Luke

United States
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Travel information

I am currently

Travelling

My next destination:
Hawaii, United States - from Dec 2026 until May 2027
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Description

Hi, I'm Luke, an Alaskan ER/PACU nurse wanting to learn to grow food and live closer to the land 🌱

I'm 37 and from Anchorage, Alaska. I've spent about ten years in nursing, mostly on travel contracts in the ER and PACU across Alaska, California, Hawaii, and Washington. I'm proud of the work, but it has convinced me that the deeper medicine is upstream. Bodies need to move and work the way they were designed to, eat real food, rest, and play, and people need to do all of that outside and in community. That's what pulled me toward permaculture and my long-term goal of running a small regenerative farm of my own.

I've done Workaways in Washington, Italy, and Sweden. In Washington I helped with weeding, seed planting, house cleaning, and dog walking. In Italy I mentored a group of teenagers on a walk to Auschwitz, then helped a family clear wood on their small mountain homestead. In Sweden I worked on maintenance projects around the grounds. I also completed the Immersion program at Wilderness Awareness School, where I took part in council and felt more connected to nature than ever before.

I've done manual labor most of my life, I'm comfortable with hand and power tools, and I don't cut corners. I stay calm when things get chaotic, and I'm just as happy working quietly or talking about food, philosophy, and history over dinner.

I'm finishing a travel nursing assignment in Maui and would love to stay in Hawaii to learn from the culture and the land. I'm most keen to learn permaculture, animal care (I'm new to it, but eager), and natural building. I'm respectful, curious, and ready to listen first.

I don't smoke, drink, or use drugs, and I have no pets. I speak fluent English and broken Spanish, and I'm traveling solo. I'm available from mid-December, with an open end date.

If this sounds like a good fit, message me. I'd love to hear about your project.

Luke
Interests

Sustainability

Self development

Movies & TV

Farming

Culture

History

Books

Writing

Animals

Yoga / Wellness

Outdoor activities

Hiking

Mountain

Nature

Fitness

Camping

Beach

Dancing

Adventure sports
Languages spoken

English: Fluent
Spanish: Intermediate
Skills and knowledge I'd like to share or learn

I'm interested in:

Light gardening

Creative DIY projects

Eco Projects

Charity Work

Languages

Art Projects

Some knowledge of:

Light maintenance

Creating/ Cooking family meals

Life at a Farmstay

Animal Care

Able to teach about:

Teaching
More details about your skills

General yard work (had about 25 lawns through high school that I would mow for summer work), brush clearing, ability to operate chainsaws safely, can use wide-array of hand tools, initiative--point me in the right direction and you don't need to hold my hand.
Age

37
What else ...

I love to get out in nature, rock climb, trail run, hike, and oogle at views. Conversations always get really good on hikes I've found too so I always love the company.
Some more information
- Smoker
- Driver's licence
- Allergies
  Peanuts and Walnuts
- Special dietary requirements
  I am trying to do more whole food, plant based and get away from dairy and meat. However, I will eat whatever there is. If there is an abundance of fruits and veggies, then that's my preference.

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4 Oct 2019

Left by host for Workawayer ()

People like Luke come in limited editions, like dark rum aged in Laphroaig whisky casks. I think there may only be 381, to be exact… so if you have to chance get any of them, I’d say – unequivocally – do so!

Luke came here to help me prepare for a garden course, and spent his month slinging bricks, digging soil, fixing wheel barrows, felling … read more trees and clearing brush, among many other things. He dug his way through Chimney Hill together with Kim, who showed up just minutes before him, and they worked really well both together and independently. Luke is easy to delegate things to, he’s able to listen and figure things out on his own, but also ask at pivotal points to make sure we’re thinking about the solution in a similar way. That allows me to go about my own work, rather than just supervising what others are doing… which is super nice! Also, he came up with better solutions than me plenty of times. Quick and eager to learn, it was fun to show him all sorts of things like how to renovate windows, cut glass, use a drawing knife to debark trees, and more.

They say you can forget many things about a person, but never how they made you feel… when I was working alone, cutting down trees and brush with a dull chainsaw to prepare a space for 15 tons of soil to be dumped and fighting time before the soil truck arrived, I felt elation, hope, and gratitude when I saw Luke come back after lunch to help me out. He’d already worked his five hours that morning, nevertheless, he persisted. We cleared that space in about 25 minutes, finishing just a few after the truck arrived. Working together under stress and seeing someone go the extra mile for you must be one of the most beautiful things in the world.

Aside from his excellent work ethics and capacity, Luke is also super considerate, and did not only his own share of dishes and cleaning up while here, he did most of my share as well. Always on top of it, never complaining, he’s not half bad.
We had a bit of a medical emergency while he was here, and so we got to observe how Nurse Luke works in the eye of the storm. His calm demeanor and ability to check vitals and communicate efficiently with both the patient and myself allowed me to be rational and focused on the call with emergency services. It worked out very well, and everyone’s in good health again. We’d be happy and lucky to have him back, any time. Perhaps we’d even go sailing (sorry again we didn’t have time/weather!).

All in all, I would say Luke is an absolute peach… if you’re a great host who really tries to give your visitors an exceptional experience, take him in. If you’re not, then please, send him back to us!

(Excellent )

2 Oct 2019

Left by host (Help with activities and ...) for Workawayer ()

A friend, a man capable of mixing seriousness, peace and fun, a confidant to trust. This is Luke!
Both the youths and the adolescents, who were on the walking pilgrimage in Poland, they appreciated Luke as a reliable model of life, able to transmit everytime to them good food for their thought
and their human and spiritual growth. Along with all … read more

(Excellent )

1 Sep 2019

Left by Workawayer () for host (Experience, learn and help ...)

I stayed a week with George, Sopie, Kyo and India. It was their wood gathering week for the winter so I got some good ol fashioned log lifting and throwing in. It was hard work, but we would have a nice break in the middle and be done by 13:30. The quiet of the mountains is what I needed and the work helped me to get in shape after all the Italian … read more

(Excellent )

27 Aug 2019

Left by host (Experience, learn and help ...) for Workawayer ()

Luke spent a week with us collecting firewood. It was heavy work and he really did a great job. He also painted some doors on a rainy day. He's a great volunteer - really easygoing and generally pleasant and helpful to have around!

(Excellent )

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Communication:
(5.0)

Skills:
(5.0)

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(5.0)

4 Oct 2019

Left by host for Workawayer

(Excellent)

2 Oct 2019

Left by host (Help with activities and ...) for Workawayer

(Excellent)

1 Sep 2019

Left by Workawayer for host (Experience, learn and help ...)

(Excellent)

27 Aug 2019

Left by host (Experience, learn and help ...) for Workawayer

(Excellent)

27 Jun 2019

Left by Workawayer for host (Join us in the foothills of ...)

Kristin, Steve, Jessie, Emma, and, of course, Zasha,

Thank you for a great first Workaway journey! Your family was extremely accommodating and welcoming from the get-go. Steve and Kristin obviously have a love for meeting new people and welcome strangers with open arms. I was invited to many activities that they participated in including: a … read more

(Excellent)

26 Jun 2019

Left by host (Join us in the foothills of ...) for Workawayer

Luke stayed with us for 2 ½ weeks, helping out with a variety of things. He designed and built a gate, weeded, mowed, cooked, cleaned, cared for the dog, cut down and trimmed trees, thinned fruit, moved a chicken coop, and more. He made a difference in our lives and we miss him!

Luke is a fine cook with a calm spirit and great sense of humor … read more

(Excellent)