#1
I think the single most important piece of advice to anyone WWOOFing is to be adaptable and prepare yourself for anything. You never know what type of people you'll be staying with or what their lifestyle is like so just be open minded the entire way through and you'll come out of it just fine.
#2
treat the hosting family and property like you would your own - respect
and friendliness go a long way, don't treat it like a hotel, or holiday
resort - initiative is an amazing resource, and listen to instructions
well"
#3
"Be honest about what you can and what you cannot do. A lot of Wwoofers are inexperienced, and that's OK, but claiming that you are capable when you are not can lead to awkward situations. Also, be specific on your skills - using generic words will not be very useful to a prospective host
#4
The difference for me between an ordinary wwoofer and a great wwoofer is someone who notices the little things that get done around the place and helps out without being asked all the time. If they are like one of the family rather than an employee with a strict focus of job start and stop times and task types
#5
...take a positive attitude with you. I had some quite random experiences and having a laugh about it (the massage table as a bed being one of them) will really help wwoofers enjoy their time. Be open to trying something new, and don't be afraid to ask questions if you're unsure of something.
#6
Woofers go to the top of the class if they help with the dinner dishes without being asked.
#7
Wwoofers should come ready to learn, i.e. ready to ask questions about what's going on and why. The farmers can't explain everything to everyone every time, but if you ask and engage them, they'll be more than happy to answer.
#8
My best piece of advice would be to get completely involved with the family/people you are staying with. Wwoofing isn't about a free meal and accommodation. It's about getting to know the locals and learning lots from them, whilst trying to give them a feel of your own country
#9
Never hesitate to pitch in and help, hosts always appreciate an extra hand with anything (especially if they have kids!)
#10
Be considerate of your hosts property, follow their lead on usage of power and water
#11
The best tip I can give is be yourself, bring joy and tell your host a lot of storys from your home country.
#12
- Wwoofers like to see the faces of the hosts or pictures of the place you are going to stay, it helps you a lot to get a better idea and makes easy to meet.
#13
My advice just would be that they need to remember that dinner time is for
everyone to help and clean up.
#14
Go to the Salvation Army shop and buy yourself some working clothes.
#15
What I personally have found marvellous was when they would take it into their own initiative and organise the meal for the night - as I would often be coming home late. My wwhoofers just fitted in and made us a 'family' for their time with me
#16
even though hosts will sometimes act parental and kind it is important to remember that they are not your parents and that this is not your home. Please do not take anything for granted
#17
In my experience hosts always appreciate small tasks that make your day and their day brighter...whatever that may be...
#18
If youre not sure, Stop, Find your Hosts, and ASK! Never do a farm job if you're not 100% sure of what you're doing
#19
Help is expected with the preparation of food and general housekeeping The 4-6 hours per day obligation does not create a situation where wwoofers can expect to be waited upon in the style of an hotel, guest-house or farm-stay, it covers food and lodging costs
#20
A tip, both for wwoofers and the host: ask the other party to post feedback on the profiles. It just enhances the chances of being contacted (if you are a good wwoofer or a good host of course).
#21
would say that my one piece of advice would be to contact people way in advance over the peak (summer) period.
#22
Our advice would be that it is best for the hosts and WWOOFers to have an open discussion first by phone or email about the sort of activities underway at that time of the year and the time involved, before committing to visiting
#23
I would advise both WWOOFers and hosts to ensure what is expected from each party and what each party wants is clearly defined prior to arrival.
#24
Decide on your priority for your trip. If it's to learn, plan your trip around the hosts who can teach you what you want to learn, as they may be booked up by the time you get into their area.
#25
WOOFERS love it when they can have a choice from a variety of chores during their stay.
#26
participate in your hosts daily life and adventure into the community you are in – why on earth would you travel to the other side of the world to spend morning in bed and all evening on skype to your friends back home!
