Now that I’m about halfway through my travels, I wanted to share more about my experiences with Workaway. I have done four Workaway experiences on three continents; three I found on Workaway and one was offered to me through the platform by the organizer. Each one was unique in its difficulty and time requirements, but all of them featured amazing hosts and volunteers that made each place feel like a second home. This is a breakdown of my latest three Workaway visits in Poland, Maine, and Japan.
Angloville, Radziejowicka, Poland
After my first Workaway experience in Switzerland, I went to Poland to volunteer for a week with Angloville. This was the most different from my other Workaway experiences because of the time commitment spent volunteering. This was also the only Workaway experience I didn’t seek out on my own—an Angloville staff member contacted me through the Workaway site. After a simple interview with them, I accepted their offer.
Most of the Workaway opportunities I have seen require four to five hours of work per day, five to six days per week, similar to a part-time job. By contrast, Angloville requires engaging with the program all day each day you are there, much more like full-time work.
In exchange for your work, like other Workaway experiences, Angloville provides lodging and food, but most of your time is scheduled to help others learn English. Before getting to work, they start off with a bit of orientation and social time in Warsaw.
The Angloville experience began with a guided walking tour of Warsaw along with the other volunteers. It was a nice tour that explored the history of Warsaw. In many ways, the city feels very new because it was so devastated during World War II. The tour piqued my interest and I would definitely like to go back and explore it more on my own schedule.
The tour concluded with lunch at a local restaurant, where I tried pierogi and loved it. After a few free hours, I spent enjoying the Hilton and taking advantage of the Executive Lounge, we met again and went to the immersive English program site. The site was a couple of hours outside of Warsaw at the Kuklowka Conference Center.
I volunteered for two sessions, with one short weekend session and one week-long session, for a full eight days overall. The students were all native Polish speakers learning English for different reasons. The premise of the week for the students is a very good idea. It combines the convenience of staying close to home with the benefits of traveling to another country for an immersive language experience with native English speakers.
The main “rule” for the program was that all communication was done in English. As a volunteer, my role was mostly talking to people in English and giving them support and feedback on their language skills. It was a lot of fun meeting the Polish participants and doing my best to help them learn English.
Another highlight was meeting the other volunteers, a diverse group from all over the world. Many of us were traveling through Europe, some came to Poland just to do Angloville, and some were international students studying at nearby universities.
I had a pleasant experience with Angloville, my favorite part being all of the people I met. The facility where we did the session was standard and no-frills but provided all the basic needs. I think Angloville is a great option especially if you want to learn more about teaching English, you are ready to put in long days, and understand that you will not have much free time to explore the area.
This was far more work than the other Workaway experiences, something to keep in mind when considering what might work best for you and your travel plans. Overall, I think this is an ideal fit for someone pursuing or considering a TEFL or other English teaching certification.
Full Circle Farm, Vassalboro, Maine, United States
From Poland, I flew back to the United States to Vassalboro, Maine to work and stay at Full Circle Farm for ten days. Returning to the states to see DeeDee and Jared was always part of my travel plans, and since I’d always wanted to visit Maine, this seemed like a good way to squeeze that in before my midpoint travel break back home.
I worked hard at the farm doing chores I mostly enjoyed, but I’ll be honest, there were a few tasks that weren’t the most fun and pretty taxing, like raking trash from the yard of a rental property. But that is part of the deal—some of the work you will like and some not as much. Though some of it was tough, I felt my efforts made a significant contribution to the small farm and that left me with a good sense of satisfaction.
As with Angloville, people were the best part. The farm owners, Bernie and Jody, were very warm and kind, both with an interest and passion for travel and who fully opened their home to me. I truly hope our paths cross again someday so I can repay their hospitality.
I also lucked out with two great fellow Workaway volunteers, Angel from Mexico and Isaac from Spain. They were both fantastic young men and it was welcome to have others to work with on the farm and spend time with when we were off. We all drove to Pemaquid Point on the coast, explored the rocky shore, at lobster and it confirmed what I suspected: I need to go back and spend more time in Maine. It is breathtaking from the green forests to the vast coastal views, and I left wanting to explore so much more.
