Jana-Maria

Travel information

I am currently

Description

Hello everyone,

I am Jana from Germany. It was always my dream to live and work in Australia, that's why I entered the country at the end of June’23 on my first Working Holiday Visa.
I spent my first few weeks in Melbourne in an airbnb in St Kilda, where I lived with a student from Chile and an Australian. It was a nice "arrival" in Australia and felt more like living together in a shared flat than in an airbnb. Afterwards, I luckily met a Hongkong-born family through workaway and spent six weeks with them. There, I was mainly responsible for household chores, but also did some gardening like mowing and weeding. The most fun I had during this time was cooking together with my host, as I was able to learn a lot about preparing Japanese/Chinese/Kantonese dishes.

After that, I spontaneously went to beautiful Byron Bay. In exchange for free accommodation, I help out with cleaning my host's airbnb and their house. I really enjoy my time here, especially long walks on the beach to the lighthouse to watch whales and spot koalas. I will stay in Byron Bay until 16 November, after that I plan to travel further south, especially to Sydney for Xmas and hopefully New Year's Eve.

During my GAP year in New Zealand in 2012, I got to know a lovely family in Nelson. Actually, I was only supposed to stay there for a week, but I ended up staying for half a year. I was taking care of the children (two boys, aged 4 and 2) and did some household chores as vacuuming etc.. In 2018 I went back to Nelson and stayed with my Kiwi family for almost two months. It's now a second home for me and I will cherish these beautiful memories forever.

During my studies at University I went to Spain and spend six weeks with a family of five in Madrid. I got to know everyday life and Spanish family life for which I am very grateful.


In summary I think Workaway is a great opportunity to:
- learn new skills
- dive deeper into a country and see what most travellers don't
- live like the locals and get to know a country from the locals' point of view
- make lasting connections
Without the insider knowledge of a local, I would have never discovered all the hidden treasures, traditions and delicious food.

Interests

Languages

Languages spoken
English: Fluent

More details about my language interests
This workawayer has indicated that they would be interested in sharing their language(s) or learning a new language. You can contact them directly to discuss this.

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Skills and knowledge I'd like to share or learn

I'm interested in:  

Gardening

Being an elderly companion

Eco Projects

Hospitality/Tourism

Languages

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Some knowledge of:  

Babysitting and creative play

Creating/ Cooking family meals

Life at a Farmstay

Animal Care

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Able to teach about:  

Art Projects

More details about your skills

During my first stay in New Zealand, I did a lot of crafts and painting with the children. Having painted and drawn for years as a hobby in a studio, I really enjoy being creative.

I am no stranger to household chores as I was employed in housekeeping in a hostel in New Zealand. In Germany, I lived in a shared flat for several years. Cleanliness and order were standard and I enjoyed living with many different flatmates.

I also really like horses (especially Icelandic horses), dogs and now also cats (my Airbnb host's cat is simply the best). In Germany, I took care of a pony for many years. During this time I enjoyed the rides in the nature very much. The maintenance of the meadow did not deter me either, as I like being outside very much.

Age

32

What else ...

I love to cook, but I also love to go out to eat. I am a big fan of the Italian and Asian cuisine!
In Germany I liked to go to various sports classes, but while travelling, this has become more difficult so I like to do workouts at home to stay fit and healthy.
I also like board games, card games, going to the movies, art exhibitions/galleries, concerts and music festivals.
Moreover I have passion for sustainability hence I'm very interested in sustainable, eco-friendly lifestyles! I studied it as a master's degree but I would like to gain practical experience in organic farming and permaculture. I would also like to learn more about caring for animals like sheep and chickens.

Here is another feedback from Helpx:
"Jana was a delight to host. She always had a huge smile and a great sense of humour, she was cheerful, friendly and helpful. Jana mainly worked in the house with cleaning was attentive to detail and showed great initiative and support. We loved spending time with her and highly recommend her."

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