Profile information
Host rating
80 %
Last replied
17 Aug 2024
Reply rate
66.7 %
Usually responds within 11 days
Feedback
21
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Description
I have been blessed to live for almost 25 years in a tiny fishing village Barra de Potosi, a wonderful small community of friendly people, in a relaxed rhythm, living close to family and the ocean. There is a lot of joy here. We are located on the Pacific Coast of Mexico surrounded by ocean and mangrove tree-lined lagoon on three sides and with one of the most beautiful beaches I've seen...great for swimming and occasional surfing yet only 20 minutes away from an international airport and 30 minutes away from a lively beautiful Mexican fishing town more developed for tourism, Zihuatanejo which has may of the more modern world kinds of things. I can say that after all these years, I still awake every morning feeling totally in love with Barra de Potosi...the beauty of it, the people, the pace and the magic.
I operate a small B&B in the village and am also the founder of a Children's Library Project a small ngo serving the children of Barra as a kind of activity and cultural center. The library is in a separate building across the street from the hotel.
Types of help and learning opportunities
Art Projects
Language practice
Help with Eco Projects
Teaching
Gardening
Farmstay help
Creating/ Cooking family meals
Help around the house
Hospitality/Tourism
General Maintenance
Help with Computers/ Internet
UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
This village is the real Mexico in la 'Costa Grande' which is the birthplace of so much of the tropical Mexican culture as expressed in wonderful Mexican music, film and art. The opportunity to learn about the local culture and make friends with the villagers is an integral part of the experience. Added to that, the constant interchange with visitors in the hotel who come from other parts of Mexico and other parts of the world, makes the cultural exchange more widely varied. It will be possible to experience how people live in a rural coastal fishing village in Mexico. It will also be possible to connect with other volunteers working in area projects for weekend activities.
Help
In the village of Barra, I have a small B&B of 6 rooms. I need a little help with the people part of the operation, occasionally greeting guests keeping communication going in case I cannot be there to make sure they are well attended and happy. I also need help with lighting candles and fairy lights at night and closing up at closing time. I have a great local staff for cleaning and cooking. Some help with gardening or maintenance projects are helpful at times. I could also use help with the internet aspect of promotion.. some site updates and upgrades etc.
I also am the founder of a small NGO here in the village which is the Children's Library Project. We have a small library on a property next door to the hotel full of wonderful books and art supplies. For over 15 years we have offered all kinds of educational after school activities for the children of the village in the library. I are sometimes also looking for volunteers interested in participating in the library.
Covid update regarding the library: The Children's Library had been closed since the covid outbreak in March of 2020 and we have just recently reopened beginning a wonderful new phase of the library to come. But it will be several months as the new team settles in with the new library planning before we will be stablized with a steady curriculum for the children. In the meantime, there will be work going on in the library of maintenance and some building projects and de;ending on the skills of the volunteer, activities with the children - special workshops or classes and other more impromptu activities with the kids as we work on the library transition with the new crew. If you have special skills to offe, some experience with children, Spanish skills and can work with some independence. More structured activities with the children and other community members will be on the horizen. Talk with us about details to be updated.
We love to welcome volunteers who love meeting and interacting with people from all over the world and are bilingual in English and Spanish, (if you happen to speak Mandarin or French that's a big plus as I'm studying both), Hoping to find someone sensitive to cultural differences and who is a good team worker for occasional interaction with staff and good interfacing with neighbors and the community. For the library part, someone who loves children, can work with them and has an interest in literacy, permaculture, yoga or art. (Please note the Covid update above regarding changes in the library as it transitions.)
I am hoping for someone who loves the idea of some combination of these skills and activities splitting between the library and the hotel.
Languages
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
Spanish: Fluent
French: Beginner
Chinese (Mandarin): BeginnerThis 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
I have a small room w double bed to offer to a single person or a couple. It has a private ensuite bath with hot water, a small patio area with hammock, fountain and the use of an adobe kitchen (woodfire chiminea). I will provide the use of a regular kitchen and all utensils also. Volunteers must do their own cooking and provide their own food. There are good sources in the village for inexpensive and healthy food.
We work with a trade of 5 hours pr day, 5 days a week of work time. During the summer months, we sometimes receive additional volunteers in which case we extend housing to include one of the hotel rooms, (the hotel rooms each have ensuite bath and it's own small kitchenette)
What else ...
Close by in the village there are lots of activities that are nature oriented like ocean swimming, surfing, hiking, horseback riding, boat and kayak excursions on lagoon and ocean, snorkeling and fishing. There is very good inexpensive public transportation here. There is a lot to do in a range of traveling 30-40 minutes including other beaches and small towns, an active archaeological site with museum, Zihuatanejo and Ixtapa for shopping, other beaches, busier town energy, nightlife, many restaurants, music music places etc. There are fantastic places to visit by bus only 4-5 hours away where you can see another kind of Mexico...Colonial cities and cool mountainous climate. Mexico City is a half hour flight away.
I live very quietly, mostly stay within the village and the beach and lagoon nearby. We do the shopping usually bi-weekly in Zihua and may take the opportunity to visit an eco-tianguis on Saturdays where there is live music, food and many friends gather. Barra is a friendly community. There are also other volunteers in other projects nearby. There are many opportunities to meet and make friends in the extended area of Barra and Zihuatanejo.
The B&B itself is not a place of late night noise, heavy drinking or drug use but we enjoy occasional gatherings with guests in the evening with cocktails and music, or sometimes accompanying them kayaking the lagoon or some other excursion activity. Sensitivity to and respect for the local culture is very important to us in both operations. I will always be available to give support and perspective for these details and general information about the cultural traditions of the community and the area.
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
Can host digital nomads
We have reliable highspeed internet with wifi.
How many Workawayers can stay?
Two
Hours expected
5 hours a day, 5 days a week
Feedback (15)
When I landed at Zihuatanejo, I got picked up by a friend of Laura's.
It took me a while to get used to the way of life there, but once I got used everything was super nice! (except the mosquitos)
Laura always asked me how I was… read more
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Accuracy of profile:
(4.7)
Cultural exchange:
(4.7)
Communication:
(4.6)
When I landed at Zihuatanejo, I got picked up by a friend of Laura's.
It took me a while to get used to the way of life there, but once I got used everything was super nice! (except the mosquitos)
Laura always asked me how I was… read more
This is a cozy hotel in a warm and lovely place. There are a lot of books, friendly people and there is also a guitar! I was glad to spend time here and of course I will miss the time I spent in this place!
Laura is an inspiring, loving, super friendly and very bright woman! We enjoyed our talks during breakfast very much! She has many great ideas and she is very knowledgeable about politics,… read more
I went there because I needed some calm, rest and peace and this is exactly what I got. The people in the village are so nice - even though my Spanish is very bad. The beach is great and I felt very welcome here.
Laura is a very kind and interesting… read more
It was my first time out of my home country and everything was new for me. However, Laura, the staff, volunteers, and the community made me very welcome. I had a… read more
Jose and Denise arrived at a time when a family crisis made it necessary for me to suddenly not be onsite during the busiest time of the year for my hotel (my mother became… read more
Our work was split between helping at the hotel, making breakfast, lighting… read more
