Simple life towards human community in Tuscan Apennines, Italy

Details

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  Description

  We are Valeria and Giacomo and we are discovering life through ourselves. Every day we put special effort to be in touch and explore our capacities, our emotions and desires. We try to remain always present and faithful to ourselves for being the same with others.
  We concentrate every day on the basic activities of human life: gather food and wood, organize and clean living spaces, cultivate gardens and woods. We are trying to move from our human capacities and proportion, trying to leave aside machines as much as possible.
  We live among chestnut trees in the Garfagna mountains. We produce and gather a lot of food that we would love to share like the joy that is springing in us from the deep contact with elements. Many times it is not easy to accept strong winds, fatigue or cold weather but you know that from abysses arise peaks; becoming aware of tough aspects of life we develop awareness of our limits and we can enjoy simple things such as a sunny day,a chair in the shadow, a blooming flower or a smile.
  We desire to meet other humans in the path of self awareness which is trying to be in contact with deep self and trying to develope self-managment on three main aspects: physical, emotional and spiritual.
  We offer a place that support introspection and also deep contact with other living beings, human and non human.
  Since life in mountains requires a certain amount of effort and determination, it is required to arrive with a good base of mental and physical health that will be surely expanded staying here.
  
  We both enjoy to listen to breathe, birds, trees, streaming water, fire, wind and insects so it would we nice not to fill all the acoustic space in a compulsive way. We also remain very open to talk deeply and listen carefully with love.
  
  Please note that we do not have internet connection and phone signal is very low, the closest good internet signal point is 2 km far.
  We don't have a conventional bathroom but only a solar shower and a compost toilet. We live outdoor as much as we can.
  If you have questions please contact us.
  
  Thank you for reading
  Lots of love

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  Types of help and learning opportunities

  Help with Eco Projects

  Gardening

  DIY and building projects

  Farmstay help
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  Interests

  

  Self development

  

  Sustainability

  

  Farming

  

  Writing

  

  Plant care

  

  Music

  

  Gardening

  

  Drawing & painting

  

  DIY & crafts

  

  Cooking & food

  

  Carpentry

  

  Outdoor activities

  

  Nature

  

  Mountain

  

  Hiking

  

  Camping
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  UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve

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  Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

  The main benefit we can offer is the cultivation and expansion of a generalist approach. In a world in which humans tends to be more and more specialist and splitted, we think it’s time to come back to the human potential being able to be wholesome and find a way to approach the most various situations. This could sound absurd if applied to the insane complexity of cities but in a simple life it comes very easily. Special care is put to integrate awareness of one's body and of emotion throughout the day.
  
  
  We would love to share our skills on many different fields : gardening, wood management,using plants, music, carpentry, masonry, basket weaving are the most important.
  
  We would also like to do a whole day hiking together somewhere around our place at least one time during your staying here

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  Help

  Our activities start around 8/9 in the morning for a few hours. In the afternoon we would like to have some time to cultivate ourself as individual and as a couple. So, if you will be the only workawayer around expect to remain alone every day for some time. This could be hard but also good opportunity to refine your self awareness.
  The activities you should expect are all related to a simple and self-sufficient way of living. A little bit of everything related to human life. In every season, every day, we will collect and prepare herbs and vegetable for our meals.
  Cutting and splitting wood is a very big duty since winters are long and cold here.
  In this period we are building a lot of wooden fences due to the massive presence of deers. These fences are made entirely with chestnut wood and act as support for thorny plant such as roses or rubus.
  During late summer and autumn we collect and preserve a lot food to overwinter.
  In spring a lot of energy is put on cultivating gardens which will be full of edible plants and flowers.
  We do some carpentry project mainly working with chestnut and Douglas fir wood.
  We are also building some dry walls to prevent erosion.

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  Languages

  Languages spoken
  English: 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.
  You can contact them directly for more information.
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  Accommodation

  You will sleep in an ancient stone house. Essential but comfortable.
  
  If you have a van there is plenty of space to park and stay in it.
  
  Every day we will prepare our meals according to what is available in the garden or in the storage. Chestnut flour is the main food source in the morning. Above that we eat self produced potatoes, corn flour and many fruits and vegetables.
  
  Please consider that there is no conventional bathroom. There is a rudimental compost toilet which I am open to develop. Hot water is supplied from a fire boiler (which is not always running) in cold season and from a self-constructed solar panel in summer.
  Last important note: telephone signal is very low, only message and calls (not all providers). For full internet signal you should walk two kilometres away.

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  What else ...

  Please consider that the place is surrounded by forest and the closest village is a 30-minute walk uphill. In this village, there is only one shop, and it is reached by a public bus which runs infrequently. There is a larger village called Pieve Fosciana which is 6km downhill. I can pick you up at the closest train station which is in Castelnuovo di Garfagnana. I do not go to the larger towns frequently but when I go I will be happy to give you a lift if you wish to go there.

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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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  Space for parking camper vans

  This host can provide space for campervans.

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  How many Workawayers can stay?

  More than two

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