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My name is Colin (42) and I live in the beautiful secluded town of Idyllwild in the San Jacinto mountains surrounded by forests. We enjoy hosting people at our home and currently need help with yard help, small house maintenance tasks and arduino programming.
Types of help and learning opportunities
Art Projects
Gardening
Help around the house
General Maintenance
Interests
Vegetarian or vegan
Sustainability
Self development
Charity work
Plant care
Music
Gardening
DIY & crafts
Carpentry
Books
Art & design
Yoga / Wellness
Outdoor activities
Nature
Mountain
Hiking
Dancing
Camping
Adventure sports
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
My home is in a little-known and very beautiful natural area with snowfall in the winter and beautiful seasonal change, even though it's in sunny Southern California! There are lakes, waterfalls, rock climbing, hiking and many scenic spots throughout the Idyllwild area. There is also a lovely community of artists and spiritual friends here.
Help
Currently I would like help with cleaning/organization, landscaping (tree trimming, planting, gardening, mulching, irrigation), and art/creative projects (nature mandalas/shrines, sculptures, LED lighting, arduino). I am prepared to guide and instruct helpers as needed so no qualifications are needed. I also have all of the tools that are needed for each project.
Languages
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
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
I have an extra bedroom with a private bathroom and three beds as well as two small cabins and outdoor bathroom for our workaway guests. In the kitchen there is mostly organic food including lots of smoothie ingredients, salads, and other healthy vegetarian victuals. I have a vegetarian policy for the property/kitchen. I also request that no drugs or alcohol be brought onto the premises. If tobacco is an absolute must, I request that its use is constrained to the front driveway area.
What else ...
Idyllwild is a nature-lovers paradise with hiking, rock climbing, kayaking, swimming, and lots of unique spots to explore. If a guest does not have personal transportation then I am able to pick them up in Palm Springs area or Riverside area. A train or bus can be taken from LAX/Los Angeles. I can also arrange something for people coming from San Diego.
Colin is an awesome host! Laura and I only spent a week with him, but we wish it had been longer. His retreat is a very magical space, and it felt like a great privilege to be able to work with him on improving it. We loved the area too - Idyllwild is a gorgeous little town that feels worlds away from all the madness of Southern California. We… read more will absolutely be back if we get the chance! Colin is extremely knowledgeable and well spoken, and Laura and I can both confidently say we learned and grew a lot in the short time we stayed with him. Thank you Colin!
(Excellent
)
20 Oct 2024
Left by Workawayer (Kelvin) for host
Colin and Mia were such amazing hosts. They created a wonderful environment that made me feel welcome and included in their home. I learned a lot while working with Colin, from how to use power tools to all kinds of ways on how to be creative on building projects. Seeing the dorms finally completed was so fulfilling and I felt like I had… read more contributed to something worthwhile. I found our occasional discussions on life quite educative. They brought a refreshing perspective that I will always value as I continue on my life journey. I also enjoyed the tasty home cooked meals, our trips into town, and the opportunity to hike around the Tahquitz.
Thank you guys and I hope to visit again soon!!
You can only contact Workawayers who have an active membership.
(Excellent
)
15 Aug 2024
Left by host for Workawayer (Mona)
Hosting Mona was a lovely and rewarding experience for us. She was willing to help make the travel convenient for us and immediately made an impact here by helping us get our garden ready for planting. She was wonderful with direct and open communication. We highly recommend her to any potential hosts who might be reading this.
(Excellent
)
8 Jul 2024
Left by Workawayer (Mona) for host
I was visiting Colin and Mia in the middle of May 2024 and it was a blast! I joined them for a few days to help with the garden and these people are relaxed, man;) we did a really cool walking tour to the the river and had fun with cooking together and watching films in the evening. I had a wonderful time here and I was so sad that I couldn't stay… read more longer😭
If I ever come back I I'll try to visit you again!
Yours Mona
You can only contact Workawayers who have an active membership.
Colin is an awesome host! Laura and I only spent a week with him, but we wish it had been longer. His retreat is a very magical space, and it felt like a great privilege to be able to work with him on improving it. We loved the area too - Idyllwild is a gorgeous little town that feels worlds away from all the madness of Southern California. We… read more will absolutely be back if we get the chance! Colin is extremely knowledgeable and well spoken, and Laura and I can both confidently say we learned and grew a lot in the short time we stayed with him. Thank you Colin!
(Excellent)
20 Oct 2024
Left by Workawayer (Kelvin) for host
Colin and Mia were such amazing hosts. They created a wonderful environment that made me feel welcome and included in their home. I learned a lot while working with Colin, from how to use power tools to all kinds of ways on how to be creative on building projects. Seeing the dorms finally completed was so fulfilling and I felt like I had… read more contributed to something worthwhile. I found our occasional discussions on life quite educative. They brought a refreshing perspective that I will always value as I continue on my life journey. I also enjoyed the tasty home cooked meals, our trips into town, and the opportunity to hike around the Tahquitz.
Thank you guys and I hope to visit again soon!!
You can only contact Workawayers who have an active membership.
