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An open ended semi-village experience, sometimes with travel, with a focus on community and environment in Kerala, India

India
Last activity : 6 May 2025

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80 %
Last replied
5 May 2025
Reply rate
67.7 %
Usually responds within 6 days
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2025

Min stay requested: 1 week or less

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Description
Welcome to our home,
Where the river bends like a question,
and the breeze carries stories yet untold.

I live between two homes in Kottayam:
One, an old riverside house in Aymanam — our little experiment in eco-living,
The other, my parents' home — where stories of generations unfold.
Nowadays we are cooking, gardening, weeding, harvesting

I also host a monthly ENVIRONMENTAL FILM CLUB, on third Friday's of every month at the Kerala Museum in Kochi, you may join me for some creative awareness raising activities or just helping out with the event.

At our Family home (non-riverside/non-workaway):
You may meet my mother — calm and grounded — who guides the rhythms of the land.
And Joel, my brother with a harmonica heart, who teaches us to slow down and notice the sound of joy in small things. There is my passionate and easily excitable father and my 97 year old grandmother. We will not visit or stay at this home unless we are focusing on a project here like the wall-painting/mural work for our almost-complete family tree.

Our riverside home:
This house once welcomed travelers. Now, it dreams again — of soil and sap, of art and awareness, of becoming more than shelter.
It waits for people like you — wanderers, questioners, makers — to come leave your imprint on its evolving soul.

🌱 What We’re Cultivating (Beyond Just Food):
--------------------------------------------
Zero-till farming & mulch as memory

Upcycling local salvage into stories

Bamboo and coconut experiments with fire and shade

Natural building ideas that breathe with the earth

Solarpunk sketches, stick-figure murals, mandalas of mud

There’s a fireplace to be built.
Fences to rise from reclaimed aluminum.
Walls that want murals, not paint.

🎭 Our Other Projects Flow Like Water:
------------------------------------
Join us in raising awareness in remote hamlets: free education, forgotten histories, new futures.

Spend a dawn with an inspiring local trust caring for the mentally challenged — feeding, bathing, listening.

Ride a kayak through sunrise and help open ancient waterways for stories and sap.

Paint with earth. Dream with us. Or suggest a project that stirs your soul.

🌀 Who We’re Looking For:
Not just volunteers. But collaborators in questioning.
How do we live lightly?
How do we honor those forgotten by the climate movement?
Can a backyard become a lighthouse?
Can art be a seed?

🥥 If the breeze carries you here, you’ll find:

Local farm-store produce to nourish you

Trails known only to old-timers and riverbirds

A secret toddy spot where the sweetest sap flows like honeyed time

Nights by the fire, mornings by the mist, and conversations that ripple outwards

🎒 More About Me
I’m a wandering educator, a barefoot philosopher, a flâneur in muddy fields.
I’m building — slowly and with laughter — a bridge between art, science, and the urgent whisper of the planet.
Let’s explore Tao and Tamil, Vipassana and Kalari, bamboo and binary stars.
Let’s create something meaningful — together.

So tell me, what would you like to build here?
Types of help and learning opportunities
Charity Work
Art Projects
Language practice
Help with Eco Projects
Elderly Companionship
Teaching
Gardening
DIY and building projects
Animal Care
Farmstay help
Creating/ Cooking family meals
Help around the house
Hospitality/Tourism
General Maintenance
Interests
Gardening
History
Music
Photography
Writing
Plant care
Culture
Sustainability
DIY & crafts
Cooking & food
Carpentry
Books
Art & design
Architecture
Animals
Outdoor activities
Yoga / Wellness
Mountain
Nature
Hiking
Dancing
Cycling
Beach
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
You can get an immersive look into the village life. I am drawn to the old ways, including the history of this land, which I love to share. Trips to the local toddy shop, eateries and view points is my routine- you may join when keen.
Help
As far as farming goes, we follow zero-till farming or Zero-effort farming (:)), which is not really zero-effort but close enough. We try to let things grow as they want to, with minimal intervention, creating a vibrant eco-system. We do try to create a little space around our harvest plants like turmeric, black pepper, passion fruit etc

Building mud, bamboo, clay structures, incorporating sustainable waste - management and energy systems like biogas systems etc are all part of the plans for the future. I am also keen to try many traditional recipes for farming, mosquito repellents etc.

