Help build our eco house and our support our family life in a small beach town in Andalusia, Spain

  • Favourited 322 times
  • Last activity: 13 Nov 2023

Availability

  2024 

 Min stay requested: at least 2 weeks

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Details

  • Description

    Description

    Who We Are:
    We are a family with 5 children, ranging from 4 to 25 years old, but only two of them live with us now (4 y/o, 14 y/o). We live in Andalucia, Spain, since 2006. We try to live in a conscious and responsible way. Making informed choices and educating our children with a sense of connection to themselves and the world around them. They are fluent in three languages: English, Spanish and Dutch, which has made them open to different cultures and peoples. 

    Stephen, a maker of fine Spanish hand-made guitars, has known since the age of 17 he wanted to be a luthier. Growing up on one of the first organic farms in the UK from 1976 he gained much knowledge of soil husbandry and care for the land. From 1987 he dedicated his life to making guitars and runs a busy workshop in Spain making bespoke instruments and also teaching the art of guitar making to students from around the world. He has the innate ability to create community around him, through his work. First in Lewes in the UK and later on in Spain he has a circle of apprentices and former students who have become makers after studying with Stephen. 

    Marjolein, a Tibetan yoga teacher and reflexology practitioner, has first pursued a corporate career in The Netherlands after getting a degree in International Business Administration and upon moving to Spain has switched her focus completely and started her education in the ancestral knowledge of self-healing practices from Tibet and complemented this later with a new form of clinical reflexology called Duopody. She runs her own practice in La Herradura and works with people from all over the world.

    Having gained experience in running a permaculture school garden in the local public school in La Herradura and later another organically run large vegetable garden with some others, we learned a lot about teaching the principles of harmony with nature and permaculture.
    In his early adulthood Stephen already gained experience building and restoring with traditional techniques in Italy and applied these methods later also on rebuilding a small mountain house in Spain, that served for a time as his guitar making workshop. 

    We finally moved into our eco-house a few weeks ago and are still working on details but are very happy to be living in an off grid house we have built ourselves. Currently we still need some help at the building site but mostly in the house helping with our 4 year old and cooking family meals, as well as some cleaning. We also have a vegetable garden that needs work. The project will require some physical work in the outdoor and indoor areas and collaborate occasionally with our professional, as well as with Stephen and Marjolein.
    Workaways stay in our Yurt on site, a 10 minutes walk from the beach of La Herradura. Even though there is water on the site, there is no warm shower available yet (but a cold water one yes!) and a compost toilet and water toilet in the house . Living circumstances are simple and basic, but it is a beautiful spot for who likes living outdoors. There is a separate outside kitchen available with gas cooking facilities and an oven.
    La Herradura is placed 55 minutes between Malaga and Granada. In the summer (and all year around), you can enjoy the nature, mountains, beautiful beaches and inspiring cities.

  • Types of help and learning opportunities

    Types of help and learning opportunities

    Help with Eco Projects
    Gardening
    Babysitting and creative play
    Creating/ Cooking family meals
    Help around the house
    General Maintenance
    Help with Computers/ Internet
  • Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

    Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

    This is an amazing opportunity for someone or a couple to enjoy living in nature in a small Mongolian Yurt tent, only 10 minutes walk from the beach. We have a wonderful, open-minded, international community here that we can easily link you in with if you wish. You will have your privacy to explore the Andalusian mountains and enjoy the local culture. You will be involved in all the aspects of the project and we hope it will be a wonderful exchange.

  • Help

    Help

    We would like you to get involved in the project as much as you can while here. This includes working on the land, vegetable garden, watering, as well as the finishing touches of the eco-house. We welcome any initiatives or interests that you would like to develop. For instance, we have built a pizza oven on site as this was an interest of several volunteers on the project. We expect you to be self-motivated, trustworthy and responsible so that at times you can work independently.
    We ask you to get involved in our family life and hope you feel happy to be a part of it. We both run our own businesses and are therefor quite busy, so someone keeping things running smoothly in the house is needed! Being part of our lives will also include helping us keeping things clean and tidy and cooking family meals, as well as looking after our youngest one Ayla.

  • Languages spoken

    English: Fluent
    Spanish: Fluent
    Dutch: Fluent
    French: Intermediate

  • Accommodation

    Accommodation

    Traditional Mongolian Yurt Tent for 2 people. We will provide healthy food and family lunches. The location is pretty basic, with a compost toilet. Shower on site as well as on the beach. Solar power for mobile phone charging and lighting.

  • What else ...

    What else ...

    The workawayers will be able to enjoy the beach (10 mins walk) and get to know other young people who live in La Herradura and enjoy the Workaway platform to promote cultural exchange. There is large group of people from all over the world in La Herradura that form a strong community. It is very easy to link in with them and it will help you find your way around.

  • A little more information

    A little more information

    • Internet access

    • Limited internet access

      Limited internet access

    • We have pets

    • We are smokers

    • Can host families

  • How many Workawayers can stay?

    How many Workawayers can stay?

    One

  • ...

    Hours expected

    25 hours a week

Host ref number: 238887218445

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Accuracy of profile: (5.0)

Cultural exchange: (4.8)

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