Join our family in beautiful Greater Victoria, BC, Canada

Details

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  Description

  Hello! We are a busy homeschooling family of five — myself (Mama), my husband, and our three children ages 12, 10, and 4. We live in the picturesque Westshore area of Greater Victoria.
  
  Our family loves to travel and has enjoyed meeting people from different countries through both our own travels and by hosting volunteers. We sincerely hope others will appreciate all that our beautiful region of Canada has to offer!
  
  One of our favorite things to do is explore the natural beauty around us — we’re fortunate to be close to beaches, parks, forests, and trails.
  
  Over our six years of hosting volunteers from around the world — ranging in age from 18 to 70 — we’ve learned what kind of guests are the best fit for our family, and what kind of environment suits them in return.
  
  We've put a great deal of thought into creating our profile and providing detailed information, with the aim of avoiding any misunderstandings and continuing to welcome wonderful travelers who value both cultural and language exchange.
  
  Please take the time to read through each section carefully, and don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions you may have.
  
  If our dates align, we’re happy to arrange a WhatsApp call with potential volunteers — it’s a great way to answer questions and give you a better sense of our family and home environment.
  
  Thank you, and happy travels!

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  Types of help and learning opportunities

  Gardening

  Babysitting and creative play

  Creating/ Cooking family meals

  Help around the house
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  Interests

  

  Charity work

  

  Self development

  

  Politics / Social justice

  

  Sustainability

  

  History

  

  Music

  

  Outdoor activities

  

  Nature

  

  Yoga / Wellness
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  Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

  We would like our volunteers to feel comfortable while staying with us, so please feel free to join in any of our family’s activities.
  
  Our home is a mix of Canadian and South-Asian roots, which allows for a unique cultural exchange. My husband and I are bilingual - both of us speak English and Urdu/Hindi.
  
  Victoria offers a variety of events which suit different tastes, so there is a little something for everyone. We have cultural celebrations, nature exploration, seasonal festivals, historic landmarks, farmers markets, volunteering opportunities, libraries, and recreation centers – just to name a few. There are local buses and ferries which allow you to explore the city or venture out and discover more of the West Coast region. If you enjoy nature there are many possibilities, some of which include hiking, kayaking, berry picking, and cycling. For those who like to keep busy in a city setting, we are about 25-35 minutes away from downtown Victoria, the capital of BC.
  
  Finally, if you are a Workawayer who is hoping to improve their English, I have years of teaching experience and could help with lessons or examination study (TOEFL, TOEIC, IELTS, SAT).
  
  If there is anything you would like to teach us such as a new language, recipes, art, handicrafts, sports, we always love learning!

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  Projects involving children

  This project could involve children. For more information see our guidelines and tips here.

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  Help

  We are looking for volunteers who enjoy immersing themselves in a family environment - we don't want individuals who spend all their free time either in their room or who are looking for constant entertainment outside our home - to us this is not being a part of our family. We like to interact with our guests so we can learn about them and they can see our way of life in Canada. We are extremely busy parents who need the help of another adult who is able to jump-in to our everyday craziness and help wherever you see we need it! 🙏 A person who is responsible, mature, and orderly is a must for us. We have fond and joyous memories of past volunteers who participated in our family life while also helping us with everyday responsibilities. Unfortunately, in this last year we have had a few volunteers who were not a suitable match for our household - this makes the stay extremely uncomfortable and frustrating for us, so please CAREFULLY read the sections below as we would like to avoid such further exchanges.
  
  Some of the problem areas that we have had with volunteers are listed below:
  - individuals who keep to themselves most of the time (we are a social family and enjoy becoming acquainted with guests)
  - sleeping until late or being exhausted throughout the day, no night owls 😴🥱
  - consistently not completing the agreed-upon 5 hours
  - always being on the phone during volunteering hours 📵
  - rushing through, needing repeated reminders and instruction, and/or being careless when completing tasks
  - constantly having social engagements outside the home that take priority over our exchange
  - sitting idle, not participating, or treating our home like a hotel 🙅‍♂️
  - always asking for time off to go see friends 👎
  - not responsible for dropping off/picking up from the bus station, we do this at times but can't be expected to do this every time volunteers have a day off
  - we can't lend out personal electronic devices such as laptops or tablets
  - individuals who haven't spent time around or don't know how to engage in a multi-age child environment
  - becoming our 4th child, we already have 3 that keep us very busy and we can't adopt any more...sorry! 🥴
  
  *If issues arise with individuals, we will discuss the problems at hand, and if things continue without improvement you will be asked to leave*
  
  The list below outlines the areas where we need the most help followed by some examples of tasks that have been previously delegated to volunteers - not all tasks listed are done daily - some are seasonal and some depend on where and when we need a further set of hands.
  
  We would like individuals who enjoy and are comfortable with cooking - we are not picky eaters but having someone who can help with meals is a big help to us.
  
  1. General household: cleaning, organization, general maintenance, construction (help with small home repairs)
  
  2. Kitchen: snack preparation, cooking a few meals (nothing fancy but you should have more knowledge/confidence than just sandwiches and pasta), helping keep the kitchen tidy, organized, and clean
  
  3. Children (examples of some activities volunteers and our children have enjoyed): reading books, playing sports, baking, arts and crafts, piano practice, teaching yoga, science experiments, playing board games, helping our toddler in play and activities, going for walks in the forest, introducing photography.
  
