Mathieu

Switzerland
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Travel information
I am currently
At home
Description
Hello!
My name is Mathieu, for now still a student in Switzerland, but soon to graduate!
I'm French, born in the States, and lived also in Egypt, Denmark, Scotland, Netherlands, and Portugal. Travel and adapting to new cultures have been an integrating part of who I am since a very young age, and this is why Workaway is an amazing platform to continue travelling (even though I don't use it as often as I would like to).

I've had the chance to volunteer quite a few times. I've served food for people in need during a year back in highschool, been an animator in a sports camp for kids, and had my first workaway experience in 2019, where I was a teacher for 12 to 15 year old kids in the rural region of Gaunshahar, Nepal for a month.

I've been and currently still am part of students association which is also some sort of volunteering. I'm currently in an association called ESN at my local university, that aims to integrate incoming exchange students and organize many events for them throughout the semester (and it's taking quite a lot of my time haha).

Travelling gives me the opportunity to leave everything behind, and discover myself anew in a completely different environment. I create a sort of (figurative) mask during the travel containing all the memories, discoveries, and knowledge I gained. Combining this with volunteering, means that, to this mask, I can add a much more down to earth meaning to what it means to give time for a greater cause, especially if it's with other like minded people!

I am hard-working and eager to learn, with an easy going and friendly personality. I am ready to get out of my comfort zone, and willing to discover anything new and exciting. Show me how to live! I want to respect, give, help, learn, exchange with all of you!
Interests
Winter sports
Writing
Sustainability
Team sports
Photography
Nature
Outdoor activities
Music
Movies & TV
Mountain
Languages
Fitness
Hitchhiking
Farming
Hiking
Drawing & painting
Cycling
Charity work
Camping
Books

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Languages
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
French: Fluent
Spanish: Beginner
Portuguese: Beginner
More details about my language interests
I travelled a lot already for long periods of time but never really knew the language of the country I had lived in that well. I wish I could've put more effort to learn the language in my earlier days so that I'd be way better now. But it's never too late to start!!!
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Skills and knowledge I'd like to share or learn
I'm interested in:
Gardening
DIY and building projects
Babysitting and creative play
Being an elderly companion
General Maintenance
Creating/ Cooking family meals
Life at a Farmstay
Eco Projects
Helping around the house
Animal Care
Hospitality/Tourism
Charity Work
Art Projects
Helping with Computers/ Internet
Able to teach about:
Languages
Teaching
More details about your skills
Great with kids, and with manual work: Not afraid to get my hands dirty! I love to try new things whether if it's in a group or individually. I'm curious and flexible and adapting to new situations, meet and reach out to lots of different people from all around the globe.
Age
24
What else ...
I'm big fan of sports in general, even the ones I don't know how to play and have no knowledge in. I'm a big fan of board games as well, Could play a whole night if I could. I would say I'm pretty adventurous, never turning down an opportunity to do something cool!
I'm also trying to learn skills from anything in the art world: Photography, drawing, music...I'm still a beginner, but I'm never too old to try and learn something new!
Some more information
- Smoker
- Driver's licence
- Allergies
- Special dietary requirements

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29 Sep 2019

Left by Workawayer (Mathieu) for host (Experience Nepali village ...)

Namaste to all you volunteers our there, and especially to you Shamser! I'd like to thank you again for making my month of August the best I've ever had!

For a first workaway, I couldn't have chose a better project. Shamser is one of the most dedicated man I have ever met, everything concerning the projects or the volunteers is what's most… read more important for him. I had the bad luck of having to go to the hospital on the first day I arrived, and even though we had only met for a couple of hours, he willingly took responsibility for me, stayed with me by day and by night, translated and help me with communication, and he advanced me for the couple of hundreds of US dollars I couldn't pay as my credit card wasn't working at that time. We became very good friends right from the start as we had plenty of time to talk, and I discovered all the problems, blames, difficulties he had to endure by the government and the schools around to get to the point where he is now, and what this project means to him and to the future of education in Nepal. He truly is an unbelievable individual. And if you don't believe me, don't hesitate on going there and checking it for yourself!

It's the kind of project that you feel like you're making a difference because the progress is there and it's growing rapidly, there is so many things you can do to help, and so many things left to be done, and each of the volunteers I met there is happy to contribute to the project in any possible: that's the mindset you have to have when you come here. And when you do, try and stay at least 2 weeks, because the more you stay, the more connected you are with the teachers, the family, and especially the students. The students are all incredible in their own way, and teaching them is the greatest experience you can get. They can give you a hard time sometimes, but that's what makes it fun. And also the more you stay, the better you'll get at teaching them, and the better they'll work and listen to you, the better connection you'll have with them, inside and outside of class. But the longer you stay, the harder it is to say goodbye...

I also want to talk about the volunteering community: it's amazing! And even just that part is worth going there. You meet incredible people from all around the world who all have different backgrounds, life, age, hobbies, visions of life and so much more and it enhances the human experience you get when you're there. And you might get to meet people with who you'll later go on treks together or visit what Nepal has to offer.
You share so many things in the space of a couple of days that you become very quickly friends. As there are so many volunteers doing many diverse activities throughout Nepal, it's not rare that you end up meeting up somewhere else in Nepal when you get out of Gaunshahar. I met some wonderful people there that I definitely wish to see again one day.

My biggest fear going there was the monsoon, I didn't how long or how frequently it would rain. But I was really surprised when it wasn't raining that much, almost only during the night, and an average of one big rainfall every three days. But in the afternoon and night, you'll always be at Shamser's and it's well protected against the heaviest of rains and lightning. The monsoon season is also a great time to go to Nepal as there is absolutely no tourists anywhere, in the surroundings and big cities like Pohkara and Kathmandu, or on the treks or other activities you might do in Nepal. The downside of that period are definitely the views, most of what you see are clouds, and you have to be lucky to appreciate the view of the mountains from in front of the house. It was the case beginning of August, and at the end, things started to clear out more often.

I could say a lot lot more, but I'll leave it at that.

If you hesitate on coming, it means you're scared of something. Don't be, there's no need to be. Be impulsive and take the leap. Once you do, you'll never regret it. It might be the experience of a lifetime you were always looking for. Trust me. It starts with a simple step, and then another, until you're actually there, living the moment. Thank you, Shamser, for making me take that leap with your project. I now feel I can accomplish anything!

All the best for the future, you deserve it! Good Vibes!

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