All round help needed in rural Andalucia, Spain

Details

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  Description

  Hi, we are Bev & John, a young at heart British couple in our 60's. John had a career in aviation as a contractor throughout Europe until he retired recently and I have swapped my career in sales and marketing for rural Spain. We bought our rural andalucian home situated in a very traditional Spanish farming village 12 years ago after spending some time in France and have settled in the Jaen Province. We are only 40 mins from Granada and not that far from Cordoba and Seville. The tranquillity and cultural experiences have been fulfilling and we enjoy every single moment of it – even in the winter! We have nearly 4 acres of land – of which most is looked after by a local farmer who grows his animal feed and we are surrounded by olive groves with fantastic views of the local Sierras. We have two elderly small terrier X dogs that we rescued in France that have BIG personalities and a spanish rescues : Joey a fox-terrier X which is a rescue dog from a local village and Star a galga/podenca mix that was abandoned behind a petrol station and took 4 days to finally capture, so volunteers will need to love our babies and not have any pet allergies.

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  Types of help and learning opportunities

  Gardening

  DIY and building projects

  General Maintenance

  Help with Computers/ Internet
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  Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

  This placement gives volunteers an excellent opportunity to visit a beautiful and unspoilt area of Spain, rich in Moorish history and with many places of interest nearby.
  
  We are located at around 3000ft above sea level. We enjoy superb views of the Sierras, clean air, zero light pollution , little traffic except for farm machinery, Moorish Castles, architectural buildings and facades, Roman remains, welcoming locals, authentic Spanish cuisine, bars serving free tapas with your drink excluding coffee/water and a relaxed way of living. The list is endless. If you are interested in hiking, walking, cycling, photography painting, birdwatching, then this area will keep you busy in your free time or you can just chillax - whichever suits you.

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  Help

  We have a 5 bed house, 2 bed Granero and 1 bed casita that doubles as a studio. Winters here can be severe in terms of temperature and we can experience below freezing temperatures at night during Jan and Feb but days can be sunny and warm. This in turn means that we have a program of works for the repairs that the winter brings which may involve replacing plaster, tiles, painting etc. around the house, Granero and Casita and all the black ironwork that goes with it too - which is a lot! There is also the landscaping and weeding and keeping things in good order. That covers the outside, there is also repairs and decorating to do in the inside too and the weather will determine what gets done and when. This placement is demanding and would suit individuals that and are strong, physically fit and have experience in some low level construction. Painting and wood treatments both inside and outside will need to be completed too. Some ladder work may be required in reaching some areas for painting. The garden is mature but still needs attending with a planting program and also keeping it weed free and tidy.
  Common sense, initiative and being a tidy volunteer is essential for this placement. In return you can expect good food and plenty of it, comfortable accommodation and easy going hosts.

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  Languages spoken

  English: Fluent
  Spanish: Intermediate
  French: Beginner

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  Accommodation

  The accommodation during your stay will be our fully equipped Granero or the main house. . The Granero is our holiday let, and if we don't have guests at the time of your arrival you are welcome to stay there or in the main house although there will be some work to be undertaken in the Granero during the placement. You will have access to a washing machine. If you wish to eat with us - you will enjoy home cooked food but we do not cater for vegans or vegetarians.

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  What else ...

  We are 7 kilometres from our nearest architectural and moorish town (20,000+ pop) which is steeped in history and has all the amenities you could wish for. Public transport to the town is virtually non-existent except for the school bus – which is very early but a taxi is around 12 euros each way or you could do the old fashioned way and ‘thumb it’ and you will most likely get a lift in. We have a bus station in the town that will take you to Granada and to Priego de Cordoba of which both are lovely places to visit. We will be happy to provide lifts into our local town when we make a trip or if you are feeling fit enough you can cycle – but the landscape can be quite challenging.
  
  It is unlikely that this placement would suit 'party animals' who enjoy crowds and noise, as we are in a working farming village where the only activity is the annual fiesta and when the olives are being manicured and harvested. However, if you appreciate clean air and the tranquility of being in a rural environment, zero light pollution and a night chorus of wildlife and cicadas then you will love it here.
  
  We prefer volunteers over 25, that are respectful of their surroundings and will enjoy the peace and quiet.
  
  We are flexible with meals – we can provide meals or you have the option to self cater in the fully equipped Granero - whichever suits. There is no smoking in the Granero.
  If you happen to have any I.T. skills - help with our website would be appreciated.

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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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  Space for parking camper vans

  We have hardstanding space that will accommodate Campervans and you have the choice of staying in our home if you wish.

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  How many Workawayers can stay?

  One

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  Hours expected

  20-25 hours a week

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