  4. Gardening: weeding, raking leaves, watering plants, mowing the lawn, helping plant plants/shrubs
  
  We encourage volunteers to have fun, engage, and have positive adult/child interactions - our children are extremely social and look forward to connecting with guests ❤️
  
  There is a lot of flexibility and we are happy to work with a schedule that is suitable for our volunteers - but our ideal help schedule would be 5hrs a day/25hrs per week - and volunteers are able to manage their own times. That being said, we require volunteers to be honest - for example, if you decide to help a little in the morning and then take the afternoon off for personal time then you are expected to complete the remaining time later in the day or early evening. Below is a breakdown of an average days help, but sometimes the focus and needs for the day might change:
  
  1.5hrs helping maintain the house
  1.5hrs activities with kids
  1-1.5hrs kitchen help
  
  We do have volunteers who have taken weekday trips or wanted to switch days off, and we have happily readjusted the schedule. We can only allow volunteers to stay for one month maximum, stays longer than this will no longer be permitted.
  
  *Lastly and most importantly, we provide a stocked kitchen, a nice private bedroom, and a detached bathroom in one of Canada's most beautiful and most expensive cities; therefore, we expect volunteers to not take the exchange for granted and to be as helpful as possible during volunteering hours. We are accommodating, honest, and considerate people - we expect the same from others in our home. If we feel the volunteer has no interest in the Workaway exchange or is taking advantage of our hospitality, we will politely ask them to leave after giving them a warning. We have had many wonderful interactions with our volunteers and hope to continue these lovely exchanges.

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  Languages

  Languages spoken
  English: Fluent
  Hindi: Fluent
  Urdu: Fluent

  This host offers a language exchange
  I have extensive experience teaching English, including exam preparation courses for TOEFL, TOEIC, IELTS, and SAT. Teaching is my passion, and if you're looking to improve your English skills, I'm confident we can make great progress together! My children and I are also eager to learn new languages — especially Japanese, Arabic, Spanish, Dari — and would appreciate the opportunity to exchange language skills.
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  Accommodation

  You will have your own private bedroom with clean linens and towels provided. There is a detached full bathroom with most toiletries, we provide basics such as shampoo, conditioner, body wash, and soap - if you require other personal items please remember to bring them or purchase them when here. Our rooms are upstairs, so you will have a reasonable amount of privacy BUT please know that since we are a family with young children there is a fair level of noise and energy in the home and the sound can carry through. There is a shared office on the ground floor which is only used occasionally during the day, please feel free to use if you need some place quiet to work.
  
  You will have access to all food in the kitchen, which is a shared space on the upper floor, so please make any snacks or meals you like. On days off it is expected that volunteers will continue to clean-up after themselves.
  
  *Please note the use of cell phones needs to be limited during your volunteering hours. We try to be mindful of screen usage and appreciate volunteers not spending most of their time on social media in front of our children. This kind of volunteer will not be a suitable match for our family*
  
  *If you have dietary restrictions (eg. gluten-free) OR have specific preferences for certain foods/drinks, we will only purchase items that the entire family also consumes. We prefer not to contribute to more worldwide food wastage.
  
  *Please note as we do not smoke, consume alcohol or eat pork, we kindly ask volunteers to respect our wishes and also not consume these items in the house*
  
  *We do not permit friends of volunteers to stay overnight and are unable to lend out our car due to strict car insurance rules in BC.*
  
  *We also ask that guests wear clothing that is appropriate for a family setting. Many volunteers enjoy tanning in our yard ☀️ or going to the beach down the road ⛱️ we just ask that minimalistic attire not be worn in the house during volunteering hours or during meals, as these are shared spaces in the house 🙏
  
  Lastly, we try to model and teach our children about cleanliness and being tidy, we hope that our guests will also keep their living and common areas in a neat and organized manner.
  
  We live in an uphill, quiet residential area with the closest bus stop a 7min walk away. The bus closest to our home comes every 30mins during the day but in the evenings the buses run every hour. Please note that buses do not take credit cards, exact amount cash is needed or you can try to add money on the UMO app which can be used directly from your cell phone.

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  What else ...

  Volunteers can also explore further away places in our region such as Tofino, Port Renfrew and the Gulf Islands. With the mildest climate in Canada, you will also see gardens bloom year-round in the Greater Victoria area. The city is tied closely to both land and sea and the rugged natural beauty of the Pacific Coast encourages all-season adventures in the great outdoors. Easy to explore by foot and at your own pace, a visit to Victoria can be as relaxing and rejuvenating as it is educational and exciting. Take advantage of the diverse historical, architectural and multicultural makeup that comes from being the oldest city in the Pacific Northwest. From First Nations history to British colonial and Asian traditions, and the landmarks, culture, cuisine, festivals, and vibrant atmosphere that come with them, Victoria, B.C. is one of the world's favorite destinations. Volunteers may want to also visit the big city of Vancouver on a weekend too. As a traveler, you will also cross paths with many tourists from other different cultures who visit this beautiful area of Canada.

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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 have a quiet, comfortable office located right next to your room. If you prefer working amongst others, our bright and welcoming living and dining area is also a great option. The internet connection is strong and reliable throughout the house.

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  How many Workawayers can stay?

  Two

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  My animals / pets

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