Sue-Anne

Australia
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Travel information
I am currently
At home
My next destination:
Ireland
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Description
Hello. I'm an optimistic, energetic and enthusiastic fifty-something woman on a mission to make the most of life. The kids have (just about) all left home and at last, it's time for me to have some fun! My husband and I have been Workaway Hosts for a number of years and my boys have all used Workaway to explore new countries and try new things. I was always so excited for them as we waved them off and now I am excited for myself. Although I am Australian, I have been living in the UK for the past 30 years - which I love. I have also spent a number of years in Japan (which I was able to revisit with Workaway!).

I am interested in current affairs, self-improvement and creative projects (like pottery and watercolour). I love to read, bake cakes and forage for wild foods to make into jams, chutneys and cordials. I am always up for a game of Mahjong or cards. I love puzzles of all kinds, especially Killer Sudoku and I have recently discovered escape rooms.
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
Japanese: Fluent
Skills and knowledge I'd like to share or learn
Some knowledge of:
Gardening
DIY and building projects
Being an elderly companion
Creating/ Cooking family meals
Life at a Farmstay
Helping around the house
Animal Care
Hospitality/Tourism
Charity Work
Languages
Art Projects
Helping with Computers/ Internet
Teaching
More details about your skills
Being very fit and active, I am able to help both indoors and out. I'm a tidy and organised person, a pretty good cook, a quick learner, an adept problem-solver and I love a good laugh. Animals like me and I am happy to muck out chicken coops etc as I do that at home. I also have a German Shepherd / Doberman cross which I walk every day. I'm a very practical person (so good at fixing things) and quite creative too (I can sew and mend stuff). I have a good eye for detail (proof reading etc.), a degree in Japanese and an ever-increasing understanding of all things technological. I surprised myself with my own digital skills when I set up SisterStay, a website for older women travellers, for which I also run a couple of social media accounts. (I still can't believe that.) Most importantly, I am reliable, trustworthy and easy to get along with.
Age
60
Some more information
- Smoker
- Driver's licence
- Allergies
  no
- Special dietary requirements
  no

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22 Nov 2024

Left by Workawayer () for host (Help us take care of our ...)

My stay at this beautiful temple seems like a dream now. It was one of the absolute highlights of my recent trip to Japan. Situated in a town just half an hour from Nagoya, yet atop a hill, surrounded by forest on two sides, it is a very special location. And a very special temple.

The Japanese are so respectful of lost loved ones. They come to… read more the temple to remember them and tend their graves with fresh flowers; it is our privilege and responsibility, as Workawayers, to keep the grounds looking neat and well cared for. It is also our job to ring the big bell, six times at 6pm, every night – something I will always remember!

My bedroom was a wonderful Japanese style room with tatami matting, a low desk and futon. Each morning, at 6am, I would awaken to the beautiful, rhythmic chanting of Ren-san’s worship in the temple across the hall. I loved to start my day like that. Then most mornings, I would join Ren-san in the kitchen for Rajio Taisou, NHK-broadcast exercises to the whole nation. That is such a good idea; we could definitely do with some of those in the UK!

By 7am, I had generally donned my uniform – yes, it turns out I didn’t need to bring any work clothes from home – and started to clean the toilet facilities and the main entrance area. Although the work was not difficult, I have to admit that having strained my back before travelling, I did, very annoyingly, come to struggle with some of the back-bending after a while and am very grateful to Shinku-san for his understanding of this. That’s what you get for doing Workaway as a 60 year old!

By starting early, the afternoons are your own. Sometimes, I would explore the local area by foot and sometimes I would venture further afield by bus or train to, for instance, Tokoname for pottery, or Arimatsu for Japanese tie-dye. A couple of times, I walked three quarters of an hour to a traditional bathhouse, past a dairy farm, a strawberry farm and a series of rice fields. It was all so charming and I had lots to think about on my way.

The family were very generous including me in their gatherings. I especially enjoyed a Japanese-style BBQ with them all in the sunshine one day. And a local market with homegrown produce, handmade jewellery and massages, in amongst other things, held in and around the temple on another day. And of course, I loved all my chats with Ren-san. She is wise and wonderful and a foster mum on top of everything else – a great role model for me.

My main reason for going back to Japan, some 40 years after having lived there as a student, was to revive my language skills. I definitely did that, but I also experienced something completely unique and wonderful by living in this amazing place and spending time with these very special people.

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