Martin

Canada
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Profile information

Travel information
I am currently
Travelling
Activities i am interested in:
Returning to Vancouver Island for 2 weeks in November
Description
Hi! My name is Martin and I am a 40 year-old expat from Hamburg, Germany, living on Vancouver Island. I work as an expedition guide all over the globe, from the polar regions of the Arctic and Antarctica to the Tropics, and spend most of my free time between contracts travelling and exploring. Before moving to Canada I used to work in the marketing and advertising industry but got tired of the rat race and decided to pursue a simpler lifestyle instead. Nature is my happy place and I love the ocean as much as the mountains and forests. I try to lead healthy and active lifestyle with lots of physical exercise and a balanced diet. Growing up in Europe I learned a lot about city life, history, art, and culture. Having moved to Canada I am now trying to learn more about nature, outdoorsmanship, and self sustainability. I am a very curious person and like to learn new skills, explore unknown places, and experience different lifestyles. Canada is an incredibly beautiful country and despite the fact I have been here for more than 10 years I have hardly seen anything at all. I would love to get to know more and experience the different lifestyles that make this place and its people so wonderful and unique. Because of the nature of my work I currently do not have a fixed address and prefer travelling around Canada as a WorkAway Helper.
Interests
Self development
Photography
Music
Fitness
Books
Beach
Mountain
Farming
Yoga / Wellness
Winter sports
Water sports
Sailing / Boating
Outdoor activities
Nature
Hiking
Culture
Camping
Animals
Adventure sports
Languages spoken
German: Fluent
English: Fluent
Spanish: Beginner
French: Beginner
Skills and knowledge I'd like to share or learn
I'm interested in:
Eco Projects
Some knowledge of:
Gardening
DIY and building projects
General Maintenance
Life at a Farmstay
Helping around the house
Animal Care
Hospitality/Tourism
Helping with Computers/ Internet
More details about your skills
I like to think that I am good at communicating and dealing with people, and I have always worked in a professional environment with a strong focus on customer service. I speak multiple languages and am able to interact with people from a variety of culturural backgrounds. The logic side of my brain is definitely my strong suit and I am good at organization, administration, and problem solving. Thanks to my university degree and career background in business and marketing I can offer a variety of skills from the business world including calculations, presentations, and communication strategy. I am fit and healthy and capable of quickly acquainting myself with new tools, projects, skill sets, and work environments. I definitely work better with specific instructions ("paint the wall blue" rather than "make it pretty") but am a very quick learner and do not require a lot of supervision. Due to my job as a guide I am well acquainted with the marine environment and handling of heavy and expensive machinery. I have dabbled quite a bit in construction and carpentry and have been helping friends to build cabins and a float home. I have also helped out on farms before and am very comfortable in caring for animals. Given the choice I would love to learn more skills that relate to a life off the grid and in closer connection with nature.
Age
41
What else ...
To me WorkAway is a great platform to experience different places, cultures, and lifestyles beyond the superficial level of being a visitor. I like to see how other people live and answer the fundamental question of what it means to be human and alive. I like to share what I can give and learn from others. I don't expect this to be a holiday but an experience and am happy to pull my weight. I do not take your trust, generosity or kindness for granted and will care very much about you, your home, your family, your animals, and/or your business like they were my own. I am new to WorkAway but have participated in volunteer work through Help Exchange before.
Some more information
- Smoker
- Driver's licence
- Allergies
  Some cats (there seems to be no consistency at all), some plants (typically early summer)
- Special dietary requirements
  I am pretty flexible in my diet and always try to adapt to the local cuisine. I will try everything at least once but definitely have a profound love for fruit, veggies, bread and cheese. Given the choice I prefer to eat local, organic, and wild catch.

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10 Dec 2024

Left by host (Join us and our dog and ...) for Workawayer ()

Hosting Martin was a wonderful experience! He is a hard worker, takes initiative, very polite and respectful of the house, and just generally a pleasure to have around. He helped with all kinds of different projects from garden and maintenance related to cooking and house work. Highly recommend hosting Martin if you get the chance. We would… read more

(Excellent )

3 Mar 2020

Left by Workawayer () for host (Learn about the Canadian way ...)

I got to spend 6 weeks here in January and February of 2020 and had the most amazing time there. Len and Michelle are two of the most wonderful human beings you will ever meet. They are salt of this earth, kind, generous, good-humored people that work very hard to turn this paradise on earth into reality. They welcomed me into their home and… read more hearts like I was an old friend and extended an amount of hospitality, trust and friendship to me that is hard to put into words. From the moment I arrived I felt like a member of the family and was treated with the utmost kindness and respect. Work at the ranch was sometimes intense but very rewarding and never dull. There were basic everyday chores that needed to be taken care of - this revolved mainly around taking care of the animals - and projects like chopping and stacking firewood, building a calf shelter, shoveling snow, cleaning out the workshop, building interior walls, and more. Some of the projects were solo work, others were team efforts, but in either case Len or Michelle were always there to provide all the required guidance and tools to help me succeed. I learned a lot of new skills and gained plenty of experience handling the animals on the ranch. The dogs, cats, cows, horses and chickens are all super friendly and cute and were always there to pleasantly interrupt my workday with a cuddle. On some of my days off I got to explore the nearby Wells Gray Park, Sun Parks Alpine Resort and Rocky Mountains. On others I just got to relax in the hot tub or watch a movie with Len and Michelle. If you haven’t caught on to this through some of the other reviews: The food at the ranch is amazing. Len and Michelle are amazing cooks and there was always an incredible array of delicious meals served after a day’s work. For my birthday Michelle even baked the most incredible cheesecake and invited some friends over to have a little party. And then of course there is Len Senior, the nicest and fittest 82 year old gentlemen that I ever had the fortune to meet. He still helps out on the farm every day and can swing an axe like no other - unless he lets go mid swing of course :) He is very kind and generous and has a ton of amazing stories to tell.

A couple of things to be aware of before coming here: It is a remote place. In the winter the ferry across the river is frozen in and it is a sometimes snotty one-hour drive in either direction to the nearest town. The animals need daily attention and depend on reliable care when the need arises, so a set schedule does not exist for most days. There is no unlimited high-speed internet or reliable phone signal in the valley, so a healthy dose of social media detox is part of the deal. There is always something that needs attention at the ranch, so a good can-do attitude and self-motivation is a plus. Long story short: If the beauty of the remote wilderness, the quiet and solitude of nature and the company of farm animals does not sound fulfilling, you might want to reconsider. Otherwise you are pretty much guaranteed to have one of the most beautiful experiences that Canada can offer.

I wish I could have spent more time here, but I had to leave to attend to a family emergency. I hope this was not my last visit to the Ranch and am looking forward to see Len, Michelle, Len Senior and all the animals again very soon. Thank you for everything you have done for me, all the new experiences, good advice and heartfelt friendship!

(Excellent )

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