Like some of you reading this blog, I had been carrying the idea of traveling abroad in my mind for years. This year, I finally made it happen, and I decided to share my honest experience with Workaway membership
Thanks to landscape photography I had already traveled a few times, but it was always just for a few days and with someone else. Moreover, I had never done manual work before and had no experience with temporary jobs. I wanted to improve my English and gain some extra confidence. However, as the years went by, my dream remained tucked away in a corner of my mind, and I was afraid to pursue it.
After several seasons as a wedding photographer, I felt I needed a change—to switch off, relax, and take photos just for fun. The desire to try something new kept growing. At the end of 2023, I wrote a simple note in my calendar: "ABROAD" and set aside 2.5 months for it. I had no specific plan at that moment, but I knew I wanted to travel abroad and volunteer in any way possible.
I started looking for the best ways to combine travel and volunteering. After long googling, I came across Worldpackers and Workaway and was intrigued by the idea of volunteering in exchange for accommodation and food. This concept immediately excited me, and I knew it was what I was looking for.
TIP: Plan your trip in advance and give yourself enough time to prepare. The earlier you start, the better your chances of finding a great place. I started looking for hosts about 14 days before my departure. I quickly found out that most places were fully booked. After a week of unsuccessful searching on Worldpackers, where I couldn't find a single available spot, I canceled my subscription and purchased a Workaway membership, which had many more host profiles, even if they weren't as verified.
Since Ireland is in the EU and English is spoken there, I decided to go there. My priorities were a private room, at least partially covered food, and access to nature and the sea. I found about three of the nicest profiles and wrote them an honest and very long message. One was full, but the other two responded positively, and I was thrilled.
In the app, I also marked my profile as online and selected the country I wanted to travel to, and soon enough, hosts started reaching out to me. I decided to respond right away to the first one who sent me an offer. Although I knew nothing about him besides the stunning location, I chose to take a bit of a risk instead of over-planning and just go for it. He seemed very friendly, and he also requested an online call, which turned out to be very pleasant and friendly :). Everything was arranged, I was packed, and on March 1, 2024, I set off on my journey.
TIP: I recommend scheduling a video call with your host before arrival. It helps you get a better idea of what to expect.
The flight from Prague to Ireland was pleasant, except for a few hours of delay due to the weather, which meant I had to stay overnight in Dublin. The flight to Ireland from Prague was pleasant, except for a several-hour delay due to the weather, which meant I had to stay overnight in Dublin. I checked into a hotel near the city center and in the morning, I managed to take a lovely walk in a local park and enjoy a wrap with a muffin at a café. Even then, I was surprised to see that while I was wearing a t-shirt, a hoodie, and a jacket, people around me were dressed very lightly. Someone ran by in shorts and a t-shirt, and a woman passed by in a short skirt. I felt cold just looking at them. Well, the Irish are a different breed, I thought to myself, quietly envying them with my four layers of clothing. Then I boarded a train and headed straight to the town of Westport.
In Westport, I met my first host, Lynda. She greeted me with a smile, and we got into the car and set off. To my surprise, I understood everything she said—I had expected the infamous Irish accent that everyone had warned me about. But it didn’t happen, and we chatted the entire way.
We arrived at the first location, surrounded by a breathtaking landscape full of hills and mountains. It was a hobby farm near the village of Louisburgh, right by the sea. I carried my belongings to a fairly spacious attic room and started exploring the entire place.
That evening, we chatted for a while, but since it was Sunday, the hosts preferred to have some time for themselves rather than show me around. So, I took a walk around the entire farm on my own. That day, I encountered the reality that hygiene standards on farms aren’t always the best. I briefly considered turning around and heading somewhere else. However, I decided to tough it out and embrace it as an important life experience.
Unfortunately, I wasn’t alone in my room that night, and I kept waking up frequently. Every 20 centimeters or so, there was a spider above and around me. The next day, I took care of them with a borrowed vacuum cleaner, which I then kept handy for the rest of my stay—just in case.
In the morning, I had breakfast, and at 10 AM, we started working. The work schedule was set to five hours a day, three hours on Saturdays, and Sundays were free. There was always a lunch break from 1 to 2 PM, consisting of soup and toast.
My first task? Shoveling manure. A perfect test of my fitness! I was excited to push myself and learn to use new tools. Chris, my host, was willing to give advice, but it was clear that for him, work and results were the top priorities. When I tried to chat with him while working, he snapped at me, saying that there’s no talking during work. That day, I set up a shortcut to the voice recorder on my phone—just in case it happened again. Fortunately, it didn’t for the rest of my trip. 🙂 By the end of the day, I was completely exhausted but happy that I made it through.
