Workaway and Worldpackers are global platforms that connect travelers with hosts offering free accommodations and meals in exchange for 25 hours or less work a week. Anyone can look at the sites and it is easy to spend hours exploring the options. Examples of jobs are hostel reception, housekeeping, farm work, animal care, childcare, cooking, restaurant help, teaching english or tutoring, website design, social media content creation, photography and videography, wellness retreat assistance, boat and sailing support , and community and nonprofit volunteering. In Europe I am drawn to farm stays and restaurant help. Eating clean and cooking fresh meals is my desire. I want to go back the end of October to the beginning of December and pick olives and make olive oil. I can not do that this year but maybe next year. The length of the stays very. Some have no minimum and some require at least a month. This is a more affordable way to travel. It is a way to learn new skills. Most important to me is the culture exchange. I want to be a part of the community, not a tourist. Browsing both sites is free and believe me you can spend hours looking at all the opportunities. They both require a membership fee to contact the host. Membership starts around $50 a year and goes up to a little over $100 year depending on the tier of membership. The added feature of assistance if you end up in a bad situation is important to me. They pay the set amount for other accommodations. The higher the tier the more they pay. I went middle of the road for both. That is a summary of what the platforms are. I suggest you browse the sites and watch you tube videos to learn more to see if it is for you.
Thoughts
1) The best hosts are clear, not perfect
Look for profiles that offer the type of work you are interested in, the schedule, and what a “good fit” looks like to you. If everything sounds vague (“help with whatever”), ask questions before you commit.
2) Your boundaries are part of the agreement
It’s okay to say: “I can do mornings, but I need afternoons for remote work,” or “I’m happy to cook twice a week, but I don’t do childcare.” Clarity up front protects the experience for everyone. The host are usually good at making it clear what they expect and you should do the same. I liked video chatting with the host before committing. I feel it makes both parties more comfortable.
3) Pack for the life you’ll actually live
My rule now: if it doesn’t serve my daily rhythm, it doesn’t come. What you pack depends on the work you are doing, the culture and the weather. My first stay is in the mountains of Tuscany, Italy on a farm that practices biodynamic agriculture. So I need comfortable shoes, a layer for cool evenings, hiking boots, and a couple of outfits that make me feel like myself and really so much more. Trying to pack for doing this long term is definitely a challenge. I will share a list of everything I am taking and let you know as I figure out what I needed and what I did not.
4) Ask these 7 questions before you say yes
- What are the exact tasks, and what does a typical day look like?
- How many hours per day, and how many days per week?
- What are the accommodations like (private room, shared room, Wi‑Fi, laundry)?
- Are meals included? If not, what’s the food situation?
- How do you handle days off and schedule changes?
- What’s the nearest town/transportation like?
- What kind of person thrives here (and what kind struggles)?
What you’ll find here on Amy-Away
This blog is part travel journal, part Workaway/worldpackers field notes, part “me era” memoir. I’ll share the places, the people, the skills I’m learning, and the small mindset shifts that happen when you stop accumulating and start choosing intention.
If you’re here because you’re curious about Workaway/worldpackers, I’ll keep it practical. If you’re here because you’re starting over, I’ll keep it honest. Either way—welcome. Oh, and if you are here because you love me, I love you too.
Start here
In the next posts, I’ll share what I packed and the price of my flight and getting there. My first stay, what I spent (and what I didn’t), and the little routines that helped me feel grounded while living out of a bag. If you have a question you want me to answer, send me a note—I’m building this as I go.