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Learn about landscape, crafts, traditional music and wildfires in a rural environment, Avola, Sicily, Italy

  • Favourited 2271 times
  • Last activity: 17 Mar 2024

Availability

  2024 

 Min stay requested: at least a week

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Details

  • Description

    Description

    Hello dear traveller, I'm Lorenzo a 36 years Sicilian guy.
    I grow up and now I live in the countryside, in south-east of Sicily, on the top of a hill close to Avola (Siracusa), surrounded by Mediterranean wild nature, with an open view to the sea.
    After being a farmer on my land I quitted. I started discovering my creative side and making jewelry, using natural materials that I harvest from more then 50 plants in this part of Sicily. I sell it on a street market in my wonderful city: Noto.
    I also play and sing Sicilian music
    Plants, sustainability, food, crafts, and everything is about being using our intuitive side making or fixing things. I love building problem solving.
    Ah, you will probably hear a lot about wild fires too as it is a big problem on this part of Sicily and I'm cofounder of a Social Movement to struggle it.

    I really believe in creativity as one of the basic values of my life, as for me creating is kind of therapy/meditation.
    I cannot imagine myself living far from nature and creativity. One of my dreams, a day, is to found a community in this huge land, as I really believe in Collaboration too.
    I enjoy so much Workaway as my personal way to open my mind and travel around the world (I'm not a good traveller) knowing other people. I'm curious about who are you, what you are coming to do in this life and what we are going to share opening my world and my house to you.
    I live in a little house on a part on the top of a hill, built on the rock, attached to a big cave, near my parents house (we are neighbours) and the jewelry studio. I share my house with volunteers: kitchen, living room and bathroom for showers (we prefer to use outdoor compost toilets, there is one for every caravan). I provide food for every meal. Breakfast you can prepare and eat yourself and lunch and dinner are shared.
    There are also a cat and 2 dogs around that love to be cuddled.
    And since few Months, we converted a Caravan into a Sauna to enjoy in wintertime!
    I speak English, Spanish, French and Sicilian. I eat and cook organic food, mostly vegetarian/vegan and local.

    My place is not a total Freestyle one. I have some simple rules of what there is to know about the use of the house and the spaces, to care a bit of my privacy, my lifestyle and my objects/tools. I'm generally very clear about the work that has to be done and how (details are important to me), always open to new idea to be shared and get from you.
    The Internet access here is limited, so I cannot provide you a fast and unlimited connection to watch movies, videos or work with heavy stuff.

    I almost always prefer hosting people already skilled in the kind of help I need, so:
    HANDY PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY WITH DIY SKILLS AND WOODWORK SKILLS, VEGAN-VEGETARIAN-GLUTEN-FREE COOKING SKILLED PEOPLE, CREATIVE/ARTISTIC PEOPLE ESPECIALLY WITH SKILLS CONNECTED TO FASHION AND ADVERTISEMENT, ARE ESPECIALLY WELCOME, more if you have two or more of these skills together.
    I especially prefer people already used to country life able to use their hands, cook for their selves and others and physically fit, able to be flexible and adapt to new environments and people, possibly use to drive and with an independent but social attitude.
    So this is not a place for city people that want to learn about everything.

  • Types of help and learning opportunities

    Types of help and learning opportunities

    Art Projects
    Help with Eco Projects
    Gardening
    DIY and building projects
    Farmstay help
    Creating/ Cooking family meals
    Help around the house
    General Maintenance
    Help with Computers/ Internet
  • UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve

    UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve

    UN goals
    No poverty
    Zero hunger
    Good health and well-being
    Quality education
    Gender equality
    Clean water and sanitation
    Affordable and clean energy
    Decent work and economic growth
    Industries, innovation and infrastructure
    Reduce inequality
    Sustainable cities and communities
    Responsible consumption and production
    Climate action
    Life below water
    Life on land
    Peace, justice and strong institutions
    Partnerships for the goals
  • Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

    Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

    I love to share about:
    - local plants, landscape and environment
    -local cities, architecture and rural history
    - traditional Sicilian music, songs, instruments and life style
    - natural jewelry, creativity, and hand crafts in general
    -woodwork
    -wildfires and how to struggle it
    -rural life
    -community life, eco villages, sustainable life

  • Projects involving children

    Projects involving children

    This project could involve children. For more information see our guidelines and tips here.

  • Help

    Help

    what are you going to do here:
    -help in the kitchen cooking/baking
    -help in the big work of Isolation of my house and the cave from a big rain infiltration
    -build, create with wood/iron, fix stuff, project new compost toilets
    -improve the quality of life in and around the house (ordening, cleaning and more)
    -empty, clean and order the cave
    -take pictures, record videos, make graphic design
    -cut and collect grass around the borders of the property to protect it from wild fires

    Generally I try to concentrate the tasks in the morning to leave you free on afternoons (from around 8,30 to 13,30, but it's flexible depending on you, the work and the temperatures)
    I like to share but even to have independent people, so often the work can be independent but with me on a side to make it more clear.

    Workawayers will not be asked to help with business-related activities.

  • Languages

    Languages spoken
    English: Fluent
    Spanish: Fluent
    Italian: Fluent
    French: Intermediate

    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.

  • Accommodation

    Accommodation

    Accommodation in two caravans both with a double and a single bed (3 places hitch: a double and a single bed, even good for a family, we don't ask you to share it with people that you don't know, so you could always have your privacy), and tent in summertime.
    People traveling with their own Van-Camper are super welcome too.
    In summer I can also provide you a tent and mattress.
    In Summer I provide a tent accommodation too(a nice cotton vintage tent).

  • What else ...

    What else ...

    Avola is the closest city (5 km) and there's need of a car to move from here to other places. When you’ll arrive I'll come to pick you up from the bus/train station if you want (you could even walk if you feel like it :P but is a long steep way). In Avola you can take buses/trains to the principal cities in the area.
    We are very close to the fantastic Cava Grande natural reserve, the biggest canyon in Europe and quite close to the sea (7 km), this area is very special because of the lime stones and deep valleys with rivers where you can often swim.
    The sea is quite close(you see it from here), as other natural reserves in the area like Vendicari on the sea, with its salty lake with flamingos, and very nice natural beaches.
    I share my car with you if feel like driving, if you take care of it and put the gasoline you use.

  • A little more information

    A little more information

    • Internet access

    • Limited internet access

      Limited internet access

    • We have pets

    • We are smokers

    • Can host families

  • Space for parking camper vans

    Space for parking camper vans

    If you travel with your Van/Camper you are Super Welcome! We already had experience with it, so we have nice spots with electricity, water access and shade.

  • Can possibly accept pets

    Can possibly accept pets

    I already had experience hosting volunteer's cats and was fine. Dogs is probably much difficult, but let's talk about if you have a pet with you.

  • How many Workawayers can stay?

    How many Workawayers can stay?

    More than two

  • ...

    Hours expected

    Maximum 4-5 hours a day, 5 days a week

Host ref number: 721372774154

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