Emily
& Martin

United States & Germany
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Profile information

Travel information
We are currently
Travelling
Description
Hello, we are Emily and Martin! We have lived in Canada for over 8 years and are currently travelling around the world. We love exploring new places, especially in nature. During our travels so far, we have done many of the "top things to do" in each area that we visited, as suggested by travel websites or blogs. We have realized that this way of travel is not for us since we often find ourselves in a tourist bubble.

Going forward, we hope to make more meaningful connections with local communities and also make a positive impact along our way, whether it is by contributing to projects or just sharing stories and connecting to people. We find that sharing stories, especially over a good meal, can bring new perspectives and ideas. We look forward to meeting folks who are open to sharing their culture, language, and way of life!
Interests
Music
Self development
Technology
Cooking & food
Plant care
Beach
Winter sports
Photography
Hiking
Water sports
Sustainability
Mountain
Gardening
Languages
Fitness
Camping
Outdoor activities
Cycling
Animals
Yoga / Wellness
Nature
Farming
Culture
Adventure sports
Languages
Languages spoken
German: Fluent
English: Fluent
Spanish: Beginner
More details about my language interests
We are keen on learning and teaching languages because communication comes in many different forms.
Find a language buddy
Skills and knowledge we'd like to share or learn
We're interested in:
Life at a Farmstay
Some knowledge of:
Gardening
DIY and building projects
General Maintenance
Helping around the house
Animal Care
Charity Work
Able to teach about:
Creating/ Cooking family meals
Eco Projects
Languages
Art Projects
Helping with Computers/ Internet
Teaching
More details about your skills
Emily is an ecologist who is passionate about conserving biodiversity and keeping ecosystems healthy. She has experience teaching ecology and natural sciences to grade school, high school, and university-level students. She also co-founded a non-profit organization which fosters community-led science to monitor and protect biodiversity and ecosystems in the Salish Sea Bioregion in western Canada. Outside of work, Emily enjoys swimming (she has taught swimming to children and adults, and also coached a swim team), playing instruments (piano, violin, and guitar, although she is a bit rusty these days). During her free time, Emily explores the great outdoors with her partner, Martin.

Martin studied electrical engineering and worked as a software engineer. In his free time, he enjoys spending time in the outdoors, learning about finances, economics and new technologies, and building/ fixing up things around the house. As a teenager and young adult, he spent a lot of time building things around the home, which involved working with bricks and cement, woodwork, tiling some plumbing and fixing up of electrical installation. He also took care of rabbits, chickens, quails and dogs at home.

We have spent a lot of time climbing, backpacking, and ski touring to explore remote backcountry locations throughout Canada and the United States, and we have solid wilderness first aid skills. For the past 4 years, we have lived in shared housing arrangements with housemates because we enjoy the company of living with other people rather than living on our own. We love cooking and sharing food with others - we believe that meals are not only for nurturing our bodies but also our relationships with friends and family!

We are always keen on sharing our skills with others and enjoy teaching what we know.
Age
33 & 32
What else ...
Emily likes to scuba dive (for work and fun!), nerd out about animals, plants, rocks, water, and crochet.

Martin likes to run, meditate, and bake cakes.

We also like to grow our own veggies and herbs, forage for berries and mushrooms, and make preserves, kombucha, and sourdough bread.
Some more information
- Smoker
- Driver's licence
- Allergies
  jackfruit
- Special dietary requirements
  No jackfruit for Emily!

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4 Nov 2024

Left by Workawayer () for host (Join a local family building ...)

Oumayma is a great host and has many ambitious plans for her family farm! We had a wonderful time with Oumayma and her family and the highlights of our stay were exchanging insightful conversations about Moroccan culture, travelling, and getting to know each other over delicious traditional meals prepared by her mom. We feel like we arrived as… read more

(Excellent )

2 Nov 2024

Left by host (Join a local family building ...) for Workawayer ()

Having Martin and Emily volunteer with us felt like the perfect match for the right projects at the right time. They’re an amazing couple who brought so much energy and dedication. They set up a chicken compost system using wood from our pruned trees, which wasn’t easy to collect! They also helped set up a Mauritanian tent and make great progress… read more

(Excellent )

18 Oct 2024

Left by host (Join our small family on a ...) for Workawayer ()

Emily and Martin are really a wonderful couple. Communication and arrangement was easy. they are completely independent and responsible in fulfilling the agreed plans. the kids love them. Emily completely arranged the garden and the greenhouse in two days, which would have taken me more than 7 days. Martin has knowledge about construction and he… read more

(Excellent )

11 Oct 2024

Left by Workawayer () for host (Join our small family on a ...)

We had a nice 10 day stay with Vuk and Andreja, and their lovely children Darija and Lav! We had our own room (twin bed and a sofa), but we opted to sleep outside in our tent since the weather was warm. We shared a wet bathroom (hot showers!) with another volunteer and had access to the laundry machine.

On the day we arrived, we were eager to… read more start working, but there is no expectation to work right away; Vuk made it clear that volunteers usually settle in on the first day. We helped Vuk unload a trailer of wood to be used for building a shed, and then we ate a hearty bean stew for dinner. During our stay, Andreja and Vuk prepared delicious, traditional Serbian dishes that you probably wouldn't find in a restaurant. If you are lucky, you might be able to try Vuk's pizza and homemade cheese or one of Andreja's super tasty cakes :) As hosts, they are incredibly friendly and accommodating, and always asked if we liked the food and if we had any dish requests or wanted them to pick up something specific from town. There are a couple stores in the village which are walking distance from the property in case you need to buy any food, but we never had the need since there was always plenty of food around!

During our stay, we worked 4-5 hours per day on gardening and building projects, but sometimes worked less if it was raining. It was a huge plus that we were able to work on a schedule that suited us best (we worked in the morning and afternoon when it wasn't too hot) and had the flexibility to choose our daily tasks, which were mostly self-directed. Vuk was always very considerate when it came to personal space and the time of day that we worked. Additionally, he didn't have strict instructions for tasks and actively asked for suggestions and feedback, which made it feel like a collaborative space.

Vuk and Andreja have a beautiful property that overlooks Bare and you can see rolling hills and mountains in the distance. There are a lot of animals too: a horse, dog, pig, chickens, and many cats (and cute kittens!). It was restorative to stay at their peaceful farm and we could clear our minds while doing meaningful work. Outside of work hours, we mostly relaxed on the terrace, but Vuk gave us many recommendations for things to do in the area, such as hiking and visiting monasteries, which we did on our days off.

It was a pleasure to chat with Vuk and Andreja and learn about Serbian culture over rakija or wine. We also enjoyed playing games with Darija and Lav, who are both adorable and a lot of fun. We are grateful for our time spent at Vuk and Andreja's place and recommend staying with them!

(Excellent )

10 Jun 2024

Left by host (Help in my garden and around ...) for Workawayer ()

Excellent couple to have and did excellent work for my house n garden.... Very handy person Martin in fixing my toilet too.

Emily is such a great house keeper.... Well-done job....

Hope u both really enjoyed ipoh n come back for more.... The video done was excellent.... Well done

(Excellent )

5 Jun 2024

Left by Workawayer () for host (Help in my garden and around ...)

We had a great first workaway experience with Joe and would definitely recommend staying with him. We stayed for 1 week and were sad to leave - we could have stayed longer! We did 3 hours of work each day, which consisted of gardening and house cleaning, and caring for a stray dog. It was very hot during our stay, so we started work early to beat… read more

(Excellent )

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