LIVE LIKE A LOCAL

Fancy spending a few weeks on an eco-retreat island off the coast of Sweden? How about holing up in a cosy backpackers overlooking a loch in the Scottish highlands? Or perhaps escaping to a farm in the hills of Provence? These are just a few of the opportunities available on Workaway (workaway.info), a website connecting community-minded travellers with hosts around the world who are in search of a (free) helping hand. The Workaway model sees “Workawayers” provide a few hours of labour — typically five hours a day, five days a week — in exchange for free meals and lodging at host properties. There are thousands of host properties in more than 170 countries worldwide, with hosts looking for a hand with everything from small-scale farming to childcare to running small guesthouses.

Unlike a volunteering agency, Workaway is a self-sustaining online community: Workawayers create their own profile, outlining their skills and experience, and communicate directly with hosts.

An annual subscription to Workaway costs US$36, and allows unlimited use of the site, and connections with hosts. The only other catch is that some countries may require special visas for volunteering, even if unpaid.

Another popular choice for those looking to trade a few hours’ labour in exchange for room-and-board is the global Willing Workers on Organic Farms (wwoof.net) network, which operates in 120 countries, including South Africa, so gappers can give “Wwoofing” a try before they head overseas.

Wwoof also charges an annual subscription for volunteers to connect with hosts. The membership fee varies for each country, from €25 in Ireland, to $35 in Tanzania. An annual membership in South Africa costs just R150.

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