The term WWOOF is thrown around in hostels and bus stations throughout Australia quite frequently, but not everyone knows exactly what it means, nor how great it can be for travelers. Willing Workers On Organic Farms is an international volunteer network. While the organization is available is numerous countries, it seems most well-organized and practiced in Australia.

People pay $60 for a one-year membership that includes support, access to the organization’s online forum and a book full of hosts. Hosts range from vineyards to cattle raches to hostels. The work varies, but it is usually four to six hours per day. Travelers receive free food and accommodation in return for any work their host’s requires.

That’s the basics, but the organization is so much more than that. It opens travelers up to experiences they can’t find in a guide book, encourages cultural exchanges and so much more. There’s plenty of reasons to WWOOF, here are just a few.

Family: Every hosts is different, but some invite guests to live with the family. It may not be for everyone, but it can work wonders for those feeling a little home sick. As children, most or us are eager to get away from home and be on our own. People may underestimate the importance of little things like eating dinner, running errands and watching a movie with their family at home. They soon realize it when they’re out on their own in a foreign land. Living with a hosts family can help fill that void when traveling for long periods of time.

2/24/2010-(Left) Me playing Maedy and Konrad Birti at Kancoona Valley Wines after a day of working in the vineyards. Photo by Anna-Lise Rouquier

Friends: Staying at a house that accommodates more than one WWOOFer makes the experience even better. Some WWOOFers really bond and even travel together after their time with a host. Working and living together allows for more conversation than in hostels. It’s a positive environment to get to know another person and can make the experience a lot of fun. Plus, people may get the chance to learn from other cultures besides their own and their host’s.

Food and leisure: Since most WWOOF hosts reside on farms, they usually serve fresh vegetables, meat and more. A lot of times WWOOFers enjoy home-cooked meals, which sure beats hostel bread and tuna fish. The food is from that culture and homemade, so WWOOFers get a chance to try new things, for free. Plus, hosts sometimes take their guests for leisure activities, whether it be hiking a local mountain or going on a vacation with the family.

Lessons: WWOOFing allows travelers to learn things they can’t just visiting tourist’s attractions or staying in hostels. People actually live like the locals do and learn all those little nuances that are part of that particular culture. WWOOFers can also learn more about things like farming, wine-making and cooking. Whatever their host family may do, volunteers get a taste of.

2/13/2010-Anna-Lise Rouquier (right), a WWOOFer from France, helps Joe Birti, owner of Kancoona Valley Wines, with winery work. Kancoona Valley Wines is one of many hosts available through WWOOF Australia. Photo by Bobbi Lee Hitchon

Communication and manners: It’s not always easy to stay with people that don’t follow the same routine or traditions as one’s own. It can be frustrating, but is character-building. People may learn to be more accepting or better listeners. Plus, this isn’t one’s own family or a friend of the family, so guests should be on good behavior, which could lead to practicing better manners in other aspects of life.

To really get to know a culture, people need to do more than visit the sights and read plaques. They need to live, eat and drink like the locals do. WWOOF is an easy and safe organization that assists travelers doing so.

Photo courtesy of Japan Podshow