Wondering if Workaway is for you? See how I used it to see another side of Brunei.

There are countries you go to out of curiosity inspired by famous tales and exhilarating adventures. Countries that friends have visited where they spent weeks on a beach befriending locals. These are the countries known for motorcycle adventures and dark caves which hold their own secrets. Then there are  countries you want to go to because of their mystery. Countries that no one can place on a map, let alone spell. These are the countries of little information and so are enticing in their very mystery. 

Such is the case of Brunei. More formally, Brunei Darussalam. A small speck of a country on the island of Borneo in Asia. It is bordered by the more famous Malaysia and the more famous Indonesia. It is home to endemic species such as the Proboscis monkey and one may even be lucky enough to see an orangutan. The population is as small as its footprint. In almost all aspects it’s considered a stop over on the tourism trail, for those needing a visa run or collecting stamps. Hardly any tourists leave the capital of Bandar Seri Begawan. If they do, they are likely on a guided tour that runs to the Ulu Temburong forest, an enclave of greenery that is engulfed in Malaysia and connected by a bridge  to the mainland. Beyond the handful of hotels in the capital’s core most of the country is inaccessible without local knowledge or car ownership. Public transport is nearly nonexistent and blogs on what to do are limited to two or three paragraphs. In short, the country is so unlike its neighbors in the tourism department that it is a wonder that I stumbled upon it at all. 

About two weeks before I arrived in Brunei, I first learned of its existence. A short browse on Workaway had me zooming in on the map of Borneo. Initially looking for experiences in Malaysia I looked along the western coast and found a host with a great position. She and her family were running workshops and classes in the hopes to develop eco tourism in her area. That sounded right up my alley until I realized I had strayed into a completely new country. The more I read about the position the more I was interested. Eyon, the host, had been working to develop tourism in the countryside of this small country I had hardly ever heard of.  I sent her a message and within a day I was booking flights. 

Arriving in the capital city, I shared a taxi into my hotel with the only other tourist on my flight. I felt as though I had wandered into a spot hardly seen by anyone else. The hostel I had booked was unsurprisingly empty but instantly I felt the warmth of the locals as I hit the streets for a dinner of Nasi Lemak (rice and fried chicken). Two days later I met Eyon in person .She, her sister, and grandson picked me up and we began the drive towards their family home in Lamunin, about an hour and half from the capital. 

Instantly I felt at home and over the next two weeks Eyon and her family welcomed me in and shared with me an experience I’ll never forget. The tasks were varied and I felt that I got a true understanding of what everyday life looks like for those in Brunei. Under the watchful eye of a grandmother I helped prepare family meals. I joined an Auntie and gaggles of children to the local market for fresh foods. I helped with cooking classes and youth workshops that the eco tourism project was hosting. Towards the end of my stay I  assisted at a catering event they had arranged with students from the university who were looking at the future of small business and tourism in Brunei. 

Being welcomed into the family and participating in daily life was a privilege. Thanks to Eyon and her family I have a deeper understanding of Brunei’s history, the use and importance of different endemic plants, and the current perspective on life in the Sultanate. I was also shown into a family that despite being far from my own felt alarmingly and comforting like my own. In Eyon’s house there were characters that were not at all dissimilar to members at my own kitchen table. Aunts and uncles and young kids. Women of all ages mixed with gossip and soap operas in the kitchen whether in Brunei or in Canada… it did not seem all that foreign.

Each experience was an answer to the question of “why Brunei?” and each day it felt more obvious. I didn’t feel like a tourist thanks to the nature of Workaway and the warmth that I was welcomed with. I felt like family and I began to understand the knowledge and beauty that is so rich in the culture of Brunei. From their landscapes, to the food, to the language each aspect I came to appreciate came from delving deeper into this mysterious country. 

Often we visit countries because they are lifelong dreams. And sometimes an unexpected country, like Brunei with a family like Eyon’s opens your eyes to a whole realm of experience that otherwise wouldn’t have even crossed your mind. Thankfully, there is a platform like Workaway that allows you to cross over and learn what the mystery is really all about.