Work and Travel

My WWOOF experience abroad on Vancouver Island and in Niagara Falls, Canada.

For my time abroad, it was important to me to complete the 90 days during the semester break, so I wouldn’t lose any time in my studies. After some research, I came across a website called wwoof.net, which connects travelers with farms where you work in exchange for accommodation and meals. This seemed like a perfect fit since I was traveling on a tight budget. Additionally, the program offered flexibility in choosing the length of stay and when to start, making it ideal for me.

I created a profile on WWOOF along with my boyfriend, who also needed to complete his stay abroad. We looked at various farms and began contacting them. Some replied, while others didn’t, but in hindsight, I believe we were very lucky with our final choices.

We decided to work on two farms for one month each. Our first stop was Vancouver Island, near Nanaimo. The experience was incredible. The farm was run by a young family, and we stayed in a trailer, but shared meals with them every day. There were three other WWOOFers, all French, which was great because it pushed us to speak English nearly all the time!

Our typical day began at 6:30 a.m. when we fed the sheep, chickens, and ducks. Afterward, we’d have breakfast together. The work schedule was very flexible (other than the mornings), there were no strict working hours. After breakfast, we spent our days working outside, doing tasks like harvesting, weeding, chopping wood, and building wood piles. After lunch some days, we worked until 5 p.m., while other days, due to the heat we drove to the lake or ocean by bike. Over the entire month, we only had four days of rain.

The family was kind enough to show us around the region. We visited Victoria, Nanaimo, and Duncan, a craft market, hiked Mount Benson, and even went on a 3-day fishing trip with them. It was an unforgettable adventure.

Afterward, we traveled through Canada’s national parks (Banff, Jasper…) and then flew to Toronto to start our next farm stay, located in Hastings, Ontario. This was quite a different experience. We lived with four other Germans in the house of an elderly couple who had no animals. Our main task was preserving the harvested food. The workday was only three hours in the morning, and we helped prepare dinner every second or third evening. On the weekends, we assisted with dinner parties, which we were also invited to join. We even celebrated Thanksgiving with them, which was a special moment.

Although the second farm was lovely, I have to admit that I preferred the first one. The family there made us feel like part of their own so quickly. Before starting my stay abroad, I was a bit nervous about spending a month on a stranger’s farm, but reflecting on it now, it was one of the most rewarding journeys. We felt comfortable right from the beginning and adjusted to the lifestyle quickly. It also didn’t matter that neither of us had any prior experience working on a farm, we learned so much during our time abroad.

After our stay on the second farm, we traveled to Toronto, Niagara Falls, and New York City. It was the perfect way to end our trip, finally feeling like we were on vacation.

A Life-alterning Experience

For a long time, I found myself rolling my eyes whenever people told me that their stay abroad had contributed to their self-development. I never understood what was so life-changing about spending time in a foreign country, and quite honestly, the thought of going abroad all by myself when I had not even experienced living alone scared me endlessly.

And yet, if anyone were to ask me now how my stay abroad was, I would tell them that it was a life-altering experience during which I grew enormously as a person. Ironic, isn't it?

Now, let me tell you a bit about it:

For three months, I stayed in the beautiful capital of Ireland, Dublin. There, I worked as a board member for the Erasmus Student Network (ESN) at Dublin City University. The other board members and I organized events for international students, like parties, movie nights, and trips to different cities. It was a truly wonderful time, as I got to experience all the perks of student and campus life without worrying about passing any courses or exams. ;)

Furthermore, due to my work with ESN it was easy to make friends and connections that still last. Moreover, Irish people are very friendly, polite, and have a great sense of humor. To this day, my Irish friends and I keep in touch and meet during the holidays.

What I came to realize is that my stay abroad served as a chance to explore who I was in a place where no one knew me: I could be whoever I wanted to be and experiment with things I had never done before.

I was scared to pick up dancing lessons in Germany?

In Dublin, I signed up for Salsa and Bachata classes, which have become a real hobby ever since.

I was hesitant to talk to strangers or go out by myself?

In Dublin, I went out with many international students, grew more confident about connecting with new people, sharpened my social skills and learned not to be afraid to go out alone.

Now that I am back, my mindset has shifted enormously. After this experience, I have gained the courage to be myself, explore new hobbies and, most importantly, not be afraid of being alone or going up to strangers. Honestly, I cannot wait to pack my suitcases and go abroad again. Life is an adventure, and I want to be part of it. Do you?