r/workaway

Hello everyone! I want to volunteer for the first time, and I’m considering several countries: Turkiye, Georgia, Morocco, and Armenia. I’d love to hear about your experiences in these places and whether they are safe for a woman.

Hi everyone! I'm writing to you because I need some advice. It hasn't been an easy time for me, and I feel the need to get away from my hometown and experience something abroad. I'm 24 years old and have been thinking about traveling alone for a while, but I'm a little worried about feeling uncomfortable and ending up in strange or dangerous situations. I don't want to sound tragic, but it's difficult for a woman to travel alone. My goal is to volunteer in Asia, but I'd like to experience Europe first. I'm available from July to September. What do you recommend for a last-minute first experience? Workaway or Worldpackers? Do you have any recommendations for a first destination? I'd also like to make friends and maybe find someone with similar plans for this summer :). Thanks for reading this confusing message :P

Hey everyone!

I'll be reaching Manali soon as part of my 3-month solo backpacking trip across the Himalayas. I'm looking for someone who could host me for a short stay and/or let me keep my backpack/luggage at their place while I head out on treks. I don't want to carry all my gear into the mountains.

I'm a genuine backpacker and trek leader with experience trekking and mountaineering across the Himalayas. Happy to verify my identity, share my social media, or meet in person first if that makes you more comfortable.

If anyone can help or has any suggestions (hostels, cafés, gear stores, etc. that offer luggage storage), I'd really appreciate it.

Thanks in advance! 😊

➡️Also asking workawayers who have stayed long term in a specific country/ especially Canada⬅️

I'd be coming with a full work and residence permit from Europe, but I really can't figure out how to register for taxes/car insurance/remote freelance work/mobile phone/social security number without a permanent address.

[My plan would be to change provinces maybe 3 times/year].

So my question is, is it commonplace for hosts to allow workawayers to use their home address to be able to face those admin hurdles, does it depend on the host, or on the contrary, is it most likely going to be a "no" from the host, and therefore a problem for all long-time country dwellers?

Cheers everybody!

I just recently arrived at my newest workaway. I went through a breakup last week (workaway was already booked) and thought travelling might do me some good so committed to flying out here.

Now I'm here, turns out around 75% of the volunteers are from the host country and are speaking their native language with each other. In my past workaways, people came from all over and it was easier to make friends but here I'm feeling a lot more like an odd one out.

Now I'm feeling a bit isolated and just want to go home and be with friends and family. How many days should I give it before making a decision?

Hello. Traveling to Mumbai for few weeks. Looking for stay in exchange for labor. However, this is something completely new to me. If anyone has had such experience, can they share, how does it work? What are the expectations? If any opportunities are available, do tag me.

Hey guys,

quite a vulnerable post. I am a 26 y/o woman who is feeling very understimulated in her current life, get very bored and struggle living at home and I am lonely in aspects. I don't mind my job and I was diagnosed with ADHD and my brain is running away with itself. I think I want to travel because I would love to meet people and love socialising. I was thinking about doing workaways but scared incase I don't receive any approvals, as it can be competitive and don't want to apply to any before I have left just to 'try it out' if I am not sure. I basically feel like I want to get a work exchange easily which sounds ignorant of me. I have a decent amount of money saved but I just doubt myself. I am meant to sign a lease with some people but I am not sure if I should travel a few months, see what the vibe is and then go home and move in with other people. The main fear comes from not getting a job either on workaway or when I come home, because I look like I am a job hopper. I want to travel to make friends but I am like, could I get a more stimulating job and move in with these girls and that will appease to me ? I am just very much an acts of service person and keep listening to so many opinions that I feel overwhelmed.

Any advice or shared experiences would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

In most countries, it is completely illegal to volunteer in exchange for accommodation and/or food on a tourist visa.

You’re stealing a paid job from a local for free. If you’re traveling to a poor country, it’s not like you don’t have enough opportunities in your home country. If you want to stay in a country for longer, you should’ve worked longer in your home country and made more money.