Isaac 
Angel 
Angel and Isaac at Pemaquid Point
Homestay with Emi-san & Mitake-san, Ome, Tokyo, Japan
After the farm, I took a brief solo-travel break spending some great times back at home with family and friends. Refreshed from quality time with loved ones, I flew on to Tokyo for my next Workaway experience and my first visit to Asia.
This Workaway was a homestay in Ome with my two hosts Emi-san and Mitake-san. Ome is in the Western Tokyo Metropolis about 90 minutes by train from the city center. When I arrived there was another volunteer named Yoni who had been there for a couple of weeks. Yoni is a regular traveler from the Netherlands and I’m very grateful I got to spend my first day volunteering there with her. She showed me the ropes and helped me feel comfortable, as my transition to Japan was difficult (that is for another blog).
At their house, I did general chores and gardening, and like all my Workaway adventures, I felt I made an important contribution and helped them out a lot. They have a very traditional Japanese home with many wood frame and paper movable walls. Working and staying there was an honor.
Beautiful Gardens 
When I wasn’t volunteering, I visited a Sake Brewery, Mount Mitake Shrine and many of the towns in the area. Ome is a gorgeous, forested area painted in natural beauty, not at all like the crowded, concrete jungle of Tokyo’s city center districts most people think of.
Love Sake 
Temple in Ome 
Mt. Mitake Shrine
Emi-san and Mitake-san were gracious hosts who shared meals with me and made me feel welcome. I am so thankful for them and for Yoni who helped me settle in. You’re probably seeing the trend, but like every other travel experience so far, the people were again the top highlight for me in this Japan Workaway experience.
Workaway Takeaways and Tips
Overall, I highly recommend Workaway for those who want to travel, meet new people from all over the world, and experience local cultures and lifestyles that differ from your own. After my four Workaway experiences, I feel I’ve gained a huge network of new friends in Switzerland, Poland, Maine and Japan, plus the Netherlands, Mexico, and Spain by way of other volunteers’ home countries.
I’ve always felt that meeting new people changes you and this seems particularly noticeable when traveling to new places. From Veena, I learned about being a traveling chef, and from Angel, I saw the passion of a traveler looking for a new place to visit. I am so glad to have been changed for the better by all the people I met through Workaway, and this was more than I could have asked for.
Budget Your Money and Your Time
While Workaway offers a great way to travel on a budget and gain exposure to local cultures, it’s important to keep in mind how much time and energy volunteering requires. Volunteering needs your full attention, and combining this with the tiring effects of traveling and crossing time zones might leave you feeling a little fatigued.
In hindsight, I probably would not have scheduled so many Workaways back to back. I would plan to travel at my own pace for at least a week between each experience. Instead, I had an almost non-stop Workaway schedule except for my visit back home in between!
I started my Workaway in Switzerland on August 5th and was continuously volunteering or traveling until September 11th. After spending a few weeks back home, my next stop to kick off the second leg of my journey was the Workaway in Japan that started on October 7. By the time I left Ome on October 22nd, I was ready to just travel without the responsibility of volunteering. Looking back, I’m amazed at how much I did in that span of time, but see that I could have slowed the pace down just a bit. Travel and learn!
Final Thoughts on Workaway
In spite of dishing myself a very full Workaway plate, I enjoyed the experiences with my hosts so much that I plan to put together a Workaway at my home to host travelers in Fort Collins next Spring or Summer.
If you are reading this and looking for an affordable way to see the natural wonders, historic districts, and so much more that Colorado has in store, please let me know right here.
And if another destination is in your sights, check out Workaway and see what they have to offer the world over. They offer an incredible opportunity to truly live and experience a foreign culture and the hospitality of its people.
Volunteering while traveling has been a great way for me to make new friends, visit places I’ve always wanted to see, and genuinely help a lot of people all while having fun. While the work isn’t always easy, neither is everything about travel. But the outstanding people I’ve met along the way more than make up for any challenges.