63.Workaway

So far this year I've hosted 4 Helpers. The last one, Natasha from Brazil, staid a week and told me about another helpers network called 'Workaway'. After taking a look at it and figuring that their website was more up-to-date, I registered with them. Here's My profile with Workaway.

There's a lot of misunderstanding between people arriving at a host and people hosting travellers. It is bound to happen: ways and habits are different even between people of the same age group and cultural background, so when you welcome or arrive at someone of a different age and of a different education and sociocultural background, the amazing thing actually is that we CAN get on and work together for a while!

My last 2 travelling guests were very helpful. Aska from Japan and Natasha from Brazil in their own ways enhanced my own life. We chatted and exchanged travelling stories. I am after all an old backpacker myself.

As for exchanging some hours of work against full board, it seems there's a lot of misunderstanding there too. I've heard stories from my helpers that they were made to work 6 solid hours of tedious work like ironing or weeding, for no pay, just full board and no cultural exchange at all. I also heard and experienced that some travelling helpers just enjoy turning up and being fed at your place with no special interest in your life and your ways.

So, I was very happy to find the 'workaway' network, organised from Great Britain and really pointing to the fact that it is geared for people keen to learn about other people and their differences. Nice!

I am now eager to host my next help, member of this network. My 'berryhobby' website here tells the history of that big idea of mine, to open up this village to the outside world a bit, by welcoming hobby potters to my pottery studio. Hopefully someone from the workaway network will be interested to join me in this venture.

Natasha from Brazil with my granddaughter and some harvest from John's garden

Natasha entertaining my grandkids

Halloween pumpkin as end result