r/WWOOF • u/Guilty_Letter4203 • 7d ago
Is it worth it??
So I've always wanted to travel the world but I dont exactly have alot of money to spend. Has anyone stayed in touch with their hosts?/seen them again?
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u/Delicious_Leek_764 7d ago
We are still in touch with a lovely Woofer from 18 months ago. Part if the family now!
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u/WWOOF_Australia 7d ago
Hi, We have so many stories of WWOOFers and Hosts travelling to visit each other years after they met, WWOOFers bringing their families back to see their Hosts, Hosts travelling to the WWOOFers home country etc. This kind of connection is amazing and as with all relationships is reliant on your commitment to it and your chemistry. It won't happen with every Host, but you will meet some interesting and amazing people on your travels.
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u/aud8city 7d ago
I stay in touch with several of my hosts and people I met while traveling, it's been 5 years. Many of my hosts talk about the woofers that they keep in contact with, one of them even came back to help with harvest when I was there.
Everyone has good stories and bad stories, me included. You have to be open to adversity and know that there's more good than bad in the world.
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u/Guilty_Letter4203 7d ago
When a host says english is allowed are they usually fluent or just know basic english? I plan on learning Japanese before I go but I'm curious
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u/aud8city 7d ago
I've only wwoofed in the US, so can't say. Check the reviews, and you can always contact the people who have stayed there previous. You can also contact the wwoof organization, in this case wwoof Japan it sounds like for advice, clarification and assistance. I know wwwoof USA is a small staff and they usually take a day or two to get back to you, but they are real people who do care.
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u/Tall_Kaleidoscope_53 7d ago
Hi! I did wwoof japan at a host who listed both Japanese and English, but I only spoke English. You can always double check with the host. My Host said they spoke English, but in reality their fluency was less then I expected.
From my experience, a lot of Japanese people had to learn some level of English at some point if they are middle aged, some retain more than others! Honestly I could get by with very basics Japanese formalities, gestures and translator apps. I imagine if they listed English, they likely can get by enough to make it work. We jumped between broken English, and using translators to make it work, but I definitely spent a lot of time in silence or had some miscommunication. Just clarify you only speak English if you try to go. It was still worth it though!
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u/Pristine-Delay6912 7d ago
Usually they speak English well. For them it would be challenging as well if they didn't. As this commenter said, be open to the good experiences and get out ASAP if anything feels off!
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u/mirrorweek 6d ago
As a host, we have loads of returning volunteers. Yes its one of the best ways to discover places and people !