(Excellent)
15 Aug 2024
Left by host for Workawayer (Mona)
Hosting Mona was a lovely and rewarding experience for us. She was willing to help make the travel convenient for us and immediately made an impact here by helping us get our garden ready for planting. She was wonderful with direct and open communication. We highly recommend her to any potential hosts who might be reading this.
(Excellent)
8 Jul 2024
Left by Workawayer (Mona) for host
I was visiting Colin and Mia in the middle of May 2024 and it was a blast! I joined them for a few days to help with the garden and these people are relaxed, man;) we did a really cool walking tour to the the river and had fun with cooking together and watching films in the evening. I had a wonderful time here and I was so sad that I couldn't stay… read more longer😭
If I ever come back I I'll try to visit you again!
Yours Mona
You can only contact Workawayers who have an active membership.
Hosting Eva was such a wonderful experience for us. She immediately opened up and shared herself and her story and we felt like we were a part of the amazing adventure that is her life. She jumped right into the projects that we had going on here and contributed greatly to them. Most of the work was annual maintenance including staining, painting,… read more gardening and miscellaneous cleaning. We are so grateful for her visit and hope she comes back to see us again one day.
I had a wonderful time staying with Colin and Mia! I was at their lovely home for around three weeks and felt so welcomed and included the whole time. They are such kind and warm people. I really enjoyed getting to know them more over delicious home cooked meals, outings into town, watching movies in the evening, and also whilst working together.… read more I feel my time there was quite cathartic, it was the perfect environment to really slow down and reflect whilst surrounded by nature. I also found the work to be pretty fun! Colin is a great teacher and would explain things well, I always felt comfortable approaching him with any questions. Some of my work included oil painting the fence, gardening, painting stools, and additional tasks. I really feel like I learnt some new skills! I’m so grateful for my time with Colin and Mia and would highly recomend staying with them for a workaway. I hope some day I get to return.
Colin and Mia are the most caring hosts I've ever met. The food is organic and the room is comfy. I really enjoy my time with them. I found the rare peaceful space to loose and heal my insomnia here. I appreciate Colin to spend more than 10 years to build this beautiful retreat center. He's a natural. This is not only about his dream, but also the… read more spiritual home of everyone who can come here.
If you want to find the peace to your soul and think about the real value of your life, you should visit here. If you want to explore in natural and go rock climbing, Colin is a capable guide. By the way, he's a wonderful chief and fixes everything. He made me feel the fun of manual work for the first time in my life.>_< I can't take enough of my time here. I'm qutie sure I will come back and looking forward to our meeting someday. I sincerely hope you and Mia are doing well.
Chlorella was a wonderful guest and so much fun. She has such spunky energy and spiritual sensitivity. She helped us with an art project as well as building dorm rooms. It felt like we were meant to meet. We feel very blessed to have met her.
(Excellent)
18 Apr 2021
Left by Workawayer (Shym) for host
Colin is a clear communicator, and very spacious in his holding of space for emotional processing. His home and accommodations are beyond wonderful, and he's sincere in his desire for you to feel at home. His projects are endless, and quite gratifying. I was assigned different tasks each day that built a rhythm toward Colin's vision being… read more completed, and Colin helped me feel cared for along the way with adjustments as needed. I'm grateful to have had such a soulful connection with Colin and Cem (the other workaway) while helping build dormitories under the porch for future retreats Colin plans to host. There is more than enough to do, engage with, and enjoy in Idyllwild as well. Breathtaking views and hikes. Thank you Colin for hosting me! I Love you!
You can only contact Workawayers who have an active membership.
(Excellent)
10 Nov 2020
Left by Workawayer (Oliverj) for host
After spending 4 weeks at Idyllwild. I can say that Colin is a good person. A normal guy, with a normal life with big dreams. I wish him the best.
You can only contact Workawayers who have an active membership.
(Excellent)
7 Oct 2020
Left by Workawayer (Brenden & Julianna) for host
Colin was such an amazing host!
Extremely easy going and down to earth. He is very knowledgeable about Idlywild and can give you the best tips on what to see!
Most of our work consisted of helping Colin get his retreat project up and running again! We helped put together a sauna, do some landscaping and helped him put plywood under the flooring of… read more his yurt.
Idlywild is such a peaceful place to be and Colin is a gracious host. If you love nature, rock climbing, amazing views or just a nice relaxing area, Idlywild is a great place to be!
Brenden and I hope to cross paths with Colin again in the future, we are so excited to see all his dreams come to fruition!
Best of luck to you Colin! :)
You can only contact Workawayers who have an active membership.
(Excellent)
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If you are NOT a US CITIZEN and are planning to visit to work, volunteer or study, YOU WILL NEED THE CORRECT VISA. To find out more information you need to contact the embassy in your home country BEFORE travelling. Do NOT attempt to enter the USA without the correct visa!
Art Projects
Gardening
Help around the house
General Maintenance
Vegetarian or vegan
Sustainability
Self development
Charity work
Plant care
Music
Gardening
DIY & crafts
Carpentry
Books
Art & design
Yoga / Wellness
Outdoor activities
Nature
Mountain
Hiking
Dancing
Camping
Adventure sports
