to get to know everybody. I had great conversations with Zhanna about Turkic cultural tradition, the running of the farm/guesthouse and so many other interesting topics. It should be noticed that this is a place for guests to come and stay, and this work and organisation is primary over cultural conversations. Zhanna is a busy person and this must be respected, and I can see how some people have taken this as miscommunication. I suggest staying longer than a week to be able to get that cultural exchange aspect. In the end, I felt very at home around the farm around Denis and Zhanna and the other volunteers. This sense of the unfamiliar becoming familiar and homely is such a special thing. Denis is a great guy and has a passion for music and is talented at digital media, I really enjoyed being involved in making instagram reels with him about the work on the farm, and chatting about and playing music. I was there during a busy season, and enjoyed chatting to guests too, who are from all over the place. Additionally, we often had guests from next door farms (workers and other volunteers) and I got to know those guys pretty well too. A good impromptu working family was formed. The food is freshly made and varied, and you are encouraged to cook any signature dishes you have up your sleeve (if you can cook, unlike me).

The location is stunning, and the best jobs are those where you are out in the open, taking in the surroundings. I particularly enjoyed working on constructing the new house, where I could have a full day in the sun. Zhanna has some lovely and playful cats and dogs, and there are horses and cows around the site and in the apple orchard. As mentioned, there are less interesting jobs. It is important to do what needs to be done, but you can express wanting to do other preferred jobs that are available. The days can sometimes be long and there are early starts, but it is not too bad. You will not be told when to stop working, so judge it for yourself and stay in communication with Zhanna and Denis.

It's a great place to relax too during time off. The surrounding mountains are breathtaking and rarely was there a sunset which wasn't beautiful, and there is nice seating and hammocks around the site. Various events were put on for the guests, which volunteers can enjoy too, such as evenings around the fire, music performances, barbecues and parties. You may also get the chance to relax in the sauna area! There is also an opportunity to do horse-riding on the next door farm. Additionally, Denis drove us to a nice river nearby to the farm to relax.

There are no set times off, but do ask! I was able to have days off here and there and spent a week exploring Almaty and the surrounding sites. This was no problem.

In sum I highly recommend spending some time at this place, but would advise spending a longer rather than shorter time here (longer than a week) to wholly appreciate the places' merits. I extended my stay. Use initiative and communication to manage work/time off balance.

Thank you so much to Zhanna, Denis, Rinat, Assel and all the other volunteers and countless guests. This was my first Workaway experience and it was excellent. I came away with new skills learnt, friends made and so many amazing memories. I look forward to returning one day.

(Excellent)

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