Help with the build of a sustainable straw-house with family in the pre-pyrenees, Catalonia, Spain

Spain

Favourited 128 times

Host rating
Feedback
25
Last activity
21/01/2021
Reply rate
94.4 %
Average reply time:
within 15 days
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Availability

2021

Min stay requested: at least a week

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What's this?

Details

Description
We are a family with three children (8, 10 and 13 years old) who lives in Borredà, a small town in the pre-pyrenees. We have been building our own straw-house for almost two years. Now we live in the house, but is not already finished at all.
The house is made of wood-structure and straw as a walls. All is plasted with mud (clay, sand, straw and lime). We used sustainable materials as much as we can. The electricity comes from solar panels, and the days without sun the stove heat us with wood.

We are also interested in language and culture exchange for us and for our children.
We are bilingual, so we speak Catalan and Spanish. Anyway our English is good enough.
We have a cat.
Types of help and learning opportunities
Language practice
Help with Eco Projects
Teaching
Gardening
DIY and building projects
Babysitting and creative play
Help around the house
General Maintenance
Projects involving children
This project could involve children. For more information see our guidelines and tips here.
UN sustainablity goals this host is trying to achieve
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What's this?
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
Our experience could be very helpful because we are building our own sustainable house without previous experience. In addition we are building rather low-cost but on legal-way. And you could try to sleep in a very-comfortable-straw house!
You could learn how we are making this project and practice deferents kinds of sustainable building-works.
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Help
We are asking for help in building (with limestone, stones, wood,...) and gardening tasks.
Also we and our children, want to improve our English or Spanish skills.
Normally we'll work 5 days a week, about 5 hours a day. Usually we will agree the working hours when you arrive.
Languages
Languages spoken
Catalan: Fluent
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.
Please contact them directly for more information.
Accommodation
The accommodation is bedroom usually shared with other volunteers. The bathroom is shared with us.
We eat all kinds of food, mostly ecological. Vegetarians or special diets aren't any problem as long as you let us know. We'll eat together and we ask for share the basic houseworking and cooking. We don't tolerate machismo so we share all the tasks regardless gender (couples, please adapt you to these rule).
Usually, after a week we use to have a talk so we all have feedback about how we feel with the exchange.
What else ...
Our little town is in the middle of the mountain and we could show you wonderful hikes and also there is a river close to the house that is amazing for taking a bath
A little more information
- Internet access
- Limited internet access
- We have pets
- We are smokers
- Can host families
Can host digital nomads
This host has indicated that they love having digital nomads stay.
Space for parking camper vans
This host can provide space for campervans.
How many Workawayers can stay?
More than two
Hours expected
5 hours a day, 5 days a week

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Feedback left by and about host (25)

These are extra optional ratings when members leave feedback. The average rating left for each option is displayed.

Accuracy of profile:
(5.0)

Cultural exchange:
(4.8)

Communication:
(5.0)

15/12/2020

Left by Workawayer (Steve & Anna) for host

Being with this family has been a good experience, we have learnt a lot and we have enjoyed chatting and living with them. They are flexible and kind, and take care of you and about how you feel, and offer different options of jobs to do so you can enjoy while helping. I recommend coming here as they will make you feel at home and will teach you… read more

(Very good )

30/12/2019

Left by Workawayer (Krister) for host

This was my first experience staying with a Spanish family and there are so many good things to be said about my stay. Sergi and Neus are warm and welcoming and made me feel immediately at home. One cannot help being impressed by the shear amount of work they have done together building their home, and yet, all is done with a certain lightness and… read more

(Excellent )

24/12/2019

Left by host for Workawayer (Krister)

It was great to have Krister with us. He is really skilled with the tools, working with wood. He is very open minded, and also taught us a lot of english, and we had really interesting conversations about a lot of different topics. You will always have the doors open at our home!

