Oliver

Travel information

I am currently

Activities i am interested in:

Available 17/04 :)
Just left Barcelona & ready for a spring forward in life, to work, travel and enrich mine and other's lives for the year ahead. I'm positive and pensive, serious and joyful!

Description

A huge hello to all you welcoming hosts!

English (Native), French (C1), Spanish (B2) | Hospitality Pro | Poet & Musician

After 6 years in Barcelona and a decade in professional hospitality/tourism, I’m stepping out of my comfort zone to reconnect with the Workaway spirit. I’m a 38-year-old Brit (from Sheffield) looking for a reset from the rat race to reconnect with the travelling and sharing spirit of manual work, community, and cultural exchange.

What I bring:

Professionalism: My first Workaway experience was 10 years ago running a small B&B in France. Since then I've set up and run my own historical tour company, run provisions for luxury yachts, supervised the learning & development for 30 agents in a fashion company, and more recently been a Front Office Manager for a boutique Hostel in Barcelona. I’m reliable, very open minded, and a 'calm-in-a-crisis' type.

Versatility: Equally happy optimising your booking system or scrubbing floors, setting up square-foot gardens, or painting fences. I've always been a Jack of most trades, bored by inertia...hence my being here, for some well needed stimulation!

Community Soul: I’m a guitar-playing wild camper, and a passionate cook. I've also (completely by fluke) won an international poetry prize. I grew up in a family of 6, so I know how to be a considerate and helpful housemate, as well as respecting privacy and those moments we all need to ourselves!

I’m looking to help, learn, and leave your project better than I found it!

Usually verbose, I'm trying to keep it brief here! I would be delighted to chat further with any host that thinks I might be able to bring some value to their project. In My photos you'll see some of the small projects i've been doing solo at home these past few years in the garden - all materials are recycled!

Warm greetings,

Oliver

Interests

Self development

Sustainability

Technology

Politics / Social justice

Movies & TV

Events & social

Culture

Charity work

Writing

Hitchhiking

Drawing & painting

Carpentry

Cooking & food

Gardening

Languages

Plant care

Music

History

DIY & crafts

Books

Art & design

Yoga / Wellness

Nature

Team sports

Sailing / Boating

Mountain

Beach

Camping

Outdoor activities

Hiking

Languages

Languages spoken
English: Fluent
French: Fluent
Spanish: Intermediate

More details about my language interests
This workawayer has indicated that they would be interested in sharing their language(s) or learning a new language. You can contact them directly to discuss this.

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Skills and knowledge I'd like to share or learn

I'm interested in:  

Life at a Farmstay

Eco Projects

Charity Work

Art Projects

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Some knowledge of:  

Gardening

DIY and building projects

Helping around the house

Teaching

General Maintenance

Helping with Computers/ Internet

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Able to teach about:  

Creating/ Cooking family meals

Hospitality/Tourism

Languages

More details about your skills

- worked in a busy bar in central Toulouse, France, for 1 and a half years, where i learned to speak the French language
- also temporarily ran a B&B in Carcassonne, France for 4 months through workaway - where i was entrusted with the day to day running of the place. Mainly clients between 40-65, multinationals. I'm used to interacting with people from all ages and all walks of life!
- I worked in a very busy hostel in Barcelona for over 6 months, and have experience of bar work, cleaning, organising nights out and general guest interaction as a result (which I'm very grateful of!)
- I have hitchhiked in France, Spain, Corsica, Austria, Croatia, Slovenia and Italy. A few years ago I took part in a fundraising Hitchhike race from England to Scotland with over 200 people.
- I play guitar and piano and am currently working on a volume of poetry, having won first prize in a 'Poetry Pulse' competition last year.
- I have 18 years experience in skateboarding, and have taught children to skateboard for the council, and have run basketball and trampoline sessions for children after school
- great communication skills on all levels: I've worked with children and in professional office environments with face to face interaction as well as over the phone; also more informal face to face communucation with people of all ages when working at a skatepark - centred around making sure that the atmosphere was always alive
-trained as barman
- great IT skills
- the use of cash tills and general retail skills such as stock replenishment and cleaning duties
- public speaking
- painting and decorating
- great cooking skills
- other general but important skills such as patientce, resillience, listing, organzation and ability to follow instructions

Age

37

Some more information

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  Smoker

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  Driver's licence

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  Allergies
  no

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  Special dietary requirements
  no