Bjørn Egil

Travel information

I am currently

Activities i am interested in:

I love traveling across Europe with my car, exploring new places, cultures and ways of living.
This year I’m focusing on connecting with families and small communities to learn, share and contribute.

Description

My name is Bjørn Egil, and I come from the mountains and fjords of Norway.
I’m someone who finds meaning in creating, helping, and connecting – whether it’s through a shared meal, a small repair job, or a good conversation at the end of the day.

Over the past few years, life has led me on a long journey through Europe – not only to see new places, but to understand what home and belonging really mean.
Traveling alone with my wheelchair has taught me a lot about patience, courage, and kindness – both my own and that of strangers who became friends along the road.

🛠️ About Me

I’m a trained cabinetmaker and woodcarver, with experience in painting, restoration, and home renovation.
In Norway, I’ve restored two large houses on my own, and I still love the feeling of bringing something old and tired back to life with my own hands.

I also have a background in child and youth work, and I’ve spent many years supporting people with disabilities and mental health challenges.
Working with people gives me energy – I love seeing someone smile because they mastered a small task or felt seen for who they are.

Outside of work, I enjoy gardening, cooking simple food, and finding beauty in small, quiet moments.
There’s something grounding about watering a garden or painting a wall while the sun sets – it’s like life reminding you to breathe.

🌿 About My Project – FriFerd

Along the way, I started a non-profit initiative called FriFerd – short for Freedom through Travel and Activities.
It began as a personal idea: to explore how people with physical challenges can still travel, connect, and live freely.
But it grew into something larger – a journey across Europe to document accessibility, share human stories, and show that freedom often starts inside us.

Through FriFerd, I’ve been filming and writing about my travels, meeting families, small communities, and inspiring people who make inclusion part of everyday life.
Each stop – from a vineyard in Slovenia to a fishing village in Albania – becomes a small piece of a larger story about courage, creativity, and human connection.

If you welcome me as a guest, your home or project might also become a small part of that story – showing how ordinary people across Europe open their doors and hearts to others. 🌍

🚗 My Journey So Far

🇮🇹 Italy (2023–2024): Renovation and gardening on small farms, helping families near Rome and Venice, and learning Italian along the way.

🇱🇻 Baltic countries (2024): Cultural exchange and accessibility documentation in Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia.

🇧🇦 Balkans & Turkey (2024–2025): Traveling from Slovenia and Croatia down through Montenegro, Albania, Bosnia, and into Turkey – meeting amazing hosts and collecting hundreds of stories and smiles.

Every place has shaped me differently – teaching me patience, creativity, and gratitude.
Now, I’m preparing for the next chapter through Spain and France, continuing the FriFerd journey while helping wherever I can.

♿ Adaptability & Independence

I’m a walking wheelchair user – meaning I use an electric wheelchair for longer distances, but can walk short distances or stairs with support.
I’m fully independent, flexible, and used to adapting to different environments.
You don’t have to worry about accessibility – I always find my own ways to make things work.

All I ask for is clear communication and mutual respect.
If we treat each other with honesty and kindness, everything else tends to fall into place. 🤝

💪 What I Can Offer

✅ Light renovation (painting, furniture repair, small maintenance tasks)
✅ Gardening, planting, and outdoor projects
✅ General help around the house and organizing
✅ Creative or educational activities with children and youth
✅ Sharing language, culture, and life stories

I’m not afraid to get my hands dirty, but I also appreciate peaceful, creative tasks.
Whether it’s painting a wall, playing with children, or sharing ideas about accessibility and travel, I put my heart into what I do.

🌻 Why I’m Here

Workaway, to me, isn’t just about work – it’s about exchange.
I love stepping into someone else’s world for a while, learning how they live, think, and care.
Every time I leave a host, I feel that a small part of me stays behind – and a new part of me is born.

My hope is that, through my journey, I can show others (especially those with physical challenges) that freedom doesn’t have to mean perfection – it means movement, curiosity, and the courage to keep exploring.

If my story resonates with you, I’d love to be part of your daily life for a while – to help, to share, and to create small moments that matter.

Thank you for taking the time to read this – and maybe, see you soon. 🌞

Warm greetings,
Bjørn Egil Tolås
Norway 🇳🇴

Interests

Gardening

Cooking & food

Animals

Carpentry

Outdoor activities

Videography

Books

Mountain

Photography

Plant care

Writing

Music

History

Beach

Art & design

Camping

Politics / Social justice

Culture

Farming

Blogging

Languages

Languages spoken
English: Fluent
Italian: Intermediate

More details about my language interests
Italian. Spanish and France

Find a language buddy

Skills and knowledge I'd like to share or learn

I'm interested in:  

Gardening

Babysitting and creative play

Creating/ Cooking family meals

Life at a Farmstay

Helping around the house

Animal Care

Hospitality/Tourism

Teaching

DIY and building projects

Charity Work

Art Projects

House and pet sitting

More details about your skills

- Im an furnuture carpenter
- Work now in school with young once that have some kind of health problem
- Restore my own houses
- Have woodturning corses for children.
- Like to fix stuff on my car
- Like nature, and diffetent coulture
- Grown my own vegetables in the garden
-

Age

34

What else ...

My hobbies is traveling, fixs houses, do gardening. and fix on my cars,

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