Profile information
Host rating
85 %
Last replied
14 Mar 2023
Feedback
1
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Details
Description
Hello! We are a French English family who moved to Portugal 6 years ago to start living a greener life with our daughter who is 8 and since we moved we had a son born 3 years ago.Two years ago we moved from our yurt into the big stone house we are renovating. Our place is 10 min walking distance from the village ( regular markets and cultural events) but feels totally secluded and is bordered by a stream. We are really happy to have made the break from the city life and living middle of nature has been an truly amazing experience. Jake my partner has an Art degree from Goldsmiths in London (where we met 17 years ago and enjoyed being part of the underground scene and living communally with other artists) I moved to London from France after my English degree then and worked in schools as a Special need teaching assistant. We both love art, music, parties, camping, travelling and festivals. Jake is also an inventor and does research in green technology and he's a fantastic cook! (Especially Indian food.) Personally I used to publish a very local quarterly newspaper to try to record the spirit of our community, and create a bond between the increasing number of estrangeiros living here, which I stopped when our son was born. When I am not helping Jake with planning what to do next on the house, (or tidying it!), I enjoy gardening, learning to bake new things and socialising by the river beach. So our life is laid back, we spend a lot of time outside and there are number of like minded people around which are sharing the same lifestyle which is amazing.
Types of help and learning opportunities
Gardening
DIY and building projects
Babysitting and creative play
Creating/ Cooking family meals
General Maintenance
Help around the house
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
Jake is English, i am French and our daughter is bilingual, we are living here as part of a multi cultural community and building a sustainable life, cut off from the busy life of the city. The person helping us will be developing DIY skills and gain an experience of living off grid. Our experience could be really interesting for people willing to learn about becoming sustainable and building their own house, or more simply enjoying living in nature for a while, because even if there is work to do the natural beauty is always present an we do spend a lot of time outside. It is a very healthy set up and very good for the mind as wells the body. There are a number of gatherings in our area, from Portuguese lessons, to water meditation, women groups, yoga classes...Benfeita is a thriving village where volunteers who come often come back or even never leave!!!
Projects involving children
This project could involve children. For more information see our guidelines and tips here.
Help
Mostly we need help with keeping the land tidy and the wood pile stocked up , someone able to do some easy DIY finishing touches around the house and be supportive . Jake mainly does woodwork so a skilled woodworker would be ideal and could help building a woodshed.
The people coming into our family need to be
enthusiastic and motivated, keen cooks or keen to help in the kitchen , love spending time with children, not afraid to dig, strim and chop wood and carry stuff up and down the hillside, happy to spend the evening in the caravan on their own (or walk to the village cafe) as we need some family time after dinner (from 7 or 8).
Languages
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
French: Fluent
Portuguese: FluentThis 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.
Accommodation
We have a caravan on the top terrace of our land which has the best views of the valley! It s in very good condition and the gigantic bed is extra comfortable. It has running water and a gas cooker and a fridge. The bathroom is an luxury outbuilding with walk in shower.
What else ...
Benfeita is a transition village which has attracted quite a lot of like minded people from all over Europe in the last few years. There are regular social events like crafts markets and open mic nights where we all meet and have fun. On the other hand area has many walking trails, rivers and pretty villages, we live 20 minutes walk away from the beautiful Fraga da Pena waterfall and our valley is a place for those enjoy nature and peace.
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
Space for parking camper vans
Our park up is a little 4 min up the hill but we have a luxury bathroom available
Can possibly accept pets
There are sheep and chickens nearby so we can t accept dogs with a hunting nature.
How many Workawayers can stay?
Two
Hours expected
Maximum 4-5 hours a day, 5 days a week
