Personal Assistant Role/Housekeeping and Building Work in Medieval Tuscan Village
Description
I am a 34-year-old American mom living in Italy with my two gorgeous little girls (4 and 1) and my lovely Italian husband. We live in a picturesque medieval village called Montefegatesi in the Apennine Mountains. Our family is thoroughly bilingual/bicultural evidenced by an infusion of both American and Italian influences in virtually all aspects of our lives. My Cuban background also plays quite a significant role, particularly when it comes to cooking:) Our oldest daughter is currently attending pre-school part-time and our little one is either with me or with my fantastic mother-in-law who lives a stone's throw away. My husband is working towards self-employment and I am in the process of manageing a rental property and launching a blog. I am most in need of someone who will help keep my house tidy and clean while I raise my children and work. However, the role does not end there. Depending on your skills, I welcome help with all different types of tasks. There is also an opportunity for builders or anyone looking to do some physical labour. We are open to singles as well as couples and would prefer individuals who are looking to stay for at least two weeks. However, do not hesitate to apply if you are aiming for a shorter stay. We may be able to work something out. Also, please come prepared with volunteer work insurance.
Area
Tuscany
Type of work
Help with Computers / internet,Help in the house,
Building
Work
Specifically, I need to free up my time so that I can move a couple of different initiatives forward without sacrificing much family time. Generally speaking, having someone who will keep the house looking neat and tidy, as well as clean, is a priority. This would involve picking up toys, folding and putting away laundry, sweeping and mopping, etc. Activities such as brainstorming about ad ideas, making shopping lists, fiddling with graphic design concepts, photoshopping pictures, reorganizing cupboards, printing pictures, updating profiles, editing, and assembling photo albums are all tasks that could become relevant, depending on what's needed. We are also converting our cellars into living space and could use someone willing to do a bit of building work (e.g., help lowering the floors, installing ventilation systems, painting). Single workawayers do not have to be involved in all of the work described, but I would just ask, if couples apply, that they be capable of fulfilling both of the volunteer activities.
Languages spoken
English, Italian, Spanish
Accommodation
You will be living in a separate house right across from where we live with up to 2 other people. You will have your own bedroom while sharing a kitchen, sitting/dining area, and bathroom. There is also a washing machine at the house. Wifi is unlimited and accessible throughout the house as well as outside. The house is heated by an incredibly cozy and effective wood burning stove. As we are a young family, eating regularly with workawayers is not really feasible, but we would love to share at least a couple of meals together during your stay and I will stock your fridge with the basics as well as leave you pre-cooked frozen meals (I like cooking in advance) that you can heat up on your own. I cook all different styles of food and will take care to consider your preferences.
What else ...
While our village is beautiful, historic, and all sorts of other great things, it is remote. It is a great place to settle into if you've been traveling for a bit and, in general, adventurous and self-motivated individuals seem to be better suited for this type of destination. If you are looking for a change of pace, where you can reflect and recharge, this is the place for you. Reaching Montefegatesi requires a 20 minute drive up from the base of the mountain. A basic level of physical fitness is essential as you will be walking (mostly uphill:) a lot! That being said, there is a bus service that runs 2-3 times a day that will take you to the main town, Bagni di Lucca, at the bottom of the mountain. From there, public transport is relatively easy. For instance, getting to Lucca and Florence is not a problem and very much worth the trip during your stay. I will, of course, pick you up at the train station which, fortunately, is also in Bagni di Lucca. It's also fairly easy to catch a ride down the mountain with either us, someone else in our large family, or one of the locals as we are a small community and are always helping each other out. Hiking in the surrounding mountains or just spending time savoring a mouth watering cappuccino at the bar in piazza are great ways of spending your free time while here. I am also happy to organize experiences with locals such as cooking gnocchi from scratch or going in search of Porcini mushrooms. Winter can get a bit chilly, so warm clothes for winter travelers are a must.
My Photo Album
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Host ref number: 149687174678
Feedback left about host
The 3 weeks I spent working with Laura and her family went far too quickly and didn't feel like work at all as it only involved light cleaning and some folding of laundry. It was mostly like chatting to an old friend and a wonderful exchange of ideas. I really enjoyed making a birthday cake for her daughter's 5th birthday and preparing a special more
Having Lydia stay with us was such a blessing for my family. After a short time, it felt like we had known each other for years. Lydia is friendly, thoughtful and incredibly creative. Whether she was cooking, cleaning, baking, doing web research or just generating ideas, it was obvious that Lydia is a very competent individual. She is warm, as more
Pam and Mike are a kind-hearted, self-sufficient and hard working couple. They are great to have a chat with and can also be counted on to follow through on their word, a virtue not always easy to come by. Pamela is a wiz at organizing. She can see how to better utilize space and is very diplomatic in how she puts forth her ideas. Michel is more
Jimmy and Laura made us feel welcome from the very beginning. They were enthusiast, comprehensive and always ready to accommodate. They are very generous and kind. We had a great time and really felt like we were part of the family. We were even invited to Christmas celebrations and have wonderful memories. We highly recommend this place for more
This is my second time in Montefegatesi, and I love more now than I did before. If that is even possible. Laura and her family are amazing and wonderful to be around. It is so easy to feel at home when you are with them. Helping Laura around the house, with whatever she needed, was easy work yet enjoyable. I did laundry, cleaned, picked up, and more
Kelsey is a warm, intelligent and hard-working individual. She is incredibly easy to be around and fulfills all tasks to a high standard. During her stay with us, Kelsey mainly engaged in housework such as putting away laundry, tidying around the house, changing and making beds, organizing toys, and deeply cleaning all rooms. She was always more
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