(Excellent )

24/12/2019

Left by host for Workawayer (Gustav)

It was great to have Gustav with us, he was very kind with the kids, eager to learn and helpful in the house tasks. He has been with us for almost two weeks, and he learned a lot of tasks that, even tough he might have not done before, he did with all the care and will. He was very open minded, and also taught us a lot of english and danish, and… read more

(Excellent )

23/12/2019

Left by Workawayer (Gustav) for host

What an amazing stay! Sergi and Neus and their three kids are such amazing people, welcoming and listening. The kids are a lot of fun and have been given a unique upbringing as they have seen and participated in the process of building a lovely strawbale-house from scratch. While I stayed, there was another workawayer, and together we helped Sergi… read more

(Excellent )

08/12/2019

Left by Workawayer (Daniel) for host

I really enjoyed my stay with Sergi and his wonderful family, they are incredibly kind people with lots of time to make you feel welcome, a great sense of fun fills the house and it was a pleasure sharing meals together. We did a few diff jobs which are always conducted in a considered manner, and the local surrounding town and nature are really… read more

(Excellent )

08/12/2019

Left by host for Workawayer (Daniel)

It was great having Dan with us! He helped me a lot on setting the wood floor, he often suggested ways to do it better or faster, and worked hard to get the job done. He cooked us a fantastic curry and toad in the hole, and was very kind with the kids. He was also very helpful in learning English, he was very tolerant with our accent and very open… read more

(Excellent )

25/11/2019

Left by host for Workawayer (OLGA & FRANCISCO)

It was an awesome experience to share the time and the work with Olga and Paco and Said!
Olga and Paco are good workers, they try to do their best and suggest you alternatives for solving problems. They are also very kind, and Said is very kind and friendly!
Definitely we will repeat if they are willing to come again to our place!
Thanks a lot for… read more

(Excellent )

15/04/2019

Left by host for Workawayer (Kevin)

Gabi and Kevin were very autonomous workers: they can do masonry works, wood furniture, and fixing engines. They learned fast, and we had no problem when we left the house and they took care of everything. They cooked very tasty meals in the Costa Rica way, and were always ready to help when you ask them.
Thank you very much, very good luck and… read more

(Excellent )

14/04/2019

Left by Workawayer (Kevin) for host

Working with Neus and Sergi was our first experience with Workaway and we could not have started in a better way. We learn a lot of things not only about work but about Cataluña's culture. We were able to learn a lot from them and the kids too. We hope we can see them again and will always be part of our story in Cataluña!!

And for the kids:… read more

(Excellent )

04/04/2019

Left by host for Workawayer (Alice)

Great Alice! She is a really kind girl with us and with our kids. We spend really good time with she. She also is a brave helper and is not afraid about the hard work.

(Excellent )

19/01/2019

Left by Workawayer (Caelan) for host

I lived with the hobbies for one month and it has been an incredible experience full of great memories that I will never forget. When I first arrived I was give a very comfortable pair of slippers, I was asked if there was anything I needed and was made to feel very at home. The kids are super friendly, intelligent and full of joy.

I loved… read more

(Excellent )

17/12/2018

Left by host for Workawayer (Caelan)

Caelan is a very hard-worker and friendly worawayer. He helped us a lot in making concrete, plastering lime, making furniture, and more. He is very kind with the children, and always ready to help. He plays nicely the guitar, and he taught us a lot of English as well. He was very open minded, and had no problem to share the place with friends and… read more

(Excellent )

17/12/2018

Left by host for Workawayer (Constance)

Constance, Ingird and Lea were hard workers and very kind. They were opened to learn new things and helped a lot to prepare the meals and keep the house clean. They helped us a lot in welding, plastering and making furniture from wood, which are not easy tasks. They were very open minded and very kind with the children, we are hoping to see them… read more

(Excellent )

17/12/2018

Left by host for Workawayer (Eirian & Tamara)

It was very nice to have Eirian with us, he is very friendly, and knows a lot of english (and has the patience to teach it while setting tiles ;-) He was with us for a week, but if he comes again to Borredà he will definitely have the doors opened in our house! Thank you very much for your help! Bore da!