Being riverside, we have kayaks to ride the water roads. No surprise here that water roads are way more fun than tar roads. Also water roads during sunrise and sunset is magic. Interested individuals could help with clearing the waterways near our home among other things.
Languages
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
Hindi: Fluent
Malayalam: Fluent
Arabic: Beginner
Spanish: Beginner
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.
Accommodation
We have a 3 bedroom house (with attached bathrooms): A room for myself, a room for workawayers and a room for my parents and family who drop by occasionally. There is also a separate space in the back, with an old kitchen, sleeping space and eastern toilet- which we hope to revitalize soon enough.

As far as eateries close by, we do have a generational breakfast place by the house- open from 6 AM to 9:30- 10:00 AM.

There is also lunch served by Kudumbshree (women's collective) about 500 meters away. It has been especially good lately, they start serving at noon upto 2 PM- sometimes 2:30- 3PM. Also they are open Monday through Friday (some Saturdays).
What else ...
Kumarakom backwaters are very close to us, so is Kottayam town. There are buses every 15 minutes There is a lot of history and scenery in the area that I can direct you to. Thazthanagady Juma Masjid, CMS College, Thirunakkara Temple, Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary among many others. Also our place is equidistant from Thekkedy, Varkala, Allappey etc (about 2-3 hours from all these places). You can reach Allappey by ferry boat (costs about Rs 20/ ticket) and get a nice 2-3 hour boat ride through the lake.
A little more information
- Internet access
- Limited internet access
- We have pets
- We are smokers
- Can host families
Can host digital nomads
We do have a good internet connection
Space for parking camper vans
This host can provide space for campervans.
Can possibly accept pets
We can take in pets. There is plenty of verandah space and field in the front which would work well.
How many Workawayers can stay?
Two

Host ref number: 947896564323

Website Safety

Feedback (8)

11 Jan 2025

Left by host for Workawayer (Paula & Maja)

The experience with Paula and Maaja was an interesting one. They are two sisters keen to experience new things and the world, this is definitely a positive. What I would like to use this review for is to maybe address a few key points from their feedback and provide some common ground to improve for both of us.
The main challenge was misaligned… read more expectations. They expected an Airbnb-esque experience with a host that was committed to showing them around and accommodating for being new travelers. Though I try to do this most of the time, being Christmas and festival time- it was an extremely busy time with lot of family flying in from different parts of the world and I was juggling many things. They had suggested dates initially, which they messaged and changed a few times to revert back to the original plan. They then requested a pickup, which I arranged our family car for, took them to my favorite fish & toddy spot in the backwaters- and took them home. I made clear the kayaks were available for them to use whenever, the river flows both ways and there is so much nature and wildlife to explore.

It was during these conversations that it was made clear that they didn't plan on getting a SIM and thus had no way to communicate if they stepped out, this would be fine if they were completely independent. They also made clear they did not want to ride scooters as they found them too dangerous, which made it impossible to show them around. It was also clear that they were not well versed with cooking or sorting meals out. They also made clear that staying alone was not an option for them - as they were scared. All of this did become bothersome, here I agreed to hosting- due to their enthusiasm- but I found myself having to juggle between the numerous commitments during this time and having to ensure they were taken care of.