TIP: Be prepared for the fact that not every host will be 100% friendly. Some will see you primarily as a worker. This might bother some people, while others won't mind. The key is knowing what works for you.
In the evening, I ran outside to take a few photos of the stars, and I noticed a strange light on the horizon. Since the sea was in that direction, light pollution wasn't an option. I pointed my camera that way, and despite not having a shutter release and dealing with a broken ball head, I took my first shot. And there it was—the Northern Lights. That night, they were very active, and I had no idea it would happen. Absolutely thrilled, I came up with the best composition possible in the moment. It was a breathtaking welcome to my new life in Ireland.
Overall, the weather at the farm turned out to be fantastic. Based on what I had read online and heard from friends, I was expecting endless rain and gloomy skies. However, after I arrived, it was mostly sunny every day, with just a few occasional showers. For March, it was absolutely amazing.
In the evening, I ran outside to take a few photos of the stars, and I noticed a strange light on the horizon. Since the sea was in that direction, light pollution wasn't an option. I pointed my camera that way, and despite not having a shutter release and dealing with a broken ball head, I took my first shot. And there it was—the Northern Lights. That night, they were very active, and I had no idea it would happen. Absolutely thrilled, I came up with the best composition possible in the moment. It was a breathtaking welcome to my new life in Ireland.
Overall, the weather at the farm turned out to be fantastic. Based on what I had read online and heard from friends, I was expecting endless rain and gloomy skies. However, after I arrived, it was mostly sunny every day, with just a few occasional showers. For March, it was absolutely amazing.
The following days went by in a similar fashion. Each day, I dug out blackberry roots, transported wheelbarrows filled with various materials, trimmed branches, smoothed concrete, and so on. The work was physically demanding, but I learned how to handle tools properly and gradually started receiving more challenging tasks.
Surprisingly, despite all the hard work, I still had plenty of energy, and after a much-needed shower, I usually went out for shopping, food, or photography. It was clear that taking a break from sitting at the computer made a difference, and every cell in my body needed the movement. On top of that, I was lent a great bike, so I could comfortably ride around the area with the wind at my back.
Wherever I went, I could talk to absolutely anyone. People smiled at each other and genuinely cared about one another. As I later found out, Louisburgh was no exception—this was true for all of Ireland.
TIP: If you have the chance, definitely rent a bike. And don’t be afraid to hitchhike!
In the evenings, we always ate together at the table and talked. Chris and Lynda actively helped me improve my English, for which I was very grateful. Not many people would put in so much effort.
The food was excellent, and Lynda also took my lactose intolerance into account, cooking all meals without it. I made my own breakfast, and lunch was usually toast, ham, and a light soup, which wasn’t quite enough after hard work. Fortunately, I had enough money to buy whatever I needed, and after some persuasion, I was able to fully use their kitchen as well.
I regularly went shopping in Westport by hitchhiking or taking the bus. Unfortunately, Chris never offered me a ride, which was a bit disappointing. They always just replied that I was asking too early.
TIP: It's important to adapt to the situation, but also not to be afraid to speak up if you need something—whether it's food or anything else.
During one of my shopping trips in Westport, I struck up a conversation with a young store clerk named Lucas at the grocery store. He remembered me from before and asked how things were going on my farm. It didn’t take long before he invited me to meet up with his friends that evening. We explored the local pubs together, and around midnight, we shared a taxi and said our goodbyes. A few days later, I stopped by his place for a game of chess since, by coincidence, he happened to live in Louisburgh. Sometimes, things just work out the way they’re supposed to. :)
After 14 days, I decided I wanted to move on to another place, even earlier than I had originally planned. My second host, Aidan, was a huge help in this, allowing me to arrive earlier and offering incredible support through messages and a phone call.
I didn’t feel much connection with the people there, and hygiene wasn’t in great shape. On top of that, the work schedule from 10 AM to 4 PM, including Saturdays, made it nearly impossible to travel anywhere outside the village, as there weren’t many transport options, and businesses closed early.
My intuition told me that this wasn’t the kind of experience I had set out for. While I did push my physical limits and learned to use many new tools, it was time to move on. The key was embracing everything that happened. I realized that every situation is an opportunity to learn something new, no matter what it isI didn’t want to run away from challenges but instead looked for the best way to handle them while keeping both myself and my hosts satisfied.
TIP: Don’t be afraid to change hosts if you’re not happy! Your experience comes first. Always trust your intuition and be open to trying a different place if the first one doesn’t turn out as expected. And be prepared for challenges - because those often lead to the best adventures!
On my way to Westport, I said goodbye to Lynda, thanked her for the experience, and set off for my next farm in Ennis, full of excitement and hope for what lies ahead.
