Help us reshaping a mountain at the northern border of Tuscany, Italy

Informationen

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  Beschreibung

  For the moment we are focusing on doing some smaller renovation projects in the house and finishing decoration works. But the land and the garden are also screaming for some attention...
  After that, there might be tearing down a brick-built construction and flattening hillside terraces to build wooden observation platforms.
  Building and/or renovation experience is NOT MANDATORY but is for sure a bonus.
  Based on your personal interest and experience/expertise, you can join forces in demolition, reconstruction, welding, montage, plumbing, drywall, woodwork, painting etc.
  
  IN EXCHANGE
  Warm and cozy apartment, delicious food and nice company.
  
  IMPORTANT TO READ FIRST BEFORE CONSIDERING JOINING US IN ITALY:
  Our Workaway stay record is now 9 months+. So chances are you'll like it here too...
  - In principle we are only interested in people who can stay for at least 2-3 months.
  - We can accommodate someone 'long term' who has experience in home renovation (final details) and/or really likes working on the land (organic/permaculture development) and in the woods.
  - Unfortunately, due to misconduct of a previous workawayer we no longer receive prime collaboration of the comune for people who want to gain italian citizenship during their stay with us. So sorry for those who were hoping to come to us for that reason, we were willing to help but can no more.
  - Please note that we can only accept people whose legal paperwork (visa, etc) is all taken care of. We cannot provide 'invitations' in order to get such paperwork done.
  
  Note that it is absolutely mandatory to speak English very well in order to communicate with us without any problems. If you are a couple, both will need to be able to speak it and we expect both to do their part of the work...
  
  Who are we: AnneMarie and Jan.
  We are a quiet, somewhat older (65-60) Flemish couple living on a mountain top in the Apennines (Italy).
  Trying as much as possible to be Self contained, Self sufficient and Self supportive...
  
  We speak fluent Flemish (Dutch) and English but also Italian (obviously, when you live in Italy). One of these three languages will be what we communicate in. We also master some French, German and Spanish which are to be 'brushed up' again, but we like to practise.
  We are spiritual beings (non religious) and very much involved in meditation, so people who like to (learn to) meditate are even more welcome.
  Please note that we do not have television(!) and we can only provide project-related fast Internet. For personal streaming you have to get your own internet subscription on your telephone as we have cancelled the wifi satellite subscription because of poor quality and extremely high cost.
  
  We are looking for: nice quiet people to share part of our lives in harmony together! Especially if you are ready for an introspection period (break year/sabbatical) combined with working in nature and living a healthy lifestyle, than this might be the ideal place to stay.
  These people should be able to do home sitting in case one (or both) of us need to travel. In that case a car (non automatic) can be at disposal at basic cost price if you don't have one of your own and you are +26 yrs old (necessary for the insurance).
  
  We also need muscles & ideas. Depending on weather conditions and people already hosted, Jan will prioritize one or another creative direction.
  Muscles: help in the final stages of renovation of the house is still a top priority for the moment. But there are also tasks outside on working the land/garden and/or in the woods.
  
  Note that we expect everybody to help in the house and on the land, even if you are a woman, artist, ...
  
  What can we offer:
  A separate apartment in the house is available to welcome you. This will have to be shared with another guest if there is some overlap in time. We like to welcome workawayers like family even though you will have your own private quarters in the house.
  
  We can help with practising several languages (see above).
  AnneMarie can teach Tao Yoga and other meditation techniques. She is busy/interested in alternative medicine and herbs.
  She is a good cook and likes to pass on some of her skills, but due to her health this cannot always be guaranteed.
  
  Jan is an artist in everything he does and likes to share his passion for nature, gardening, landscape arts, photography, making videos, etc. He started an environmental art project. This way he is remodelling the mountain we live on, hence the hard work (see the pictures...)
  
  Other than being on a healthy retreat, you can join us to all the local festa, concerts or just go on a photographic tour around the area, to the waterfall or to the Pietra di Bismantova where Dante wrote his masterpiece, the Divine Comedy. But realise here we are 'going Dutch' (i.e. each pays his own bill).
  
  Please note that there are a few important things to consider:
  - Living together in harmony is the most important key phrase. We don't like extremist political ideas (or any other extreme vision for that matter) as they do not suit with our life ethics.
  - The first language in the house is either English or Dutch.
  - No drugs and preferably no smoking either unless if you are respectful enough to not throw your butts anywhere else than in the ashtray... Certainly no smoking in the house!
  - A decent pair of all-weather boots is required to work on the land... unless you come in plain summer.
  - Even though living on a mountain top in Italy may sound like a holiday dream, be aware that it involves hard work and it may be lonely sometimes. If you are a couple, both of you will need to realise that! Make sure what you mean when you say you like nature and gardening...
  - We have a cat and a doggy who live in the house with us and who might sneak into the apartment on the first floor... So if you are allergic to cats or dogs that will be a major problem.
  - Since we will be living together in the house, the daily housework (in the kitchen or keeping the house clean) is not considered 'workaway work'. We expect you to keep the place clean and nice to live in as if it were your own house or even better...
  - In principle we do not serve alcohol to workawayers, unless for special occasions.
  - Due to practical constraints, unless if you always cook yourself in your own kitchen, we cannot accommodate vegetarian people. Vegan or people with serious food allergies have proved to be really too difficult to cope with, sorry. But please realise that we are 'allergic' for people who waste food, showing no respect for nature (animals and plants alike) and the farmer/gardener who put all his/her effort in 'growing your meals' ...
  ---------------------------------
  
  Jan wants to add:
  
  Imagine. Just imagine.
  You were a property owner of a 3.6ha estate on a mountain top in Italy, north of Tuscany.
  As you are looking for a challenge... What would you do with it?
  