If you travel to a country, you should respect their country by respecting their laws or not go at all.

I recently tried my first Workaway at a family-run hotel in Germany and the host asked me to leave after a few days because she said I was causing her too much stress.

For context, my duties were to cook meals in the family’s kitchen, which was separate from the kitchen used to cook for the hotel guests. It was located in the family’s private apartment, away from hotel guest spaces.

She just left me a 2-star review and some of her complaints were:

- I waited until the 3rd morning to ask if they had coffee available instead of just walking in and using the expensive machine in the guest kitchen (which was never shown to me)

- I was cold the first night and asked for more blankets the next morning (she said I should have contacted them during the night for more blankets instead of waiting til morning)

- I’m a remote worker and needed WiFi in the morning and evening. Before I arrived she said there was WiFi in public areas, which was fine. Upon arrival, “public areas” actually meant inside the family’s private apartment. She got upset that I didn’t want to just waltz into their house at 6:00AM or stay in the family’s space after dinner to work.

In general it seemed like she expected me to ASK for things instead of offering them like a good host would. It’s like she was mad that I wasn’t just demanding things as soon as I needed them?

In my mind, when you are a guest in someone’s home, you try to ask for as little as possible, take up as little space and resources as possible. I was trying to be as unobtrusive as possible and not be in the family’s private space, but I guess that was wrong?

Her review simultaneously says I was demanding, but also complains that I wouldn’t ask for things the moment I needed them?

I did all of my job duties and repeatedly asked if there was more I could help with. The one positive she left in her review was that I was a good cook and kept things tidy.

What happened here? I’m not sure if this is a cultural thing or if I was in the wrong. Am I just not understanding the Workaway mindset?

And a question for hosts: I want to try Workaway again in the future. Would a 2-star review automatically make you disregard a profile?

Hi - currently staying in a workaway in America and the host is providing very little food. I have asked if I should get food and he said no, that he does. You go into the fridge and there is nothing to eat and when there is food I am expected to make what he wants to eat.

Any similar experiences? Unable to leave early due to other commitments

Hi everyone.

I’m in a really awkward and traumatising situation right now. I started this work away on June 8th and am meant to finish on July 22nd. The couple I am staying with are really nice but sometimes i think our communication differs slightly so I’d been slightly unhappy in the last week or so. But then around 4 days ago they said one of their dogs was actively dying and so I started taking on the regular shared chores to allow them to be with her and the 4 days notice meant I was able to sort of come to terms with the fact that the dog might pass away. I am a huge animal lover and extremely sensitive to any injury or death of animals so I knew it was going to be tough. They are farm people and so while obviously distraught over their beloved pet, they have a bit more experience with animal death as they used to raise and eat their animals. Basically yesterday the dog died and i listened to them scream and cry and they said they were sorry that i had to be here for it and I just said it’s okay because what else can I say. Yesterday morning i noticed the barn cat wasn’t around and so i asked and they said that’s pretty usual for him - I’d become really close with this cat over my time here as I spend most days in the barn. Then as they were digging the grave for the dog last night, I shut up the barn and realise the cat hadn’t returned that evening. The night before I had heard two cars of people stop and chat outside the house so once i realised he wasn’t around I just knew he had been hit. I went up to the road in-front of the house and found his body up in the verge where these people had placed him and instantly started crying and had to go and tell the couple that not only had their 15 year old dog just died but also their cat had been killed by a car. I cried for around 2 hours in my room while they finished burying the pets and then we had dinner together and I cried again. They took me to the cinema as a distraction which was really kind but on the way home they said I had to look out at the sides of the verge incase any animals ran out as it was night and of course I could not deal with any more death so I was nearing a panic attack in the front seat as we drove so quickly along these country roads. We got home at around 1am and i didn’t sleep until 4/5ish as I kept seeing the body of the cat and replaying everything in my head. I then woke up at 7 as I said i’d do the barn chores in the morning so they didn’t have to. After that I shut myself in my room all day because I just needed to process it all. I came down around 30 minutes ago and one of the hosts jokingly told me off for not having done any work today but I know he was pretty much saying that I should have done stuff. And then told me i’ll have to work extra long tomorrow. I’m doing outdoor work and I’ve been working really hard and taking barely any time at all to complete things. He then said that waking up early is hard for me and he doesn’t know what kind of schedule i’m on. I just went back up to my room.
I just feel really really disturbed by it all and I just don’t want to be here anymore. It’s my first workaway and my first time solo travelling and I’m just really struggling now. But they need someone here for the 17-19th of July as they have to go away. Idk what to do. Any advice would be so helpful

