Profile information
Host rating
65 %
Last replied
12 Jun 2022
Feedback
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Email verified
Details
Description
Some years ago we had a dream, as many have the dream; Our own land, space, nearly untouched nature, reconnect more to what is important to us...Be and offer a place where inspiration and sharing experiances can happen.
We are a Swiss-family living between Switzerland and Portugal. Some of the year we build tiny houses in Switzerland and some of the year we slowly build up our place in Portugal. Olivier is independent architect and builder and Fabienne runs the homeschooled kids/ the travels/ kitchen/ house, etc;) Our 3 kids are 9, 6 and 1 year old.
Our place is a littlle valley beauty in serra da estrela national park:)
It has a already beautifully built up stone ruin, and two more ruins to be rebuilt...It borders a small river, with a small river spot, lots of overgrown terrasses and beautiful sights over the valley. It's off grid so electricity and water comes from a solar-system and from a spring of our land. Toilets are of course compost for the moment!
For this season, we have different bigger projects such as
- Renew the watersystem, fix the pond, lead the water to several places on the land
- create a sewage water system
- create a little riverside beach and clean the river area (good work for the hot month:)
- build platforms to put tents/buildings on it
- Compost toilets for workawayers
- pizza oven (if someone knows how to do it, welcome:))
There are several works that can always be done like;
- refix stone walls of the terrasses
- land cleaning
- help with cooking/cleaning
- cut firewood for the winter
- only if wanted child/baby care
Childcare;
If someone has experiance and is willing to do some childcare- very welcome but not required! Usually they are just around and follow their own projects..
Types of help and learning opportunities
Help with Eco Projects
DIY and building projects
Creating/ Cooking family meals
Help around the house
General Maintenance
UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
Coming to our place also means beeing connected to the community in this valley. There are quite a few foreigners living in this area and it's possible that you can join a barbeque, a market visit or join working days together.
We are not so connected to the local community now but more with foreigners, like minded people.
Spending time with us means you can learn about building, about alternative energy like solar systems, and an easy family-unschooled-life.
We also learn from you!Everyone learns from each other:)
Help
JULY and AUGUST:
During July/August, the weather is very hot. Although we have lots of big trees providing shade.. During this time we plan to do less hours of help and have more free time to visit the suroundings or just have a bath and relax:)
Work during this season could be cleaning the riverside (cutting branches, brushcutting, bring more acces to the river) We ask 2hours of helping together and provide an accomodation in a fully equipped caravan/ belltent with compost toilet and nice shared shower.
IMPORTANT: Food will normally not be provided then, only during longer helping days. Still, nothing is fixs, so if we work longer because it’s just flowing I’m very happy to cook for all of us of course!
SEPTEMBER and OCTOBER:
From September on, we do around 5 hours helping hours, starting at around 9 o c'clock (with a coffee😉) to 2pm, having lunch together afterwards.
Languages
Languages spoken
German: Fluent
English: Fluent
French: Fluent
Spanish: IntermediateThis host offers a language exchange
As you wish, we can speak english, french or german together:)
Accommodation
caravan
What else ...
Best is to have your own car! The next small village is around 30min walking distance. Gouveia and Celorico da Beira are both lovely little towns with markets, shops, caffes and bakerys. Gouveia is the town where lot's of hiking and adventure tours start. It's a beautiful old town with good restaurants, caffes, some shops with local products and all you need.
There are wild mountain river beaches, with cool water directly from the source- excellent to cool down in summer! Several places offer rides and hiking tours in the region.
Otherwise our place is a calm place with nature sounds, no noise or light pollution.
Except we make a little party and listen to music;)
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
Can host digital nomads
We have quite a good wifi connection
Space for parking camper vans
If your camper van or mobilehome has a 4x4 - no problem! It's only the few 100meters down our track that is quite steep and curvy.
Can possibly accept pets
Depends a bit which one but basically yess! We have a young serra de estrela dog male
How many Workawayers can stay?
More than two
Hours expected
Maximum 4-5 hours a day, 5 days a week
