English classes for village kids in the Andes of southern Ecuador

Details

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  Description

  It started as a family project. My parents, my sister and I began it on our farm a few years ago, with the idea of eco-living and learning together. Since then life has moved us around: my sister now lives in France, and my dad has moved out (still a 15-minute walk away) and is retiring. It has become mostly my own project, which I run with my partner Mati.
  
  The core is the same but we have grown with the opportunities that life brought us, like Kancha vertical (free climbing for the community that lives by the crag) We’re building a project rooted in permaculture, community, and the idea that knowledge should be free and shared. In January we hope to start building the community center and tiny houses for guests.
  
  We live on the finca near Susudel, a small village in the dry inter-Andean valleys of Azuay. It’s 1h30 by bus from Cuenca.
  
  We love art, creativity and animals. We share the place with a lot of insects, lizards and birds.
  
  This is a queer, leftist home and a safe space. Everyone is welcome, whatever their identity, background or body. We ask the same respect from everyone who stays with us.

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  Types of help and learning opportunities

  Charity Work

  Art Projects

  Language practice

  Help with Eco Projects

  Teaching

  Light gardening

  Creative DIY projects

  Creating/ Cooking family meals

  Help around the house

  Light maintenance
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  Interests

  

  Sustainability

  

  Self development

  

  Pets

  

  Farming

  

  LGBTQ

  

  Charity work

  

  Culture

  

  Writing

  

  Plant care

  

  Photography

  

  Languages

  

  History

  

  Gardening

  

  Drawing & painting

  

  DIY & crafts

  

  Cooking & food

  

  Carpentry

  

  Books

  

  Blogging

  

  Art & design

  

  Architecture

  

  Animals

  

  Yoga / Wellness

  

  Team sports

  

  Outdoor activities

  

  Nature

  

  Mountain

  

  Hiking

  

  Camping

  

  Adventure sports
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  Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

  -Hiking from the door.
  -Optional climbing on weekends with us. Until we’ve seen your level, please climb only with us; after that you can go in your free time during the week. If you climb, you’ll need travel insurance that covers it.
  -Arts and crafts materials, free to use.
  -A library of books in English and Spanish, plus a few in German and French.
  -If you speak German, I’d love lessons: I picked up a little doing a Workaway in Germany.
  -We love talking and learning about anything and everything, hopefully we have something to teach you and something to learn from you.

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  Projects involving children

  This project could involve children. For more information see our guidelines and tips here.

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  Help

  When you arrive you’ll get a proper introduction to your tasks. What you do depends on your experience, your interests, how long you stay and your motivation. We try to give you a good mix. If there’s something in particular you’d like to help with, we’re open to suggestions. I’ll explain things and check in regularly, so ask me anything.
  
  ENGLISH CLASSES (the main one):
  The classes are free for kids from the community. Some of them climb with us, some don’t. Right now I can only manage one 2-hour class a week. I’d love for you to offer more time, so we can work out together how many kids can come and how often, and turn your stay into an intensive for them. You’d plan the classes yourself. I can help, and I have a lot of books, flashcards and games for materials.
  
  Native or very fluent English required.
  Teaching experience required, plus references from previous work with children.
  I’ll drop in on classes from time to time.
  No Spanish needed. Honestly, it’s better if you don’t speak it: the kids learn more that way.
  
  HUERTA:
  My mum used to run it. She left, and I don’t have the time, so it’s chaos. There’s a ton of weeding and planting, rotten bed frames to fix, new beds to build, and humus and compost to spread. Watering is easy, because the sprinklers run off a tap. Seedlings come from the family greenhouses, which are a separate business, so you won’t work there. It’s hard work, but it won’t be all of your time.
  
  VOLUNTEER HOUSE:
  We need to set up the remaining rooms, paint, and finish furniture (painting chairs and similar).

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  Languages

  Languages spoken
  English: Fluent
  Spanish: Fluent
  German: Beginner
  Italian: Beginner
  Portuguese: 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.
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  Accommodation

  You’ll share the volunteer house with us. It has a kitchen, a bathroom, one double room and one room with bunk beds. Max 3 volunteers, minimum stay 1 month.
  
  Climbers and friends often come on weekends. They sleep in another room and won’t get in your way, but there’s a lot of community life. If you’re not a people person, that’s fine too: just tell us and we’ll mostly leave you be. My dad sometimes drops by on weekdays.
  
  Food: Mati cooks three vegetarian, protein-rich meals a day. We shop in the city once every three months; everything else comes from neighbours or our own land. You’re welcome to use the kitchen, just go easy on supplies and tell us when something runs low. If you want meat, you buy it yourself.

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  What else ...

  In you free time you will be able to go for walks around the property where you will be surrounded by nature, make a bonfire if it isn’t dry season, play board games and enjoy your surroundings. As said earlier you might be able to use the swimming pool. There are also busses which can take you to some cities around the area.

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  A little more information

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    Internet access

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    Limited internet access

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    We have pets

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    We are smokers

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    Can host families

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  Can host digital nomads

  Internet: reliable fiber optic. Ecuadorian electricity is not reliable: we share a generator with neighbours, so we can’t promise wifi during outages.

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  Space for parking camper vans

  We have where to park down the hill from our house

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  Can possibly accept pets

  Yes, as long as your pet is sterilised and very well trained. We have a 3-year-old border collie, and there are areas of the house where dogs can and can’t go, so your pet has to follow house rules. We’re strongly pro animal rights and won’t tolerate any mistreatment, including keeping an animal tied up all the time.

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  How many Workawayers can stay?

  More than two

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  My animals / pets

  

  Reshi

  Very well educared sheepdog

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