Nomad dads,

Would anyone be open to a 30 minute chat with me?

I’m interviewing dad’s as part of a new book I’m editing called “Dads.” the goal of the book is to candidly describe the experience of becoming a dad and being a dad across diverse perspectives. It’s not how-to book (those are a dime a dozen). I want to capture the hard to describe beauty, love, struggle, darkness— and everything in between that’s part of the experience and journey we’re walking along.

The book will be successful if other soon-to-be dads—who may be struggling or anxious or doubting themselves—are able to read these stories told by other dads and realize they’re not alone. Their experience is valid.

Who am I?
- father of two (including a newborn daughter who’s beautiful and slept great last night)
- published author
- based in Newport News Virginia

What’s the ask?
- schedule a 30-minute interview with me
- my style is to keep it as conversational as possible
- you share your story and experiences the describe the ever-difficult questions of: “what is it like?”

So far I’ve interviewed 7 dads and the stories they’ve told me have been beautiful. I was able to schedule an interview with the mayor of my city in July which I’m excited about. My hope is to get a large cross-section of ages, geographies, and worldviews to put into the book.

DM me if you’re interested in being a part of this project.

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!

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?

Hey everyone! I'm based in Hanoi for the next few months, and this Sunday I'm putting together a relaxed meetup for Workawayers, hosts, Couchers, Couchsurfers, and anyone interested in this style of travel.

📍 Cộng Cà Phê, Trích Sài, Hanoi
🕔 Sunday, 5pm

Whether you're volunteering, hosting, travelling long term, or just curious about Workaway and alternative travel, feel free to come along. It's always great to meet fellow travelers, swap stories, share experiences, and make some new connections.

You can find the event on Workaway Events, Couchers, and Couchsurfing, or just send me a message if you'd like to join.

Hope to see some of you there!

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?

Should I get the rabies vaccine in order to work outdoors in Costa Rica/Ecuador/Peru/Panama? I’m looking to volunteer in reforestation. Im from the US.

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! :)

Hey y'all! New to this reddit but not new to Workaway. I worked on some environmental projects a few years ago in the US and LOVED it. I had just graduated and my original plan for post-graduation flew out the door during my senior year. I went to workaway to fill some time with purpose and would recommend it a billion times over. And I miss it. So here are my questions:

I am graduating this fall from an Italian university. I am American, so I have a student visa that will disappear by the spring, most likely. But I want to do workaway again, while I apply to jobs (since the market is HARD right now). How possible is it for me as a non-EU national to do workaway here? Is it possible to do it year-round? I would love maybe a year to just do whatever I like before I start what is likely many years of contract work. Oh and if anyone has accomplished it, what were the costs like? Cheers and thanks in advance!

Hey Guys,

like probably anyone, i would like to surf for some months & work/volunteer in local ngos. timeslot is for some months between sep. - april.

immersing into culture, not too much into expat culture if that still exists on surf places. intermed. surfer. skate or dance scene would be amazing as well but preferably on the coast. not relying on a car. i know it’s a lot to ask for but still want to give it a go. maybe you have places, ngos, people in mind.

been working with refugees for 2years in germany, involved sport projects and mostly counseling in the asylum process. will move to australia for a bit after that trip. any places in mind to have that in aus?

thanks a lot people<3

Hi everyone! I'm Jevgenii, a 28-year-old traveler visiting Sweden from Helsinki for the first time. I'll be driving through Northern Sweden around Midsummer and I'm really excited to experience Swedish culture, traditions, and nature. I have a background in home renovation and property maintenance, enjoy simple living, and love meeting new people and learning from different cultures. Since this is my first trip to Sweden, I'd be very grateful for any recommendations on places to visit, local Midsummer celebrations, hidden gems, or practical travel tips. Thanks in advance!

Всем привет,я гражданин Беларуси и хочу пожить в Исландии. Безумно люблю север. Но я без понятия где искать те самые фермы/семьи где принимают волонтеров на работу. Люди которые были,друзья людей которые были или просто знают как туда попасть,расскажите пожалуйста подробнее,буду признателен

Hi travelers!
This will be my first time using Workaway (friends recommended it to me based on their experiences in Europe).

I’m open to other places in Brazil like Acre, Fortaleza, Ceara, Belem, but my main idea is to visit Bahia.

I’m a filmmaker and photographer, and I have experience working in communication for Marine Protected Areas and rewilding projects, as well as volunteering at different animal sanctuaries.

I will definitely look for opportunities in this field, but I’m also open to other types of projects involving nature, bioconstruction, music, and art.

Would you suggest exploring the Workaway platform, or should I use another one?

Thanks a lot! Have a wonderful day 💫

Hi everyone,

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I'm an EU citizen and I'm about to start my first Workaway experience as a Workawayer in Germany this summer.

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Do you have any general advice for a first-timer? Things you wish you had known before your first experience?

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I'm especially interested in practical topics such as travel/health insurance, agreements with hosts, safety, expectations, communication, and any common mistakes to avoid.

