Workaway

Abstract

This ethnographic research on ‘Workaway’ investigates new forms of mobility experiences, in between travel and migration, which are used by a plethora of types of people (both hosts and guests) with different motivations (learning new skills and experiences), needs, ambitions, dreams, as well as/or life-time crisis, and different types of problems (e.g. lack of finances, no opportunity or prospect in their countries). I seek to explore the ways in which Workaway, a hospitality and cultural exchange platform, provides opportunities and constraints for forms of conviviality, sociality, mobility and cultural exchange and how mobile sociality takes place through convivial media experiences. Mobile sociality is located in the sociability of individuals from diverse backgrounds, in their encounters in transnational places, and their networks of interactions and relationships, when they move from one place to another. While Wittel’s network sociality is individualised, embedded in technology, ephemeral but intense, in mobile sociality, experiences come at forefront and relationships and encounters are slowed down in order to turn into experiences rather than fleeting (or touristy/cliché) moments. The conviviality aspect of mobile sociality stresses collectivity and collaboration rather than individualism as well as shared experiences of managing the daily tensions, and helping each other. While people cooperate, engage in labour, affective and cultural exchange, they build and rely on trust, reciprocity and construct shared narratives.