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Help me maintain an organic garden in the highlands of Chiriqui, Panama. With your help it will become a botanical garden. I am an elderly person who still likes to get dirty in the garden and eat directly from nature.
We were already isolated, staying healthy on the property and still growing more food.
Gardening
DIY and building projects
Farmstay help
General Maintenance
You can listen to the silence punctuated with the sound of birds and bugs in this tranquil and semi-secluded garden. I can teach you a bit about permaculture and organic practices. You can have fresh fruits when in season.
Right now there are some jackfruits and oranges coming due and mangoes in May.
You can practice English and Spanish and maybe teach me your language.
You will be weeding, pruning, planting, making compost and applying it.
There may be some landscaping which you can exercise your artistic abilities.
Please be in excellent health physically and mentally.
This is not a place for a city person as there is not much to do unless you play basketball
with the locals at the community court. There is a restaurant nearby,
There is more to do in David and Boquete which are a half hours drive away.
You will most likely have to clean the house first as it is used only by volunteers and
volunteers have different degrees of cleanliness.
Some people work extra hours here in the silence and among the trees and find it therapeutic so I will not stop you if you want to help extra hours. A good routine is to help 8am to noon and then in the evening when it's cooler..
You will need long pants and long sleeve shirt to work in or you will be eaten by bugs.
Good work shoes as well and no working in flip flops.
So this will be the last attempt to have volunteers as I have had bad luck in accepting volunteers.
I regret to sound like a bad profile with negative filters but the last few who came were very crazy, lazy and not acceptable.
If any of the following applies to you please walk on by:
- You are looking for a free place to stay while on vacation
- You want a lot of people and occupied buildings around you at all times
- You are afraid of the dark, noises at night from birds, insects and aliens from another planet
- You believe in conspiracy theories, do not want the Covid vaccine and are generally paranoid
- You need constant coddling
- You need internet to work while here
- Cleanliness is low on your priorities
- You are afraid of spiders, lizards and snakes (they are some deadly ones here)
- You want to work less than 5 hours a day
- You have no friends
That's all I can think of in 5 minutes so I may add more later when I remember the quirks.
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
Spanish: Fluent
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.
Small studio size with bathroom separate from sleeping area. There is a small stove, small fridge with breakfast table for two. It is by no means a 5 star resort and it will be as clean as you make it. There is no running hot water but being a tropical climate the cool water is refreshing for bathing. The nights are cool and there is a fan. I stay in the house next to yours so if you can reach my signal you will get free Wifi. I am located 1km from the main road where buses will take you to the city of David or the town of Boquete. It is a gravel road with no sidewalk.
There are no big stores nor bars nor internet cafe close to me. There is a restaurant on the main road close by and two mom and pop convenience stores a bit closer. There is only tranquility and nature close to my place. I can take you grocery shopping when I go on the weekends but you can always go by yourself.
If you feel the semi-isolation will trigger your deep seated paranoia then please read the above details about who should walk on by.
Time off can be spent touring the hot springs, rivers, town of Boquete, zipline,
horseback riding, hiking Volcan Baru or just relaxing next to the creek with over hanging bamboo.
This is the reason for the minimum stay as on the weekends I reward the best workers with these tours.
Everyone's dietary needs are different so you are responsible for your own food which is relatively cheap here.
There are bananas, spinach, mangoes, oranges, limes, cassava and yams free on the farm
when available. You do your own cooking and cleaning.
The internet here is slow and can be used for checking emails.
If you need to work electronically then this place is Not for you.
I play second fiddle to neither man nor mouse.
Pun intended.
No pets or smokers please.
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
Small carport/shelter with roof for small compact car.
No dogs but cats and birds are welcome.
One
Minimum 5 hours a day, 5 days a week and minimum 2 week stay
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