(Excellent )

17/12/2018

Left by Workawayer (Eirian & Tamara) for host

I spent an amazing week with Sergi and Neus and their family! Even though they'd only just met me they made me feel at home and their family and friends also invited me to meals and events, and I'll always be grateful to them for it. Sergi has so much patience, and a good teacher too, I learned a lot with him (both about Catalan and how not to… read more

(Excellent )

25/10/2018

Left by host for Workawayer (Barreau)

It was great to have Elise with us. She was always ready to help, and worked really hard! It was nice to share the week she was at our place.
If you ever come back again to the Catalan Pyrinees, you'll be very welcome at our straw house!

(Excellent )

24/08/2018

Left by Workawayer (Barreau) for host

It was my first workaway experience and I really enjoyed it. Sergi is full of positiv spirit and very pedagogue. I had not a lot of skill regarding building and I already learned a lot. Building a stair all together is one a the good memories I keep in mind. Neus and Sergi are very warm people who make people feel coumfortable easily.
The… read more

(Excellent )

21/09/2018

Left by Workawayer (Simon) for host

Durante 2 semanas ayudé esta familia construyendo su casa, más allá del encantador pueblo de Borredà en las montañas. Pocas veces tenía la oportunidad de vivir con personas tan amables y acogedoras como Neus, Sergi y sus hijos. Y puedo decir ahora que es una de mis experiencias más bonitas de mi viaje a España! El trabajo fue físico, interesante y… read more

(Excellent )

02/08/2018

Left by host for Workawayer (Simon)

Our experience with Simon was great! He was always ready to help, and worked hard in the building. He was very kind with the kids, always ready to listen and explain them whatever they said or asked. He explained a lot of things about France and the French people, and we made a lot of jokes together with the other volunteers we had at the same… read more

(Excellent )

05/08/2018

Left by Workawayer (Gašper) for host

One of the best experiences i had while traveling in Spain was with this family who took me in like i was one of their own. Even before i got to their home i knew i was going to a loving family just because Neus wrote to me if they have to prepare a special meal because of my lactose in-tolerance. Just by this simple gesture my mind was set at… read more

(Excellent )

02/08/2018

Left by host for Workawayer (Gašper)

Gasper was a great workawayer! he was always looking for the way to help, from the construction works to the kitchen. He was very open, and we shared wonderful evenings playing cards, or just chatting. He was very kind with the kids, and they learned a lot of english with him (as we did!), because he knows well this language. He worked hard and we… read more

(Excellent )

01/08/2018

Left by host for Workawayer (Gonzalo & Micaela)

It was great tho have Mica and Gonza with us. They were very friendly with the kids, playing with them, recording a video for the school and taking care of them if we were away. They helped us a lot in the building work, they were paying a lot of attention to what I asked them to do, and were ready to learn and try very different tasks.… read more

(Excellent )

31/07/2018

Left by Workawayer (Gonzalo & Micaela) for host

Estuvimos un mes en Borredá y nuestra experiencia fue excelente. Sergi siempre estuvo dispuesto a enseñarnos con paciencia, confianza, y brindando la libertad de elegir que tarea queríamos hacer. El trabajo es duro pero gratificante. Construir codo a codo con los niños, ayudar a toda la familia a terminar su casa de barro antes de que comience el… read more

(Excellent )

18/06/2018

Left by Workawayer (Daphne & Giuseppe) for host

I helped Sergi and Neus for a few days while being in their little village. The family is very open and welcoming. Speaking english, spanish and catalan. The kids are fun to be with and easy going.
There is always something to do. Sergi is open to ideas of what you would like to do on the house. Next to that he is very well informed about how and… read more

(Excellent )

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Host ref number: 451223745235

Homestays, Volunteering & Working Holidays in Spain Homestays, Volunteering & Working Holidays in Europe Homestays, Volunteering & Working Holidays in Catalonia Family Spain Sustainable project Spain Last minute Homestays, Volunteering & Working Holidays in Spain

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