Vanessa & Joan

Italy & Spain
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Profile information

Reply rate
100.0 %
Travel information
We are currently
Travelling
Our next destination:
Sweden - from Aug 2025 until Sep 2025
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Description
Hi! I'm VANESSA, an open-hearted and respectful person who truly loves helping others. What motivates me the most is connecting with people, learning new languages, and discovering different ways of life. I’ve previously worked as an au pair in Australia, taking care of two wonderful children — and it made me realize how much joy I feel when I’m around kids. I’m also very happy when I can bring a smile to someone’s face, whether it’s playing with children, caring for animals, or helping out in a hostel or home. I love learning and speaking languages: I’m a native Italian speaker, I speak English fluently thanks to my time in Australia, and I also speak Spanish almost like a native. I’m currently improving my French too. I’m always open to learning and sharing, and people usually find it easy to get along with me. I believe that even small gestures can make a big difference. That’s why I joined Workaway: to travel with purpose, give back, and grow through beautiful human connections.

Hi! My name is JOAN. I’m a friendly, generous, and open-minded person who loves to travel and connect with people from different backgrounds. I enjoy discovering new places, learning from others, and creating meaningful connections along the way. I have experience working with children — I spent time working at the Kids Club of a 5-star hotel, where I organized games and activities. I’ve also participated in several Workaway projects, volunteering in hostels and farms, which helped me grow both personally and socially. I'm always ready to lend a hand, share good moments, and learn something new. I'm passionate about life, kindness, and making others feel welcome wherever I go.
Languages
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
Spanish: Fluent
Italian: Fluent
French: Beginner
More details about my language interests
We both love languages and enjoy teaching them to others. Having traveled extensively, we’ve had the chance to meet people from many cultures and improve our language skills along the way. We are open, patient, and passionate about sharing knowledge, and we have experience giving language lessons and tutoring to friends and learners. Teaching languages is something we truly enjoy because it allows us to connect deeply with others and help them grow. We look forward to continuing to teach and learn in every new place we visit.
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Skills and knowledge we'd like to share or learn
We're interested in:
Babysitting and creative play
Animal Care
Hospitality/Tourism
Charity Work
Languages
Teaching
House sitting
Some knowledge of:
Creating/ Cooking family meals
More details about your skills
VANESSA:
I have diverse experience working in hospitality and childcare. I worked as an au pair in Australia, taking care of children and helping them learn through fun activities. I’ve also been a babysitter and an animator for both kids and adults.
I’m fluent in several languages and enjoy storytelling and dancing, which help me connect with people in a creative way.
I’m outgoing, adaptable, and comfortable working in both dynamic and calm environments.
Whether it’s helping with childcare, organizing activities, or supporting daily tasks, I’m eager to contribute positively and learn new skills.

JOAN:
I enjoy cooking and have experience working in restaurants. I’m also skilled in cleaning and maintenance tasks.
I have worked as a camp counselor with children in a hotel and cared for animals on farms.
I adapt well to stressful situations and work effectively under pressure.
I am reliable and hardworking, always eager to contribute my skills and learn new things in every experience.
Age
29 & 32
Some more information
- Smoker
- Driver's licence
- Allergies
- Special dietary requirements

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Feedback

24 Aug 2025

Left by Workawayer () for host (Help a homeschooling family ...)

I'm sorry, but this experience was one of the worst we've had. And we had many lonely escapes. But let's start at the beginning: we were undecided between two families and we chose this one precisely because in the video call I had made it clear what I preferred to do during the volunteering, i.e. not work in the garden, but work with the… read more children, the animals or cook, and it was accepted. Of course, this was not the case. Being with the children was not considered work, the only thing they told us and me personally was to work only in the garden, knowing full well that this was not the agreement. Moreover, we always worked 4 hours in the garden, counted it is true, not more, but precisely for these reasons and the later ones we will say. So at the end of this first part from day one we realised that at least I (my partner had no problem working in the garden) would not be there.

Now we come to the point of communication, respect, hospitality and mutual interest and exchange.

We arrived home and the first thing we noticed was the dirty room, the dirty sheets the chandelier above the bed full of cobwebs, the terrible bathroom with the shower full of hair. The first night we spent sleeplessly killing 43 mosquitoes (counted). After asking for help because the mosquitoes had bitten me so many times, the only answer was that we would put a mosquito net on you (never seen one). In fact, because of too many mosquito bites, I had an allergic reaction and an infection and had to go to the doctor and buy antibiotics (more than 100 eur in all). And their interest was 0. I had a high fever for 3 days and NO ONE asked me how I was, as if I didn't exist. In the advertisement or in the video call we were told that they were going to provide bicycles and of the 4 that were there, only 1 worked, the others had holes in their wheels and we had to make do with what we could. Apart from that are they prepared for a cultural exchange? It's absolutely not true, this family will only interface with you to talk to you about work, you will be nothing more than workers, no interest in us, 0. The mother didn't even know after 3 weeks in her house that I was Italian, while we tried to ask questions about their way of life, about cheese production, the care of the goats, etc. receiving dry and cold answers. Going back to work, we started work at 8.30am and finished at 12.30pm, it didn't work out, because at 8.30am it was too late, it didn't suit him that we took a siesta after spending every night killing mosquitoes to avoid anaphylactic shock, and yet I had to work in the garden with a thousand mosquitoes biting me. When the four hours were over we would go to eat or finish half an hour earlier to cook. We ate together without a word.

On the first day we went into the kitchen to eat and saw that the whole kitchen was dirty because the mother had made cheese, the children's breakfast porridge was strewn all over the table, etc. It didn't matter and we ate. When we finished eating the father told us: ‘hope you'll clean the kitchen’ we had to clean up all the mess that was there. We spend an hour of our time. We were told that this was not considered work but.help in the house.

Sorry but no. Putting the dishes in the dishwasher is a help not cleaning the whole kitchen for an hour while they left with the kids.

Last thing: for them the days off didn't exist every day they told us what to do, I recommend you to say that they exist if not you will work 7/7. The only good thing was the children. Nothing more.

(Negative )

24 Aug 2025

Left by host (Help a homeschooling family ...) for Workawayer ()

Possibly we already mismatched in our communication early on. They liked our profile, because we also have children and included things like cooking in the tasks. Fair is fair, they were decent cooks and loved to play with the children.

But we also had some more work around the farm. From pulling weeds to mucking out. We had plenty to do and… read more

(Good )