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United States
A phenomenal time i had for my 1st workexchange!My host Val &her husband, Graham,have been the most accommodating,caring&fun hosts.I do hope to come back & experience this amazing environment,&loving & welcoming community.We went to many town functions.I met so many warm&friendly people.The work i did was rewarding&fun for me.The hours are accommodating&extremely fair.The bee work is very interesting. The accommodations are cozy&you have your own space.Val,Graham &your family, from the bottom of heart, I thank you I am coming away feeling grateful&valued,&I feel like I have a new family💟💟💟
20 days ago
United Kingdom
Volunteering with Val and Graham on the Isle of Coll was a great experience that I would recommend to anyone looking to immerse themselves in the Hebridean culture. They made me feel part of the family, introducing me to their friends and socialising with people across the Island. We ate lovely homemade meals whilst watching TV, took the dogs on long walks to the beach and visited the local Pub for some pints. The work was very fair and manageable. I really enjoyed learning about the Apiary and helping to manage the hives. The accommodation was excellent, I really enjoyed my stay here!
about 2 months ago
United Kingdom
Getting to live on Coll with Val and graham was truly a memorable and peaceful experience. Val and graham are extremely supportive and generous, they were happy to drive me about the island and introduce me to people. The locals are very welcoming and chatty but if you want peace and quiet you can have entire beaches to yourself and go on walks on your down time. I feel very lucky to have been apart of the black bee project, I learnt so much about bees and how to take care of them. Also their dogs Tiko and maya are adorable!! I hope to come back someday and I'll miss coll a lot!
4 months ago
United States
Such a delightful and peaceful volunteer experience! Val is just the most warm and welcoming host, and she truly cares for her volunteers' wellbeing. I really enjoyed all our little excursions, as well as eating lovely home-cooked meals together. The work wasn't difficult and the accomodation is the coziest, most adorable wee place. Having the dogs and cats company was the cherry on top—I will miss giving all of them the most aggressive pets ever. The Isle of Coll may be small, but the people here are larger than life, and I will remember everyone I met fondly. Much love <3
6 months ago
United States
Bees!! A couple cuddly cats, and two lil dogs! I had a wonderful time at the home. Val and Graham are very kind and heavily integrated in the local community. So long as you listen and ask questions you will learn a great deal about bee keeping and its practices. Graham is an expert beekeeper, making on the spot decisions depending on weather, hive behavior, and intuition coming from much experience. This presents fantastic learning for a volunteer. I also had the privilege of cooking a few meals for the pair and company. I greatly enjoyed my experience at the home, and look forward to visiting.
about 1 year ago
Thanks so much Max for being such a great volunteer, we loved hosting you (I still have your special apron!)
United States
My time on the Isle of Coll was amazing! Val & Graham are the best hosts and love to include you in every part of their life. They introduced me to so many locals and ensured I was able to participate in all community events. After hitchhiking on a tractor, swimming in the freezing ocean, hiking over sand dunes, running in a half marathon, dancing at a Ceilidh, and learning everything there is to know about beekeeping, this island truly feels like a second home (even in just two short weeks).
about 1 year ago
United States
This has been an incredible experience. While I learned SO MUCH about bees, Val and Graham made the experience. They are some of the kindest, most generous, most welcoming people I've ever met. I am in a transitional period in my life, and they were understanding and kind when I felt overwhelmed at the prospect of my future. They gave me clothes to work in when what I had wasn't quite good enough, and they opened their home to me. The cabin I stayed in was so nice and private, and I loved all the animals around the farm. Again, this was an incredible experience and I hope to visit again soon☺️
about 1 year ago
Thanks so much Suzanne, I am sorry my departure was so rushed 💚
Canada
Coll is a fantastic little place and Val and Graham are so welcoming and hospitable. The bee work is interesting and Graham really knows his stuff. The island is quiet but there's no shortage of interesting characters and stories, and there are opportunities to go out and meet people often. It's a refreshing and peaceful place where you can slow down and learn to live more simply. I recommend the experience to anyone and I look forward to going back again in the future!
over 1 year ago
Thank you so much Ethan 💓
Australia
Thank you so much to Val and Graham!! Despite being with them in the off season, I was still able to engage with the bees and work on the product labelling/soap making which I enjoyed! Both of them took me under their wing as family straight away showing me around Coll, hanging out with the locals at different town events and visiting family and friends in the island. I look forward to coming back in the summer to see the flip side of Coll and get more hands on with the bees! In the meantime I'll miss our family movie nights, delicious meals, crazy weather and cat cuddles from Toto 🥰
almost 2 years ago
Awww Maddie 🥰
New Zealand
I cannot praise Val and Graham enough. They are so welcoming, friendly, positive, and kind people, that make you feel a part of the family. I wish I could have stayed longer! They are amazing teachers too when it comes to the bees as well, and it was really informative and interesting helping them out. The accomodation is lovely, and the Isle of Coll is a pretty wee island with friendly locals that I would recommend anyone to visit. This was my first world packers experience, one I highly doubt will ever be topped :)
about 2 years ago
Many worldpackers have been applying to this position recently. The host will probably not be able to respond to all of the applications, so we recommend that you also apply to other hosts in our community and not just this one :)
