Matthew

Travel information

I am currently

Activities i am interested in:

I love the outdoors and exploring new cities and cultures! I'm pretty open to any kind of work, but my first choice would be something in wine or sustainability / social impact.

Description

Hello! My name is Matthew (Matt) Bell. I'm 28 years old from the USA and for over a year now I've been traveling and volunteering in Hawaii and New Zealand. So far I've been using WWOOF, so this is my first experience with Workaway! I've had many friends in New Zealand recommend it, so I'm giving it a try.

Background:
Last year, I left my job as a Mechanical Engineer in Washington, D.C. and moved to Hawaii to work on an organic permaculture farm. I set out with two main goals: 1) to live more in the moment and 2) to reconnect with myself through reconnecting with nature. I lived in Hawaii for 6 months and it was one of the most transformative times of my life. I came out of it revitalized and reinvigorated to keep traveling, trying new things, and pushing myself out of my comfort zone. My experience in Hawaii gave me the confidence and inspiration to then move alone to New Zealand for another 6 months.

I'm currently in New Zealand, a couple months away from my end date. I have done 4 different WWOOFs with a variety of tasks and right now I have a job picking kiwi fruit! I've loved all of the beautiful nature, doing tons of hikes and backpacking trips, as well as some more adventurous activities like paragliding. But, as much as I love the nature, I think the highlight of this adventure has been meeting people. I've spent barely any time with Americans on this trip and it has been absolutely incredible to meet so many different people from so many places around the world. This is one of my main motivations in choosing Italy as my next destination. In addition to exploring your beautiful nature, I want the opportunity to immerse myself in a different culture with a rich history. (And the fact that I love Italian wines may have had an influence, too!).

Skills:
Through my different WWOOFs, I've worked on many, many different tasks. A lot revolved around farming and gardening (such as planting, weeding, bed preparation, harvesting, mulching, caring for chickens, irrigation, and more), as well as yardwork (grading / levelling, mowing, weed trimming, and more). However, I've also done a lot of random tasks including general housework, painting, cleaning, building, heavy lifting, and even some IT (fixing computer issues). Additionally, I have a background in entrepreneurship, mechanical engineering and project management, and so I believe I can offer a diverse set of skills.
I also love any opportunity to learn something new and I think Workaway would be an amazing way to do that. I'm taking a break from engineering at the moment and I'm thinking of changing careers in the future. So who knows, maybe I'll find something new that I really love at a Workaway!

More about me:
Some of my other hobbies and interests include reading, writing, playing guitar, football (soccer), hiking, and rock climbing. I love anything outdoors; I feel grounded and my most true self when I am active and immersed in nature. I'm very passionate about environmentalism, traveling, and storytelling. I love good coffee and wine, and I'm very happy sitting by a river, reading a book at a cafe, having a cozy night playing board games, or dancing at a concert!
I'm learning beginner Italian, so I hope to be able to at least have a conversation by the time I arrive!

Interests

Events & social

Culture

Sustainability

Technology

Self development

Farming

Charity work

Plant care

Gardening

Music

DIY & crafts

Books

Writing

Animals

Yoga / Wellness

Team sports

Nature

Fitness

Camping

Mountain

Dancing

Beach

Outdoor activities

Hiking

Adventure sports

Languages

Languages spoken
English: Fluent
French: Beginner
Italian: Beginner

More details about my language interests
I am learning Italian and hope to be able to converse by the time I arrive! I would love to learn more Italian while I'm in Italy.

Find a language buddy

Skills and knowledge I'd like to share or learn

I'm interested in:  

DIY and building projects

Helping around the house

Hospitality/Tourism

House sitting

Art Projects

Languages

Creating/ Cooking family meals

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Some knowledge of:  

Charity Work

Eco Projects

Teaching

Animal Care

Babysitting and creative play

General Maintenance

Helping with Computers/ Internet

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Able to teach about:  

Gardening

Life at a Farmstay

More details about your skills

Through my different WWOOFs, I've worked on many, many different tasks. A lot revolved around farming and gardening (such as planting, weeding, bed preparation, harvesting, mulching, caring for chickens, irrigation, and more), as well as yardwork (grading / levelling, mowing, weed trimming, and more). However, I've also done a lot of random tasks including general housework, painting, cleaning, building, heavy lifting, and even some IT (fixing computer issues). Additionally, I have a background as a mechanical engineer and project manager, and so I believe I can offer a diverse set of skills.
I also love any opportunity to learn something new and I think Workaway would be an amazing way to do that. I'm taking a break from engineering at the moment and I'm thinking of changing careers in the future. So who knows, maybe I'll find something new that I really love at a Workaway!

Age

28

Some more information

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  Smoker

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  Driver's licence

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  Allergies

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  Special dietary requirements