Help at my beautiful camp and exchange culture in Wadi Rum desert, Jordan

Details

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  Description

  ‏I’m Ahmad, a local resident in the Wadi Rum desert, Jordan. I'm 26 years old, my family are Bedouin, my ancestors have lived here for the last centuries. I learned the Bedouin traditions through my life, about life in the desert, far away from cities and traffic. Wadi Rum is one of the most beautiful deserts in the world and is visited by tourists all year round to see and experience a place that could be described as: not from this planet. I wish to share my knowledge and experience, to share this life and culture, to share this place. I have started to build a small Bedouin camp in the desert and in the future, wish to benefit from tourism and provide income for me and my family.

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  Types of help and learning opportunities

  Art Projects

  Language practice

  Gardening

  DIY and building projects

  Animal Care

  Creating/ Cooking family meals

  Help around the house

  Hospitality/Tourism

  General Maintenance

  Help with Computers/ Internet
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  Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

  I am offering an authentic experience of Bedouin culture. We can walk near the camp and further, I can show old Bedouin dwellings from past centuries, we can follow animal tracks and we can find useful plants and herbs for tea and cooking.
  
  We will live and work side by side, bring a friendly and relaxed attitude and I’m sure we will get along really well!

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  Help

  The project is in the early stages right now. I need help with keeping the site clean and organised, collecting firewood and cooking, along with small improvements. I need to create a formal bathroom for workawayers and help with moving some rocks and stones to create pathways. I have an idea to make an attractive garden, protected from goats and camels. It would be great to host creative and artistic workawayers who will be able to provide ideas and inspiration for the camp.
  
  Once the camp is well established and all facilities have been created, i will need help with day to day running, maintenance, then leading in to online marketing, advertising and attracting guests to visit and stay.
  
  My first language is Arabic and I know the Bedouin dialect. Now I am learning and improving my English, so it would be great to meet English speaking workawayers, any help will be appreciated :-)
  
  Normally one of my family members will join us at the camp to help out with all duties; making fire, cooking and improvement work etc.

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  Languages

  Languages spoken
  Arabic: Fluent
  English: Intermediate

  This host offers a language exchange
  I am interested in learning the English language. I can teach Arabic and the Bedouin dialect.
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  Accommodation

  We will meet in my family home in Aş Şāliḩīyah (As Salihiya) village, where we will be introduced, then we will drive to the camp in the desert, about 3km/ 20 minutes away. The site is about 100m x 100m, with low rocky mountains to one side, wide open desert to the other and access to an adjacent valley branch/ river bed; which is quite vegetated. At the camp is a large Bedouin style tent, with carpet and a traditional fire place inside for cooking and warmth in the evenings. At night there is no artificial light nearby, so the view to the stars is breath-taking on a clear night. The site is next to a protected wildlife zone which is closed for tourists, but I am allowed to take workawayers and guests to explore this area, to visit a nearby herd of Oryz and many interesting and historic features.
  
  Workawayers can choose to stay in my family home or at the camp as they choose each night. A typical night at the camp is: sitting around the fire, cooking food and drinking cups of sweet Bedouin tea, exchanging stories, ideas and singing, wrapped in blankets. Expect to be visited by desert mice at night and by small birds in the early morning, as they search for breadcrumbs and food.
  
  Food, three meals a day are provided. The food is all local and Bedouin style and cooked by fire. It may be difficult for me to cater for specific dietary requirements, but please contact me to discuss this. If there are some particular snacks/food or drink you like most, it is best to bring them with you as the local shop in the village may not have them.
  
  Conditions at the camp are basic right now, but this is what I want to improve first. Shower/ washing is at my family home. There is little phone reception in the tent, but you can climb the hill for 10 minutes to receive a good signal for phone and internet.

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  What else ...

  Expect to have a happy work/life balance. Work will not exceed 5 hours a day, for 5 days a week. In your spare time, you will be in the perfect place to relax and be at peace. Sit, read, meditate, walk, or climb the low adjacent mountain to feel the breeze and look to the distance. From here you can see As Salihiya village, a short distance away. There is no traffic in the valley and almost no sound but nature and from the wind. Tea is available all day, cooked on a fire. The kettle is rarely cold.
  
  At the weekend, it will be my pleasure to take you out in my 4x4 car to explore the area of Wadi Rum; drive in the sand desert to many interesting sights. Or closer to home, we can walk and trek near the camp and I can share much local knowledge and information from Bedouin culture.
  
  I can help you with transport to and from my village. The nearest big city is Aqaba and there are busses available that will drop you near to my home.
  
  Thanks to my friends Peter from England and Anastasia from Russia, for visiting the Camp and helping me with my profile!

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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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  How many Workawayers can stay?

  More than two

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