Sounding like something of an urban myth, when I first heard there was a way to 'travel for free' I didn't quite know what to expect. The thing about HelpX (Help Exchange) is that it is not just a way to travel on a shoestring - that is just an added benefit. It is really about the experience of it all.
After two very successful experiences HelpX-ing in Europe, I decided to write this article to spread word and introduce people to the idea. I used the website to track down hosts in my hometown and see what it was like from their perspective, and what I found was that travellers looking for a free trip aren't the only ones getting something out of it.
My article has been published in the Newcastle Herald, the hints and tips for HelpX at the end are pretty handy if anyone wants to give it a try!
Here it is in full:
Country house in Italy, 50 minutes from Rome, beautiful garden, lake view.
THE
online ad showed a picture of a yellow stone house perched on a hill
overlooking a lake. An Italian woman was looking for help around the
house – gardening, stacking firewood and helping her teenage kids with
English.
I had never met her before or
knew anything about where she lived. A quick Google of the town
Bracciano showed it had a grand castle that was the setting for Tom
Cruise’s wedding to Katie Holmes. But apart from that trivial knowledge,
it sounded distant, foreign and altogether unknown. An adventure.
I
emailed the owner and within a day I had a reply from a woman named
Valentina. A few emails back and forth and it was settled: Italy was
waiting for us.
The
idea of living with a stranger on the other side of the world was
something I knew nothing about. Websites like couchsurfing.org sounded
intriguing but, after hearing a few stories, the thought of freeloading
on someone’s lounge wasn’t too appealing. But then I found a website
offering a lot more than just a place to sleep.
Help Exchange (helpx.net)
is an online database connecting travellers looking for cultural
immersion with hosts who can provide it. Launched in 2001, the site was
created by an English backpacker who realised there was no online portal
where people seeking a working holiday could connect with hosts from
around the world. Today there are more than 5000 active host listings
worldwide, ranging from work at farms, hostels, homestays, B&Bs and
all things in between.
The premise is
simple: hosts set up a profile about what kind of work they need doing,
and volunteers (known as HelpX-ers) create their own profile about the
skills they can bring. Helpers then contact the hosts and if both sides
agree, the exchange is formed: about four hours’ work a day in return
for accommodation and food.
The idea of
opening up to your home to a stranger is not entirely new. The more
widely known WWOOF (World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms) has seen
people travelling to work on organic farms for decades. The difference
with HelpX is that it is entirely online, meaning constant updates about
opportunities. Unlike WWOOFing, where volunteers pick a country and
receive a book of the hosts available for a year, HelpX is an
interactive database of online profiles, where reviews can be left for
volunteers and helpers alike.
Not only does the online nature of the
site keep hosts accountable, it provides a way for new HelpX-ers to get
in touch with past volunteers to hear their experiences. Before heading
to Italy, I contacted an African-born Spaniard named Assim.
His
words reassured any doubt I could have had: “Valentina’s family is
highly recommended. So simple and honest, I am sure you will love the
experience.”
Sitting on the train from Rome, it was a feeling of one part excitement and one huge part apprehension.
We
were heading to a town that we couldn’t even pronounce (as we learnt
when buying the train tickets). We had never met this family, or even
knew what they looked like. All I had was a phone number and an
instruction to call it when we got off the train in Bracciano.
But
all that changed once we were welcomed in true Italian style – over a
plate of pasta. We joined Valentina and her family for the task of
stockpiling wood for the winter and gardening using permaculture
methods. But work was barely the point of the experience – most days we
would be finished in less than three hours.
The
true meaning of HelpX is about cultural exchange. We shared in their
lives, from evening dinners with friends to summer festivals in town. In
return we showed them a bit of Australia, making a pavlova and playing
Crowded House and Cold Chisel on YouTube.
It
was this chance to live life like a local that enticed 25-year-old Sean
Gilchrist to become a HelpX-er. The Las Vegas filmmaker worked in
Scotland and Austria during his exchanges, doing everything from
cleaning toilets in a hostel to editing an entire back catalogue of
dance concerts on videotapes.
“For me it
was the easiest way to travel on a small budget and not see anything
like a tourist,” he says. “HelpX provided a diverse and safe way to
travel and to gather stories.”
It’s not
just backpackers looking for a cheap holiday who make the most of the
exchange. For hosts, it’s a way to experience new cultures without
leaving their own home.
Heather Stevens, a
32-year-old environmental scientist, has hosted more than 25 HelpX-ers
to her Hunter home. Together they’ve tackled the challenge of renovating
her house at Wallsend – a task she wouldn’t have the time or money to
complete on her own as a single mother.
“Now
I’m a mum, I don’t get to travel as much as I used to,” Stevens says.
“HelpX brings interesting people from around the world into my home and
lets me share in their lives.”
Opening up her home to strangers with a young son on board was something Stevens admits was daunting in the beginning.
“Although
at first I thought I’d never leave my son alone with HelpX-ers, it’s
amazing how fast you create a bond and trust with them,” she says. Now
her five-year-old son loves the novelty of having new volunteers. “He’s
even learnt to sing in French, German and Mandarin.”
The
trick to finding the right helper is setting ground rules. Buchanan
residents Adrian and Christie Roach, in their time as hosts, have
welcomed volunteers to their home from France, Germany and the Czech
Republic, and they have found a couple of tricks along the way.
“Great communication of expectations is the key to success,” Adrian says.
His
helpers have done everything from assisting in their flower store to
mowing grass and baiting rabbit traps. In return, they are treated to
tours of Newcastle, the vineyards and visiting the koalas at Blackbutt
reserve.
“It’s a win-win for host and
helper,” he says. “I like to help other people and I like to get things
done that I don’t have time to do.”
Heather
Stevens agrees. “It’s a way to become part of a global community,” she
says. “Everyone has a story to tell and those stories make my life so
much richer.”
Tips for work/volunteer holidays
HelpX helpx.net
Cost:
Free to create a profile to see host listings, €20 for two-year premier
membership which allows volunteers to contact hosts worldwide.
WWOOF wwoof.net
Cost:
Each country has its own WWOOF organisation, prices vary depending on
country of choice. A 12-month membership in Australia is $70.
TIPS FOR VOLUNTEERS:
❏ Read the reviews and contact past helpers who have stayed with the particular host.
❏
Get to know the host and what they expect before you arrive – asking
basic questions about food, sleeping arrangements and even how far away
from town their house is will give an indication of the experience
❏ Remember that the point of it is an exchange – be prepared to work, but also to share in their lives.
TIPS FOR HOSTS:
(from Hunter HelpX Host, Heather Stevens):
❏ Write a clear profile explaining who you are, what you want done and general house rules.
❏
Screen your applications – look at how well they communicate, if they
have specifically emailed you or just a mass mail to anyone, if they
have references and what skills they have.
❏
Get some simple meal ideas going that you can rely on (meat pies are an
Aussie cultural experience to HelpX-ers). Be generous when you can –
cheap bottles of wine, a big tub of ice cream or a packet of Tim Tams
can be so appreciated.
❏ Be bold – if a traveller is not working out, remember you can ask them to leave.
