Alexandra

Información de viaje

Ahora estoy

Descripción

After working in sustainability for the past seven years, I have decided to take a career break for year to travel, meet new people, learn new skills and knowledge on the issues which most matter to me. I'm very excited!

I have experience in farming (from seed sowing, cultivating, animal care), as well as cooking, DIY jobs (including wood work skills and experience with building) and childcare.

My most recent WorkAway experiences was on an eco-village in Northland (NZ), a homestead in Opotiki (NZ) and a resort in the Kenepuru Sounds (NZ).

Prior to this, I was in Europe working at an NGO in Montenegro, working as a babysitter and artist assistant in Shropshire (UK) and as a farm hand in Spain during last Summer.

I have also volunteered on a farm in Tarragona (Spain) where we harvested olives from 32 trees. Before this, I travelled to Northern Finland in 2019 - working on a farm and supported with the build of a straw-bale house and took a role organising the community potato harvest. My first workaway experience was in 2017, where I was introduced to farm work and volunteering abroad, staying on a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farm in rural Sweden for three months, which was one of the best times of my life.

I am passionate about all things environment, art and food, and would love to find projects which fit these passions as well as expanding my passions into new areas.

I am keen to learn more about permaculture farming, community facilitation, foraging, seaweed/cultivation, art and photography. I am very open to learning more beyond these topics and expanding my horizons - please do get in touch if you think I would be a good fit for your WorkAway opportunity.

I love to cook for others and eat as a community. I would be very happy to cook meals for others, as I have done on all my previous workaways, but also happy to arrange my own food if more convenient for you.

Please don't hesitate to message me if you have any questions.

I look forward to working with you soon!
Ali

(More info about me / experience I can bring below :)

Intereses

Idiomas

Idiomas hablados
Inglés: Fluido
Danish: Principiante
Español: Principiante
Francés: Principiante

Más información sobre tus intereses idiomáticos
Would love to learn more Spanish and Danish in particular, although I am very open to learning any new languages!

Buscar un colega de idioma

Habilidades y conocimientos que quiero compartir o aprender

Ciertos conocimientos de:  

Proyectos de construcción y bricolaje

Cuidado de animales

Enseñanza

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Puedo enseñar:  

Jardinería

Cocinar para toda la familia

Mantenimiento general

Vida en una granja

Proyectos ecológicos

Proyectos artísticos

Cuidado de niños y juegos creativos

Ayuda doméstica

Hostelería/turismo

Que habilidades tienes?

Cooking - I absolutely adore food, eating and sharing meals with others. I have been plant-based for ten years. I worked as a plant-based cook for two years in London, cooking for groups of diners between 20-50 people. I am happy to cook for any number of people. I believe it's important to eat as seasonally/locally as possible. I go foraging - so try to incorporate this into my dishes (nettles and wood sorrel being firm favourites). My current favourite meals to cook at the moment are: tahini ramen, roasted red pepper gnocchi and sage and butternut squash mac 'n' cheese :)

Art - I am an illustrator (using watercolours, pencils and fine liner mostly). I have been painting or doing a new arty project ever since I was little and love to be creative. I paint large acrylic canvases too. I make stained glass from time-time with my dad. If you need a hand with anything arty, I'd love to help! I'm currently illustrating my Workaway stays / nature walks as I travel.

Animal care - On my July '23 workaway, I took a lead in looking after the animals (chickens, donkeys and cats). The farm lead had broken her foot, so I was running the farm on my own - I really enjoyed being given this responsibility. It was the first time looking after farm animals but it is something I enjoyed and would love to keep learning more about.

DIY - I worked on community gardens in London, so have built many plant beds and new garden infrastructure. On my Workaway in Finland, I supported on a straw-bale house build - preparing the timber, the clay to plaster over the straw and being a general support with odd jobs. I've been learning wood carving, I can make spoons and hearts so far - but keen to keep expanding (bowls next!). I'd love to keep expanding my DIY capabilities, I'm a quick learner and happy to support with anything.

Nature - I love spending as much time in nature as possible, being under a tree canopy or out on the water paddle boarding is where I feel most content, and most myself. I really appreciate the Workaways I have been on which seek to work in harmony with nature and I hope to be able to support with that on every stay I do. I adore farm work, my first farm stay was for three months in Sweden (2017). It was here that I first fell in love with working on the land, in harmony with the seasons and living/working as a community. I am working towards having my own permaculture homestead one day and hope to bring back what I learnt during Workaway stays to this dream.

Customer service - I worked in retail for a number of years, as well as working as a waitress seasonally in between university. I understand the importance of good customer service and how to practice this in my role, but equally good communication as a team to ensure a smooth operation.

Childcare - Most recently (Sept '23), I worked as a nanny for a very sweet one year old boy, on a WorkAway in the UK. Prior to this, I worked as an Au Pair in Spain, looking after three children aged 7, 5 and 1. I also worked as a nanny in London, looking after two children, aged 6 and 2. I love looking after children, I find being around them very inspiring - their sense of imagination and empathy is always what strikes me when being around them. When working as an Au Pair/Nanny, I always enjoyed helping to prepare arty/nature based activities to help support their learning and play.

Teaching - I worked as a Teaching Assistant a few years ago (children aged 4-8) which I really enjoyed. I helped to prepare the lessons, supported children with their learning, oversaw them during play time and supported the general safe and supportive space of the classroom.

Sports - I love to keep active and enjoy hiking, cycling, bouldering and paddle boarding in my spare time.

Learning - I am really keen to learn more about plant care, as well as local flora and fauna - this is one of the things I'm enjoying learning as a happy side-effect of travelling around the world! I am attempting to illustrate each new species. I would love to keep progressing my DIY capabilities, both in woodwork, which I have some skills in already, but also general maintenance work (energy, water, toilet mechanisms etc.), as well as developing my understanding of what it takes to run a farm/homestead.


Some skills I have learnt from previous Workaway/WWOOFing projects summarised below:

Sowing seeds by hand (thousands of them), re-planting them outside by hand, re-planting them on the tractor (cabbages).
Helping to build a new polytunnel
Supporting the build of a straw bale house
Weeding larges field by hand (a good test of patience but really enjoyable!)
Caring for chickens, donkeys, pets (cats, dogs)
Harvesting fruits and nuts (walnuts, hazelnuts, Japanese plums, cherries, apples, various berries)
Hay making
Wheat harvesting my hand
Building new plant beds from wooden pallets
Tomato pruning and hanging
Building new compost bins/area
Potato harvesting
Cooking and baking for large groups (varied, from 15-50 people)
Childcare - supported in looking after the farmer's two small children (aged 2 and 5)
Embracing local culture/traditions - such as celebrating Midsummer in Sweden, embracing naked Sauna in Finland, naked swimming in Spain (naked anything isn't the norm in the UK!), dancing with new friends at the pop-up village parties in Spain!

Edad

27

Algo más...

I worked in sustainability - so any projects relevant to this this I would be very interested in and would love to bring my experience to!

In my spare time I love to draw and paint. I love to cycle, go for long walks in nature, do yoga and go bouldering from time to time!

I love to cook and really enjoy cooking for others - always happy to help with this if needed!

I volunteered every week at a food bank/cooperative, trying to alleviate food poverty and isolation within the city of London.

Más información

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  Fumador

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  Permiso de conducir

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  Alergia
  No

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  Dieta especial
  Vegetarian / Plant-based