Profile information
Host rating
80 %
Reply rate
66.7 %
Usually responds within 15 days
Feedback
21
ID verified
Email verified
Badges (3)
Details
Description
Hello, We are a family of five. Me Shelley, my husband Mark and three teenagers. We enjoy travelling; be it nationally or internationally. We engage ourselves in lots of outdoor activities like camping, hiking, fishing, gardening, canoeing-Kayaking and endless of other things. We grow organic vegetables in our backyard during spring, summer and fall. We also have many houseplants which need good amount of care throughout the year. I am very much interested about permaculture. This year we started permaculture process in the backyard garden. Though I am not an expert on Permaculture, I will learn through this process.
We live in one of the most beautiful and desirable areas in Toronto, across Bayview Country Club. 24/7 TTC bus (public transit) is five minutes walk from our home. Downtown Toronto is about an hour by public transport and 25 minutes by car. We’re 25 to 30 minutes Uber ride from Toronto Pearson international Airport and about an hour by public transport.
We’ve started hosting Workawayers Since December 2021, and all I can say it has been a wonderful experience for our family. Hoping to experience the world of cultural exchange with future Workawayers.
Types of help and learning opportunities
Language practice
Help with Eco Projects
Gardening
DIY and building projects
Help around the house
General Maintenance
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
Me and Mark met at a yoga studio two decades ago. Yoga is part of our daily lifestyle. So if you are a volunteer at our home expect you would most likely do yoga with us. Hiking is also our favourite activity. All of my workawayers joined on my hiking. We are a very physically active family. Our daughters participate in dance, competitive gymnastics, volleyball, basketball, ice hockey as well as all kinds of water sports.
We also travel a lot and love to share our experiences to others. We have travelled countries in Central and South America, Asia, Caribbeans, New Zealand, Australia, Europe , America as well as numerous road trips in Canada. We are not holiday makers, we take adventure trips where we involve ourselves in local cultural activities, with the local people.
Evenings are our chill down time. Doing yoga, going for a hike or watching netflix on our large entertainment room while the fireplace is glittering with fire (winter time) and warmth. We do not want our guests come home later than 10PM frequently. Once a week would be considerable.
We try to take the workawayers to see things around Toronto or even a bit further away.
I expect we will both benefit and teach each other things that neither of us known before. Sometimes the intangibles are quite valuable, and I know that my experience has been everyone knows something to teach, and by observing, we can all learn together.
Help
Currently we are looking for someone who has some experience in sewing household items like pillows and cushions or any kinds of sewing projects.
Some general help around the house, like vacuuming, cleaning the kitchen and common areas will be appreciated.
Not looking for someone who is already living in the city or has a job etc. I am very much into the traveler exchange part of workaway, so this is only open to someone who is:
a.) a traveler
b.) able to commit to this project as a priority.
Languages
Languages spoken
English: FluentThis host offers a language exchange
Four out of five of us speak native English, so English is the only spoken language at home. We are open to learn other languages like Spanish and French
Accommodation
Your own room in our family home, with all utilities, unlimited wifi. You will share a bathroom with Mike who lives in the next room of yours. Your room has a queen bed with memory foam mattress, a closet, a study desk and chair, coffee table, an accent sofa and a Mirror.
No pets in our house as I am allergic to pet saliva.
Our house is in a safe, upscale neighborhood. Toronto's famous Don river and longest hiking/biking path is mere few meters from our backyard. You wouldn't need more than fifty steps from our backyard to this scenic hiking trail which parallely runs by the river. If you like hiking this is your opportunity.
MEALS PROVIDED: Me and Mark are vegetarian/vegan but our daughters eat chicken, fish sometimes. We are okay to accommodate all other dieters.
Volunteers have full access to the kitchen, bathroom, laundry, etc. We provide a fully-stocked pantry and food for your meals. Because we start our days early, we also go to bed early. We appreciate you finish your dinner and all kitchen activities before 10 pm.
What else ...
We are morning people. We do not prefer doing house chores or any project related work after 2 PM. Evenings are our family time and chill down time. We prefer workawayers start their work early
( 9 am-1pm). They can enjoy their off work hours whatever way they want. They can enjoy watching netflix shows on a very large screen tv or chill out in our beautiful backyard (weather permitting) reading favourite books or listen musics. They can roam around our beautiful and vibrant city of Toronto.
We live about 50-60 minutes from downtown Toronto by bus/subway (bus stop is 5 minutes walk from our house). There are lots to see and do in Toronto. You can visit many attractions like the CN Tower, Toronto Islands, Niagara Falls (less than 2 hrs drive from our home) , many museums, parks, Chinatown, Canada's Wonderland and so on. I can also tell you about less touristic but very interesting things that are here in the city.
Please don't be someone who is just always on their phone and does not want to interact. I'd like to learn about your country and culture and hope to share some of mine, and have you leave as a new friend.
Looking for a Workawayer who is Positive, helpful, can see things that needs to be done without me telling you, fast learner, not attached to your phone all day, want to learn to do things differently than what you are used to.
If you think you are that person; you are welcome to join us.
Thank you
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
Can possibly accept pets
Workawayer with hypoallergenic dog is welcome
How many Workawayers can stay?
One
Hours expected
Maximum 4-5 hours a day, 5 days a week, from 9 am to 1pm.
Feedback (10)
He was happy to work together with me on a projects (redecorating my mom’s place) but mostly he worked independently. He was respectful, conscientious,… read more
I enjoyed each moment spent with her and his family, also I liked the task that was given to me, I had to assemble furnitures, put shelves on the wall, move things from… read more
Leon’s main task was assisting Mark with… read more
He is a very open-minded person who simply gets down to work. Daniel helped us mainly in the garden-preparing garden beds for next year plants, made deer proof fences around… read more
Feedback
These are extra optional ratings when members leave feedback. The average rating left for each option is displayed.
Accuracy of profile:
(4.9)
Cultural exchange:
(4.9)
Communication:
(4.8)
He was happy to work together with me on a projects (redecorating my mom’s place) but mostly he worked independently. He was respectful, conscientious,… read more
I enjoyed each moment spent with her and his family, also I liked the task that was given to me, I had to assemble furnitures, put shelves on the wall, move things from… read more
Leon’s main task was assisting Mark with… read more
He is a very open-minded person who simply gets down to work. Daniel helped us mainly in the garden-preparing garden beds for next year plants, made deer proof fences around… read more
Oskar is laid back, clam and a lot of fun… read more
The work hours are totally fine and you still had plenty of time to explore the area around or Downtown. I planned to stay 3 weeks, but actually stayed 1 week longer. I helped with 2 other workawayers (Luis & Melle) to renovate a deck,… read more
He is hardworking and always cheerful who spends a lot of… read more
He blended well with the team of five men who were involved on our two deck building project. He made great tasting salsa which we enjoyed a lot.
Luis was also a wonderful company. He’s just plain enjoyable… read more
The first day they welcomed me at home in a beautiful bedroom, we started talking and getting to know each other and she prepared some delicious waffles for me, you have to try them!
The amount of work at home was very equal and fair, I had a lot of free time to work on my personal… read more
As a learning experience, I left Toronto knowing way more about plants and gardening than when arrived to Shelley's home. She was always there,… read more
Even though it was her first experience working on a garden project, she was truly eager to help and learn about gardening. She filled about hundred planter pots with soil… read more
Shelley really made me feel like a part of the family from the day I arrived and made sure i was comfortable during my stay.
I did both outdoor and indoor work and I'm happy to know that I was able to help her around the garden and bring her vision to… read more