This is the main point- Workaway is an arrangement to for a mutually beneficial arrangement, the hosts are looking to make life easier through this and hoping to offer novel experiences to volunteers. By taking them to my beloved toddy spot, showing them how to make a typical Kerala breakfast (puttu - steam rice + grated coconuts + bananas+pickle), offering kayaks, trail information I hoped I had done my part- even if it was minimal due to the busy time.
What was most troubling- was that they did not know they had to sort out trash- plastic, paper and wet trash- we ended up having to burn their trash for this reason. I go through immense effort to collect plastic waste from the river, clean it multiple times, dry it and send it for recycling- I clean diapers, food waste so much- that is what it takes- this experience of having to arrange for the burning of their trash was a really bad one. And if nothing- I hope this review is a reminder for volunteers to be self-sufficient- to think of your material usage, our lifestyle impacts and how to handle all the waste that we make.

With that said I see great potential in both of them, as they grow and learn - and I am sure they can do beautiful things with the right approach and opportunity. They did also make a wonderful dish themselves from the things on the farm and otherwise, the recipe of which has been put up with other concocted recipes.

(Neutral )

5 Jan 2025

Left by Workawayer (Paula & Maja) for host

Wir sind gemeinsam als Schwestern in Kottayam am Bootssteg angekommen und wurden von Jeffrey mit dem Auto abgeholt. Er war sehr enthusiastisch, freundlich und redselig. Der erste Eindruck war gut. Wir konnten uns sehr gut auf Englisch verständigen. Er hat uns seinen Lieblingsort gezeigt und uns zum Essen und Trinken eingeladen.
Auf seinem… read more Grundstück angekommen, haben wir recht schnell feststellen dürfen, was es bedeutet, in diesem Haus zu leben. Auf den Bildern wirkte das Haus sehr idyllisch, ruhig, künstlerisch, hell und gastfreundlich. Vor Ort wirkte das Haus auf uns wie eine verlassene, etwas heruntergekommene Gartenlaube an einem Fluss. Das Zimmer, das er uns zur Verfügung stellte war gerade so ausreichend. Es waren zwei Betten, ohne Decke und einem Kissen. Die anderen Kissen lagen verschimmelt im Schrank. Über den Betten war ein Loch, wo wahrscheinlich mal eine Lampe hing. Es sind dort Tiere heruntergefallen. Wer sich für diese Erfahrung entscheidet, darf sich auf Wildlife einstellen und sollte viel Mückenspray mitnehmen. Auch eine Mülltüte, eigenes Klopapier und Seife. Bei unserer Ankunft fehlte es an diesen Basics. Trenne bedacht deinen Müll, denn wir haben am Ende unsere Hygieneartikel in seinem Garten verbrannt, was für uns ungewohnt und unangenehm war. Da wir zur Weihnachtszeit kamen, erklärte uns Jeffrey bei Ankunft, dass er sehr viel zu tun habe. Konkret bedeutete das, eine laute Festival zeit im Dorf und Familienzeit ohne Gäste. Zusätzlich gibt Jeffrey 7 Tage die Woche morgens von ca. 7-11 Uhr Online Nachhilfe von seinem Haus aus. Wir hatten somit keinen ruhigen Morgen, da das Haus sehr hellhörig ist. Danach machte er Mittagsschlaf und verließ dann das Haus bis spät abends. Vermutlich fuhr er zu seiner Familie, um mit dieser Zeit zu verbringen. Er ließ offen, wann er nach Hause kommt. Wir haben kommuniziert, dass wir ungern alleine in seinem Haus sein wollen, besonders bei Dunkelheit, denn das Grundstück ist offen und auch wenn wir abschließen konnten, fühlten wir uns aufgrund der Fremde beängstigt und nicht sicher. Er wirkte flüchtig, distanziert, und mit seiner Aufgabe als Gastgeber überfordert, weil er dieser nicht gerecht werden konnte. Wir fühlten uns sehr fehl am Platz und fanden uns als Haussitter wieder, ohne es zu wollen. Wir haben viel Zeit zu zweit verbracht und hätten uns gewünscht mit Jeffrey gemeinsam auf seinem Grundstück zu arbeiten, wie angedacht. Wir hatten im Vorfeld klar kommuniziert, dass wir von ihm lernen wollen. Aber er konnte oder wollte sich die Zeit für uns nicht nehmen. Er hat uns einmal ein traditionelles Gericht gezeigt. Dafür sind wir dankbar. Wie auf seiner Seite angegeben, haben wir 3 Stunden am Tag gearbeitet. Wir haben Gras mit unseren Händen aus der Erde gerissen, in anderen Worten Weeding betrieben. Handschuhe und Werkzeug wurden uns nicht zur Verfügung gestellt. Jeffrey blieb außer Haus. Nachdem er uns spontan berichtete, allein auf ein mehrtägiges Festival gehen zu wollen, haben wir uns entschieden, unseren Aufenthalt vorzeitig abzubrechen. Besonders dazu beigetragen hat ein Erlebnis, wo wir bei Dunkelheit allein in seinem Haus waren und plötzlich der Strom ausfiel. Wir hatten kein Internet und fühlten uns hilflos ausgeliefert. Es war stockdunkel, wir haben uns im Zimmer eingesperrt und darauf gewartet, dass Jeffrey irgendwann zurückkehrt. Eine Erfahrung, die wir keinem wünschen! Erst am nächsten Tag hat uns Jeffrey den Stromkasten gezeigt für den Fall, dass der Strom ausfällt. Dieser fällt in Indien öfter mal aus. Als wir meinten, dass wir Angst hatten, fühlten wir uns nicht ernst genommen, da er daraufhin von einem Mann erzählte, der in einer ähnlichen Situation gewesen sei und ihn vor lauter Angst angerufen habe. Er wirkte dabei gleichgültig.
Zusammenfassend haben wir nach unserer Konfrontation hin einen Mann kennen gelernt, der viele Ausreden hat, dem das Wohlbefinden seiner Gäste gleichgültig zu sein scheint. Wir hätten laut ihm unsere Erwartungen und Wünsche noch besser kommunizieren müssen. Jeffrey hat seine Seite mittlerweile aktualisiert, vermutlich weil er doch gemerkt hat, dass er einiges offen gelassen hat. Uns war nicht bewusst, dass er alleine in diesem Haus lebt und jedem Morgen Nachhilfe gibt. Wir raten Jeffrey für die Zukunft auf seiner Seite erkenntlich zu machen, dass er Haussitter sucht, damit keiner in diese Rolle ohne seinen Willen reingedrückt wird. Wir wünschen jedem Workawayer eine bessere (erste) Erfahrung.