Has anyone else been completely ripped off by Workaway? I want to warn everyone before you waste your hard-earned money on them. I paid for a membership, followed every single piece of advice they give, and contacted over 10 different hosts as it suggests to do before claiming a refund. Guess what? Absolutely nothing worked. Workaway explicitly promises a refund if you don't get anywhere with hosts, but when I actually tried to claim it, they outright refused to give me my money back. They are completely ignoring their own guarantees to try and lock me out of a refund. They are nothing but a money grab. The platform is useless, the hosts don't reply, and their customer service is terrible. Has anyone else had this issue with them refusing refunds after you did everything right? Lmk because this is a joke.

Hi everyone.

I’m in a really awkward and traumatising situation right now. I started this work away on June 8th and am meant to finish on July 22nd. The couple I am staying with are really nice but sometimes i think our communication differs slightly so I’d been slightly unhappy in the last week or so. But then around 4 days ago they said one of their dogs was actively dying and so I started taking on the regular shared chores to allow them to be with her and the 4 days notice meant I was able to sort of come to terms with the fact that the dog might pass away. I am a huge animal lover and extremely sensitive to any injury or death of animals so I knew it was going to be tough. They are farm people and so while obviously distraught over their beloved pet, they have a bit more experience with animal death as they used to raise and eat their animals. Basically yesterday the dog died and i listened to them scream and cry and they said they were sorry that i had to be here for it and I just said it’s okay because what else can I say. Yesterday morning i noticed the barn cat wasn’t around and so i asked and they said that’s pretty usual for him - I’d become really close with this cat over my time here as I spend most days in the barn. Then as they were digging the grave for the dog last night, I shut up the barn and realise the cat hadn’t returned that evening. The night before I had heard two cars of people stop and chat outside the house so once i realised he wasn’t around I just knew he had been hit. I went up to the road in-front of the house and found his body up in the verge where these people had placed him and instantly started crying and had to go and tell the couple that not only had their 15 year old dog just died but also their cat had been killed by a car. I cried for around 2 hours in my room while they finished burying the pets and then we had dinner together and I cried again. They took me to the cinema as a distraction which was really kind but on the way home they said I had to look out at the sides of the verge incase any animals ran out as it was night and of course I could not deal with any more death so I was nearing a panic attack in the front seat as we drove so quickly along these country roads. We got home at around 1am and i didn’t sleep until 4/5ish as I kept seeing the body of the cat and replaying everything in my head. I then woke up at 7 as I said i’d do the barn chores in the morning so they didn’t have to. After that I shut myself in my room all day because I just needed to process it all. I came down around 30 minutes ago and one of the hosts jokingly told me off for not having done any work today but I know he was pretty much saying that I should have done stuff. And then told me i’ll have to work extra long tomorrow. I’m doing outdoor work and I’ve been working really hard and taking barely any time at all to complete things. He then said that waking up early is hard for me and he doesn’t know what kind of schedule i’m on. I just went back up to my room.
I just feel really really disturbed by it all and I just don’t want to be here anymore. It’s my first workaway and my first time solo travelling and I’m just really struggling now. But they need someone here for the 17-19th of July as they have to go away. Idk what to do. Any advice would be so helpful

Hey there kind of a weird question.

