Profile information
Host rating
100 %
Last replied
31 Mar 2024
Reply rate
93.8 %
Usually responds within 8 days
Feedback
12
Email verified
Badges (2)
Details
Description
We are a busy family living in the peaceful village of Portobello on the Otago Peninsula. It’s about a 25 minute drive from central Dunedin, just a few minutes from sea lions basking on one of the most beautiful wild beaches, and there’s an albatross colony up the road. Penguins live around here too. This is also one of the better places in NZ for seeing the Aurora.
We are American and Kiwi with two children (7 and 9) and a small poodle. We have a large garden that we're slowly trying to get under control, and that's where we need your help. Our jobs are outside, so garden experience and generally working with your hands is a bonus but not essential. If you have any basic building/maintenance or forestry skills, we have plenty of jobs for you too.
Lots of firewood jobs at the moment, wood chopping and stacking etc.
We are interested in the good life, friends, family, food, music, crafts - there are guitars and a piano here that you are welcome to play. A mandolin too. We would love to meet anyone with mandolin skills. We love knitting and woodworking and lots of other creative pursuits that we never have enough time for, but we'd love to chat about them!
Types of help and learning opportunities
Gardening
DIY and building projects
Babysitting and creative play
Creating/ Cooking family meals
Help around the house
General Maintenance
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
We have a wealth of local knowledge about all the best spots to explore, and can point you in the right direction to see the unique things Otago Peninsula has to offer. We love chatting about New Zealand culture and hearing about your journeys. We will invite you into our home to share our family life. Our lives revolve around food, family, music, making, friends and community.
Projects involving children
This project could involve children. For more information see our guidelines and tips here.
Help
Our home life with kids and dog is always barely contained chaos, so you must be comfortable sharing space with children and small excited dog, who will all be very interested in you.
In exchange for 4 hours in the garden we can provide your own private (newly built!) warm and cosy cottage and food during your stay.
Garden jobs include things like weeding, mulching, planting, wood chopping/stacking, more weeding, path building, clearing of larger shrubs/trees etc.
Vegetarian/vegan, diversity, LGBTQI+ couples, all welcome in our home. We’re open to negotiating hours, such as working more in the weekends to have weekdays off or whatever arrangement suits you and your plans.
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
Accommodation
You will have your own private self-contained studio cottage which is on our property, with its own bathroom and fridge/sink (no cooking facilities). Food provided, we will cook for you. Unless you want to cook, which we would be totally fine with!
What else ...
There is limited bus service between Portobello and Dunedin City, but you really need your own vehicle to explore everything the Otago Peninsula has to offer, which is wild beaches, sea lions, penguins, albatross, amazing walks. Check out the Portobello Inc website for more info about local activities.
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
How many Workawayers can stay?
More than two
Hours expected
4 hours/day (5 days on, 2 days off)
Feedback (6)
Feedback
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Accuracy of profile:
(5.0)
Cultural exchange:
(4.8)
Communication:
(5.0)