We arrived together as sisters at the jetty in Kottayam and were picked up by Jeffrey in his car. He was very enthusiastic, friendly and talkative. The first impression was good. We were able to communicate very well in English. He showed us his favorite place and invited us to eat and drink.
When we arrived at his property, we quickly realized what it means to live in this house. In the pictures, the house looked very idyllic, quiet, artistic, bright and hospitable. On site, the house looked to us like an abandoned, somewhat run-down gazebo by a river. The room he made available to us was just about adequate. There were two beds, no blankets and one pillow. The other pillows were lying moldy in the closet. There was a hole above the beds where a lamp had probably once hung. Animals had fallen down there. Anyone who decides to have this experience should be prepared for wildlife and should take plenty of mosquito spray with them. Also a garbage bag, your own toilet paper and soap. When we arrived, these basics were missing. Separate your garbage carefully, because we ended up burning our hygiene products in his garden, which was unusual and unpleasant for us. Since we came at Christmas time, Jeffrey explained to us when we arrived that he had a lot to do. In concrete terms, this meant a loud festival in the village and family time without guests. In addition, Jeffrey gives online tutoring from his house 7 days a week in the morning from around 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. We therefore did not have a quiet morning, as the house is very thinly soundproof. After that, he took a nap and then left the house until late in the evening. He probably drove to his family to spend time with them. He left it open when he would be home. We communicated that we did not want to be alone in his house, especially in the dark, because the property is open and even if we could lock it, we felt scared and unsafe because of the strangers. He seemed fleeting, distant, and overwhelmed by his role as host because he could not do it justice. We felt very out of place and found ourselves house sitters without wanting to. We spent a lot of time together and would have liked to work with Jeffrey on his property, as planned. We had clearly communicated in advance that we wanted to learn from him. But he couldn't or didn't want to take the time for us. He once showed us a traditional dish. We are grateful for that. As stated on his website, we worked 3 hours a day. We pulled grass out of the ground with our hands, in other words weeded. Gloves and tools were not provided to us. Jeffrey stayed away from home. After he spontaneously told us that he wanted to go to a festival lasting several days alone, we decided to cut our stay short. One experience in particular contributed to this: we were alone in his house in the dark and the power suddenly went out. We had no internet and felt helpless. It was pitch black, we locked ourselves in the room and waited for Jeffrey to return at some point. An experience we would not wish on anyone! It was only the next day that Jeffrey showed us the power box in case the power went out. This often happens in India. When we said that we were afraid, we felt that he wasn't being taken seriously, because he then told us about a man who had been in a similar situation and had called him out of fear. He seemed indifferent.
In summary, after our confrontation, we got to know a man who has many excuses and who seems to be indifferent to the well-being of his guests. According to him, we should have communicated our expectations and wishes even better. Jeffrey has now updated his page, probably because he realized that he had left some things open. We were not aware that he lives alone in this house and gives tutoring every morning. We advise Jeffrey to make it clear on his page in the future that he is looking for house sitters so that no one is forced into this role against their will. We wish every workawayer a better (first) experience.

