Jack

United States
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Profile information

Travel information
I am currently
At home
Activities i am interested in:
Back in Wisconsin.

Possible next trips:
South or Central America, maybe something with horses.
South Korean. English teaching.

I am also interested in entertainment and night life jobs.
My next destination:
South Korea
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Description
Greetings!
A couple of years ago I decided that I needed to start doing all the things I said I would do, if I wasn't stuck in a factory 60 hours a week.
So I quit my job, packed my bags, and headed out.

I'm new to WorkAway but have been on W.P. for awhile!

I'm always interested in solo jobs with wifi.
I enjoy teaching and tutoring English.
I'm good with dogs and I feel like I want to be around horses now, lol. Is that a thing?

In my free time I like to keep to myself, doing music production, writing, and exploring.
Interests
Photography
Events & social
Sustainability
Pets
Books
Adventure sports
Nature
Sailing / Boating
Performing arts
Technology
Writing
Videography
Van life
Music
Movies & TV
Languages
History
Culture
Camping
Animals
Languages
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
More details about my language interests
TEACHING:A few years ago I was certified to Teach English as a Second or Other Language.I did some student teaching and curriculum development.I've done English tutoring for children on a previous work exchange.All hostel work exchanges I've done have resulted in impromptu English classes during free time.I enjoy watching people learn. LEARNING:While in a country I actively try learning the language.With that being said, my DuoLingo is a mess:Portuguese, Spanish, Dutch, Swedish, Italian, Korean, and even Esperanto.I have a 2+ year streak. I may not be consistent on what I'm trying to learn, but I'm consistently learning.Icelandic also makes the cut sometimes on other apps.
Find a language buddy
Skills and knowledge I'd like to share or learn
I'm interested in:
Charity Work
Art Projects
Eco Projects
Being an elderly companion
Gardening
DIY and building projects
Life at a Farmstay
Babysitting and creative play
Creating/ Cooking family meals
Some knowledge of:
Animal Care
Helping around the house
Hospitality/Tourism
General Maintenance
Helping with Computers/ Internet
Able to teach about:
Languages
Teaching
More details about your skills
Most of my professional experience has been in metal fabrication. But, I have zero interest in doing that. I was a floor supervisor in two different departments in my last job.
I've been on both ends of delegation. The most important thing is completing the task so the customer is happy, I don't believe in 'that's not my job'.

I have worked in restaurants, as a server, cook, dishwasher, and a bartender (licensed in the state of WI).

Through work exchanges I have mainly done hostel work. This includes, reception, reception assistant, housekeeper, laundry, breakfast prep, guest accommodations, and planning night life activities.

I have also done English tutoring.

I'm also looking to learn new skills and build upon the ones I have.
Age
38
What else ...
I've mainly done hostel work, because it is good way to meet a lot of interesting people.
I'd like to start doing more English teaching / tutoring.
I have a hankering to work with horses in Central or South America!

WiFi is critical. It would be nice if it wasn't, but at this point in my life I do need it on a daily basis.

Places I've done work exchanges:
*London, UK (hostel)
*Milan, Italy (English Tutor)
*Ubatuba, Brazil (housekeeping, gardening, animal care)
*Malmö, Sweden (housekeeping)
*Truth or Consequences, New Mexico, USA (maintenance, building repair and renovation)
*Hanga Roa, Easter Island (hostel)
*São Pedro de Iracema, Brazil (English, misc.)

Any questions? Please ask!
Some more information
- Smoker
- Driver's licence
- Allergies
- Special dietary requirements

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Feedback

6 Apr 2024

Left by Workawayer (Jack) for host (Become part of our community ...)

This was my First WorkAway but not my first work exchange.

Starting from Belem to Manaus to Sao Pedro de Iracema it took a week by boats. I stayed for 3 weeks.

The Project: 1/5
Will talks about the project with such contagious excitement. All the information that is supplied is top notch and put together extremely well. The group chat is also… read more active.
But, upon arriving, the reality is much different. I had a lot of hopes and plans going into this. One being, uniting the children with other children from other English programs in a 'digital pen pal' system. But, there is no classroom, no students, no resources to maintain any projects.
I was told there was an outbreak of Dengue, COVID, and Influenza while I was there - so that is why we didn't have lessons. But this did not stop any other gatherings from happening.
Most of the people I talked too didn't know about the project and so they didn't understand why I was here.
I think once the project maintains a steady flow of volunteers and the project becomes more tangible all of this will be alleviated. Everything new takes time.

The community: 5/5
The village is an idyllic slice of paradise nestled on the Amazon River. It is a simple slowed down style of living that most people only dream about living. It took about a week for people to warm up to me, as an English only speaker. I pretty much hung out at the house and over time you get to talking to some of the people. Almost everyone was extremely pleasant. I feel that if I spoke Portuguese there would be endless opportunities / projects I could have assisted on. There is a lot going on and I think if you have building, electrical, farming, fishing, sustainable living, or off grid living skills - the village has a lot more to offer than language exchange.

The Host: 5/5
Rute was an absolute angel, and I would not have survived without her. She is the perfect steward for the project and a perfect representation of the community. The language barrier wasn't easy, but we made it work.
Every couple of days there was something that she would invite me to. Be it soccer, bingo, introducing me to people around the community, visiting another community, or a few social gatherings and endeavors.
She opened up her home to me and made me feel like family on day one and took care of me for the 3 weeks I was there!

Overall:
I kept myself available for whatever came my way. It became evident pretty early that the English lessons were not going to happen.
I do not recommend this to digital nomads as the WiFi is weak and not reliable. You will go hours without it. At one point I was blocked from it, but I believe that was a misunderstanding. Electricity is also not 100%. One must remember, you are in the middle of the Amazon Rainforest after all!
There is a suggested list of supplies to bring. Buy them in Manaus or Itacoatiara - as there will be no village on the way to pick up the supplies. I learned this the hard way. Also, make sure to bring cash. Cards are not accepted.

I wish all the best to Will and the Project and to Rute and the community. Although it wasn't what I was expecting, I learned a lot about myself and did enjoy my time there.

(Good )

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