Profile information
Host rating
100 %
Last replied
13 Apr 2024
Reply rate
100.0 %
Usually responds within 3 days
Feedback
28
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Email verified
Badges (3)
Details
Description
Hello Workawayers!
I welcome you to my quiet and peaceful workshop to share and experience life at the foothills of Taiwan's Snowy Mountain Range - where the air is clean, the pace is slow and the people are warm and welcoming.
I used to be a tour consultant in Australia. I returned to Taiwan a couple of years ago and found a place to do something meaningful for my grandma and I. I am currently transforming my father's old warehouse into a workshop, tea area and an organic permaculture garden with chickens. I use upcycling methods to create new products and furniture. In the long term, I would like to create a co-working, knowledge sharing environment between both workawayers and the elderly and younger residents of Yilan.
Currently, my team consists of me, Stark, and Mia. Stark mainly helps with handcraft, chores and maintenance tasks. Mia helps us with social media and organizational tasks and chores. I am a fitness instructor for the elderly and lead the strategy, organization, and management of our project.
What we need:
Tasks for Workawayers vary depending on the season and project progress. Currently, assistance with organic farming, gardening, landscaping, permaculture, and upcycling construction is crucial. While I prioritize tasks aligned with our main objectives, I'm open to hearing about your skills and ideas for project contribution. Collaboration and mutual learning are encouraged beyond manual labor.
Routine:
During the afternoons, we focus on workshop projects, such as gardening, upcycling, weeding, or campsite maintenance, depending on your skills and interests.
Weekends often involve youth engagement activities or participation in community events like Garbage Busters.
You're welcome to join me in various tasks and events with my family and the community.
When applying, please provide:
1.Your availability and desired length of stay.
2.Your name, nationality, and social media handles for a brief introduction.
3.Your motivation for joining our project and any aspects that particularly intrigue you.
4.Details of any specific skills you can offer.
5.Would you prefer more guidance or are you comfortable thinking independently?
6.Any additional information about yourself, including allergies.
*Note: Please be aware that encounters with pests are possible here. If insects and critters pose an issue for you, kindly refrain from making a request.
During Typhoons:
For safety reasons, we do not accommodate guests when typhoons are forecasted. Your Workaway stay may be canceled or postponed during such times. We appreciate your understanding.
To indicate that you've read and agreed to all the information provided, please include (YilanHomgoo) in your application. If not, I might have to disregard your request. Apologies for any inconvenience caused.
Feel free to email me with any questions. Volunteers are accepted for a minimum of two weeks, but staying for a month is even better. Please specify your desired length of stay when replying. Thank you.
Types of help and learning opportunities
Art Projects
Language practice
Help with Eco Projects
Elderly Companionship
Teaching
Gardening
DIY and building projects
Animal Care
Creating/ Cooking family meals
Help around the house
Help with Computers/ Internet
UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
Yilan is home to waterfalls, hot springs, hiking trails and surfing spots which can be explored on your days off or before we start work.
We are also a one-hour bus ride from Taipei if you want to spend your days off in the city.
There are some opportunities to interact with the local people, either by participating in fitness classes with the elderly in the mornings or joining dinner parties with my friends in the evenings
Help
Daily tasks are varied and dependent on the season and progress of the project. Help hours are normally 2:30-6:30 pm, the first hour is spent doing maintenance around the garden, followed by three hours to focus on the workshop projects. Once a week we hold an anti-littering silent protest(Garbage busters) to encourage the local neighbors to be proactive in caring for their environment.
Currently, I need help with organic farming, gardening, landscaping, permaculture. upcycling construction, hand crafts, art installations and murals.
I am open to your ideas and suggestions and promote a collaborative helping environment.
Languages
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
Chinese (Mandarin): Fluent
Korean: BeginnerThis 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
The accommodation is a traditional Taiwanese house in the countryside. The house has two bedrooms, a living room, a kitchen/dining room, and a bathroom. It is located 2 minutes from the workshop, a 3 min bike ride to the nearest FamilyMart, and a 15 min bike ride to the nearest supermarket.
The bedrooms have traditional Taiwanese mattresses, pillows, pillow cases, sheets, and sleeping bags.
The kitchen has a small fridge, a rice cooker, an induction hot plate, and a jug. Pots, pans, and cutlery are available for use, however no meals/food is provided. You can pick vegetables from the nearby garden, and there are some basic cooking supplies left behind by previous volunteers.
The bathroom has a western style toilet and a shower with hot water. Please bring your own shampoo and soap.
There is no wifi in the house however there is a limited WIFI access near the roadside. You can also buy a Taiwanese sim card with data from either the airport or a mobile store.
The house is shared only by workawayers and it is expected that you keep the place clean and tidy up after yourself while you are there.
Sometimes you may see insects/spiders/geckos/rats inside the house due to the style and location. Mosquitoes are also popular in the early evening so it is recommended that you bring insect repellent and wear long pants.
What else ...
Surfing spot ,waterfall and hot spring are nearby. Also, it only takes 1 hour to Taipei.
*️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️*️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️*️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️It's not a fancy place, just a simple traditional house. I am renovating the house slowly, but this takes time.
It needs some labor jobs. Please don't request, if you don't want to do work. Also, please remember this is a place for international friends, which means we all must give a little extra effort to respect each other. For me, this is the essence of traveling.
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
How many Workawayers can stay?
Two
Hours expected
15 hours per week
Feedback (23)
Homgoo, Mia, Stark and Pan are all welcoming and kind! I felt that people went particularly above and beyond to make my time special and to show me uniquely Taiwanese experiences.
The Good:
• So much freedom to discuss with those living there to develop your own projects. In my case, I tagged along to help do the day-to-day… read more
Feedback
These are extra optional ratings when members leave feedback. The average rating left for each option is displayed.
Accuracy of profile:
(4.9)
Cultural exchange:
(4.9)
Communication:
(4.9)
Homgoo, Mia, Stark and Pan are all welcoming and kind! I felt that people went particularly above and beyond to make my time special and to show me uniquely Taiwanese experiences.
The Good:
• So much freedom to discuss with those living there to develop your own projects. In my case, I tagged along to help do the day-to-day… read more
As a someone outside the community he is looking to learn as much as he can from you, your culture, your expertise. And… read more
I helped out by creating an… read more
The Village is one of those of those rare, special places that, as my fellow workawayer Ed put it, "it's heaven on earth".
For two weeks I was surrounded by incredibly kind, generous and… read more
Especially he helped me clean and make the old house more comfortable. It changed a lot and also he shared some good ideas for me. I
The idea of the project is great and the host is dedicated to use your best skills for the project. As a former… read more
