Profile information
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Host rating
100 %
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Last replied
14 Sep 2026
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Reply rate
90.9 %
Usually responds within 2 days
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Feedback
9
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ID verified
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Email verified
Badges (5)
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Details
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Description
Hi! My name is Carmen. We (my partner David, our 2 cats and 1 dog) live on a small urban property in the heart of Victoria, BC. I'm an Indigenous language teacher (Anishinaabemowin) and an educator at the University of Victoria, and David owns a fiction editing business and is an author. Mino, our dog is a sweet little black and white basenji who loves cuddles and hiking. Our cats are also very cuddly characters! We also have a ridgeback puppy now. Her name is Shiime and she has boundless energy. She's a pretty big puppy, so anyone who comes to stay should be okay with big dogs. We're teaching her not to jump up but she still does sometimes does so without warning.
In the past, we have done a lot of hosting over Workaway as we prepared to sell our Steele house. We're so grateful for the people who made that possible!
Our new home is in the absolute heart of Fernwood. We're overjoyed to live in and share this vibrant and energetic neighbourhood with travelers. We are about a 10-15 minute walk from downtown, near a community centre, lots of nice parks and spots to walk.
We love to share our lives and meals with new people and are always happy to show visitors around. We hike daily with Mino and Shiime, so you are always welcome to tag along on our walks.
We have so far really loved hosting guests from all around the world and look forward to meeting you.
Note: We have household sensitives to cigarette smoke and perfume, so we can't accommodate people who smoke or use many heavily scented products. -
Types of help and learning opportunities
Art Projects
Help with Eco Projects
Light gardening
Creative DIY projects
Animal Care
Help around the house
Light maintenance
Help with Computers/ Internet
House & pet sitting
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Interests
Sustainability
Self development
Politics / Social justice
Pets
LGBTQ
Events & social
Culture
Charity work
Writing
Plant care
Photography
Performing arts
Music
Languages
Gardening
Drawing & painting
DIY & crafts
Cooking & food
Books
Art & design
Animals
Sailing / Boating
Outdoor activities
Mountain
Nature
Beach
Hiking
Dancing
Cycling
Camping -
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
We can provide meals, potlucks (which we host regularly), community connections, conversation, hiking, canoeing, camping trips, and perhaps even some experiences with Anishinaabemowin learning!
We have both taught English in Canada and abroad and also love to support language learning goals!
We believe in reciprocity and mutual learning, whether that’s over a shared meal, while working side by side, or exploring language and culture together.
So far, through Workaway we have made lifelong friends and connections. This has been a great experience for us. We look forward to meeting you! -
Projects involving children
This project could involve children. For more information see our guidelines and tips here.
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Help
We’re looking for help with two things:
Pet care, for instance walks with our puppy. Taking the dogs to the park. It would be really nice if you have dog experience! Both of our dogs are sight hounds.
Light, collaborative renovation projects. We are slowly rennovating our new home and learning lots as we go.
We’re not hiring tradespeople through Workaway, just hoping to share the workload with travelers who are interested in learning and working alongside us. We’ll be doing the work too and hiring professionals when needed.
This is a great fit if you enjoy hands-on tasks, working with others, and contributing to creative home projects. No experience required—just curiosity and a willingness to get your hands dirty. -
Languages
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
Spanish: Fluent
French: IntermediateThis host offers a language exchange
I am a language teacher. I teach and learn Anishinaabemowin, my language, which is Indigenous to the Great Lakes area of Canada. I'm extremely interested in language acquisition. -
Accommodation
We have a private bedroom on the top floor of our home, which we are currently rennovating. There is a bathroom there, which would be primarily yours. Plus a kitchen which we are rennovating. We have a kitchen and bathroom downstairs also which we are happy to share if/when the kitchen and bathroom upstairs are being worked on.
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What else ...
There is lots to do with time off in Victoria. We are near to downtown (within walking distance), but also quite near to many hiking opportunities. Lots of music to hear, theatre to watch, and art to take in! Let us know what you are interested in, and we can give you some ideas.
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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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Can host digital nomads
We don't have the best ergonomic set up for working but we will do our best to accommodate.
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Space for parking camper vans
We only have on-street parking, so this might be a little difficult though not impossible.
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How many Workawayers can stay?
Two
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My animals / pets
Shiime (6 months)
Shiime is an energetic ridgeback baby. She will soon become a very large baby and is still learning her manners, but she is very sweet and cuddly when she is tired!
Roke
Roke loves people!
Ishk
Boisterous and sweet. Very cuddly and welcoming.
Mino Malone
Mino loves new friends!
Chat with Workawayers who've visited this host
Feedback (3)
We shared games nights, watched films, went on hikes, and just generally really were … read more
Thanks so much for all of your help!
Photos
Chat with Workawayers who've visited this host
Feedback
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Accuracy of profile:
(5.0)
Cultural exchange:
(5.0)
Communication:
(5.0)
We shared games nights, watched films, went on hikes, and just generally really were … read more
Thanks so much for all of your help!
We had many lovely and meaningful conversations with them.
They are truly kind and open-minded people.
The work was enjoyable and not too hard.
We also got to go on walks together with them and their dog — it was really nice.
The stay was very pleasant, and we felt completely at ease.
Thank you so much, … read more
We spent late summer evenings eating together in the garden and trading stories. They gave us great local tips, from the best ice cream and breweries to scenic drives and neighborhoods worth exploring. We also really … read more
