Julie

United Kingdom
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Profile information

Travel information
I am currently
Travelling
My next destination:
Norway
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Description
A few recent life decisions mean that I am free to return to travelling for a while and I can’t wait for it!

I used to travel a lot - hiking and hitching, working as a tour leader, touring by bike etc but I gave most of that up over several years to get some more personal and financial stability. Which is done. So now it is time for more fun again.
I am embracing my middle-age and most things that come with it. Of course, some stuff isn’t so great (there is more of you, you become over-opinionated, you can’t remember why you came upstairs to this room etc) but other things are really good (i.e. who cares what you look like?! you are so wise with all these amazing opinions which are always right and you get so much extra exercise while hunting for your specs).

I’ve had a few Workaway experiences over the years in Scandinavia helping out with hospitality in small tourist businesses and being a de-clutterer and organiser on a private property and had a fantastic time doing it all.
It is amazing to have the chance to live another type of life that I either haven't chosen or that hasn't been a practical option, but which still really appeals to me - like living on an island, by the sea, in the mountains, in the far North, on a farm, from the land, through crafts or any combination of the above.

I love to spend time outdoors in the wilderness, and I love communicating, using my languages (including French and Spanish), getting to know people and what makes them tick.
I find physical work satisfying - building, repairing, trouble-shooting, discussing solutions and trying them out.
Equally, I am experienced in the domestic side of life - cooking, baking, cleaning, sewing, mending etc. I garden and forage and grow fruit and vegetables on my allotment and make loads of delicious preserves with the produce.
I don’t have children or pets of my own but really enjoy both, having spent a lot of time with my godsons, nephews and niece and also dog-sitting and dog-walking for friends.

I'm fine on my own but also very sociable - community and society are very important for me and I have spent the last few years establishing a home and community for myself, participating in local activities, surrounded by good friends.

I’ve had a lot of different jobs but my most recent one has been in the public sector. Every day at work I practise being nice and calm and trying to make tricky situations better. My customer service skills are at their peak, but my patience with some situations is wearing a little thin, so I am taking a break and I look forward to the new opportunities coming up soon!
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
Spanish: Fluent
French: Fluent
Skills and knowledge I'd like to share or learn
I'm interested in:
Life at a Farmstay
Some knowledge of:
DIY and building projects
General Maintenance
Creating/ Cooking family meals
Eco Projects
Animal Care
Hospitality/Tourism
Able to teach about:
Gardening
Languages
Teaching
More details about your skills
informing and accompanying tourists, interpreting, language practice, writing for websites, general indoor and outdoor maintenance, teaching, animal care, gardening, cooking, serving at table ...
Age
56
What else ...
I am willing to try most activities, have high standards and I follow jobs through to the end.
Some more information
- Smoker
- Driver's licence
- Allergies
  No
- Special dietary requirements
  No

Feedback

4 Mar 2019

Left by Workawayer (Julie) for host (Help us to take care of a ...)

In the second half of February I spent just over 2 weeks here with 4 other workawayers, and would have been delighted to stay much longer!

There were two very different work styles during this time...
In the first week the focus for me was on washing down and sanding wooden bedroom floors after they had been scraped of the glue holding down the… read more previous lino... This was dusty work of course but we had face masks, knee pads and ear protectors so it was fine. We worked either in the morning or in the afternoon and were free for the other half of the day. We ate all meals together and all helped with shopping, cooking and clearing up, which was very sociable and enjoyable overall.
In the second week there was a group of 20 guests staying so the focus was on looking after them, preparing rooms, cleaning, preparing breakfast, shopping, cooking and serving the evening meal and washing-up. There was a rota for this and, though of course we had to be prepared to do any of them, and most of them had to be done at a certain time, we could state our preferences for these different tasks. We ate at the same time as the guests and it was all delicious. The guests were also great - very relaxed and appreciative...
In either case we worked about 3.5 hours a day every day, sometimes a bit more.
It could be tiring but I think it works pretty well, as it gives you the best chance to go outside and do something active on the good weather days.

Socially, this was a really fun time. I was lucky enough to be with a lively group of different characters with varied talents and the atmosphere was really friendly and inclusive between us. We spent a lot of time with Mathieu who was directing most of our work and worked himself non-stop from dawn til dusk. Ingunn was out at her job all day from Tuesday to Thursday but very present on other days and especially helping with the guests.

Even though they are both so busy, Ingunn and Mathieu are extremely good-hearted people, really care that workawayers should have the opportunity to do the activities they came for and tried to arrange our days so that this was possible. We could borrow snow shoes, had a group boat trip over to the island, could kayak when the conditions were right and also had a hot tub session (but don't kid yourself - preparing the hot tub takes organisation and dedication in the winter!). Others were keen skiers and/or tried the fat bikes...
The room I stayed in was warm and comfortable (initially I was alone, then I shared with another female workawayer) and the location was stunningly beautiful. I didn't have the best luck with the weather during my stay but the clear sunny days were perfect with wonderful views, even if you didn't make it quite to the top of any peaks!

