Extended stay opportunity for digital nomads by the sea in Prachuap Khirikhan province, Thailand

Details

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  Description

  Shalom!
  
  We are Katrin, a former anthropologist, and Alex, a retired psychologist. We are Austrian Jews who have called Thailand home for over fifteen years, with residences in Turkey and Bulgaria as well. Initially, we rotated between these three locations throughout the year. However, after building an aviary and planting an orchard in Thailand, we became more attached to that place, which made travelling increasingly difficult. Some time ago, we posted a request for help on Workaway, and the response was overwhelming! Many volunteers expressed interest in caring for our property while we were in Europe. It was a real challenge to turn down so many enthusiastic applicants. Ultimately, we chose Hayley, who has been looking after the property for several months now. She is still with us today and will continue to manage things in the future. During part of the year, Hayley will take charge, supported by some of you who come on-site to help us.
  
  We live right by the sea in the narrowest part of Thailand, specifically in the province of Prachuap Khiri Khan. This region experiences very little rainfall, even during the monsoon season, which makes it ideal for beach visits but not so great for our garden. The area is of significant anthropological interest, featuring a unique fishing village culture. Western tourists are rare here; those who do choose to settle in the area often come from stressful backgrounds and seek an escape from their own societies. As a result, you are unlikely to find engaging intellectual conversations outside our community.
  
  The work you can expect may vary depending on whether we or Hayley are present. When we are there, you can look forward to performing minor repairs and DIY tasks, as well as watering the orchard, mowing the grass, and trimming the trees and plants. When Hayley is present, she may also need assistance with various small tasks she finds difficult to manage on her own, such as moving large cages. In return, you will have the unique opportunity to experience an authentic location and gain insights that are usually inaccessible to the average tourist in this country.

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  Types of help and learning opportunities

  Gardening

  DIY and building projects

  Animal Care
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  Interests

  

  Culture

  

  Self development

  

  History

  

  Beach

  

  Vegetarian or vegan

  

  Plant care

  

  Music

  

  Books

  

  Writing

  

  Photography

  

  Languages

  

  Gardening

  

  Yoga / Wellness

  

  Nature

  

  Fitness

  

  Camping

  

  Winter sports

  

  Mountain

  

  Outdoor activities

  

  Hiking

  

  Cycling
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  Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

  We have lived in many countries and felt at home in each one. Alex speaks over twenty languages fluently and can communicate in ten more. Katrin is comfortable with more than ten languages as well. As Jews, we consider ourselves an integral part of Western culture and are fully committed to it. As psychologists and anthropologists, we analyse, study, and learn from other cultures while also integrating ourselves into them. However, this does not mean we accept contradictions without question.
  
  For instance, despite our admittedly negative attitude toward Islam, we were able to integrate into Turkish culture fully. As you can see from the reviews below, we have also embraced esteemed Russian culture without ever physically visiting Russia. Unfortunately, we have found it impossible to integrate into Thai culture due to the prevalent racist attitudes of many Thais toward Western visitors, even those who speak Thai fluently and understand its customs and history better than some locals.
  
  This issue appears to be country-specific, as we have successfully integrated into Malaysian, Indonesian, and Vietnamese cultures. It has taken us many years to reach these conclusions, and we are happy to share the results of our research with our visitors.

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  Help

  The nature of the work varies depending on who is in charge at any given time. When Hayley is present, she usually takes on most of the responsibilities related to the birds, while the helpers are primarily assigned gardening tasks. When we are on-site, you may also assist Alex with minor repairs and DIY projects. Those of you who are interested and have the necessary sensitivity can be gradually introduced to working with the aviaries.
  
  The aviary is divided into two compartments: one is home to lovebirds, and the other to parrotlets. Each day, they need fresh water, grain, and vegetables. There is a small fountain in each compartment that must be kept clean; the water needs to be refilled daily and changed weekly. The floor is covered with straw, making cleaning the aviary easier. Approximately every two weeks, we discard the old straw, sweep the floor, and lay down fresh straw. Vitamins are regularly added to the birds’ water, and when they break any of their toys, they need to be replaced. A daily ritual includes scattering seeds about an hour before dusk, allowing the birds to perch on your palm or shoulder so they can take the seeds directly from your hand.
  
  As for the orchard, the tasks are even simpler. Each tree is equipped with a sprinkler from the irrigation system that needs to be turned on for about twenty minutes every three days. There are two flowerbeds with their own irrigation systems, while only a few flower pots need watering with a watering can. The lawn should be sprayed about twice a week, but it only needs mowing once a month because the grass grows slowly. We typically prune the trees once a year, but some bushes and plants require occasional trimming to prevent overgrowth. After fruit-bearing, the relatively heavy banana plants need to be cut down and removed from the orchard.

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  Languages

  Languages spoken
  Bulgarian: Fluent
  Czech: Fluent
  German: Fluent
  Greek: Fluent
  English: Fluent
  French: Fluent
  Indonesian: Fluent
  Italian: Fluent
  Polish: Fluent
  Romanian: Fluent
  Russian: Fluent
  Slovak: Fluent
  Serbian: Fluent
  Thai: Fluent
  Turkish: Fluent

  This host offers a language exchange
  We haven't listed all the languages we know, as it might seem pretentious (though it isn't!). Additionally, we are still learning—not just from books, but from all of you who come to stay with us.
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  Accommodation

  Until now, our Workawayers have been accommodated in one of the neighbouring bungalows, which we rented on short notice, except for Hayley, who is staying in our house while we are away. However, starting in January next year, we plan to rent a larger house nearby for our visitors that can accommodate several guests. Once this is arranged, we will provide detailed information about the accommodation.
  
  Regarding meals, we are vegetarians and typically cook for ourselves. If you enjoy vegetarian food, we can cook together or take turns. If you prefer Thai cuisine, there are several popular restaurants nearby. We will also visit the local fruit and vegetable market together, and will provide you with all the information you need about which foods to avoid and where not to shop.
  
  For transportation, you can use our Saleng (a motorcycle with a sidecar), and you'll have access to a bicycle. Eventually, you can also use our car, but please note that you will need an international driving license, as driving licenses from countries outside ASEAN are not recognised in Thailand.

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  What else ...

  We are here to assist you with visa extensions if required. It's essential to take this process seriously. By working responsibly and cooperating with the authorities, you can now extend your stay in Thailand for more than six months without any problems.

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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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  Can host digital nomads

  We will provide you with accommodation and meals. You will have the flexibility to manage your own time and have access to a vehicle. However, this arrangement may not be sufficient to cover living expenses. Therefore, you need either personal funds or the ability to earn money online. We believe that digital nomads are the perfect addition to our team. We specifically want to avoid individuals who travel the world without financial resources, hoping that “good people” will help them along the way. Many of these individuals have turned to Workaway after their experiences with CouchSurfing. We have encountered similar situations in the past and wish to avoid repeating them.

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  How many Workawayers can stay?

  Two

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  My animals / pets

  

  We do have 50+ of them, they all have names (most of them Thai or Hebrew) and we expect you to learn them all by heart within the first week of your stay!

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