Freya

From: United Kingdom

Account Type
Individual account
Travelling to
Croatia, Slovenia, United Kingdom
Travel dates
26/11/2017 - 31/08/2020
Nº of Facebook friends
221
Badges

My status
At home
Profile is connected to:
Description
Hello! I am Freya (23), and I have been volunteering in Europe for two years.

I have worked with 17 different workaway hosts, all with a view to grow as a rounded, versatile, and experienced individual, as well as to live in - not just observe - new cultures and communities. I will throw myself wholeheartedly into all projects! I believe I have learnt how to make a great volunteer, which means being adaptable to the lives of different hosts - I’m easy going and hard working.

I am stronger than my frame lets on and am physically fit for manual labour. I like to work hard, and am a focused worker - the rewards of a job well done are unparalleled.

My previous workaway experiences include:
- construction work (commercial and natural building projects, incl. plastering and bricklaying, simple electrics)
- agriculture
- permaculture gardening
- land clearing
- farm work with animals (sheep, goats, horses, cows, poultry, snails)
- language teaching
- art projects
- hospitality and cleaning work in guest houses
- catering
- bar, shop and cafe work

My experiences and skill set are expanding every week, and I will take any opportunity to refine them, and of course learn many more.

I try to practise daily meditation. Knowing how to use the breath, and allowing the mind to let go has changed the way I interact with the world, it helps me build a clearer perspective. The stillness and silence of meditation allows the space to go deeper into yourself. Having said this, I still struggle to meditate consistently. I work hard to improve myself, and will always have something I am working on; and workaway allows me to do this so effectively.

I am scared for the Earth, and want to build a sustainable lifestyle for myself and others. I prefer to be in natural surroundings, and thoroughly enjoy working with plants, as it is when I feel most connected to the earth. When in the UK, I often volunteer for the organisation Olio, by collecting, sorting, and redistributing food that would otherwise be thrown away. Food waste is one of my biggest hates!

In England I also work as a nursery practitioner for children aged 0-5.
The thing I love about kids is their boundless wonder and excitement, and they have re-taught me to fully appreciate the delights of any activity and interaction, whatever they may be. This is something I look forward to bringing with me in my future placements. Having children around is always a delight, however I am not looking for any childcare roles at the moment.
Skills and knowledge I'd like to share or learn
Gardening
DIY and building projects
General Maintenance
Creating/ Cooking family meals
Life at a Farmstay
Eco Projects
Helping around the house
Animal Care
Hospitality/Tourism
Charity Work
Art Projects
Helping with Computers/ Internet
More details about your skills
I train in taekwondo, and keep my practise up whilst travelling. I am currently working towards my red belt.

I have a full, clean UK drivers license, and experience driving left-wheeled vehicles in countries driving on the right side of the road!

I have previously volunteered on building projects, where I have experience in:
- fence repairs,
- panelling with plasterboards and wooden boards (I can use drills, hand saws, circular table saws etc)
- bricklaying and cement mixing
- plastering and sanding,
- lime rendering and washing,
- rammed earth building
- simple electrics
Farm work:
- I have worked with sheep, goats, horses, poultry and snails. And cows, but I’m admitedly still a little cautious around them.
- preparing and maintaining vegetable beds
- working with seeds and seedlings
- felling trees
- chainsawing and chopping firewood

I have cleaned up innumerable and unimaginable messes as a nursery worker - I’m not squeamish!

I am first aid trained (Paediatric Level 3), and am also a qualified athletics coaching assistant.

I also have a bachelors degree in Classics! Whilst it’s not so relevant to this profile, I have accumulated a great deal of student debt to be able to say it, so I must include it!
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
Age
25
Nationality
British
Some more information
- Smoker
- Driver's licence
- Allergies
- Special dietary requirements
  Vegetarian

Photos

April 2018 - 6 weeks work on a construction site, primarily plastering, sanding, and finishing interior walls

January 2019 - rammed earth building

February 2019 - lime rendering a strawbale and cob roundhouse

Show all photos

November 2018 - fixing a hand-crocheted net roof to a woven hut as part of a 100% natural art instillation

October 2017 - Full crates from work on the olive harvest

January 2018 - metal shelving units we assembled in preparation for breeding snails

December 2017 - beginning to layer the long vegetable patch we had created

September 2017 - digging foundations for the greenhouse

September 2017 - chainsawing points into the end of poles to stand in the ground

Feedback

16/03/2019

Left by host (Be part of the creation of ...) for Workawayer (Freya)

Freya is an excellent volunteer, she applied herself well to all the tasks asked of her, she is motivated and positive in her approach and was able to have the strength and energy to deal with some of the more physically demanding tasks such as eco building and forestry management. Thank you for all your help.