Overall this was a great stay and I would love to return before too long. Thank you for this experience Mathieu and Ingunn!

(Excellent )

4 Oct 2018

Left by host (Help in the garden, on the ...) for Workawayer (Julie)

Julie came to me for a 10 nights stay and she fitted right in. She actually stayed longer in the 13 degree water than any of us and when we said she was a true Viking, she mused that she was a brave Brit. My shed is a dream after Julie organised it and I can actually get stuff in at the same time as I can find what is in there already. Julie was a… read more

(Excellent )

4 Oct 2018

Left by Workawayer (Julie) for host (Help in the garden, on the ...)

I really enjoyed my 10 days on Oland at the end of September - The surroundings are beautiful, just a few hundred metres from the harbour, forests all around the coast, more open fields and farms in the cetre of the island, old windmills galore and plenty of standing stones, ruins and natural attractions. It is a windy island and the wind can be… read more

(Excellent )

19 Mar 2017

Left by Workawayer (Julie) for host (Outdoor adventures in ...)

I spent 5 weeks with Karina, Ian and 4 other workawayers in Ringstad during February and a bit of January and March. It was a fantastically varied experience in a stunningly beautiful location and international atmosphere, with workawayers from the UK, Germany, France and Mexico and guests from the Netherlands, Switzerland, Germany and the UK.… read more
The highlights for me were not only the amazing nature all around us - the sea, mountains, hoarfrost, Northern Lights and wildlife sightings, but also the conversations I had with so many people and all I learnt about people, history, economic activity and politics in that little corner of Northern Norway. I felt I really got an insight into the area from many different angles, from Knitting Club to the fishing business!
I had the opportunity to hike, snow-shoe, kayak, go on the RIB to see sea eagles and visit several different villages and ports in Vesteralen as part of my tasks and acted as French interpreter for guests who didn't speak German or English.
I also did a lot of cleaning, making beds, preparing, serving and washing up after food plus some shopping, snow-shovelling and helping with English texts for the website etc. Different workawayers had slightly different tasks according to their skills, though we all helped with the domestic side of things.
I was there for most of the peak Winter season with full occupancy most of the time, so it was hard work and we worked more than 5 hours a day, but then, in my opinion, cleaning is work but, even if you are carrying some wood for the campfire and helping less-fit guests, snow-shoeing is more like fun!
Everything I did was more than rewarded by the delicious food and drink, the appreciation of the guests, Karina taking me around the area with her, Ian giving me some photography 'tuition' and kayaking, both of them imparting vast amounts of information and even a whale safari thrown in.
They are generous, interesting hosts with great (and very different!) characters who work incredibly hard to make their business successful and ensure that the guests have a great holiday.
I also really enjoyed the company of the other workawayers who were a fantastic team and really interesting people too and I feel that I made some very good new friends. I finished my time there with all of us together having an early morning freezing dip in the sea, which I highly recommend for waking you up and making you feel alive! I had my own room in the workaway house where there was a kitchen, big living room and laundry room - it was very comfortable, though I was mainly there to sleep.
The tasks will vary in this placement according to the time of year and the number of guests but, if you are prepared to be flexible, do whatever needs to be done in the moment, and take advantage of all the opportunities that come up, you will have a fantastic time too.

(Excellent )

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Friends

Photos

2023 - licks from a friend’s new puppy

2023 - Midsummer on the allotment

2023 - dog-sitting for neighbours, early morning

2023 - Yorkshire Dales, end of the Ribble Way path

2023 - Cornwall, South West Coast Path

Winter kayaking around Ringstad, Vesteralen, Norway.

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Snow-shoeing in the Pyrenees

Nice cold sea off Oland, Sweden

elderberries, crabapples and sloes

Spring rhubarb, after taking the bin off it

September mushrooming in Sweden

Feedback

4 Mar 2019

Left by Workawayer (Julie) for host (Help us to take care of a ...)

(Excellent )

4 Oct 2018

Left by host (Help in the garden, on the ...) for Workawayer (Julie)

(Excellent )

4 Oct 2018

Left by Workawayer (Julie) for host (Help in the garden, on the ...)

(Excellent )

19 Mar 2017

Left by Workawayer (Julie) for host (Outdoor adventures in ...)

(Excellent )

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Julie

Badges (3)

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Profile information

Travel information

Description

Languages spoken

Skills and knowledge I'd like to share or learn

I'm interested in:

Some knowledge of:

Able to teach about:

More details about your skills

Age

What else ...

Some more information

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