Natural construction rehabilitating a cave in Granada, Spain

Details

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  Description

  Both the province and the city of Granada, Spain are well known for their cave dwellings. 5 years ago I bought a small cave in the quaint old Moorish quarter called the Albaicín, with the intention of rehabilitating it with all natural materials. It is taking much longer than expected due to a 3+ year Long Covid experience.
  Now I am back to work and my goal is to have it usable by May, 2024. We are plastering, repairing the walls of a small annex soon to be the bathroom, floors, a rocket stove, two iron gates, putting in windows, electricity and plumbing. I’m looking for a volunteer who has experience in natural construction and can offer help in any of these tasks. If you are interested in caves, even better!! The basic materials being used are lime, clay and sometimes gypsum.
  I share an apartment right in the heart of the Albaicín on a small side street about 7 minutes walking distance from the cave. There is almost no noise in spite of being close to bars, restaurants, bus stop and shops. The Albaicín itself has become known for being multicultural and offers many opportunities to meet people thru its active cultural life.
  I offer a bunk bed in my room and the use of all the common areas of the house: kitchen-living room, bathroom and large balcony. My housemates are a young argentinian couple and we mostly speak spanish, altho I am bilingual english-spanish.
  I’d like to start with a one week trial period. Once we know if we can work/ live together the time could be extended. Since we will be sharing the bedroom, a woman would probably be a better fit
  :-)

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  Types of help and learning opportunities

  Art Projects

  DIY and building projects

  Creating/ Cooking family meals

  Help around the house

  Help with Computers/ Internet
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  UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve

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  What's this?
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  Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

  I am bilingual Spanish-English and a retired language teacher. It would be a good opportunity for anyone who would like to practice either language. I am passionate about building with clay, cave living and love spreading the word, somewhat of a cave-dweller missionary. I love both to teach and to learn natural building techniques and am always experimenting with new applications. I form part of an active, local, spanish speaking community of people who share these interests so the volunteer would be in direct contact with them too.

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  Help

  Stamina and enthusiasm. A cave has no regular walls so plastering and flooring require patience and a certain amount of agility. There will be set work hours which will be agreed on from one day to the next. Experience in plastering and building with earth and lime, building a rocket stove, knowledge of natural building concepts, installing electricity, interest and creativity. The work schedule is relatively flexible and sometimes depends on the weather.

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  Languages spoken

  English: Fluent
  Spanish: Fluent

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  Accommodation

  A bunk bed in my room in a co-living apartment shared with a young couple. There are 3 bedrooms, a living - kitchen area and a large balcony overlooking the rooftops of the old city. The bathroom with shower is shared.
  The apartment is very well situated for cultural and free time activities, and is within easy walking distance to the city center. There are also frequent buses and good connections to the rest of the city and surrounding area.
  I keep regular hours and expect the volunteer to do the same. Bed time around 11pm most days.

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  What else ...

  Granada is an old city with an interesting history. There are tours offered by professional guides which you can recompense with the amount you decide. They are frequent and excellent. The city is full of music, both in professional venues as well as in almost any picturesque corner, which abound. You can walk around in the different quarters or go outside the urban area to walk in the country. The Alhambra is a must-visit and the surrounding gardens a lovely park. Tapas come free with a drink in many bars.

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  A little more information

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    Internet access

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    Limited internet access

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    We have pets

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    We are smokers

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    Can host families

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  Can host digital nomads

  I have optic fiber and generally good cell phone coverage for most companies.

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  Space for parking camper vans

  The entry into the Albaicín is restricted to residents but I understand there are areas nearby which are campervan friendly. I am not familiar with the subject.

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  Can possibly accept pets

  Small, well behaved, house-trained animals would be ok.

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  How many Workawayers can stay?

  One

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  Hours expected

  4 hours a day, 5 days a week

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