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Host rating
100 %
Last replied
16 Apr 2024
Reply rate
100.0 %
Usually responds within 5 days
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Details
Description
Hi, my name is John and myself and my wife Asli (we have no children) live in the Bodrum Peninsular of Turkey, surrounded by nature. We moved here from Bali 4 years ago and bought a 3ha property about 50 minutes from Bodrum and 30 minutes from the sea and 30 minutes from Milas with the intention of building a retreat centre with attached permaculture gardens and a food forest. So for the past 3 years we have been building our house, the retreat centre, a natural pool and sauna, the solar system and water works, as well as growing as much of our own food as we can, including harvesting our own olives from our 40 or so olive trees and making our own olive oil, and planting lots of trees around the property and for the food forest.
The retreat centre side of things is nearing completion. There is now a yoga shala and 10 accommodation yurts with attached bathrooms that can accommodate up to 25 guests and a communal kitchen. It is in one of these yurts that the Workaway travelers will stay.
However, we do need on-going help in the permaculture gardens and food forest.
Types of help and learning opportunities
Art Projects
Help with Eco Projects
Gardening
Farmstay help
Creating/ Cooking family meals
General Maintenance
UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
I used to be an English language teacher/teacher trainer so this could be an opportunity for those wishing to practice and improve their English language skills (or join me in learning Turkish!). I have also been a permaculturalist for many years and I love exploring this topic as it applies to this property with others.
We live on the edge a typical Turkish mediterranean village so this is a great opportunity for anyone wishing to experience a truly rural way of life.
Turkey is full of ancient sites including the Bodrum peninsular so there is plenty of sight-seeing opportunities in the area.
Bodrum is one of Turkey's premiere tourist destinations with a crusader castle, amphitheatre, large marina with many boats catering for day trips to secluded bays and a vibrant market and night life.
Projects involving children
This project could involve children. For more information see our guidelines and tips here.
Help
There are two opportunities for travelers here. Firstly help with the gardens and food forest including weeding, site preparation, planting, setting up drip systems, watering and wood-chipping. So it is important travellers are happy to get their hands dirty and to work close to the ground.
The second opportunity involves food preparation and cooking for the evening meal.
There will also be opportunities to help out in whatever eco-projects or garden art projects (including making mandala gardens) that are on-going at the time of the travelers' visits.
Languages
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
Indonesian: Intermediate
Turkish: Beginner
Chinese (Mandarin): BeginnerThis host offers a language exchange
I have been an English language teacher and teacher trainer for many years and so I am more than happy to offer language exchange.
Accommodation
The travelers will stay in one of the Turkish style yurts. There are yurts for single people or couples all with attached bathrooms. The travelers can either eat with us (we are both vegetarian but we don't eat dairy, and we both recently started eating fish again occasionally!) or if preferred they can cook their own meals in the communal kitchen or mix it up, sometimes eating with us or sometimes cooking their own meals.
If the traveller has specifically come to prepare and cook our family meals then they will need to be aware of our dietary preferences.
What else ...
As previously mentioned, this area of Turkey if full of interesting historical sites to visit as well as gorgeous beaches and seaside villages a short drive away. We do live in a remote area so if the traveller is keen on exploring the surroundings then having one's own transport is preferable. Public transport is available in the village but it is infrequent. There are lots of opportunities for hiking in the area, mountain biking, too, although as yet we do not have our own mountain bikes.
We enjoy the quiet of rural life but having a yoga shala allows for impromptu music and dance.
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
Can host digital nomads
We have a good internet connection and will shortly purchase a booster so it can be accessed all over the property. If the traveller has a Turkcell sim card then additionally the internet can easily be accessed via their cellular data. Other sim cards don't work nearly so well.
Space for parking camper vans
There is lots of flat space for workdays to park their camper van. Access to a yurt bathroom or the communal kitchen is still possible if needed.
Can possibly accept pets
Pets are acceptable but only if they are happy to live 100% outside.
How many Workawayers can stay?
More than two
Hours expected
Maximum 4-5 hours a day, 5 days a week
Feedback (15)
If you want respect in your work and as a person, if you want clear communication, if you want interesting conversation and good times, if you want to learn about permaculture and gardening, if you want a beautiful place to practice yoga or meditation - THIS IS THE PLACE
Check it… read more
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If you want respect in your work and as a person, if you want clear communication, if you want interesting conversation and good times, if you want to learn about permaculture and gardening, if you want a beautiful place to practice yoga or meditation - THIS IS THE PLACE
Check it… read more
During this time we were making wood chips, building stone walls around olive… read more
We spent two wonderful weeks at Nefes Vadesi working with John in the permaculture gardens. John is a wealth of knowledge and incredibly patient - it was truly a pleasure to… read more
