Brian

United States
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Profile information

Travel information
I am currently
Travelling
Activities i am interested in:
Permaculture, language exchange, self sufficiency, experiencing other cultures
Description
I recently quit my job in Portland to travel Europe and hopefully find a good farm to study permaculture on. I enjoy helping others and have references from a food bank where I have volunteered for 7 years. I enjoy helping and don't mind earning my keep! And I welcome other enriching experiences besides farming.
Interests
Self development
Yoga / Wellness
Plant care
Pets
Outdoor activities
Nature
Music
Mountain
Languages
History
Hiking
Fitness
Gardening
Farming
Dancing
Culture
Charity work
Cooking & food
Camping
Books

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Languages
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
Spanish: Beginner
More details about my language interests
I don't have experience teaching English, but would not mind trying with a patient student.
Find a language buddy
Skills and knowledge I'd like to share or learn
I'm interested in:
Art Projects
Eco Projects
DIY and building projects
Animal Care
Life at a Farmstay
Some knowledge of:
Charity Work
Gardening
Helping around the house
General Maintenance
Helping with Computers/ Internet
Creating/ Cooking family meals
Able to teach about:
Languages
More details about your skills
I ran a gleaning/resale store for 7 years, am pretty decent at yoga, have a degree in print journalism, and enjoy physical labor. I have done some construction, but not much. Have done some working on my car and motorcycle. I am interested in many things, particularly permaculture, and am able to learn quickly with a good teacher!
Age
38
What else ...
I enjoy yoga, martial arts, gardening, books, animals, helping people who appreciate it, and talking to people from diverse backgrounds. I have volunteered at St John's Food Share in Portland Oregon for 7 years.
I can not wear a mask and am not vaccinated for covid19.
Some more information
- Smoker
- Driver's licence
- Allergies
  soybean oil
- Special dietary requirements

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12 Jan 2024

Left by host (Experience life at our ...) for Workawayer (Brian)

Brian stay at my campsite for almost 3 months. During his stay, there are 13 other workawayers that come and go and have a chance to meet him. Even though he is quiet camera shy, but he's really into what he thinks that he can contribute his best at the campsite. Of course the land clearing things that he's really good at it. I think half acre of… read more

(Excellent )

9 Jan 2024

Left by Workawayer (Brian) for host (Experience life at our ...)

I stayed at MD's retreat for 10 weeks, which says it all - but I will say more. MD was probably the best work trade host I have had in my 6 work trades. He is very patient, knowledgable, and happy to have volunteers at his property. I got to learn how to work with bamboo, building a couple of sets of stairs, bridges, and other things. I did a lot… read more of raking leaves and clearing jungle as well, which I didn't mind. I have become pretty good with a machete.
MD never comes to the campsite empty handed and often takes us volunteers out to eat delicious Malaysian food (including ostrich and rabbit burgers) with his kind and talented wife, Reza - who showed that she can sing & play Last Kiss and Stand By Me very well on the campsite guitar!
MD also took us all around Kedah - including to Tepik Pedu, where we got to go on a boat ride in an isolated lake to an even more isolated island. I ended up going to Amir's "Survival Island" for a week and also highly recommend that to other work traders. We also got to meet many of MD's friends and guests who came to stay at the retreat (who would very often share their food with us.) MD is good at getting good volunteers who work hard and don't cause problems. I enjoyed the company of everyone who came.
I got to go with Pacsu, the neighborhood shaman, to watch him spearfish in the river, which was pretty cool. There are lots of monkeys, and we also saw a huge bat hanging out - and saw a slow loris up close on my last day. I saw a small snake and a big snake, but neither were aggressive. I saw a caecilian and some hornbills as well. And there's also a rooster and chickens who stop in every day and sometimes leave eggs, as well as a mama cat and her 2 kittens that hang out and play all day, which is really cool. Oh and I saw 3 floods come through the campsite during monsoon season.
The setting is really great too. I spent most of my nights in one of the 2 bedrooms on a big comfortable bed with 2 fans. The outdoors in the area is great. The kitchen is well stocked. There's all the spinach you can eat, as well as okra and other veggies in the little garden. There's a new washing machine. Plenty of bathrooms. The drinking water is good. The house overall is very nice, as are the tents. There's a good vegetable shop across near the mosque that sometime has chickens running around inside, and a really good burger stand right across from the mosque. The locals are all very friendly.
Terima kasih banyak banyak, MD. I hope to come back soon to secure my position as the longest-staying workawayer at your retreat and hopefully enjoy some of the plentiful fruit from your trees when they are in season.

(Excellent )

6 Aug 2023

Left by host (Come to paradise to learn ...) for Workawayer (Brian)

Brian came to Hookele farm on just a two week stay to fill in for workawayers
that departed early. We usually ask for a 6 week commitment from work traders so that the experience is beneficial for both the farm and the worktrader. With Brian it only took 1 week until it was clear that the farm was benefiting from the full charge work ethic that… read more

(Excellent )

27 Jul 2023

Left by Workawayer (Brian) for host (Come to paradise to learn ...)

Jonas is by far the best of the 3 hosts I have had so far. He is an amazing cook, a fun and laid back boss, and a good guy. He has experience in many fields/industries and is very patient and open to questions. He took me snorkeling my first of 2 weeks and let me do paid construction work with him. I got to enjoy lots of strawberry papayas growing… read more

(Excellent )

24 Feb 2023

Left by host (Come and help our teachers by ...) for Workawayer (Brian)

No words can describe how kind hearted, hardworking, committed and very generous Brian is.If I were to choose among the hundred volunteers who stayed in my schools,I would choose Brian to come back and stay for as long as he wishes.
During his stay at the school all the students loved to talk to him and all the teachers and the other volunteers… read more

(Excellent )

22 Feb 2023

Left by Workawayer (Brian) for host (Come and help our teachers by ...)

I couldn't ask for a better host than Harim. He went far beyond my expectations.
Harim drove myself and other volunteers around to all of his schools and his farm, bought us meals - including some very good barbecue, and even gave a quick lesson in darija. Despite running 4 schools and a small farm, he makes himself very available and is kind and… read more

(Excellent )

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12 Jan 2024

Left by host (Experience life at our ...) for Workawayer (Brian)

(Excellent )

9 Jan 2024

Left by Workawayer (Brian) for host (Experience life at our ...)

(Excellent )

6 Aug 2023

Left by host (Come to paradise to learn ...) for Workawayer (Brian)

(Excellent )

27 Jul 2023

Left by Workawayer (Brian) for host (Come to paradise to learn ...)

(Excellent )

24 Feb 2023

Left by host (Come and help our teachers by ...) for Workawayer (Brian)

(Excellent )

22 Feb 2023

Left by Workawayer (Brian) for host (Come and help our teachers by ...)

(Excellent )

17 Dec 2022

Left by Workawayer (Brian) for host (Research and experimentation ...)

I spent 2 weeks here and while it was at times challenging I am happy I went. Gille gave me a chance when many people probably would not have since I was up front that I was not feeling great at the time. Gille very kindly let me rest for a few days in his yurt and was more patient with my depressed state than many others would probably be. We… read more

(Excellent )

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