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Description
I'm an Software Engineer, IT director and digital nomad originally from Ispica, a small city in the Sicilian southeast.
I went to live abroad since after university, and in many aspects I'm not a typical Sicilian. Anyway, my parents and relatives live here, so I'm now starting an experimental project to open up a piece of land belonging to my father, in the nearby canyon, so that locals and visitors can enjoy in its natural form through various activities.
I love being in nature, backpacking, bikepacking, hiking, and all sorts of adventure travel formats.
I've traveled extensively and I plan to explore more, and this local project is an attempt to give a positive impact to my homeland, hoping for more people to appreciate nature without abusing it.
Types of help and learning opportunities
Art Projects
Language practice
Help with Eco Projects
Light gardening
Creative DIY projects
Creating/ Cooking family meals
Interests
Charity work
Van life
Technology
Sustainability
Politics / Social justice
Self development
Events & social
Photography
Music
Languages
Hitchhiking
DIY & crafts
Yoga / Wellness
Outdoor activities
Beach
Nature
Mountain
Hiking
Dancing
Cycling
Camping
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
Even if this is my first workaway hosting experience, I've already experienced being a workawayer myself when traveling around the world, and I've also hosted through Couchsurfing and similar free hospitality platforms. I love cultural exchange and I want to offer as much as possible the beauties that my homeland has to offer.
During your stay, expect:
- language exchange opportunities.
- frequent trips to nearby natural and cultural landmarks.
- meeting locals and partecipate in their social life.
- try out local food and drinks.
- learn about the Sicilian cultural heritage.
Help
I'm mainly looking for extra hands to prepare and maintain the land. A good fitness level is required, as the land is inside a canyon, which implies a lot of walks in and out of it, through uneven and unpaved paths. Among the possible tasks are:
- clean the caves, mostly vacuuming the floor and walls.
- map and label fruit trees and generate short educational info kits about them.
- cut off infesting canes and clear walking paths.
- craft furniture with cut canes and other locally sourced materials.
- restore dry stone walls.
- take care of fruit trees and aromatic plants (watering, trimming, ...).
- grocery shopping, cooking, washing dishes.
- optionally, even other improvised tasks in the nearby cultural center.
I'm not an expert into any of these tasks, but I'll bring experts over to teach us how to (unless you're already an expert in the field).
Languages
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
Spanish: Fluent
Italian: Fluent
French: Intermediate
Portuguese: Intermediate
Chinese (Mandarin): BeginnerThis host offers a language exchange
Locals often speak Sicilian, and I can teach you a little of it as well.
Accommodation
There are two accommodation options:
- Camp in the caves or between fruit trees. I provide the tents, mats, pillows and linens. Available cold water, cold shower, camping toilet, camping stove, limited electricity and network coverage.
- At 30 minutes walking distance from the volunteering place, there's a room available with standard comforts: shared toilet, hot water, shower, air conditioning, good network coverage, gas stove, and a fridge. The room may be shared with other volunteers.
For food, I will provide local grocery products and an optional communal preparation of food can be arranged when more volunteers are around. Within reasonable price, I may accommodate for specific dietary requirements.
From time to time, you'll also be invited to have lunch or dinner with my family or friends (no obligation to accept).
What else ...
I'll make one or two bicycles availabile for you to enjoy riding within Ispica and surroundings.
You can freely have seasonal fruits directly from our trees.
For your time off, I may show you around, either by car, bicycle or public transportation. I usually work during the evenings Monday to Friday, so I will be able to offer my guidance only on the mornings.
Public transportation here is not very efficient (frequent delays, complicated layovers, bad online booking experiences), so I'll help you understanding how to get most from it and when to avoid it.
If you have a valid driving license, you can rent a car from the few rental agencies in town.
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
Can host digital nomads
There is limited network coverage in the canyon. Good enough for online meetings, but not enough for uploading high quality streaming or fast download of big files (such as those needed for video production).
Space for parking camper vans
There's a big parking lot nearby the canyon, and I've seen motorhomes parking there even overnight. There is no special infrastructure for camping tho.
How many Workawayers can stay?
More than two
My animals / pets
Photos