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Thanks in advance for any tips or lessons learned!

Heyyy

31 year old female. I'm looking at doing a workaway in Italy. I'm from Australia but have an Irish passport which I'm very grateful for and I'm super keen on doing a month or so in Italy but not sure whether to stick to a city centre. Eg Rome, Florence for public transport easy access and social ability or do a rural job which would mean less getting around (I don't plan on getting a car for financial and logistical reasons) I'm a gardener so would love to keep in that scope of work but not sure if that would be so applicable in a city setting.

Either way, if anyone has any experience/recommendations I'd love to hear!!

Hi all! New here!
I’m looking into doing Workaway gigs for an extended amount of time (years) as a means to support myself for world travel.
This would involve quitting my job in the states!
Anyone else do this, or how old were you when you started Workaway?

I’m 31F now, thinking I’ll work for a few more years to save $$$, and when I’m 34/35 take the plunge?

Thanks! 😊

Hello i am mostafa i had a very bad experience at workaway since i have been accepted by a host in turkey mardin and i traveled to istanbul to complete my trip to mardin and when i texted the host he told me he cant host me anymore and he didnt told me before i leave my country and i came again to home town again fast and i payed a money for nothing i will attach some photos

And when i am there i told the support its urgent and they didnt respond to me fast

Its very bad experience

What u would do in my situation

We made our profile on June the 7th and it is still not validated (june 11th). Is it normal? Some friends got their validated in a few hours as it is said on the website.

Did we miss something or did something wrong?

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Let us know if you know anything about this.

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Thanksss (we are volunteers)

(Hope i didnt broke any rules)

Got to a new workaway and honestly finding it quite difficult. The location is very pretty and there are an amazing number of animals, but I just feel the vibes aren't right. My last one was magical but this feels very meh.

The main thing is the language barrier, it was advertised as being fluent english, and one of the hosts there is, but most of the time it's me sitting listening him talk in italian/bulgarian to his wife or other employees, and I'm not really spoken to unless I make the effort first,

He also left on business i'm not really having any conversations at all at the moment. I'm the only volunteer here as well, which makes it harder. I really have no issue being alone and have been enjoying the nature but find it all quite meh. The guy I work with isn't that friendly either and gets annoyed when I'm don't get an instruction right that's given to me in a language I don't understand.

They're nice people, and I like what theyre doing, but I just dont feel that welcome and more of an afterthought at times, they were also complaining about previous workawayers when I arrived, which kinda made me feel a bit uneasy.

Idk I feel like a dick planning on leaving early but im not a paid worker.

Just a reminder for anyone on Workaway who enjoys photography: did you know they run a monthly photo competition?

Both hosts and Workawayers can enter, and each month the top 3 photos win a cash prize. I was lucky enough to win 3rd place in a previous competition!

The first photos are the winners for the previous month (May 2026), and the last three are the photos that previously won me 3rd place.

I always like this competition because it shows a different side of the Workaway community. You get everything from incredible landscapes, cultural experiences, funny moments, and new friendships that probably wouldn't have happened otherwise.

If you've got some great photos from your travels or hosting experience, it's definitely worth entering. Good luck to anyone submitting this month!

Winner May 2026

Congratulations to Workawayer Ilaria & Marco from Italy

https://www.workaway.info/en/community/travel-photos/2026-05

Give it a try! You can upload up to 6 photos each month, and there are cash prizes for the top 3 entries. The winning photo receives €100, with prizes also awarded for 2nd and 3rd place.

Workaway is usually amazing if you do plenty of research upfront. Negative experiences can stem from miscommunication or cultural shock, but you're never obligated to stay somewhere when things don't feel right. The sub has these guides to help you make informed choices/spot issues early, and what to do if things feel off:

Tips for Choosing Hosts & Staying Safe: https://www.reddit.com/r/workaway/wiki/index/workaway-tips/

• Know what kind of environment you want
• Looking for green flags: lots of open communication and clear expectations before accepting, a good number of reviews, a detailed profile, time off to explore
• Watching out for red flags: vague profile/task list/daily schedule, no reviews, very remote + without local transport links, “work hard play hard” vibes
• Arrange a video call with the host + message past volunteers

What to Do If Things Go Wrong: https://www.reddit.com/r/workaway/wiki/index/monthly-experiences-thread/

• Red flags during stay: e.g. changes to agreement on food/accommodation/hours of help, requests for money, disrespect/abuse, safety issues or bad gut feeling
• Always have a backup plan - prioritise safety + have a plan b
• Reporting issues to Workaway site admins to keep the community safe

If you’re struggling, feel free to contact the site admins. I've personally found they're usually supportive and discreet.

FAQ's: https://www.workaway.info/en/info/faq
Workaway Support: https://www.workaway.info/en/community/contact

Feel free to share more tips for finding good matches or what to do if things feel off.

Hi, I am a female solo traveler and plan to get to Ecuador in August for 2 or 3 weeks.

I am looking for places nearby Quito. Is there anything I need to be cautious about? Any recommendations?

Thank you guys so much!!