10 Tips for Your First Work Exchange

Whether you’re thinking about applying for a work exchange, planning your trip, or on your way there – this post is for you! After 7 work exchanges in 5 different countries, here’s everything I wish someone would have told me before my first work exchange.

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First: what is work exchange and how do I sign up?

Simply put: a work exchange is volunteering in exchange for housing and food. There’s a wide variety of websites and volunteer opportunities. The purpose and mission of work exchanges are to promote affordable travel and cultural immersion/exchange. Work exchanges should be a win-win: you get to live abroad for free and the business or organization gets help in exchange. It’s a modern day barter.

There are many different types of work exchanges, there’s something for everyone. Here are some examples: teaching English, working on an organic farm, caretaking, leading yoga classes, working in a hostel, building projects, cleaning, painting or art projects, and more.

Good news: you can volunteer all over the world. Once you sign up with a work exchange website (info below), you’ll find opportunities in most parts of the world!

Sign up and apply using my link below on Worldpackers for $10 off. Once you’re a member, you get full access to site and host listings, work exchange training and education, money-making opportunities, and WP insurance.

Click here for $10 off a Worldpackers membership or use discount code “courtneytheexplorer10”!

1. Pick a work exchange that is right for you.

This sounds self-explanatory, but it’s important the work exchange is mutually beneficial. Lean into your skills and passions or try something new that excites you. It can be tempting to pick a work exchange solely based on location and perks, but make sure you’re going to enjoy the actual work as well.

I did a work exchange in Santa Marta, Colombia as an English teacher. I was curious about teaching and wanted to see if teaching was for me. The exchange was a month long and I ended up loving it. I discovered a passion for one-on-one tutoring and loved working with adults. English is a gateway to freedom for a lot of people and it was rewarding to be a part of that process. A month was the perfect amount of time to figure out if I liked it or not, and there’s no strings attached. After you leave a work exchange, you can choose to never do that kind of work again.

On the other hand, I volunteered at an organic farm in South America and realized quickly farm work was not for me. I gave it a try and was grateful for the cool experience. I never signed up for another farming opportunity again. *lol*

2. Take it seriously

Work exchange can be marketed as an easy way to travel for free. Truth is, it’s a job and sometimes the work can be mentally and physically exhausting (ex: working on a farm). Keep in mind, your role is important in the success of the business. If you’re working front desk at a hostel, you might determine the review someone will leave on Hostelworld.

If you go into the situation only for the free accommodation, wanting to travel and be free – it might not be ideal for you.

Go into it with a positive attitude willing to work hard and you’ll be fine!

3. Research visas

Some countries require that you get a tourist visa before you leave the US, for example China, India, Brazil, Vietnam, Australia, Cuba, and more. Other countries offer tourist visas upon arrival, some are free, others cost $20, and some even cost a few hundred dollars or more.

Make sure to research beforehand which countries have visas, as well as surrounding countries that you may want to visit along your travels.

4. Get travel insurance

While Worldpackers has insurance, I recommend getting travel insurance as well especially in Europe! I recommend World Nomad insurance for trips up to 6 months and Safety Wing for digital nomads.

5. Do a zoom call with your host beforehand

This is something a (fellow work exchange) friend of mine always did and I WISH I would have done! She volunteered at multiple farms in Italy and interviewed them all before her trip. Most of the farms were completely remote, so speaking to them beforehand gave her (as a solo female traveler) peace of mind and confidence accepting the opportunity.

Example questions you could ask:

• What does a typical work day look like?
• What has your past volunteers liked about their experience?
• What are you looking for in a volunteer?
• Things to know beforehand?
• What would say are the most challenging things about the experience?
• What’s the best way to get there? Anything I need to know about transportation?
• Are meals and accommodation provided? How many meals? Will I prepare the meals or will they be provided?
• How many hours per week?

The point is to get to know them and see if it feels right for the both of you.

6. Write down exact address and ask the best way to get there

Some of the work exchange opportunities are completely remote and you will not have service. Pre-plan your route there! On some occasions the host will pick you up from a bus stop or train station.

When I worked on the farm in South America, I didn’t have wifi or service for a week. I had to drive into town to get wifi. It was actually a nice break from the world of technology. If you have a remote job or need wifi for some reason, this is something to ask/consider.

7. Research your host

Read past volunteer reviews. You can even reach out to past volunteers to ask what their experience was like. I would do this especially if you are committing to a couple months.

Note: I’ve done an exchange where there were no reviews and I was the first volunteer they’ve ever had and it turned out great.

8. Apply for multiple places

There may be a lot of competition for spots, especially in popular cities like Madrid and Lisbon. Apply with multiple hosts at least one month in advance. If you get accepted to multiple places, make sure to follow-up with opportunities that you are not going to go with as well. That way if your first option falls through, you’ve already formed good relationships with other hosts and can easily go there instead.

If a host doesn’t get back to you, don’t be afraid to follow-up or contact Worldpackers customer service directly to see if the host is active.

9. Have a plan B

It’s always good to have a back-up plan in case the situation isn’t as promised or the host has to cancel last minute for some reason. Like I said, apply for multiple opportunities. Also, have an emergency fund!

10. Have an emergency fund

Although you won’t spend much money while doing a work exchange, I recommend having an emergency fund of at least $1000 for a return ticket home or medical emergencies (possibly more depending on the cost of living in that country).

Note: Worldpackers does have insurance that covers a few nights at a hostel if something were to go wrong. They will also help you find a new host.

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Questions about work exchange? Comment below!

For more resources, check out:

• Complete Guide to Work Exchange
• Best Work Exchange Websites
• How to Travel for Free
• 32 Things I Wish I Knew Before My First Trip

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