Wheelsgr

Jamaica
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Profile information

Travel information
I am currently
Travelling
Activities i am interested in:
Promoting ecology with disruptive and quirky methods
My next destination:
Germany - from May 2024 until Aug 2024
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Description
Hi!
I am a musician, I sing and produce. You can check it out here: http://soundcloud.com/aleyaj
I also have a green social network called fastfrwrd.io that encourages eco action and provides an alternative currency format for facilitating community action.
I make games, podcasts, videos, stories, music and art all in the name of spreading the word about sustainability and caring for our planet.
I've lived in France, the US, Belgium, Germany and even Japan (for 3 months) so I love traveling and learning new languages.
I've done cleaning jobs, babysitting, freelance travel-writing, content management, established non-profits, helping with development work and social work including grant-writing, event planning, hospitality, Permaculture planning, farmwork, tourism marketing... and I can learn new skills as needed! I am very adept at writing web content, brochure content, editing, putting up websites that are easy to use and helping to establish start-up strategies.
You can see my couchsurfer references to know what I'm like from other people's POV: https://www.couchsurfing.com/users/1660651/profile
Interests
Sustainability
Politics / Social justice
Culture
Events & social
Camping
Nature
Cooking & food
Gardening
Music
Writing
Languages
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
French: Fluent
Dutch: Intermediate
German: Beginner
Spanish: Beginner
More details about my language interests
I'm happy to practice languages
Find a language buddy
Skills and knowledge I'd like to share or learn
I'm interested in:
DIY and building projects
Some knowledge of:
Gardening
Creating/ Cooking family meals
Life at a Farmstay
Hospitality/Tourism
Charity Work
Languages
Art Projects
Teaching
Able to teach about:
Eco Projects
Helping with Computers/ Internet
More details about your skills
Website building, music production, getting better at video production: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QMYgfNTt-tQ
I spent the summer of 2014 working on an off-the-grid organic farm with a Manhattanite family. I would weed, water, clear Japanese beetles in the garden, cook meals, take care of the kids, give them music lessons in the afternoons and help with art projects.
I helped to establish my mother's social enterprise, The Development Gap. We learned about development work in Jamaica and the ways that foreign volunteers can make a difference or not in a new culture.
I did my first Workaway in Brooklyn at a sharehouse. It was short-lived but I learned a lot. We moved into a new house, put together furniture, booked new guests, organized events for other international visitors in New York, and other such tasks.
Writing (copy-writing, articles, blogs, news, editing, manuscripts & ebooks): I wrote for the Europa Diary ( pages 72, 73, 76 & 77 ) which distributes to about 4.3 millions students around the European Union, translated into the languages of the union. Link: http://ec.europa.eu/consumers/europadiary/docs/europa_diary_be-fr.pdf
I spent 5 months traveling South America and working on various ecological projects in order to learn Permaculture principles and practices and pick what I want to incorporate into projects and what I do not.
Age
33
What else ...
I am the founder of fastfrwrd.io a green opensource social platform with an alternative currency system built for facilitating the green transition necessary to sustain life on this planet. I believe the SDGs are a noble pursuit. For Fastfrwrd I make games, books, music, videos, podcasts and more.
Some more information
- Smoker
- Driver's licence
- Allergies
- Special dietary requirements

Feedback

18 Dec 2016

Left by host (Come and help at our organic ...) for Workawayer (Wheelsgr)

Aleya came in with that unique hip-and-head movement that only Jamaicans have, and with her wide and sincere smile. She came and taught us how to cook delicacies from her homeland, to dance with the head (I never learned well) and to use certain tricks of permaculture in the garden, among many other things. Thank you very much, Aleya. You will… read more

(Excellent )

5 Dec 2016

Left by Workawayer (Wheelsgr) for host (Come and help at our organic ...)

I don't know how to describe my time with Marlyn without sounding too superlative. Marlyn is the kind of spirit I want to be in other people's lives. She is so warm and loving and enthusiastic, and she adores her volunteers, speaks so very fondly of them, you know that she enjoys having people stay with her. The atmosphere, the space, the… read more

(Excellent )

22 Sep 2016

Left by Workawayer (Wheelsgr) for host (Help us on our little ...)

OH MY GOSH!!!! How many ways to say what an amazing woman Senora Efigenia is???!! She is so lovely and kind and energetic and funny and quick-witted and STRONG (yikes!) and spritely. I absolutely loved every moment spent in her company because she is such a lively and kind person who just wants everyone to feel happy and cared for. The work day is… read more

(Excellent )

10 Sep 2016

Left by host for Workawayer (Wheelsgr)

Aleya es una persona muy agradable, a pesar de que tuvo algún problema con la altura, nos ayudó en todo los trabajos. Pasamos muy buenos momento con ella haciendo música y conversando. Tiene grandes ideas para su propio proyecto en Jamaica y le deseamos mucho éxito en todo. Suerte y muchas gracias!

(Excellent )

19 Aug 2016

Left by Workawayer (Wheelsgr) for host (Help with the development and ...)

What a special place. Staying with Joles and Laura, while it was a test for my body at the altitude and cold temperature at night, I felt like I learned about a different way of life and being. I may not be suited for life out in the mountains of Peru - I like breathing too much - but wow! Beautiful scenery, good good, simple schedule, small… read more

(Excellent )

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Canoe Valley, Jamaica

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Working with some couchsurfers/volunteers

Exploring Genoa and Ventimiglia.

