Canada
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Hello and welcome to my project's listing :)
I am Francois, a former teacher, loving the outdoors and interacting with people. After living all over Canada, I returned to my roots on Ile d'Orleans, 15km from Quebec City. Here, I run a seasonal vintage motel with on-site scooter and bike rental and guided tours. I operate from May to October.
If you are an optimistic character, feeling comfortable sharing your time and space with other volunteers, able to say "Hello :)" to our guests and communicate openly with me, whenever anything needs to be improved, I'd love you joining our team! We do sports and stay in shape ...
Our team is complete now until the end of the season of 2019.
For any help with operations (room cleaning, reception etc.) we'll start accepting applications in early 2020.
Gardening
General Maintenance
Cooking / shopping
Language practice
Art project
Help with Computers / internet
Being a curious person, appreciating nature and community living, you'll fall in love with this place!
To many volunteers the atmopshere here feels like a family after a short time. Some of them extended and extended again their stay or came back - this makes me sooo happy and grateful! And some more would have loved to stay longer (and we would have liked to keep them too!), but they already committed to other hosts, even before coming here.
So if I am are allowed to give you a little advise: do not plan your travels too tight, leave yourself some flexibility to enjoy your time here with the other guys, exploring the beautiful surroundings:
The Ile d'Orleans is 67 km / 50 mi of vineyards and farms, historical architecture and a creative art scene.
Amazing scenery, hiking paths in the forest and the St.Lawrence River for swimming or water sports!
There is a little theatre as well as several art galleries and some small museums.
I do have maps and provide tons of information - impossible to get bored!
When the bikes are not rented, you can cycle around for free.
We work in a wide network of local partners and I can organise for free tastings and discounted activities.
Quebec City is only 15 km / 9.5 mi away and easy to reach on your days off: There's a bus that can pick you up at the motel's doorstep once a day, bringing you down town and back. And the city is just beautiful: European architecture, a filled agenda of events all year around, a lively foodies' scene and maple syrup all over ;)
The island is not a party place. Some volunteers spend their evenings or days off in Quebec City partying. But without your own car, you rely on a bus that does not run during night time. I'd say that if you feel the urgent need to be in a city almost every day, you may consider volunteering in a city.
This host offers accommodation and payment.
I'm looking for positive and motivated people to help me with :
*️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️ Housekeeping and maintenance
Cleaning bathrooms, making beds, vacuum and folding fresh laundry, starting from late morning until afternoon. This includes watering the garden, cleaning our rental bikes and scooters and just making sure the property looks neat and inviting. You should be focused and see the work and care about details.
*️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️ Evening Reception
Welcoming guests, selling rooms to walk ins, giving information about the area, cashing money, checking returning scooters in the afternoon / evening before closing all facilities for night.
Bilingualism in French and English is a must!
You have an easy smile, know how to dress and talk in public, so guests feel welcome and comfortable. Ideally, you have a common sense for how to solve problems (make a TV working, opening up a folding bed ...)
In 2020, I am also looking for :
* Full-time receptionist during the morning shift:
This person would help me renting bikes and scooters, answer the phone, checking out guests etc.
The business picks up and I am not longer able to do all of this alone.
Ideally, you already have Front Desk experience and a suitable personality to work with the public. I'll show you our reservation systems and how I'd like things to be done, and from there, you pro-actively take over and work independently by my side.
* Guide for the bike tour (good English skills; our participants are 90% Americans)
This would be for somebody with an outgoing and responsible personality to guide a group of 4 - 8 people on a 10 km bike ride. You'll explain sights along the way, answer questions about history and local day-to-day life.
Upfront, I'll give you a detailed formation and do the tour a couple of times with you.
This is the perfect internship if you plan to study tourism / business administration as you'll experience many aspects of owning a small business, working with the public, housekeeping, renting sport equipment etc.
I'll be able to give you references for university / future employments.
Two days per week, you'll be off. These days are flexible, maybe weekends, maybe week days, maybe consecutive or separated, on sunny or rainy days ... I recognize the preferences of all volunteers onsite, while keeping in mind the tasks that need to be done.
*Remuneration will be provided according to Quebec law
English: Fluent
French: Fluent
I welcome up to 6 volunteers at the same time.
You'll stay at the motel, sharing a loft with bunk beds (boys and girls together), two small bathrooms, heating and excellent WiFi. The place is simple, but functional and clean. You can sit outside on a covered deck.
There is also a fully equipped kitchen with stove and fridge, microwave, kettle and coffee maker.
You'll find a washing machine here too.
Once a week, basic food will be provided for free (oatmeal, eggs, rice, noodles, potatoes, fruits and vegetables) Please be prepared to spent from your own pocket on sweets, alcohol and extra meat.
Sometimes, I do groceries for you, sometimes with you, sometimes you'll get a budget to spend on whatever you like. This covers for 3 meals a day, including your days off.
You'll prepare your own meals and eat together with the other volunteers - perfect for vegetarians or vegans!
In general, you'll spend most of your time with the other volunteers - be prepared to make a lot of new friends, to learn new dishes, music, games, to exchange languages and to laugh a lot :)
Me, your host, will be onsite every day too and available in case of questions or problems, but I am mainly occupied with keeping the project running. I try my best to spend time with you, but I work intensely during the day and most evenings, I just go home and recover :) This is why I appreciate welcoming mature and independent characters.
Please do not apply, if you are a smoker. All our premises are 100% non-smoking.
VISA:
Please do some research about the different types of visa BEFORE applying; I don't know what type of visa you are admissible for or what documents you need etc. ... AND I can't help getting you a visa.
HOW TO GET HERE:
From Montreal arrive to Quebec City Main Station GARE DU PALAIS by AmigoExpress (car sharing) or Orleans Express (bus).
From Quebec City Airport YQB take a taxi to Quebec City main station GARE DU PALAIS (fixed price of 38$).
From Quebec City Main Station GARE DU PALAIS, there is a public bus, called PLUmobile to our island ILE D'ORLEANS.
Please look up their schedule online; they only run Mon - Fri.
Once on the PLUmobile bus, tell the bus driver to let you get off the bus at the snackbar at the intersection of CHEMIN ROYAL AND ROUTE PREVOST, after having left the village of SAINTE PETRONILLE. You may walk uphill on ROUTE PREVOST, for some minutes until you see the motel on your right.
If arriving on weekends / holidays or with HUGE luggage: From Quebec City Main Station GARE DU PALAIS, get on the public METROBUS 800, direction BEAUPORT until CHUTES DE MONTMORENCY (it's the last stop, you can't miss it ;)
I may be able to arrange pick-up from there; make sure to get in contact with me upfront.
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
More than two
25h a week
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