My partner and I are coming up on the end of a workaday we started at the beginning of the month. Since the beginning it became clear the host was a terrible instructor, manager and pretty reactive guy all round.

It's not so bad that I'd ever report him but things like offering stuff and then deciding to take it back without warning. Giving instructions for the tasks then getting angry when you do it, claiming he never said what he said. He was supposed to cover our food but frequently forgets about a quarter of the items on the list or edits it based on his own opinions, then when another worker had a car would drive us for our stuff he got huffy saying we were eating too much. I'm vegetarian and have been stuck eating carrots and goats cheese for meals many times. Shifts were listed as 4-5 hours but I would say 90% have been 5 hours. Passive aggressive texts, blaming us for things that are no one's fault.

It's clear the workers think they're being jilted, but so does he so there's constant tension and the feeling of being cheated out of something I suppose.

In the end I think he's just a bit of an ass and we don't gel but nothing serious. Now the final insult to injury is that he's saying he's not willing to get up to bring us to our train to the airport on Friday. It's at 6.30am and a 10 min drive, he gets up every day at 5am but just tells us he's not willing despite that being the agreement.

I personally don't want to do even another day's work for him, my partner says it's just one day so why not.

I feel we should have some kind of conversation about the review of it all. Maybe some kind of acknowledgment that this clearly hasn't gone in our most idealised way and we should agree to not review each other. This would be my only review on our profile and I don't want it to affect the future Workdays I have lined up for the summer. Has anyone had experience with this?

I signed up to do my first workaway as a 19 yr old solo female in the mountains at supposed closed resort being turned into an eco village. I was so excited to do my first workaway when I was sending the first message that I completely missed the fact that they have no reviews. I’m already confirmed to go and I’m not as worried about how well I’ll fit in there than I am about the possibility of me getting straight kidnapped. The location is 30 minutes into the Philippine mountains away from the main road with very limited cell service. In their profile, theres no pictures with any face, host or volunteer, when talking about their location, they’re very vague about it except for the fact that its far into the mountain, I don’t even know the exact location yet and I’m a week away. They said recently started accepting workawayers and that they’ve hosted several already but theres no reviews. I think I’m just being paranoid, they’ve given me no reason to be weary of them but ever since the thought crossed my mind, I can’t shake the feeling.

Am I just being too paranoid or are things a little fishy?

hi there,

I am planning on volunteering at a hostel in the centre of edinburgh from september till november, however was wanting some ideas of how much you would recommend having saved? the accommodation will be free as well as breakfasts, i would love to be able to still go out to the pub and do the occasional activity, but just have no idea what sort of budget I should be setting for myself?

Hi everyone,

I am a highly motivated professional with a background in Law, Finance, and Fitness Coaching (founder of "Summer Form"). I am currently looking for new opportunities and would love to connect with this community.

I am interested in:

Work: Open to roles in Administration, Legal consulting, or Fitness training.

Volunteering: Eager to contribute to community projects.

Host Family: Looking for a welcoming, culturally enriching home environment.

I am hardworking, adaptable, and eager to learn. If you have any leads or advice, please feel free to reach out. I would truly appreciate your help!

I used ai to write profile. Now they ain't approving

Hi everyone! I am currently setting up my first Workaway profile and have spent a few days now researching tips for setting up my profile, messaging hosts, and just Workaway in general, and have gathered a lot of useful information and am confident moving forward. However, I am stuck on the tiniest detail! I am not sure what to set my username as, and have not been able to find many examples or guidelines. I want to be professional and show that I am serious about my inquiries to hosts and living this work trade/seasonal working lifestyle.
Should I use my full real name? Or rather something like “ BobTheWanderingWorker ”? Does my username even matter that much..? (Again, to me this seems like a minor detail in the grand scheme of my profile but I wanted to ask the actual Workaway community)
Would love if any of you would give me examples of your username or others that you’ve seen or know, or any helpful insight. Thank you! :)