Sonja

Travel information

I am currently

Description

Hi, I'm Sonja from Berlin in Germany and new to workaway. I'm looking for my first work-away experience in Scandinavia this late summer/autumn season. I've been volunteering for other organisations and hosts since 2010. I am a very friendly and social person but can also find intense happiness in solitude surrounded by nature. I'm a hard worker and not afraid to get my hands dirty.

I'm an outdoor enthusiast with an adventurous and curious mindset. I have worked and travelled a lot internationally. I love to explore - new countries and regions, other cultures, and learning new skills. I enjoy meeting people from different backgrounds and better understanding their history. My favourite way to travel is not so much backpacking but rather staying at new places for longer periods of time to experience local life, ideally combining work and travel.

It is important to me to live and travel in a sustainable way. At home in Berlin, I try to minimise my ecological footprint. I also work as sustainability consultant in my professional career.

Being in nature truly makes me happy. I have always been in awe and deeply content in places where nature rules. I lived in rural Kenya for over a year in a beautiful, remote setting. Life was very simple and I didn't miss a thing from a more luxurious lifestyle. I also spent several months each working in remote areas of Madagascar, Namibia and Benin, among others. A long time ago, I also ventured with my late mother to Norway, Sweden and Finland - she loved the Nordics as much as I do. I have not been since but always wanted to come back.

While I have been living in cities (London & Berlin) for many years now, I´m spending much of my free time away from the city. Last summer, I was off for 4 months living in the Alps, Scotland and Alaska. Apart form paragliding, hiking, climbing and kayaking, I also helped out at an alpine hut in Austria and a campsite in Alaska with housekeeping and serving customers. I have also done several farm stays over the past 10 years, mostly with WWOOF (World-Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms). My duties there mainly included taking care of animals, gardening and housekeeping. I also volunteered for an NGO in Ghana.

Interests

Performing arts

Cooking & food

Carpentry

Culture

Team sports

Yoga / Wellness

Sustainability

Outdoor activities

Nature

Mountain

History

Hiking

Gardening

Farming

DIY & crafts

Cycling

Books

Camping

Adventure sports

Languages

Languages spoken
German: Fluent
English: Fluent
French: Intermediate
Spanish: Beginner

More details about my language interests
Happy to teach English or German

Find a language buddy

Skills and knowledge I'd like to share or learn

I'm interested in:  

Eco Projects

DIY and building projects

Animal Care

Life at a Farmstay

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Some knowledge of:  

Being an elderly companion

Creating/ Cooking family meals

Helping around the house

General Maintenance

Helping with Computers/ Internet

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Able to teach about:  

Charity Work

Languages

More details about your skills

As home owner, I have undertaken maintenance of inside and outdoor areas. I am physically fit and not afraid of hard work. Furthermore, I would love to learn new skills and I'm always willing to help out where needed. My skills include:

Basic DIY skills:
Painting, plastering, wallpapering
Drilling and putting up shelves, curtains and paintings
Assembling flat-pack furniture
Measuring up, cutting and laying carpets
Refurbishing old furniture (sanding, priming, painting)

Gardening:
Strimming and mowing
Weeding and pruning
Planting trees and shrubs

Farmstay help:
Feeding animals (experience with goats, sheep, chicken, horses, dogs, cats and rabbits)
Sheep and horse gathering and fencing
Cleaning animal houses and stables
Harvesting (potatoes, asparagus, hay)
Fruit and vegetable picking

Housekeeping:
Cleaning and washing
Preparing meals & cooking

Project Management and Logistics:
As an economist, I have worked extensively as project manager (e.g., responsible for a rural development programme in Kenya incl. the organisation of the logistics of food aid in drought-affected areas; managing project grants and finances for a climate change think tank in Berlin; setting up a shea butter cooperation between local women and international buyers in Ghana; implementing a new software for a mobility service provider in Berlin; managing the sustainability and corporate responsibility programmes of several companies in Europe). I'm thus very organised and structured and can help with all kind of logistical and organisational challenges.

Age

49

Some more information

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  Smoker

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  Driver's licence

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  Allergies
  hayfever

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  Special dietary requirements
  no