Learn about eco-building, helping us out in a small Malay village in Kulai, Johor, Malaysia

Details

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  Description

  Selamat Datang ! ( Malay: Welcome here!)
  
  We are a local Chinese community that runs a treehouse homestay, a cafe and a school located in a small Malay village in Johor. We started to construct treehouses and facilities in 2014 and officially opened in 2015. All the treehouses and other facilities were built using natural and recycled materials in cooperation with indigenous friends. The natural and recycled materials used include old shipboard, natural bamboo, mud and bricks.
  
  The core concept of the house is to realize the coexistence of man and nature while maintaining the original ecology of the forest to the greatest extent with minimal damage. As we are taking care of the forest ecosystem, we can still carry out our daily and economic activities, like a self-sustaining ‘ecological village’.
  
  We have five guest tree houses, a three-story cafe, classrooms, a storeroom, common areas and a conference hall built with jungle materials (bamboo, woven roof, bark, etc.). Our reception area has an organic garden with chicken (only one at the moment) and a wood-fired earthen oven. The focus of our homestay and cafe is to bring city dwellers out into the jungle to learn about sustainable lifestyles and the environmental issues facing Malaysia. Most of our guests are locals so you will meet many Malaysians from different backgrounds.
  
  Our school is a Waldorf-inspired private school with about 40 students aged 4 to 12. It is a school based on the balance of children's physical and mental development. The school has four characteristics: being close to nature, stimulating creativity, emphasizing children's learning rhythm, and artistic accomplishment. Our goal is to provide a space for children to learn and play, planting the seeds of nature conservation in their hearts.
  
  Life here is full of healing surprises.
  I hope that you who come here can enjoy an ecological and intellectual journey like us, and experience the tranquility and happiness of a simple life.
  
  Some other notes:
  -We have three cats here (A Hua, A Gai and Tiger), and many wild visitors from the forest, including monkeys (long-tailed macaques) and mosquitoes or other unknown insects. We recommend that you wear long sleeves to protect your skin.
  - Our three-acre area is located on a mountainside, so be prepared to walk uphill on the jungle path 2-3 times a day.
  -Our treehouses are pristine and close to nature, and we will always advise our volunteers and guests to put important items in boxes or our storage room. (Prevent clever monkeys from sneaking them away)
  - Unlike the existing reservoir of the Johor River in Johor, the water supply of the relies on the clean and clear water source in the forest. So yes, we drink spring water and shower with spring water.

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  Types of help and learning opportunities

  Art Projects

  Language practice

  Help with Eco Projects

  Teaching

  Gardening

  DIY and building projects

  Babysitting and creative play

  Creating/ Cooking family meals

  Help around the house

  Hospitality/Tourism

  General Maintenance
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  Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

  We are located in a small village with mainly local guests so you will meet many Malaysians from different backgrounds( we have three main races here: Malays, Chinese and Indians:)). You'll learn about tree houses, natural buildings, green roofs, and other forms of ecological architecture. Our guesthouse is built in the Temiar style, one of Malaysia's indigenous tribes and we are lucky to have them as our staff.
  
  People are the most precious asset of it. We want travellers to find unexpected rewards from interacting with staff, children, guests and other volunteers, to learn skills from assigned tasks, and to enjoy conversations and games with us.
  Most importantly, find peace within your inner self when being in our place surrounded by nature.

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  Projects involving children

  This project could involve children. For more information see our guidelines and tips here.

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  Help

  As a volunteer, we hope you will learn about natural and indigenous architecture, the plants and animals in our forests, and our culture. As we run a school, treehouse (Homestay) , the tasks may be varied, and we're always open for discussions.
  
  We love it when volunteers share their skills and knowledge and lead their own projects, so let us know if you have any ideas! Volunteers work approx. 25 hours a week with one to two days off a week and a minimum of three weeks. We prefer non-smoking volunteers who speak English, Mandarin or Malay.

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  Languages

  Languages spoken
  English: Fluent
  Malay: Fluent
  Chinese (Mandarin): Fluent

  This host offers a language exchange
  This host has indicated that they are interested in sharing their own language or learning a new language.
  You can contact them directly for more information.
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  Accommodation

  Accommodation is shared- We are planning to build a staff house which is expected to be completed in 2024, so currently, we do not have a specific place for volunteers to stay. You are welcome to overnight at any tree houses provided there is no booking, and stay at the current old staff house, or common area as we sometimes do.
  Toilets are available near every treehouse.
  
  We provide mattresses, blankets and pillow covers. Many volunteers like to move every few nights so that they can try out all the treehouses. Our staff houses are built of recycled materials and are open air. Bags are usually stored in our storeroom to keep belongings safe from our monkey neighbours, with volunteers usually carrying a small bag of essentials up to the treehouse.
  
  Food is mostly vegetarian and a mixture of self-cooking and group meals with groceries, kitchen, and garden veggies provided. Most of the time you will be cooking and eating with our key staff (homestay and cafe staff, teachers living in tree houses). You are also free to cook your own meals. We always welcome our volunteers to share culture through cooking!
  
  Our water comes from a spring on the mountain and is drinkable from the tap.

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  What else ...

  During their free time, volunteers can relax in our sky nets, climb our treetop tower, join our daily morning jungle trek, enjoy the views from our sunset tower, swim in the nearby waterfall, explore the village, or climb the mountain. Our property has six live-in staff and four schoolteachers. We often take group outings to nearby sights and restaurants.
  
  Our village is small. There are a few simple restaurants and a small convenience store. Transport into town is limited, but you are welcome to get a ride with us when we go into town for groceries and laundry.

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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

  Although we are located in a rural area, the internet connection is considered stable. We have a WIFI connection, yet you will have to move around to find the best spot to enjoy faster internet speed. Most of our staff use their own mobile data plan.

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  How many Workawayers can stay?

  More than two

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  Hours expected

  5 hours a day /5 days a week

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