  Knowing more and more workawayers consider it an important stop on their life purpose track.
  The more some of them decide about making a major shift in their lives after having been here, while others consider it a springboard to the rest of their life...
  
  Imagine this property would be yours for your next stop in your personal life. Now throw an environmental artwork in that mix as an invitation to contribute a part of your artistic self.
  What would this mountain look like when you would be leaving, inviting the next one in line?
  
  36m2 of this mountain will carry your signature, no doubt...
  If ever you wanted to leave a legacy behind in Italy, make sure to hear the silent whisper of the universe calling you to get into action...

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  Arten von Hilfe und Lernmöglichkeiten

  Kunstprojekte

  Hilfe bei Ökoprojekten

  Gartenarbeiten

  Heimwerker- und Bauarbeiten

  Hausarbeiten

  Handwerkliche Arbeiten
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  Kultureller Austausch und Lernmöglichkeiten

  Learn about living in Italy on a mountain top (including Italian cultural manifestations); learn to meditate; practise languages; learn gardening, landscaping, forest maintenance, cooking, nature photography, ...
  Learn to bake your own (sourdough or other) bread, make your own yoghurt, milk kefir, kombucha, ginger beer, marmelade, apple vinegar etc., which we make from our own produce or from the local farmer's market.

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  Arbeit

  Note that help would be appreciated in one or more of the following:
  BUILDING / RENOVATION
  Demolition, reconstruction, welding, montage, plumbing, drywall, woodwork, painting etc.
  GARDEN / ESTATE / WOODS
  Organic vegetable garden, fruit trees, shaping hills and terraces, landscaping, clearing the wood.
  ANIMAL CARE
  (mainly if we need to go abroad)
  Take care of the cat and maybe the dog
  
  HOME SITTING
  If/when we need to travel, this may be planned some time before or it may come up unexpectedly.

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  Gesprochene Sprachen

  Englisch: Fließend
  Französisch: Fließend
  Italienisch: Fließend
  Niederländisch: Fließend
  Deutsch: Gute Kenntnisse
  Spanisch: Grundkenntnisse

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  Unterkunft

  An apartment is available for the workawayers on the first floor with 2 rooms (one is with a sofa-bed), a kitchen and 1 bathroom available. Depending on the situation this can accomodate 2 (couples) workawayers who can share the kitchen and the bathroom.
  In principle lunch is taken all together during the week but due to AnneMarie's health problems the timing is not standard, our 'lunch' is usually between 3 and 4 pm as it is never sure when she will be able to start cooking. If this is a problem you can cook your own in your kitchen. In order for us to have some privacy and time for each other, the other meals during the week are private, as well as on the weekends and holidays.
  Note that AnneMarie sometimes still likes to use 'your' fridge to store food that she will use for the main meals!

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  Was noch ...

  The whole area is a heaven for nature photographers, hikers, mountainbikers, skiers, horse people, alpine climbers, via ferrata mountaineering, ... But other than cyclers also motorbikers and trikes love to cruise the curling streets to discover beautiful sights from one mountain top to another.
  In case you want a clear view of our 'Big Picture', check the album and count the deer on one of the pics ;)
  
  Note that we live on top of a mountain and there is as good as no public transport in the area. Your own car is preferred even though, if you will stay for a minimum of 6 months, we can share a small car at basic expense cost per month (to discuss in time as our second car is not on the road for the moment and it would need to be checked and insured again.
  If possible we are also willing to function as your personal taxi driver sometimes, but since our time is as valuable as yours we expect some help in the catching up on the invested hours... Also we then ask a fuel contribution (see lower).
  
  Unless if you arrive at an ungodly hour, we are willing to come and pick you up to facilitate the last 100 km of your travel or even sometimes if you would like to visit places. Since our car is not yet driving on water, we do ask for a financial contribution though, depending on how far we need to drive and if there are specific road tolls on the way.
  Examples of pick ups, travel time and price are :
  - nearest train station Sassuolo Radici (Modena), 15 eur (+/- 45 minutes one way);
  - Stop FlixBus Modena (via Glauco Gottardi), 20 eur (+/- 1 h 10mins one way);
  - Bologna Guglielmo Marconi Airport, 25 eur (+/- 1,5 hour one way).
  
  Note that since our car is very old we are not allowed to drive in most city centres so we cannot pick you up in any other train station than Sassuolo.
  
  Enjoy your travel!

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  Etwas mehr Information

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    Internet Zugang

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    Eingeschränkter Internet Zugang

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    Wir besitzen Tiere

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    Wir sind Raucher

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    Familien möglich

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  Kann Digital Nomads unterbringen

  As mentioned above, we can only offer project related internet as we are working on phone based connections ourselves. Over the years they have proven to be quite stable even on a mountain top. If you are a giga-consumer we can advise to take a monthly subscription via your phone. Offers are these days at very cheap prices for some 200 gig per month.

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  Platz zum Abstellen von Camper Vans

  There is plenty of space to park, but so far we have not had any camper guest staying so it would be a first experience...

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  Kapazität - wie viele Workawayer maximal

  mehr als zwei

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  Arbeitszeiten

  Max 25 hours a week, 2 days off. At least 5 hours a day but depending on the weather we expect (and give) flexibility. Help may also be needed on weekends.

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