Profile information
Host rating
65 %
Last replied
26 Feb 2024
Reply rate
61.9 %
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Details
Description
There are two kinds of work exchange positions available:
Long term (1-6 month commitment, with 2 week trial period to be sure we work well together)
Short term (2-3 weeks, with 1 week trial period. Ideal for travelers with less time to commit)
Project description:
We are located in the heart of the remote Costa Rican pueblo, Vista Mar, 275 meters above the Pacific and a one mile walk to the beach. Our property is side to side with the Ngabe Conte Burica Indigenous Territory around which our work is focused. We are a startup nonprofit and family farm with a many faceted approach to our work.
Broad Nonprofit activities:
1) Grow Community Orchards at Ngabe Schools beneficial to birds, promote and encourage protection of endemic bird habitat and harvest sharing.
2) Protect and Encourage Wild Bird Habitat (especially endemic and threatened species) in Vista Mar and Ngabe Territory.
3) Support Indigenous Entrepreneurs (Nature guide certification, Development of Wild Type Tree Nursery for Birds and Pollinators, Promote Culture Sharing opportunities with active Ngabe teachers).
4) Apply for, receive Approval for, develop and maintain an active Wild Bird Rescue and Education Center to assist, rehabilitate and release injured birds found in the Southern Zone.
5) Paint murals of endemic and threatened birds on all 13 indigenous elementary schools within the territory.
6) Researching bird and tree species relationships and designing wildlife corridors
Broad Family Finca Activities:
1) Grow soil (these tropical clay soils are depleted, we need to increase nutrient and biomass)
2) Tour horse Care (feed, water, visit, provide care).
3) Cooking for everyone working on projects
4) House renovation and simple construction
5) Land maintenance (fences, weed whacking, earthworks)
6) Gardens maintenance (weeding, shaping, making beds, growing soils).
7) Motorcycles and Cuads are always breaking down and could use a mechanics skillset
In Service to Both:
Assist in creating social media content and blog posts, driving web traffic to Patreon (Patreon yet to come).
It is an education farm, budding rescue and culture center, with deep questions which fuel our days, centered around the core question: What does it mean to be a human being in this modern world?
We work closely with our Ngabe partners and others to answer these questions as we strive forward making the world kinder and more beautiful right here where we live and work together.
We are looking for creative, and passionate people to join us. This is great opportunity to be a part of the early stages of this energetic hub, which centers around birds, culture, pueblo living and practicing being a good neighbor and steward of the land entrusted to us.
Formerly a smallholding in rural NC, we jumped to Central America nestled between the Golfo Dulce and The Ngabe Wildlands, to focus on birds, avitourism, community, art and indigenous entrepreneurism. With sweeping views of the Pacific, across the Golfo Dulce Golfo Dulce is a unique "tropical fjord" where whales return each year to birth their young in the protected 700 foot deep waters. The sunsets are mind-boggling over the Osa Peninsula and Corcovado National Park. Up the coast toward Golfito you'll find Piedras Blancas National Park, and within a 4 hour walk you could be at the Panama border. This is an area National Geographic and Jacque Cousteau called one of the most biodiverse gems on planet Earth.
This is a tiny pueblo on the edge of things. You will experience what it is like to live in a place still mostly untouched by touristic influence. You will hear the Ngabe language spoken and have a chance to flex your Spanish skills. Below, down in Punta Banco and Pavones you can find local community, a farmers market and surfing. Pavones is known for the second longest left breaking wave in the world.
Tenting spots are available, and we have a traditional Ngabe palm thatch rancho for sleeping, with access to the main house with shared kitchen, wifi, laundry and shower. one of our goals is to build a composting/sawdust outhouse, because flushing fresh clean well water down the toilet is just too wasteful of such a precious resource. Details need to be developed regards to this, for now there is flush toilet, but we do everything we can to conserve our water usage, particularly in the dry season when it does not rain for 3 months (we have well water).
To inquire about available work exchange positions, send a text message or email to the Director with the following contents.
Please note: currently we are learning to speak Spanish but we are capable of communicating well enough and this pueblo has few English speakers. Our project partner is a native Spanish and Ngabe speaker who wants to learn more English.
Name
Age
Interest in short or long term position
Estimated date of arrival
Estimated length of stay
Reason for interest in working on our project
Skillset you have to offer
Alisa Esposito
Director
Types of help and learning opportunities
Charity Work
Art Projects
Language practice
Help with Eco Projects
Teaching
Gardening
DIY and building projects
Animal Care
Farmstay help
Creating/ Cooking family meals
Help around the house
General Maintenance
Help with Computers/ Internet
UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
Travelers can learn about sustainability, fruit tree production, nature, birds, wildlife biology, Tico and Ngabe culture, traditional skills, growing tropical fruit trees, and more.
Projects involving children
This project could involve children. For more information see our guidelines and tips here.
Help
- All aspects of maintaining the 2.5 acre finca and nonprofit projects (as listed above)
– Horse feeding, fence management, building a horse shelter,
- Various projects around the community.
- Learning
- Having fun!!
Languages
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
Spanish: FluentThis host offers a language exchange
I am working toward learning Spanish to become fluent, as this is my new home, and our project partner is interested in learning English (he speaks fluent Spanish and Ngabe).
Accommodation
Outdoor Palm Thatch Rancho and/or tent camping. Simple diet, mostly Tico/Ngabe Casado (traditional dish) with a twist of hummus. Fresh fruit when available. Cacao when available.
You must have 4 wheel drive to access this property. You can also bus in to Punta Banco and walk everywhere, and you can pay for taxi when necessary for doctor or shopping if you need on days we are not planning a trip. If you take the bus to Pavones or Punta Banco we can pick you up by motorcycle, 4x4 quad or horse! Or you can pay a 4x4 taxi to give you a lift. If you need one let me know and I will arrange it for you!
What else ...
This area is rich with beaches, waterfalls, horseback riding, surfing, bird watching, language exchange, and if you want a dose of yoga there's a studio down the mountain halfway. Pavones is a surfing hub scene, and often there are opportunities for interesting things happening in that area (art, dance, farmers market, restaurants, etc).
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
Can host digital nomads
Our internet access is good, we rarely have problems. Occasionally the power goes out momentarily for random reasons and picks up again quickly, other times (usually during the rainy season), a tree can fall on a power line and take out power for 1-3 days.
Can possibly accept pets
No barking or free roaming and no outdoor cats.
How many Workawayers can stay?
More than two
Hours expected
Maximum 4-5 hours a day, 5 days a week