(Neutral )

29 Jun 2024

Left by Workawayer (Charlène) for host

If you're looking for the most authentic way to experience Kerala's culture, look no further! Jeff welcomed me with open arms and an open heart, making me feel at home and part of the village community from the moment I arrived.

Words can't do justice to how amazing the place is. It’s a serene spot where you can enjoy the view over the river,… read more

(Excellent )

19 Jun 2024

Left by Workawayer (Tabea) for host

Our time at Jeffrey's place passed at a different speed. My favourite memories are slow evenings outside with conversations about past times and future possibilities while feeling surprisingly present. We harvested the most delicous fruits, painted a mural and my sister got to pour all her creativity into cooking. Jeffrey is a wonderful host,… read more

(Excellent )

30 Apr 2024

Left by host for Workawayer (Tabea)

The sister duo of Tabea & Hanna are a force of nature. They came to Aymanam and turned the place upside down (in the best way possible). With their help, we made much progress with the farm, made more banana cakes and breads than we could count, painted walls- all the while sweating, pouring and having a blast.

Tabea is always keen to help-… read more

(Excellent )

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Photos

$The image depicts a banana bread in a green bowl, garnished with a red flower and a note that reads \"BANANA BREAD\" on a floral-patterned tablecloth.$

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Feedback

These are extra optional ratings when members leave feedback. The average rating left for each option is displayed.

Accuracy of profile:
(4.6)

Cultural exchange:
(4.6)

Communication:
(4.6)

11 Jan 2025

Left by host for Workawayer (Paula & Maja)

(Neutral)

5 Jan 2025

Left by Workawayer (Paula & Maja) for host

(Neutral)

29 Jun 2024

Left by Workawayer (Charlène) for host

(Excellent)

19 Jun 2024

Left by Workawayer (Tabea) for host

(Excellent)

30 Apr 2024

Left by host for Workawayer (Tabea)

(Excellent)

30 Apr 2024

Left by host for Workawayer (Elena )

Elena is a fantastic soul, curious, sharp & quick to pickup things. She and a fellow workawayer Tabea created the most beautiful mural- based on an inspiration I discussed with them. We ate, talked, worked - all the while having a great time together. I wish Elena all the magic and adventure on her travels.

