Costa Rica
Favourited 728 times
We're a married couple, parents of three adult children, and owners of a small farm in Costa Rica. I'm a family doctor and Dick is a retired university professor and computer consultant. Our farm is in the low mountains of the Central Plateau, about 40 minutes by bus from the capital, San Jose, and the major international airport, SJO.
We spend several months a year traveling for work and to visit family. Dick is a geologist/geochemist by training, now retired. I'm a family doctor, and I work part-time as a contract physician. We're both fond of our computers. We're omnivores, not religious, and not fans of compulsory government education. Our children were all unschooled. We're emphatically not New Age thinkers nor alt-med adherents. When something actually works, it's no longer alt-anything. We do love to grow stuff and to eat the stuff we grow.
Some Spanish as well as experience living in a developing country preferred because they're pretty much necessary to deal with life here.
General Maintenance
Farmstay
Help in the house
Animal care
Helping with Tourists
This is up to you. There are usually interesting people living in the houses on the finca, but right now we have as renters relocating couples from the US and Nicaragua and a staff member at a nearby NGO, They have their own lives. Our gardener speaks only Spanish and is patient with learners. We're walking distance from town, where you can do grocery shopping, catch the bus to San Jose, or just hang out in the plaza.
We're traveling right now (July/August 2019) and could use help while we're gone. We'd appreciate a couple (ideally) who could stay in our main house and help with cleaning, as we anticipate selling. We're optimists:) The cleaning involves moving furniture, washing and waxing floors, and helping add to the general appeal of the houses. We may need some sanding and oiling of wood and screen repair as well. We need someone(s) who really know how to deep-clean houses. Experience is kind of indispensable. Things get dusty here for half the year and muddy the other half. Right now, it's both. Just saying:) We'll be away for the term of the stay (August 17-September 4), so we need someone well-organized and self-directed. We can provide only housing, but the work will be only 3 hours a day, 5 days a week. You'll be able to set your own schedule. We can talk in more detail about the work conditions and free time.
The ideal person/people would be mature, speak some Spanish, and have some experience living and/or working in a developing country. Life in Central America is labor-intensive (you need to do pretty much everything for yourself) and demanding of lots of flexibility. Although we're only a 15 minute walk to a university town of 23,000, we're basically in the jungle. The farm is 36 acres of trees, monkeys, toucans, a river, and 4 houses, 2 or 3 of which may be rented while you're here. It's also possible that one of the houses will be rented very short-term, and will need cleaning between guests. Right now there is no one scheduled to arrive during the work dates. That will probably change change.
There are snakes, insects, and occasional earthquakes. Petty theft is common, requiring alertness that isn't as necessary in middle-class suburbs in developed countries.
One child welcome, NO smokers, NO pets. We have one calm indoor-outdoor cat, Dubois, and a small flock of laying hens. We also employ a gardener/farm worker.
If this sounds like a good fit, and you've always admired Tarzan and Jane, email me WITH YOUR PRESENT LOCATION AND EXACT DATES OF AVAILABILITY. Also please have a full profile. More information is always better. Within limits. We're flexible about an ending date, but would welcome someone as soon as possible.
English, Spanish, Portuguese
Housing varies with the time of year, but will probably be an independent guest apartment or small house. The volunteers' area has a kitchen and dining space, and a porch with great views. There's wi-fi computer access, but we have no TV. The farm on which we live is 36 acres of woods/jungle, with 4 houses. Two or three of the houses are usually rented, often to students and staff at the nearby University for Peace or relocating couples.
Our farm is an hour from the Pacific coast, and 3 hours from the Caribbean. We're not too far from volcanoes, rainforests, national parks, and other great opportunities to see why so many people love it here. Public transportation is cheap and will take you everywhere in the country. Finally, we're walking distance from a nice town of about 20,000 people, with shopping and a bus straight in to the capital and the bright lights of the city. Kind of:)
NO SMOKERS ON THE FINCA.
PLEASE WHEN YOU EMAIL, INCLUDE YOUR DATES OF AVAILABILITY AND YOUR PRESENT LOCATION. I like to make really quick decisions, so if you email a request, be ready to accept or turn down an offer quickly. I'm serious about securing a mutual agreement and not spending weeks considering options. Both the host and the helper deserve a speedy commitment.
There's down-time to explore locally and visit San Jose. Two good outdoor markets per week, and 36 acres of finca to enjoy.
*️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️*️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️*️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️*️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️*️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️I would estimate that at least half of our inquiries come from people wanting to teach yoga or do massage therapy, when what we need is people with housecleaning and maintenance skills. Nothing wrong with yoga, but please know how to do something else!*️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️*️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️*️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️*️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️*️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️
If you were a workawayer on the finca and think I've just forgotten to write a reference, or that it got lost in the ether layer, email me and I'll try to fix that.
There are buses and taxis from the airport to our town. The farm is walking distance from town and public transportation.
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Two
max 15/week
