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Host rating
85 %
Last replied
23 Feb 2024
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Description
Hello fellow dreamers and change makers!
We, Caitlin and Rodrigo, are currently creating a centre for artistic collaboration, collective healing and social research in the small town of Portage du Fort, on the river in western Quebec, one hour north of Ottawa. We live in a beautiful stone, six-bedroom house built in 1847 with a ton of history and an idyllic background, swimming rock surrounded by willow trees and lots of green space. We want to invite you to our home as we start this exciting new community project, as we share vegan meals, live in community and work collaboratively on various types of design and space making projects. You will be greeted each time you come into our home by Fee-U, our gentle rescued Mexican dog companion, who you are bound to fall in love with.
Our focus is on creating safe spaces for growth through nature immersion, art making, and sharing ideas constructively. Our mandate is to create an interdisciplinary and heart-centred space to vulnerably (re)vision the world we want to live in as a collective. Sharing our unique skills and knowledge, we will attempt to answer complex questions about social/environmental justice. We want to bring people together from all walks of life who are interested in collective healing as the way forward to self-expression and cultural innovation. Using a decolonial framework as the glue that holds us together (contextual wisdom, honouring interconnectivity and a heart-centred approach), visitors will be invited to share their unique gifts and knowledge with the group through workshops in the loft or outdoors. All help which workawayers will be doing will be domestic home tasks for us to be able to have more time to organize our bigger picture goals.
Types of help and learning opportunities
Art Projects
Help with Eco Projects
Gardening
DIY and building projects
Animal Care
Creating/ Cooking family meals
Help around the house
General Maintenance
UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
Our space is perfect for those that want to have a quiet getaway from city living and be surrounded by Canadian Shield nature while also being inspired by others and sharing knowledge. We will provide a community style of living where we try to embody values of collaboration, with the importance of contextual wisdom, interdependence and conscious communication as core principles.
International travellers that are trying to learn English will be immersed in an Anglo area of Quebec. Rodrigo also speaks Spanish fluently (Caitlin basically), if you speak Spanish and are trying to learn English.
Thus is an ideal opportunity for writers, artists, makers, and thinkers, looking to collaborate on complex global questions relating to social justice or work on their own creative work, in the company of peers.
Projects involving children
This project could involve children. For more information see our guidelines and tips here.
Help
Each day is unique and will be different: one day we might be working on painting a dresser blue, another we may be doing gardening or lawn work, or another simply cleaning/ getting food prepared for the week. We also have quite a bit of insulating work to do in preparation for next winter, as there is not much currently in the walls.
At times we will need some babysitting of Fee-U who is a very low maintenance dog, but prefers not to be alone for more than a few hours. Being able to have somebody that is able to to brainstorm with us and get excited about what's possible would be a great addition as we try to problem solve various challenges with a house of this size. All the work that the workawayers will be doing will be related to our domestic home projects.
People with specific skills like website building, carpentry, furniture refinishing, painting, or an eye for design/details are very much welcomed.
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
Spanish: Fluent
Accommodation
-Beautiful stone heritage house on the Ottawa River, in scenic Portage-du-Fort.
-Shared bathroom, with full bath (one bath on each floor, so could be private much of the time).
-Large private bedroom overlooking the waterfront with wifi, nice dresser, beautiful art, and a TV to connect to your laptop.
-Loads of common and private space. Delicious vegan meals will be provided as we will cook together as a community.
-Beautiful wooden loft space fitted with hammocks, cushions everywhere and musical instruments/game closet for people to practice mediation, dance, yoga, reading (whatever calls), as the sunlight flows in and you hear the damn water flow over the rocks in the background. The quiet and blissfulness of the space is also perfect for writers and any creative type that wants a big space to create in.
What else ...
The town of Portage du Fort is surrounded by forests and the Ottawa river, perfect for those that love to adventure into nature. The river stream is also not very strong by our house so you can go paddling in the river or take a dip on a hot day. You can be part of our community and we can play board games, play guitar by a bonfire and learn new recipes.
There are many small cities nearby for those who love to thrift/antique and Ottawa is only one hour away for further tourism.
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
Can host digital nomads
We recently got fiber optic internet so our speeds are just as fast as you would find in a big city. We have no data however at our house, but it can be accessed up the road if needed.
Space for parking camper vans
This host can provide space for campervans.
Can possibly accept pets
We are allergic to cats, and can accept some dogs, when the fit is right!
How many Workawayers can stay?
Two
Hours expected
Maximum 4-5 hours a day, 5 days a week
