Profile information
Host rating
70 %
Last replied
17 Apr 2024
Feedback
15
Email verified
Badges (2)
Details
Description
Hello! My name is Gianni. I'm originally from Italy and have called Costa Rica home for the last 16 years. I own an eco-conscious, green-built Café near the Cabo Blanco Nature Reserve in Cabuya, Costa Rica, where I live with my two dogs. I serve Costa Rican and Italian food at the Café, using fresh and natural ingredients. In Cabuya the fishing and cattle farming is ethical and our diet consist in a variety of those produce.
I created the Café with the idea of sustaining and supporting the traditions, arts, and languages of local Indigenous communities, as well as the beautiful nature of Costa Rica.
My current project for the Café is the making of Fair Trade Artisanal Chocolate. I am in the beginning stages of constructing a natural building that will serve as a workshop space for the processing of the chocolate, while also providing a stable source of income for members of the Ngabe Indigenous community.
Besides the Café, the property consists of a treehouse, a partially completed cabina, a laundry/shower/storage building, a separate bathroom and sink area, a mini golf course, a natural pond, and several covered seating areas. Close to the jungle and ocean, the property is peaceful and filled with gardens, trees, permaculture features, animals, and several species of birds and frogs.
Types of help and learning opportunities
Art Projects
Help with Eco Projects
Gardening
DIY and building projects
Creating/ Cooking family meals
Help around the house
Hospitality/Tourism
General Maintenance
Help with Computers/ Internet
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
Cultural exchange benefits:
1) Fluent in Spanish, English, and Italian - practice and expand your language skills.
2) Learn Natural Building and Permaculture skills and techniques.
3) Local culture - live among local Costa Ricans, experience their culture, and eat and cook traditional Costa Rican (and Italian) food.
4) Diverse culture - worldwide travelers visit the Café during the busy season (Dec. - April) and many expats live in the area.
5) Surrounded by nature and a short walk to the nature reserve and beach. Experience living in harmony with nature and seeing diverse species of animals everyday. Access to numerous outdoor recreational activities as well.
6) Small town living and a short car, bus, or bike ride to nearby tourist beach towns. Enjoy the life of a nearby small Costa Rican fishing town and venture a bit further to experience the more bustling tourist towns.
7) Indigenous culture - learn about the Ngabe Indigenous community.
8) Chocolate making - learn the process of making artisanal chocolate, from bean to bar.
Help
The help needed is general upkeep of the place, gardening and small projects to make the garden look good.
Help with natural building projects and cacao related tasks.
We are hard workers and we need people with a good work ethic and who really want to help.
Life here is very humble so if you want a vacation place this is not the case.
We would make our best to share with you what we know but we need honesty and sincerity.
Be honest with the time you are going to stay, with your actual diet and any allergies/ intolerance, in general be clear and respectful,because we will be with you.
We require 5 hours of help for 5 days a week, a minimum stay of 2 weeks, any extra time will be compensated with one of the below activities of your choice,
-Surf Class
-Natural building course
-Chocolate making course.
Remember that in most of the cases we are helping you more than you helping us, please keep that in mind.
Video phone call required to show the place and talk about downsides. We will do our best to show everything that may be challenging for you. DO THE SAME WITH US. NO BAD SURPRISES PLEASE!!
If you want to delve deeper into learning Natural Building, Chocolate making and Surf and have less duties, would be at an extra cost and we can discuss through a Whatsapp Call.
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
Spanish: Fluent
Italian: Fluent
Accommodation
Current accommodation: camping in an unfinished natural building. A pull out sofa bed is available with clean linens and pillows to use. If you are not traveling with a tent, I am happy to provide one for you. Access to bathroom, shower, laundry, covered common areas with seating, fire pits, secure storage of valuables, free wifi, and the Café's kitchen. There will be more options for accommodation in the near future when the cabina is finished.
When time permits, I enjoy cooking and would welcome opportunities to cook meals together. During the busy season (Dec- May) when the Café is open.
What else ...
The Café is a perfect spot to enjoy Costa Rica! Right outside the property you can explore the Nature Reserve, beach, jungle, and many rivers. The small fishing village of Cabuya is located 5 minutes away with several restaurants and grocery stores. Nearby is also the Cabuya Island Cemetery, a favorite spot for snorkeling. The tourist and artistic beach town of Montezuma is about a 15 minute drive away. Here you will find many shops, cafés, restaurants, bars, live music, a farmer’s market, and access to adventure tours.
On the other side of the peninsula you can visit the surfing beach towns of Mal Pais and Santa Teresa. I also know many secret spots for waterfalls, hiking, surfing (I love to surf), and beaches. I am more than happy to offer suggestions and answer any questions during your stay. The Café is accessible by car, the local bus, taxi, foot, and bike!
I believe in supporting the local and Indigenous cultures of Costa Rica, being environmentally and socially responsible, and giving back in positive ways to the communities around me. I enjoy working hard on my natural building and permaculture projects, connecting with people from around the world, and sharing my passions in life with others. I love the ocean, jungle, animals, nature, and living the Pura Vida life. I look forward to hearing from you so we can talk more about the possibility of you coming to do a workaway at the Café!
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 5 hours a day, 5 days a week
Feedback (12)
Feedback
These are extra optional ratings when members leave feedback. The average rating left for each option is displayed.
Accuracy of profile:
(4.5)
Cultural exchange:
(4.5)
Communication:
(4.6)
They worked really hard, they embraced the project as few volunteers before, they cook amazing, always happy. If they apply for your volunteership feel lucky!!!
Even if it was not high season because we went there in early October, we worked a lot in making chocolate… read more
Giglia and Chantal has been amazing, incredible workers and amongst the best workawayers I had in over 3 years!!!
Definitely better than I would have ever asked for!!!
We really enjoyed the stay as workawayers at your lovely place. The big love you give to the nature, the animals and the cafe with its incredible cooked food is so inspiring. You shared with us so many life changing experiences. We enjoyed all the great and deep talks with you and are so thankful for the surfing, boxing and cooking… read more
staying with Gianni was an amazing experience!
It was my 2 first weeks in costa rica and I really enjoyed it, I learned a lot about the chocolate process, the indigenous traditions. Gianni is also a very good cook, and teacher :) I had the opportunity to surf with him, visit the national parc Cabo Blanco, the Montezuma… read more
Additionaly Cabuya is very nice, quiet Place, where everybody knows Gianni. We had a lot of… read more