(Excellent)

2 Apr 2024

Left by host for Workawayer (Vanessa Bettina)

Vanessa was fantastic to host. She visited during a heat wave and had to leave soon after arriving- The highlight was being introduced to her music, which is still playing in our home in Aymanam,- leaving her mark way beyond her stay. Wishing her the best with everything and looking forward to new creations by her.

(Excellent)

24 Jan 2024

Left by host for Workawayer (Alexandra Monet)

Alex is just magic. She came to stay on a whim- on short notice- and left us with the most beautiful mural inspired by the local temple art in town (picture included in my profile)- among other things. She left a lasting impression on the locals and the land, with people checking in about her months after she left. I recommend her to all hosts -… read more

(Excellent)

12 Nov 2023

Left by Workawayer (Alexandra Monet) for host

For an authentic and kind Kerala experience, Jeffrey’s home is the place! I came to complete a mural near the bay of the backwaters, which lies just outside of his door. I felt right at home from the start and found sharing the house to be very comfortable throughout my stay - as Jeffrey is easy-going, well traveled, and always willing to help! We… read more

(Excellent)

18 Feb 2023

Left by Workawayer (Soline) for host

I had a really nice time with Jeffrey. The house is super confortable and cosy. The garden and river in front of the house are amazing, very natural and authentic place. Squirrel everywhere in the garden, ants also 😉 It was mostly garden work such as deshelling coconut, harvesting some fruits and cleaning the river with the kayak.
Jeffrey is a… read more

(Excellent)

16 Feb 2023

Left by host for Workawayer (Soline)

Soline is just a beautiful human being. It was just great to have her at our place- she added to the place in more ways than one. She is very easy going, self-motivated and has a wonderful positive attitude. We had coconuts that we just harvested- which she shelled-mostly on her own. She also helped clear the river of plastic on the kayak and was… read more

(Excellent)

11 Dec 2022

Left by Workawayer (Ignacio) for host

I had beautiful days at Jeffrey's place. It is a really comfortable house to have a little taste of village life in Kerala. The nature around is so lush and alive! It was a really nice time to charge batteries for my journey. Jeff is a super interesting guy with whom you can have really nice conversations about India culture and much more. He is… read more

(Excellent)

22 Feb 2020

Left by host for Workawayer (Jessie)

Jessie, Fiona and Elena were fantastic. They were flexible with their scheduling, and were very positive and communicative about all plans and work. I was able to focus on other things knowing full well that they would be taking care of the house and Loki. Also they bring a lot of experience to the table and are fun to be around. Thanks for… read more

(Excellent)

21 Feb 2020

Left by Workawayer (Jessie) for host

Jefferey and his family were all incredibly welcoming, kind and lovely! we stayed for four days and did some gardening and river clean up work and had an amazing time kayaking on the river.
His dog Loki was a joy to look after and we already miss him a lot.
Would love to come back at some point , Jefferey’s hospitality was amazing!

(Excellent)

3 Feb 2020

Left by Workawayer (Irlanda & Laia) for host

We stay a few days in jeff’s homestay but until the firts day we felt very comfortable and like home. Jeffrey and his family are very nice and they’ll explain you many interesting things of the village, Kerala... Also, the place is great, with the river in one side, all the trees and the lovely Loki, the dog. We recomended 100% this place if you… read more

(Excellent)

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Homestays, Volunteering & Working Holidays in India Homestays, Volunteering & Working Holidays in Asia Homestays, Volunteering & Working Holidays in Kerala Family India Last minute Homestays, Volunteering & Working Holidays in India

An open ended semi-village experience, sometimes with travel, with a focus on community and environment in Kerala, India

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Badges (4)

Find your perfect host

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Details

Description

Types of help and learning opportunities

Interests

Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

Help

Languages

Accommodation

What else ...

A little more information

Can host digital nomads

Space for parking camper vans

Can possibly accept pets

How many Workawayers can stay?

Feedback (8)

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Events organised by this host

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