(Excellent )

13/03/2019

Left by Workawayer (Freya) for host for (Be part of the creation of ...)

I volunteered here for two weeks in February, as my 14th workaway.

Our work lime rendering and washing the strawbale roundhouse was rewarding, and there are always other odd jobs that need doing. They are developing a beautiful place here, and are working on many exciting projects which will be great to be involved in in the near future.

It… read more

(Excellent )

02/03/2019

Left by host (Long-termers for caretaking ...) for Workawayer (Freya)

Freya helped us building a rammed earth house. Its very physical and hard work, but Freya did great! With lots of determination, she would just keep going until the day was done. Very friendly and polite girl.
We would recommend hosting her.
Have a good journey!

(Excellent )

18/02/2019

Left by Workawayer (Freya) for host for (Long-termers for caretaking ...)

I volunteered here for just under two weeks in January, as my 12th workaway. As former volunteers themselves, these guys know how to be good hosts.

We stayed in some really sweet campers, the outdoor communal kitchen is always well stocked, and Sanne’s cooking was delicious.

The rammed earth apartments we were working on was a really rewarding… read more

(Excellent )

21/12/2018

Left by host (Help with olive grove and ...) for Workawayer (Freya)

It was wonderful to have Freya and Jordan here. They contributed wholeheartedly to projects on the property and we were happy to have them extend their stay an extra week. Their calm presence, positivity, and creativity is surely an asset to any workaway community.

(Excellent )

03/12/2018

Left by Workawayer (Freya) for host for (Help with olive grove and ...)

This was my 10th workaway experience, and it was a wonderful one. I woke up every morning baffled by my surroundings, and feeling so very thankful!

A unique aspect of volunteering here is how independent the work is. I could organise my work however I wished - morning, afternoon, split over short shifts etc, and that trust gives a great… read more

(Excellent )

19/12/2018

Left by Workawayer (Freya) for host for (Just talking in English or ...)

This was my 11th workaway placement. I can only talk about my experience in the school in Fes. This is a good host if you want somewhere to sleep while you explore the city; you have plenty of free time to be a tourist here. In terms of a workaway experience, however, it is perhaps a little lacking.

The work is enjoyable, talking to locals of… read more

(Good )

14/05/2018

Left by host for Workawayer (Freya)

We truly enjoyed having Freya stay with us.
She was always kind and responsible. We could entrust tasks and little projects to her knowing she would take care.
She was clean and sociable, yet preferred to be rather calm, most of the time.
She brings light wherever she goes. And we still hold her dear as she was more than a passerby-volunteer to us.

(Excellent )

13/05/2018

Left by Workawayer (Freya) for host for (Help and deepen your ...)

I did not feel like a worker here, and I did not feel like a guest either. I felt like I lived there during my two-week stay, simply being, in a serenity that Maria holds throughout the house. The space provides a stillness and a peace, necessary for deepening meditation and other inner-pursuits. I experienced things here that I have never felt… read more

(Excellent )

13/05/2018

Left by Workawayer (Freya) for host for (Help with construction work, ...)

A one-of-a-kind workaway experience. I stayed here for six weeks during spring, it is a special place where you can meet special people, and have the opportunity to gain insight into anthroposophical community living.

It has beautiful gardens, a picturesque lake, and the nearby forest possesses a silence I would struggle to find anywhere else.… read more

(Excellent )

31/03/2018

Left by Workawayer (Freya) for host for (Help in a baroque garden in ...)