Sacred Valley, Peru

Feedback

18 Dec 2016

Left by host (Come and help at our organic ...) for Workawayer (Wheelsgr)

(Excellent )

5 Dec 2016

Left by Workawayer (Wheelsgr) for host (Come and help at our organic ...)

(Excellent )

22 Sep 2016

Left by Workawayer (Wheelsgr) for host (Help us on our little ...)

(Excellent )

10 Sep 2016

Left by host for Workawayer (Wheelsgr)

(Excellent )

19 Aug 2016

Left by Workawayer (Wheelsgr) for host (Help with the development and ...)

(Excellent )

20 Aug 2016

Left by host (Help with bio-construction ...) for Workawayer (Wheelsgr)

I am sorry you had a bad experience, and a story always have two sides, thank you for sharing your side. Yes, it is true that we live in a neighborhood with people that does not have many possibilities but i can assure you that nothing ever happened to any of the volunteers or the permanent residents of this project. Traveling to Colombia one has… read more

(Neutral )

19 Aug 2016

Left by Workawayer (Wheelsgr) for host (Help with bio-construction ...)

I had a mixed stay. I think in the end it was my fault for thinking i was in one kind of situation when it was otherwise. I am sure like all the other people who left references, most people will enjoy it. Mostly i recommend people come in pairs so you can avoid the main discomfort i had while i was there.

At first i was surprised that the… read more person who I was talking to wasn't at the project but obviously I didn't understand that he wouldn't be there at all. My stay was cut short because Tito who is usually friendly lost his patience with me. Understandable because after a miscommunication I lost a dog on one of my first days that he spent 2 hours searching for and happily found. Then during the week, because 4 different people told me the neighbourhood was dangerous and there were no windows for my room and only rocks to block the door and bugs coming in and out of the room, every time the dogs barked at night or a bug walked across my tent I woke up worried something was happening. Not sleeping well or feeling very safe I would only wake up by about 8:15 to work at 8:30 after falling asleep properly by about 4am. I would get so freaked out by the dogs barking for 10 minutes straight thinking maybe something was going on in the neighbourhood that I would block out the sound by putting on my headphones and putting on a show in the background. Traveling by myself I found that kind of uncomfortable. I am not normally that paranoid and nothing happened at all but the warnings from everybody about the neighbourhood got to me and made me really jumpy at night time.

The problems that make my review neutral is because of how I ended up leaving. Most days I woke up just in time to start work at 8:30. I would come downstairs and look for Tito but the property is large and it's difficult to find him until he came up to the kitchen area, so I would maybe take a shower, look about some things to eat etc. Turns out that I had been missing breakfast and he was mad at me this whole time, I thought it was ok as long as I started work at 8:30. I understand his annoyance there and I apologize for that because it was probably frustrating.

What happened next, however, I don't appreciate. He said I didn't do anything around the house despite the fact that I washed dishes after most meals and tried to ask what was needed and cleaned up after myself best as I could, did my work without complaints. He said I didn't do anything to help, always needed things explained and basically insulted my intelligence. I dont know most things about composting and outhouses. If I ask for help or instructions it's because I dont want to mess up things - I had no idea where to put trash like Styrofoam and other things so I put them on the table, waiting to talk to him and find out when I saw him.

It was obvious that he was holding on to resentment that he had not been expressing during the week and felt I was taking advantage of him. The one meal I didn't wash dishes for was the meal I had spent 3 hours cooking. I didn't touch the kitchen because it's just normal for me that the person who cooks doesn't wash dishes. Another example of unfair resentment was when I came I learned I would not receive meals, fine, I asked what to buy for the household since I would buy food instead of the other way around. I went shopping for the house according to THEIR list. I got those things and suddenly the last morning I was being shouted at for only buying a few fruits and nothing substantial, and how I didn't use my sense to figure out what was needed... This, after spending about 50,000 pesos on things I don't even eat.

I dont know if I really insulted and tested Tito's patience by sleeping late so many times, but I tried to pitch in and do my work. The last thing I want is for someone to think I'm taking advantage of them. I think if I knew that breakfast was together it would have been different and none of this would have happened. I doubt he will believe me because the fact that I am still learning Spanish and live a different life - i don't even eat breakfast at home - doesn't seem to be an excuse for him so I will just end this by saying I am sure many people will enjoy this Workaway experience. I did not have the best week and many warnings about safety made me paranoid and uncomfortable and it bubbled over into an unfortunate experience. It was weird but I also think it was an exception and the week got off to a bad start. I think few people will ever see that side of Tito's personality. I still wish them luck on their project. I just think having a conversation first before throwing all your problems at someone else is a better way of dealing with problems but I don't know what he was dealing with or how I was affecting him so it will always just be an unfortunate thing that happened.
Wow! I wrote a whole bible here! Whoops. :)

(Neutral )

12 Sep 2014

Left by host for Workawayer (Wheelsgr)

Aleya is a rare find! She worked with me this summer setting up a share-house in Brooklyn. Her attention to detail and proactive attitude is unmatched! Combine that with her sociability and friendly demeanor... she is surely a great addition to any team. I was sad to see her go and I'd recommend her to any host who might be considering her for a… read more

(Excellent )

19 Aug 2014

Left by Workawayer (Wheelsgr) for host (Looking for a responsible, ...)

Laura is a wonderful, considerate, gentle and understanding host. She has fantastic aspirations, a wonderful spirit and an inspiring drive! I'm so glad I met her and I hope that we'll stay in touch going forward.

(Excellent )

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