Helena

Germany
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Profile information

Travel information
I am currently
Travelling
My next destination:
Canada - from Feb 2020 until Aug 2022
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Description
Hi everyone,
I'm Helena, 27 years old from Germany and I've been in Canada since February 2020. I have worked as an Au Pair in Australia in 2014 as well as here in Canada when I first came in 2020. After that I followed my biggest passion and worked as a trail guide/wrangler at a horse ranch in BC for almost 1,5 years. I also got the chance to get an insight to the cutting world and worked as a loper after my ranch experience. I spent the winter 2022 in Saskatchewan and worked as a dog handler/doing dog sled tours and also helped with/attempted some races. Right now I'm learning about gardening in BC. I'm a very open-minded and easy going person that likes to try and learn about new things.
In my free time I enjoy cooking meals or bake some sweet stuff just as much as I like to eat it afterwards haha.
Interests
Mountain
Beach
Nature
Winter sports
Fitness
Outdoor activities
Gardening
Animals
Pets
Cooking & food
Self development
Skills and knowledge I'd like to share or learn
Some knowledge of:
Life at a Farmstay
Helping around the house
Able to teach about:
Creating/ Cooking family meals
Animal Care
More details about your skills
I have been riding for over 15 years and worked at a trail riding ranch as headwrangler. I have a master degree in pedagogy and worked in human resources while I was studying. I was an Au pair in Australia (2014) and here in Canada as well (2020).
I love being outside and I have no problem with getting my hands dirty. I also enjoy to cook and bake and like to try out new things in the kitchen. In my free time I do sport regularly to keep myself fit (I used to go to the gym in Germany).
Languages spoken
German: Fluent
English: Fluent
Age
27
Some more information
- Smoker
- Driver's licence
- Allergies
  no
- Special dietary requirements

Feedback

04/04/2022

Left by host (Looking for a sled dog ...) for Workawayer (Helena)

Helena was a phenomenal worker and we were so happy to join have her join our family for winter 2022! Helena enjoys working with animals and puts their needs above her own. Once, she joined our team she immediately understood this was a "lifestyle" not just a job. The dogs are very important to our family and sometimes our schedule can get very… read more

(Excellent )

04/04/2022

Left by Workawayer (Helena) for host for (Looking for a sled dog ...)

I stayed with the family from January to April 2022 and I don't even know where to start my feedback.
First of all Charlie and Tanya are very generous and welcoming people that will make you feel at home right away. There both easy going and will introduce you to a lot of friends and family. For me it was easy to work with Charlie and even though… read more sometimes things went wrong we always had something to laugh about afterwards. Oh and than there are their three boys that will make sure you stay entertained and don't get to confident about your cooking skills - haha.

As the profile already says if you love dogs, the outdoors and winter that's the right place for you. You get to experience everything that Canadian winter has to offer: snowy and cold weather, ski-dooing and of course dog sledding. Be it training dogs, doing fun races with friends, traveling to schools to give tours or helping Charlie at races - I spent a lot of time with the dogs and on the sled. And even though it took a while for me to get confident about it I loved every second! The dogs are amazing athletes and very social as well. So be ready for a lot of dog cuddles!
The winter work mainly consisted of giving tours at schools. So the school either came to Charlie's place or we would travel to the schools. So I got to see a lot of different places in Saskatchewan and met a lot of different people. It didn't take me long to get the routine but it definitely took me longer to learn the +-50 dog names haha. Charlie teaches the kids about the dogs and mushing history, they get to harness the dogs and than go for a sled ride. So a lot of kids of all ages will be included in your work and you'll get a lot of happy giggles while you take them on a ride.
Other everyday work included watering and feeding the dogs, scooping poop and every once in a while strawing the dog houses. If there was a race on the weekend I would most likely join Charlie to help him or sometimes stay at home to take care of the remaining dogs. Going to races and meet the other dog mushers was really fun and unique and I even got to race a couple of times as well which was an unforgettable experience. The craziness of the dogs when you hook them up to the sled just before the race and the immediate silence as soon as the race starts got me chills every time.

So I recommend this place 100%! But be aware it's not a Disney movie it is physically demanding work, you'll get dirty, you have to be okay with raw meat and it can be cold and exhausting. But even though I was exhausted sometimes I would definitely do it again.
Missing the dogs already! Oh and of course the family ;-) Thank you again for the most special winter I've ever had and I'll never forget!!

(Excellent )

18/11/2021

Left by Workawayer (Helena) for host for (Learn about western horse ...)

I came to Robin and Jens plays mid August and stayed for three months. My daily tasks included helping with feeding and exercising/warming up the horses. At the time Robin had 10 horses of which we exercised 6 on a regular basis. This also included two 2-year-olds that were at the beginning of their cutting training. They were fully broke and very… read more

(Excellent )

16/11/2021

Left by host (Learn about western horse ...) for Workawayer (Helena)

Helena came to us in mid-August and stayed until early November. She quickly fit into our daily routines and we were very comfortable with her joining our family. She had very good horse skills and added more during her time here. Her responsibilities with the horses consisted of feeding and daily exercising all the horses. Helena also played a… read more

(Excellent )

15/09/2021

Left by Workawayer (Helena) for host for (Come and help on our small ...)

What can I say. A few weeks/months turned into almost 1 1/2 years. And I think that says it all about the ranch and especially Crystal and Jeff. Even though you can already read it in all the other feedbacks I still want to mention it again: they are like family. They try everything to keep animals and staff happy even though the summer months are… read more

(Excellent )

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04/04/2022

Left by host (Looking for a sled dog ...) for Workawayer (Helena)

(Excellent )

04/04/2022

Left by Workawayer (Helena) for host for (Looking for a sled dog ...)

(Excellent )

18/11/2021

Left by Workawayer (Helena) for host for (Learn about western horse ...)

(Excellent )

16/11/2021

Left by host (Learn about western horse ...) for Workawayer (Helena)

(Excellent )

15/09/2021

Left by Workawayer (Helena) for host for (Come and help on our small ...)

(Excellent )

07/06/2020

Left by Workawayer (Helena) for host for (Help with care and ...)

Jane was my first Workaway host and I learned a lot from her, especially about gardening. She also made sure that I had a good time and see something of the area - be it a nearby lake or a ride in the mountains - it was great experiences. I fell in love with her adorable horses and had many opportunities to ride and be around them.
And I also… read more

(Excellent )

05/06/2020

Left by host (Help with care and ...) for Workawayer (Helena)

Helena stayed with me and was a delight to have here with us. She is a diligent and conscientious worker that need little direction and is able to assess and do what needs doing. Helena is and exceptional riders and the horse liked her very much. Helena is interested in learning and seeks out opportunities to enhance her knowledge, be it for… read more

(Excellent )

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