Although the idea of travel carries images that entail profound life-changing experiences and achievement, very often people who travel for leisure wind up having experiences that are watered down and spend the majority of their time simply moving from one destination to another. Last year I found myself craving those life-changing experiences. Rather, I had been craving them most of my life, and after significant ties to my home city (friends, relationship, on-site job) were severed in different ways, I had a unique opportunity to pursue them. I had a friend who was already in Europe that wanted a friend to travel around with and another who was inviting me to stay with her and a host family in Kenya. I realized that if I didn’t take the leap now, I was going to get tied down again and might not ever have the chance to pursue this dream again. And so I sold most of my possessions and reduced my life to a laptop bag and a 50L backpack and hit the international road in search of, if not ultimate fulfillment, at least a clean slate and a fresh perspective.
I soon came to discover that the reality of many popular travel destinations are rife with tourist traps where you are paying (often exorbitant prices) to speculate on a very narrow experience that often does not match your initial interests and whose completion gives you a few hours of exposure, a very Instagram-worthy photo, and bragging rights, but not so much transformation that makes you any better or more interesting a person. While these types of tours and activities can be very enjoyable, I have come to conclude that they are more like rides at an amusement park rather than the mind-expanding experiences that many people who travel are ultimately chasing.
So how does one get the most of their travel experience?
My friend in Europe suggested that we try Workaway as a way to reduce accommodation costs and travel slower. Since then, I have loved Workaway and the opportunities it provides. Workaway is a platform that connects people who want to exchange a maximum of 25 hours a week of their time and skills with people who can provide lodging and often food in over 170 countries. It could be described as Peace Corps meets Airbnb. Through Workaway, I have had the chance to experience life in multiple countries and have worked at a sustainable farm in a Turkish Eco Village, a beach hostel, and even a design studio hidden away in the mountains of India. What is really wonderful about this program is that it doesn’t have too high a barrier of entry. There is a yearly fee of $50 (about $4 a month) in order to be able to contact hosts, but even if you used it one time for a 2 week trip, you would very likely still be saving a large percentage of the money that you would have spent on food and accommodation. Some work may be more specialized or require a longer time commitment but there are plenty of hosts who need help that any average person would be able to provide for a short time, such as two weeks.
Through Workaway you have the chance to embed yourself into a place in a much richer way than the conventional tourist route. Having a host already gives you an automatic plug into the community and gives you a chance to learn more about and participate in daily life and local customs.. Because you are volunteering you will probably learn about what issues the community is facing and how they are trying to address them. You may even be contributing to the solution of one of these problems alongside other members of the community.
Workaway is also a great way to expand or improve your skillset. By volunteering with Workaway, you have the chance to sample different types of work and see how you like it.
At the hostel I volunteered at in India, I met a clinical psychologist who wanted to try her hand at painting a mural in the common area and through that, discovered a passion and talent for mural painting. To this day, I still see her posting on Instagram of her sketches and paintings that she has done since her time in India. You can also figure out what you are NOT interested in.
When I signed up to do the Workaway at the Eco Village, it was with a friend of mine who had done a few farming Workaways before and was becoming enamored with permaculture and sustainable agriculture. A lifelong city girl myself, I was curious to explore this lifestyle but quickly found out that it simply was not where I saw myself long term.
I have also discovered that people who participate in Workaway are often enthusiastic about being part of the travel community and promoting its shared values such as: openness, creativity, sustainability, generosity, and taking a deep enjoyment of life’s simple pleasures. When I worked at a hostel in India, it was very clear that they were not nearly as concerned about the work itself, but more about the cultural exchange that interactions between guests and Workawayers provided. I remember the owner of the hostel telling us that she is passionate about giving more people the opportunity to travel and that was what motivated her to create this hostel as a place for people all around the world to connect and create together. The travel community is made of so many creative, conscious, idealistic people who genuinely want to make the world a better place and Workaway is a fantastic way to connect with those kinds of people.
While I am clearly a huge proponent of Workaway, I would be remiss to not acknowledge that it is important to take a few precautions before flying halfway across the world to live with and work for a stranger. First, always check the reviews and make sure that there are stellar comments about the experience from at least five people. Second, make sure to set very clear expectations during a video call with your host to make sure that it will be a good fit. Try to ask as much as you can about the specificity of the tasks, the accommodation, and the food offered as well as get a good idea of the background of your host so that you have as much information as you can get to decide if it’s the right fit for you. If they have other Workawayers currently residing with them, it wouldn’t hurt to request to speak to one of them about their experience as well. Finally, while Workaway is a budget-friendly travel option, make sure that you have the funds to leave early and stay in a hotel or hostel for the rest of the trip if necessary. You don’t want to be stuck with a terrible host on your trip just because you can’t afford to go anywhere else. Please don’t let these precautionary measures dissuade you though if you are very interested in trying a Workaway. Just like any type of travel, there are inherent risks to be aware of but they can be easily mitigated and the majority of experiences are overwhelmingly positive and rewarding.
Because of Workaway, I have been able to simultaneously pursue my interests while also achieving a lifelong dream of mine to experience daily life in another country. I have had the chance to see more of the world and learn more about myself than I could ever on my own during this season of my life. I have been able to make deep connections and lifelong friends with people around the world by actually doing life with them for extended periods of time. And I have come to appreciate the places where I am staying so much more because I have gotten to know them on a much deeper level. My hope is that more people who are struck with wanderlust and aspire to travel take advantage of programs like Workaway and join this beautiful community.
