Mononoque - Self sustainable living on the sacred mountain of Iguaque in Arcabuco, Colombia

Details

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  Description

  ENGLISH:
  
  Hello!
  
  My name is Camilo and I live in the sacred mountain of Iguaque, on the side of Arcabuco, Boyacá. My project, Mononoque, is to designate this piece of mountain as a Nature Reserve and live there in the most self-sufficient way possible. I seek to integrate art, environmental education and healing with plants and traditional ceremonies with community participation.
  
  This mountain is truly magical. The native forest surrounds the clearest areas and you can walk to the top of the mountain, where you can see the páramo ecosystem. The water we use comes directly from a spring in the mountains. Many native birds are seen or heard here, such as several species of tanagers, owls, eagles, hawks and others, and many other small animals and insects. The climate can be hot/warm during the day in summer, and cold at night. In winter it can rain a lot, either day or night.
  
  Right now the project is in its infancy, and I need help growing the garden by planting organically and with native plants, building the stone and wood cabin, creating an ecological trail, and much, much more :)
  
  Here in Mononoque you'd sleep in a tent. If you want to bring your own, that is great, but I have two tents that I can lend to individuals, couples, friends. I also have a soft mattress for the smaller tent, and an inflatable mattress for the larger one, along with one two-person sleeping bag, two individual sleeping bags, pillows and an assortment of blankets. The exchange is accommodation throughout the stay, and food from Monday to Friday, in exchange for various help from Monday to Friday; weeding, sowing, opening ditches, leveling land, collecting fertilizer from the forest, preparing fertilizer, moving stones and wood, building a hut, cooking, harvesting, etc. The work is approximately 5 hours a day, Monday through Friday.
  
  It seems important to me to mention that this type of volunteering interests me not only for the help I can receive or the specific practices that volunteers can learn, but for the personal and cultural exchange. That's why I prefer people who can/want to stay for at least 3-4 weeks. More time is great!
  
  
  SPANISH:
  
  Hola!
  
  Me llamo Camilo y vivo en la sagrada montaña de Iguaque, del lado de Arcabuco, Boyacá. Mi proyecto, Mononoque, es designar este pedazo de montaña como Reserva Natural y vivir ahi de la manera más autosuficiente posible. Busco integrar arte, educación ambiental y sanación con plantas y ceremonias tradicionales con la participación de la comunidad.
  
  Esta montaña es realmente mágica. El bosque nativo rodea las zonas más despejadas y se puede caminar hasta la cima de la montaña, donde se puede apreciar el ecosistema de páramo. El agua que utilizamos viene directamente de un nacimiento en el montaña. Acá se ven o se escuchan muchas aves nativas, como varias especies de Tangaras, búhos, águilas, halcones y otras, y muchos otros pequeños animales e insectos. El clima es caliente durante el día en verano, y frio durante la noche. En el invierno puede llover bastante, ya sea día o noche.
  
  En este momento el proyecto está en su infancia, y necesito ayuda para crecer la huerta sembrando de forma orgánica y con plantas nativas, construir la cabaña de piedra y madera, crear un sendero ecológico, y mucho, mucho más :)
  
  Acá en Mononoque la dormida es en carpa. Si puedes traer la tuya, mejor, pero tengo dos carpas que puedo prestar a individuos, parejas, amiguis. El intercambio es alojamiento durante toda la estadía, y comida de Lunes a Viernes, a cambio de ayuda variada de Lunes a Viernes; desyerbar, sembrar, abrir zanjas, nivelar tierra, recoger abono del bosque, preparar abono, mover piedras y madera, construir cabaña, cocinar, cosechar, etc. El trabajo es de aproximadamente 5 horas diarias.
  
  Me parece importante mencionar que este tipo de voluntariado me interesa no solo por la ayuda que pueda recibir o las practicas concretas que voluntaries puedan aprender, sino por el intercambio personal y cultural. Por eso prefiero personas que puedan/quieran quedarse entre 3-4 semanas mínimo.

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  Types of help and learning opportunities

  Art Projects

  Language practice

  Help with Eco Projects

  Gardening

  DIY and building projects

  Animal Care

  Creating/ Cooking family meals

  Help around the house

  General Maintenance
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  Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

  The town of Arcabuco is close to Mononoque and is a very quiet place. There you can see and learn more about the daily life of locals. With longer stays, there are more opportunities to learn about other projects in the area and have deeper cultural and personal exchanges. Here in Mononoque you will also have the opportunity to be within nature, in a meditative way. At the same time we learn a lot about how to live in a more sustainable way.
  
  ...
  
  El pueblo de Arcabuco queda cerca a Mononoque y es un lugar muy tranquilo. Ahí podrás ver y conocer más sobre la vida cotidiana de la gente campesina. Con estadías más largas, hay más oportunidades para conocer otros proyectos de la zona y tener intercambios culturales y personales más profundos. Acá en Mononoque también tendrás la oportunidad de estar con la naturaleza, de forma meditativa. A la misma vez aprendemos mucho de cómo vivir de una manera más sostenible.

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  Help

  Any level of experience is welcome, as long as you come with the intention of helping, learning, and sharing. The help I need includes:
  Weeding, stone/wood construction, cooking, collecting wood for the fire, creating/maintaining compost, carrying heavy materials uphill, sowing, planting seedlings, clearing path for ecological trail.
  
  ...
  
  Cualquier nivel de experiencia es bienvenida, con tal de que vengas con la intención de ayudar, aprender, y compartir. La ayuda que necesito incluye:
  Desyerbar, construcción en piedra/madera, cocinar, recoger madera para el fuego, crear/mantener abono, cargar materiales pesados en subida, sembrar semilleros y plántulas, limpiar camino para sendero ecológico.

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  Languages

  Languages spoken
  English: Fluent
  Spanish: Fluent
  French: Intermediate
  Japanese: Beginner

  This host offers a language exchange
  Always interested in learning a new language and happy to share back my own
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  Accommodation

  Carpa - Alps Tasmanian (incluida). La carpa incluye colchón, saco de dormir, almohadas y cobijas.
  
  Tent - Alps Tasmanian (provided). The tent includes a mattress and sleeping bag, pillow, and blankets.
  
  I will provide food from Monday to Friday as part of the exchange. For weekends, workawayers can either go into town for food, bring food, or we can all buy food together.

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  What else ...

  We normally do work between breakfast and lunch. Lunch is usually late, like 3pm, but after lunch everyone does what they want. I usually walk, read, or knit in the afternoon.
  
  ...
  
  El trabajo normalmente lo hacemos entre el desayuno y el almuerzo. El almuerzo suele ser tarde, tipo 3pm, pero después de almorzar cada quien hace lo que quiera. Yo generalmente camino, leo, o tejo en la tarde.

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  A little more information

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    Internet access

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    Limited internet access

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    We have pets

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    We are smokers

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    Can host families

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  How many Workawayers can stay?

  More than two

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  Hours expected

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

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