Jackie

Travel information

I am currently

Activities i am interested in:

Currently located in Berlin.

Description

Hello! I’m Jackie. I’m 29 years old, from Minnesota in the United States, and currently live in Berlin. I studied mechanical engineering and then worked in research and development for sustainable material development in Boston for 2 years. Then, in 2021 I quit my job to travel full time, backpacking, volunteering and learning along the way. I now work as a remote freelancer for two companies based in Berlin. The first is a 3D construction printing startup and the second is a non-profit fighting for renovation and reuse of existing buildings.

I will be in Milan from September through the end of December for a training program in Sustainable Architecture and Design led by an Italian architecture firm. I am very eager to explore Milan, practice my Italian, and immerse myself in Italian culture.

I am easy going, open minded and friendly. In my free time, I love being outdoors (running, biking, hiking), doing DIY projects (painting, printmaking, art projects) and cooking. I also enjoy learning languages, salsa dancing, and testing out new restaurants and coffee shops in my community.

Interests

Movies & TV

Pets

Animals

Team sports

Fitness

Hiking

Yoga / Wellness

Vegetarian or vegan

Sustainability

Outdoor activities

Nature

Languages

LGBTQ

Cooking & food

Dancing

Cycling

Culture

Camping

Beach

Art & design

DIY & crafts

Architecture

Drawing & painting

Languages

Languages spoken
English: Fluent
Spanish: Fluent
German: Intermediate
Italian: Intermediate

More details about my language interests
I speak English, Spanish fluently and would be comfortable teaching/participating in a language exchange. I studied Italian and used to be comfortable communicating, but it has been several years so I am eager to start practicing again.

Find a language buddy

Skills and knowledge I'd like to share or learn

I'm interested in:  

Charity Work

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Some knowledge of:  

Eco Projects

Gardening

DIY and building projects

Animal Care

Life at a Farmstay

General Maintenance

Helping with Computers/ Internet

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Able to teach about:  

Art Projects

Languages

Teaching

Babysitting and creative play

Creating/ Cooking family meals

Helping around the house

Hospitality/Tourism

House sitting

More details about your skills

My background is in engineering, so in general, I am a good problem solver, I learn quickly, and I ask a lot of questions to understand a problem and its potential solution fully. I have a knack for DIY projects, so while I’m not a formally trained handyman, with simple instructions I can pick up new skills and help out with most tasks.

I also have LOTS of experience with childcare. For the last two years, I have been a part time nanny for two German boys (now aged 4 and 6). The boys speak German to me and I speak English to them, like a mutual language exchange. Though this was outside of Workaway, I would gladly ask the parents to reach out to you if a reference is requested. I was also a babysitter throughout my high school and college years for babies and kids 6 months old to 15 years old. During university, I ran a hands-on science experiment club for elementary school kids, a computer science club for 7-12 year olds, taught Spanish to elementary school kids, and tutored high school math. I am comfortable with children of all ages and babies too!

I also love animals. I grew up with dogs, but have recently become a cat lover over the past couple of years. I would gladly help out with pet-related tasks.

Lastly, I love art, cooking and fitness, so I would be glad to help out in any of these areas. I like to paint, draw and decorate, I cook vegetarian and vegan food (that said, I am not strictly vegetarian and am open to incorporating meat in moderation), and I practice yoga, running, soccer, snow sports, water sports… anything active, I’m glad to get involved in!

Age

30

What else ...

I have previously done Workaways, but I had a shared account with a travel partner and our membership expired. I would be glad to share references if requested!

I volunteered on a coffee farm in Nicaragua:
-Interior decoration projects
-Light gardening
-Cooking rice, beans and corn tortillas from scratch
-Cleaning
-Learned about the end-to-end coffee production process

I volunteered at a permaculture farm/youth leadership organization in Nicaragua:
-Taught English classes
-Led an LGBTQIA+ allyship training for youth leaders
-Light gardening

I volunteered at a hostel in Lisbon, Portugal:
-Managing check-ins/check-outs
-Ran the front desk and monitored the door
-Cleaning of the communal kitchen

I volunteered as a youth soccer coach in Naples, Italy:
-Coached boys and girls age 4-12
-Created activities for physical activity
-Led discussions on leadership, self-empowerment, and confidence

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
  I am vegetarian, but I can be flexible. I do like meat, but prefer to not eat it often. I can be quite self-sufficient in cooking food for myself as well. And happy to share some recipes too!