Vivian

United States
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Profile information

Travel information
I am currently
At home
Activities i am interested in:
Hello all :) I'm planning to visit Ireland the first week of March with my good friend, and afterwards I'm interested in visiting Southeast Asia, I'm still uncertain where exactly.
Description
Hi there :) My name is Vivian and I'm from the United States. I was very fortunate to travel with my family when I was younger and as I got older I started embarking on solo trips - but these were always only 1-2 weeks. As a recent university graduate and nothing tying me down I figure this is a rare opportunity to travel long-term to help others, explore new places and cultures, meet people, and build different skill sets.

I am an adventurous and compassionate person with a strong interest in arts and culture. In my free time I enjoy reading, playing sports, creating something, hiking, playing games, and general self-improvement. I value honest communication, community, and independence. I try to be open to everything and everyone, as we all have something to learn and teach one another.

I've done two Workaways so far both in communities at dog refuge/sanctuary. I've come to find how much I *love* the companies of animals and have learned a lot in reading dog behavior, dog care, and how to manage a pack. I also enjoy community living - cooking together, playing games together, cultural exchange, simply being in others company. My heart is so open to everything life and people have to offer.
Interests
Yoga / Wellness
Writing
Videography
Sustainability
Self development
Photography
Pets
Outdoor activities
Nature
Music
Movies & TV
Mountain
Languages
Hiking
Gardening
Events & social
Dancing
DIY & crafts
Culture
Cooking & food
Charity work
Camping
Books
Art & design
Animals
Languages
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
Spanish: Beginner
Chinese (Mandarin): Beginner
More details about my language interests
I have some knowledge of both Spanish and Mandarin and would love to continue learning, I am always happy to teach what I know of those languages and English if there is interest. I enjoy creative writing and can help with that in English too.
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Skills and knowledge I'd like to share or learn
I'm interested in:
Charity Work
Languages
Eco Projects
Being an elderly companion
Gardening
Life at a Farmstay
Some knowledge of:
Teaching
Animal Care
Creating/ Cooking family meals
Hospitality/Tourism
General Maintenance
House sitting
Able to teach about:
Art Projects
More details about your skills
My largest skillset are my digital media capabilities, I have extensive experience with digital content creation, social media management, and video and audio editing. I know that for many hosts on Workaway having a social media presence and outreach is important and I'm more than happy to aid you in that as well as working with you to establish social media goals whether that be engagement, attracting more volunteers, or gaining donations. When I'm not helping via laptop I love getting hands on with tasks like building, cleaning, and whatever else may be needed. I am not afraid of hard work or dirty work.

I have worked in the restaurant/service/hospitality industry on and off since I was 16-years-old and have lots of experience with waitressing and bartending. I also enjoy putting together events and other forms of hospitality, seeing others have a great time fills my heart
Age
24
What else ...
I'm also interested in creating long-form art projects during my travels, and would love collaboration with all willing participants :)
Some more information
- Smoker
- Driver's licence
- Allergies
  Most antibiotics and kiwis
- Special dietary requirements

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2 Feb 2025

Left by host (Help in a dog refuge in the ...) for Workawayer ()

Thanks a lot for your review! I think you nailed it! Volunteering at our place is fully for the doggos! They need the help of loving volunteers such as you! Thank you for all you did for us and thanks for always helping me with great videos and photos of the dogs. I truly appreciated that♥️

The team really liked you and was happy to work with… read more

(Excellent )

17 Dec 2024

Left by Workawayer () for host (Help in a dog refuge in the ...)

I stayed here for two weeks and it was a very fulfilling experience for me. The dogs at the refuge deserve and need love and care, if you love dogs this really is a great place to be. The work itself is not necessarily difficult but definitely laborious. The majority of your shift will be spent cleaning, feeding, and watering. It is physically… read more demanding and dirty but you quickly get used to it. If you've never been with this many dogs before it may be intimidating at first, but don't be afraid to ask questions and for directions on your first few days, and if nobody else warns you watch out for Oscar and ask which kennel he is in, he's not very fond of new people. I learned a lot about dog care, mentality, and pack behavior. Outside of work hours you may go to the neighboring towns to feed/bring back stray dogs. This was also another great experience. Along with the daily tasks I got to help with physiotherapy for some of the paralyzed dogs and creating some content for Leeny. It was absolutely AMAZING to see the progress the physiotherapy dogs made in a short amount of time, and also felt good to know that the videos/pictures I was taking were helping these dogs find forever homes. This is truly gratifying work.

The living conditions are very simple, no hot water, no shower, and no toilet. I had to buy some simple necessities for the house like toilet paper. This Workaway prioritizes the dogs, as it should, but that is represented in your living conditions. What doesn't kill you makes you stronger :) Living rurally, locally, and in the mountains is a beautiful experience and you should savor every moment. There is not much to do besides exploring the surrounding nature and taking some downtime, if that does not sound fun for you then this is likely not the experience for you. I would recommend just exploring a new mountain or stream every day, the internet is not very good/strong and don't rely on it.

My advice for incoming volunteers:
-Buy some fresh produce/groceries before arrival because the nearest place to buy fruit/veggies is Akchour, about an hour walk away or you can try to hitchhike.
-You will absolutely need closed toe shoes and good work clothes that you are okay with getting dirty.
-The long term workers are great and very generous, but very busy caring for the dogs, they all work very very hard (seriously I admire them) and the volunteers are not their first priority. If you need something, just ask, they will do what they can for you. Amine is a very kind and generous soul who has become my friend and shares the beauty of Moroccan culture. If you are lucky he will take you to Akchour and show you his favorite hike and hangout spot :)

(Very good )

10 Nov 2024

Left by Workawayer () for host (Unique off grid community ...)

I stayed at this place for about two months and I can say with absolute certainty that it was one of the most formative experiences of my life. It's honestly hard to describe in words how much of an impact this place has on you, but it's safe to say that even though I left almost a week ago I still feel emotionally and mentally there. The… read more lifestyle is incredible for the mind, body, and soul. You understand the harmony that being surrounded by animals brings to one. The pack of dogs in the volunteer house and Pepa the cat were absolutely wonderful. Not only are the animals amazing, but the people are outstanding. I have never before been surrounded by a group of people so kind, open-minded, emotionally intelligent, and community oriented. I have made friends for life from my stay and learned so many things through cultural exchange - but I also feel like I have found a second home.

I learned many new skills during my time including how to use power tools, dog care and dog behavior, how to cook healthily following a specific diet, and talents from those around me who were willing to share. Through this time I was able to understand a lot about myself, and the kind of work that I like to do! During the week you will work four hours every day and often times you can do the work you really enjoy, whether that is working in the garden beds, doing the dog walk shift (one of my favorites), cooking with Alberto, or Raul is always open to suggestions if you have an idea for work that will improve the project.

There was always so much to do in the free time, even though it seems like you have a lot of free time it always turns out there are more and more activities you'd like to do. Some of my favorites were going on harvest walks around the property, playing games with the community, doing yoga with others, practicing Spanish together, cooking dinners together, playing sports, the list is never ending!!

I give Raul my thanks for creating this beautiful space for both the people and the animals, for allowing me to live and work there, and I hope to see you again!! :)

Here are my tips for those coming:
-If you come do not bring only clothes you absolutely love and would not want getting lost/dirty/broken,
-It can be overwhelming at first with all of the new people, animals, and environments. That is normal :)
-Come open-minded and open-hearted <3

(Excellent )

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