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Description
We are located in a small village in the Sierra de la Demanda, in the southern part of La Rioja, Spain. Its is a remote location surrounded by medium-size mountains. Very quiet. The original village, which dated from the 10th century, was flooded by a reservoir and the current town was built in 1960. There is a picture of the village in our profile. We have two houses side by side and are looking to expanding the first house into the second one, as well as fencing in and cleaning up the backyard.
We share our house with three of our own dogs and a cat but we are also a foster home for the local SPCA and take in both adults and puppies and also dog sit for relatives. We also have a colony of cats who come to the back of the house and feed daily. Every other weekend, our 5-year-old grandson comes to stay with us.Types of help and learning opportunities
Language practiceDIY and building projectsAnimal CareHelp around the houseGeneral MaintenanceCultural exchange and learning opportunities
Only one of us speaks English and some French and Spanish is the language of the house. Sylvia is Chilean and Saulo is Spanish but lived in Canada as a teenager and young adult.
We have had house guests from different cultures and are keenly aware of cultural differences and expectations. In this sense, we try to offer our guests our particular worldview from a standpoint of tolerance and respect while learning about our guests, their cultures and their experiences. We have experience in language teaching and will happily help you with your language practice.
Food is an important part of our life. Our cuisine is very eclectic and we are forever trying out new recipes. We make our own bread and fermented foods and eat lots of fruit and vegetables. We try to avoid ultra-processed foods and sugar but you are welcome to spoon in as much white sugar as you wish into your coffee. We also go mushroom picking and collect wild berries. We do use every allergen in the book so please let us know if you have any kind of dietary restriction. We will be happy to exchange recipes and cooking skills with you.
Please look at the map and keep in mind that we are a bit far from civilization. Nearest supermarket is 30 km across a mountain pass. Nearest town is Nájera (50 km) and nearest city is Logroño (75 km). There is no public transport to speak of.
However, we do place a car at your disposal so you can explore this part of the country. We are about an hour's drive from Logroño, Burgos, Vitoria and Soria and about two hours from Bilbao and Pamplona. We also have bicycles and a canoe you can use in the reservoir. These mountains are particularly good for hikes.Projects involving children
This project could involve children. For more information see our guidelines and tips here.
Help
We are renovating part of the house and need all sorts of help with that. We also need help organizing our garage, which is packed with stuff up to the ceiling. There's also work at the backyard as well. Also occasional pet/house sitting.
For various reasons, this position is particularly suitable for couples.
We do need help with basic building, plumbing and similar trades, so skills in these areas are what we are chiefly looking for.
We also expect you to accompany us or go on errands to the city.
You will need to drive a vehicle and the insurance policy requires drivers to be over 25 with and having had a driver's licence for at least five years. Only one of you need fulfill this requirement but it is crucial.
We take in helpers as house guests and expect them to interact and live with us, sharing experiences and views, going for walks with the dogs, playing board/card games and fully participating in household chores, like cleaning the house, washing dishes, tidying up, etc. This is not the kind of experience where you put in your hours and then go off on your own. In fact, your duties may not necessarily involve working on our renovation project every day but we may ask you to house/pet sit for one or two days at a time.
We always answer within 24 hours and usually much less. If you start a conversation with us through this platform, please check back at least once a day and please let us now immediately if you are no longer interested in the position. You can write to us in English or Spanish (or French, Italian, Portuguese, but let us know if you prefer our answers in English or Spanish).Languages spoken
English: Fluent
Spanish: Fluent
French: IntermediateAccommodation
You get your own room with a double bed. Guests get their own bathroom where they can leave their stuff. We provide household linen, towels, etc. We provide you with three meals a day and you are welcome to cook for the household if you are so inclined. We have few rules:
- No smoking in the house
- No eating except in the kitchen/dining room
- Reasonable level of personal hygiene expected; at least one shower a day.
- You are welcome (and encouraged) to use our laundry facilities as much as you want.What else ...
Places to visit on day trips: Cathedrals in Burgos, Santo Domingo de la Calzada, Logroño, Calahorra; Archaeological remains of Clunia Suplicia (Roman city), Contrebia Leukade (pre-Roman town), 9th century necropolises near Quintanar de la Sierra; wine tourism venues (hundreds of wineries, Vivanco wine museum); castles (Olite, Javier and dozens more) : monasteries of San Millán (cradle of the Spanish language), Santo Domingo de Silos, Cañas, Leire, Valvanera and more; cities (Logroño, Haro, Zaragoza, Soria, Burgos, Pamplona, San Sebastian, Vitoria, Bilbao).
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
Can host digital nomads
We are extremely flexible about timetables and adapt to your needs. We are OK with you working on your own projects provided it does not consume all your spare time. However, we are not taking in people so they can put in their five hours' work with us and then disappear for the rest of the day.
Can possibly accept pets
We have dogs and a cat in the house. The dogs are accustomed to having other dogs in the house and have all been sterilized. We also get occasional visiting dogs from family members. They are inside the house most of the day. We cook food for them and also leave feed around so they eat whenever they are hungry. They also share an omelette before going to bed. So, as long as your pet can live with all that, and comfortably move around the house, that's fine. Large dogs might feel cramped. Medium- and small-sized dogs should be quite happy.
How many Workawayers can stay?
More than two
Hours expected
Maximum 4-5 hours a day, 5 days a week