A lovely and engaging family, they are attentive hosts, who have a lot to offer the curious workawayer. They showed us some of their favourite places in local area, and always ensured our comfort - a private room and high-quality food.

I worked in the garden felling and clearing trees, pruning willows, clearing brambles and landscaping paths.… read more

(Excellent )

23/03/2018

Left by host (Help in a baroque garden in ...) for Workawayer (Freya)

Freya is a lovely, kind and considerate person and a very pleasant and polite guest. And she is - despite her slender appearance - an incredibly hard worker who does not shy back from cutting down trees or carrying bucketfuls of earth in very cold weather. Quite impressive! We very much enjoyed having you here, thanks for everything!

(Excellent )

31/01/2018

Left by Workawayer (Freya) for host for (Learn about heliculture ...)

Paula and Leo are wonderful hosts, we felt instantly settled with them and really enjoyed our time in Ireland!

We stayed for three weeks in January, so our work consisted of grading snails for exportation, construction and preparation of shelving units, and finally cleaning and feeding the snails once we had bought them out of hibernation. It… read more

(Excellent )

24/01/2018

Left by host (Family looking for English ...) for Workawayer (Freya)

Very very reliable and performant volunteer. It’s been a pleasure to have you with us! Funny and serious at the same time! Hope to see you again!

(Very good )

12/12/2017

Left by Workawayer (Freya) for host for (Family looking for English ...)

My boyfriend Jordan and I stayed at this hostel for a week in December. We spent about 2 hours each day with Luchino, and the rest of the time to ourselves. Because of flexible work hours, and its location, it’s the perfect placement to explore Milan.

Luchino is a sweet boy, we played with him in his room, most of the time his nanny with us as… read more

(Very good )

04/01/2018

Left by Workawayer (Freya) for host for (Come and help us in our daily ...)

Hedwige and her family are great hosts. We stayed for a week in December, so were fortunate enough to meet all three of her sons over the duration of our stay. Soad's two young boys were also a huge pleasure to have around - a ceaseless fountain of energy and fun!

We helped in the kitchen a lot, helping to prepare family meals, bulk cooking… read more

(Very good )

19/12/2017

Left by host for Workawayer (Freya)

We have been really happy to host Freya and Jordan in our house for two weeks. This was their first workawayer's experience and they put any energy to understand and bring a hand.
We're looking for a help in our little farm, with animals and with something like shepard; sometime it could be hard or boring but they appreciated every moment in the… read more

(Very good )

02/11/2017

Left by Workawayer (Freya) for host for (Help us at our family farm in ...)

Myself and my boyfriend Jordan stayed with Angela's family for two weeks, and it was a truly enriching experience. Isma and Maia are wonderful children, we enjoyed playing with them occasionally and integrating ourselves into their daily family life. Angela is a wonderfully strong woman, a conscious and caring mother; we are very fond of our… read more

(Very good )

15/12/2017

Left by host (Enjoy nature at our Tuscan ...) for Workawayer (Freya)

Freya was a treat to have around. She consistently worked hard and cooperated well with other volunteers in the construction of a chicken coop, putting up a new deer fence and in cutting and storing firewood. She thus gained some useful skills such as handling a chainsaw, securely setting wooden posts, and mixing cement to stabilise the… read more

(Excellent )

02/11/2017

Left by Workawayer (Freya) for host for (Enjoy nature at our Tuscan ...)

This was my first workaway experience, and it has certainly set the bar very high!

Jethro and Olivia are wonderful hosts, the accommodation and food all came far above my expectations of workaway. We were fortunate enough to share this experience with another workaway couple, Dante and Lisa. Being involved as part of a larger team really… read more

(Excellent )

02/11/2017

Left by Workawayer (Freya) for host for (Practice your English, German ...)

We really enjoyed our stay with Daniel and Gerda, they are a witty and light-hearted couple, with whom we had many an animated conversation, shared a great deal of laughter, and engaged in passionate debates. Both sharp and full of vitality, they were wonderful hosts. Daniel has accumulated a wealth of experiences, knowledge and stories from his… read more

(Excellent )

To leave feedback make sure you are logged in & your account is online

Website Safety

My host list0

Give the gift of Workaway