Travel Stories from Past Participants

Past Working Holiday Participants

Our working holiday participants top up their travel funds doing paid work in locations as far-flung as New Zealand and as close to home as Norway. From hotel jobs in Spain to farm work in Australia, these TravelWorkers have added some very impressive job experiences and language qualifications to their CVs - and they certainly have some stories to tell!

• Australia

The best time of my life...

“My time spent abroad really was the best time of my life! I experienced, saw, felt and did so much! I changed completely; becoming far more open and self-confident. I made so many friends from all over the world – from Canada, Europe, Africa, Asia, New Zealand, and Australia! It was the best thing I could have done after my A-levels”!  - Annette Maier  Read more...

• New Zealand

A wonderful dream...

“This was an unforgettable experience that I would repeat any time. New Zealand is simply a wonderful dream, even if just like any other country it does have its downsides. I really liked the combination of work and travel. This meant that I got to know the country as a holidaymaker and yet also became a part of the "Kiwis" and their culture. The openness and helpfulness of the "Kiwis" impressed me most.”  - Janine Kiefert  Read More...

• Canada

Canada was brilliant...

“Canada was brilliant! I stayed in Vancouver for the first week to do some sightseeing, and then I went to Tofino, where I worked for 6 weeks as a housekeeper in a motel. Then I worked on various farms. I was able to enjoy the beauty and vastness of Canada for a long time, and really got my money’s worth as a nature lover in all regions – from the Pacific Rim National Park rainforests to the Rocky Mountains, down to the endless prairies around Calgary – amazing!”
 - Katrin Ronja Schmidt  Read more...

• Norway

The best thing I could have done…

“I was in southern Norway in Drolsum, near Vikersund. My host family took me along cross-country skiing and orienteering, and they showed me several tourist attractions in the surrounding area. Once a week I went to a language course, and at the weekends I gained an impression of other parts of Norway, for example, Bergen, the east coast, Dombås, and Oslo. It was the best thing I could have done. I felt like a member of the family, rather than an employee. Norway is a country that I would be happy to visit again as a student, vacationer, and/or worker.”  - Svenja Kämper  Read more...

• Spain

The most exciting months of my life...

I spent my time abroad in a beach hotel in Corralejo Fuerteventura, where I worked 5 days a week at reception. I had 2 free days a week and had so much fun. In these 12 weeks, I learned a lot, whether it was about various computer programmes, or simply about the Spanish way of life. These were the 3 most exciting months of my life. I met tonnes of people, who readily integrated me into their group.

My time abroad was simply outstanding. There is nothing that I would change about it. I had many positive surprises, which I had never expected. TravelWorks and the Spanish partner organisation were very helpful when I had small problems.
- Dima Argyriadou  Read more...

Past Volunteering Participants

Past TravelWorkers with serious Wanderlust and an urge to do something worthwhile have donated their time to help social, educational, and environmental projects around the world. From teaching English to Chinese schoolchildren to protecting sea turtle eggs in Costa Rica, these participants have made a real difference in many people's lives. Read on for some of their most fascinating travel stories!

• Chile

Unforgettable…

“My time in Chile was unforgettable. I had a fantastic host family and lots of fun times with my three host sisters. In the language school (which I highly recommend), I not only had intensive Spanish instruction, I also met friendly people from all over the world. It is astounding how smoothly everything went – we spontaneously booked trips to the north and to the south, and I experienced one adventure after the other. Since Chile is a very safe land, I didn’t have to worry that something would happen to me.”  - Sara Jane Schmid  Read More…

• Costa Rica

The best thing I have ever done...

“Costa Rica: the best thing I have ever done in my life! I worked a total of eight weeks in various national parks – searching for turtle nests in the night, digging out eggs and burying them again in a safer place, bringing hatched turtle babies down to sea, selling entry tickets to tourists, working in the jungle (trail blazing) and patrolling the beach at night. But it wasn't all work - I swam under waterfalls, climbed up volcanoes, hiked through the jungle, recovered from my adventures on the beach and, of course, also learned Spanish.”  - Julia Sloboda  Read More...

• India

The best thing I ever experienced...

"My stay in India was definitely the best thing I have ever experienced in my life. I know for certain that I want to return there some day. I was in Delhi only for a night's stay before heading off to Jaipur. Here we had much more time for sightseeing: we took a tour of the Amber Fort, rode on an elephant, went shopping and visited the Raj Mandir Cinema to watch a Bollywood movie.

In Himachal I worked in a school for mentally disabled children in the morning, and in the afternoons I worked in an orphanage. Every morning I drove to school at 9 o'clock, the children arriving a little later at 9:45 a.m. We would start out the mornings with a salutation and minor gymnastics with all the children.”  - Anne Hellbrück  Read More...

• Vietnam

I had the opportunity to discover the whole country...

"I really enjoyed my stay in Vietnam, since I had the opportunity to discover the whole country. During the first three weeks, we visited nearly all the important cities in Vietnam, starting in the north and ending in the south, in Nha Trang. We mainly visited tourist attractions, but we also spent a few days in various children's homes.

Later, my volunteer work in the orphanage at Bin Luc consisted of a renovation of the bedrooms and classrooms for the children. We cleaned and painted the window gratings and shutters. We did this work in the mornings, and in the afternoons we had time to work with the children or to teach them English.”  - Kim Nguyen  Read More...

• Ghana

I’d do it again any time...

“I really enjoyed my entire stay in Ghana! I never felt insecure or even out of place. I was able to travel alone without any problems at all. My project work was at the Babies Home in the central region for several months, and then several months in a state hospital in the coastal region of Ghana.

In the Babies Home, I was mainly responsible for the smallest children (1-5 months old). I really enjoyed this work! The day began with feeding, washing, dressing and then individual supervision. As the children are all orphans, they require a lot of attention, for which the nurses generally have an insufficient  amount of time. Another very interesting assignment was helping on the maternity ward in the hospital.”  - Theresa R.  Read More...

• South Africa

It was wonderful – a completely different experience!

“During the first week, we mainly looked after the three-month old lion cubs; feeding them, washing them and letting them play. When the new-born babies arrived, we were busy with them around the clock: feeding, burping, cuddling and washing them. We had to look after the older cubs at the same time, and of course tidy up and clean their enclosures etc. We also helped a lot in the kitchen, especially if lots of school classes came at once. It was all great fun! My stay in South Africa was wonderful - a completely different experience.”  - Sylvia Weber  Read More...