Profile information
Host is looking for help immediately
Host rating
100 %
Last replied
24 Apr 2024
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100.0 %
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Details
Description
Hi, we're Jonathan & Lisa, an English couple creating a home and garden in a charming village in the Herault. We have a lovely house in the Haute Languedoc National Park - surrounded by beautiful nature, with many opportunities for walking, hiking, cycling and swimming on our doorstep - with many other activities, physical or cultural. We practice communitas, permaculture, animism as well as many other generative life practices whilst we grow ourselves, some of our own food and develope the garden, home and community.
Types of help and learning opportunities
Art Projects
Language practice
Help with Eco Projects
Gardening
DIY and building projects
Creating/ Cooking family meals
Help around the house
General Maintenance
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
We practice Permaculture and are learning to plant and design irrigation in a Mediterranean climate.
The local region is rich in history and culture and amazing natural wonders.
We are both English speakers but Lisa is learning French and Jonathan is quite fluent so practicing the local language will be on the agenda.
Jonathan is a writer and theatre-maker and teaches theatre craft at various institututions in the UK as well as running his own courses. He also practices Feldenkrais.
Lisa is a complementary therapist practicing various modalities and a coach/mentor of Cycle Awareness/ Chronic Pain/ Trauma and life changes/transition work. She also practices yoga, radiant circuits and chi kung.
We both practice meditation, 5Rythmes (that's how we met!) and enjoy afternoon naps and long rambling walks.
We are dedicated to creating a sense of communitas- the deep, connected sense of belonging to self, to others and to everything and weave this awareness into all that we do together through ceremony, ritual, deep listening and various other simple daily practices that we will share with you if you so wish.
Help
We are looking for 2 people who can help us from Sunday 21st April - Wednesday 1st May.
You will be helping us to to maintaining the garden and home, with painting, cleaning , gardening and some general maintenance.
We will be preparing and planting the potager, weeding, spreading compost on trees and roses, maintaining and developing the irrigation lines, creating some new flower borders and cleaning up the plants in the borders. This is a great opportunity to learn some basic permaculture principles and how to establish great growing conditions for FOOD FOR the FUTURE!!!
We will be creating a fire pit where we can hold fire ceremony, play our intruments and sing around the fire.
We will also be deep cleaning the apartments and chalets for the tourist season.
There will be painting work too. The new pool deck, the outside atrium and further touch ups in the house and aprtments will be needed.
We are also needing some skilled DIY help to build an extensive composting area, to put up some shelves and hang paintings and we welcome folks with the skills to fix a fallen stone wall.
Languages
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
French: FluentThis host offers a language exchange
Jonathan is fluent in English and French and knows some Spanish. Lisa is fluent in English and is learning French from scratch, she also know some Afrikaans and that helps her with German and Dutch speaking too.
Accommodation
You will have your own bedroom (either in the main house, gite or chalet); with a shared bathroom, living space. There is lots of outdoor space for alfresco meals, a garden for playing and/or relaxing in and swimming pool to cool off and splash about (in the summer months).
Meals will be provided and can be vegetarian if required. Jonathan is a keen cook and is happy to make our meals with some help. Meals can be eaten together or separately. If you want to cook something you are also most welcome.
What else ...
The area is rich in natural life with clean air and water, amazing wild swimming, and stunning walks nearby up the mountains and gorges.
To travel here by plane the nearest airport is Beziers and the next Montpelier. There are also train routes and buses to both these major cities. Barcelona is 4 hours drive away. Carcasonne 1hr.40 minutes drive.
There is a local bus that runs along the valley or cycle track by the house (we have bikes that can be borrowed). People also hitch-hike in the area.
We prefer non-smokers, and ask that if you do smoke, you do so outside, away from the house.
We live in a peaceful, calm neighbourhood (the locals are proud of its tranquility) and appreciate people with that kind of energy - ie, a no party zone.
However, we do enjoy good conversation, good food, and good wine.
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
How many Workawayers can stay?
Two
Hours expected
Maximum 4-5 hours a day, 5 days a week
Feedback (8)
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The work we did (weeding… read more
We worked in the mornings and spent our afternoons swimming, exploring the beautiful local gorges and chilling by the pool.
We learnt loads about permaculture and were fed extremely well. Johnathan… read more
The place they found, settled in and are happy to call home is a true paradise, surrounded by mountains, waterfalls and a gorgeous light that embraces the whole valley.
I was happy to give them a hand in the renovation of their basement, soon to be a studio for rent...And more than happy to… read more