#27
READ the hosts description,( if it says 'isolated' that's probably what it means)
#28
The best advice we could give is that the Wwoofers and hosts make sure they are all on the same page before beginning their time together.
#29
The best piece of advice I was ever given about wwoofing was this: don't forget that if your host misrepresented themself or the work youd be doing, you are free to leave
#30
WOOFERS love it when the Host makes them feel like a "friend" rather than a stranger.
#31
Wwoofing is not for the lazy, it is for the travelers who need some hard earned housing and food
#32
I would say to be flexible and determined to fit in and do whatever
is asked of one (within reason, of course!).
#33
Try to be aware of your host's needs, give them space when it is needed.
#34
Bring the correct clothing and strong footwear.
#35
As far as suggestions I would say that as a wwoofer you should never feel that you are above doing something or to good to do it a certain way. Things like cleaning the dishes or helping with laundry etc.... Always ask what you can do to help. Be respectful of the hosts property.
#36
be proactively helpful
#37
If I was to give one piece of advise it would be that what you get out of an experience is determined by what you are prepared to put into it
#38
Your information should include your age and sex, where you are from and a few photos as well as what you like and what your skills are.
#39
the most important thing is to remind the wwoofers to ask more questions about hosts before going. Bring sleeping bag or not,vegetarian or not,what kind job to do, ect.These
#40
Wwoofers to keep a record of their hours each day, especially when there are young kids involved. You can easily spend a lot of hours each day keeping an eye on them/along with the jobs they do, and before you know it you've been on duty/worked 12 hrs a day, without realising it.
#41
All the wwoof hosts that I have had (5) have been great about communicating with me before I began wwoofing with them, be reliable and contact your host if your plans change. Realize that a lot of hosts rely on wwoofers to help with projects and that someone is counting on you to be there when you say you will.
#42
For wwoofers: when applying at a wwoofing home it pays to tell the hosts what you are good at doing rather than just what you would like out of the wwoofing experience. You will be more likely to get replies.
#43
Do not send multiple emails to lots of hosts. We never answer these emails, the personal touch is better
#44
be prepared to work independently on host's tasks
#45
Make sure you clean up when you finish a job and put things away
#46
"Always phone the host if you can, as you will get a better idea what they are like, what type of jobs they have to do."
#47
Leave online feedback for your hosts, your fellow wwoofers really appreciate it and it is nice to know what to expect in terms of work. I am more likely to write a potential host if they have good feedback from other wwoofers.
#48
When two or more people from th came country meet, invariably there is
a lot of talking
in their language and this in particular at meal times. It could be
helpful as a reminder in a
set of general "rules" to have something along the lines of
"In this country it is considered rude to talk in your language whilst
in the presence of
hosts and or fellow woofers when sharing tasks or meals. If you like
to explain something to
a friend who struggles with English, excuse yourself and do your kind deed".
#49
*Your host family have put time into preparing your meal so always lend a hand in washing the dishes, trust me they will really appreciate it!
#50
We noticed that hosts always like when you are helpful, respectful of their house and habits. Wwoofers should always observe their hosts before doing anything as they may distrub the balance of the hosts' house without paying attention.
#51
Goodwill (going the extra mile) goes a long way whether you are a
worker or a host
#52
Many wwoofers, especially from 1st world countries, overestimate the quality of public transport and end up regretting that they already bought a bus pass by the time they arrive here. Those who stay for longer might consider to opt for a car (i know, a bit of a gamble) that enables them to reach all those beaches and tracks.
#53
It would be helpful if wwoofers advised their skills when they first email hosts. Often they do not mention their skill base and I have to ask them in my response..
#54
I made the experience that hosts like it when you tell them how things work in the country you are from. Normally you notice something as a wwoofer which is different in the hosts country or in the way of living and you think how you would do it in your home country. My hosts were very interested in how it worked in my home country so I told them. But this is of course only to exchange cultural differences and not in order to say that you don't like the way they do it and that you would prefer the way you know from you home country. So be careful the way you tell it!
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