Learn a bit about gardening and enjoy a stay in Christchurch the garden city, New Zealand

Details

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  Description

  I live in Christchurch on the South Island of New Zealand . I have a 3 bedroom home with quite a big vegetable garden and good range of fruit trees. There is always plenty of work in the garden and around my home which I would be so grateful to have some help with.
  
  I am semi retired but still conduct tours as well as having a part time construction job and if I am not busy with any of the above I am playing tennis, table tennis, skiing , mountain biking or just enjoying our outdoor life here in Christchurch.
  
  I do offer homestays as part of my tour business for guests but also some of our former guests do come back and stay with us in exchange for help in our garden and around my home. We have a cat, and 5 chickens and often have 2 golden retriever s who stay with us. I speak Japanese having lived in Japan for 5 years. My home is about 5 kms from the city centre and Christchurch has many tourist activities such as Tranz Alpine, Whalewatching ,Swim with Dolphins, Hot spring, Wineries and glorious hiking and mountain bike tracks, 18 golf courses....Just a beautiful city to live in and share with our overseas guests.
  I am looking for visitors who might like to stay for 2 or 3 days rather than long term stays.
  
  I always have some project on the go to tidy up my home, lots of work involved with the glasshouse or vege garden or chickens or fruit trees. I am always distracted by sport or fishing or mountain biking so having someone come to stay for a few days and help me tidy up my garden and home area is a bonus. However the Chinese proverb of man who finish house die keeps me never wanting to complete my home and garden tidy up..
  
  I enjoy growing veges and enjoying to cook and eat them with friends so please join in.

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  Types of help and learning opportunities

  Language practice

  Help with Eco Projects

  Gardening

  DIY and building projects

  Animal Care

  Creating/ Cooking family meals

  Help around the house

  General Maintenance

  Help with Computers/ Internet
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  Interests

  

  Sustainability

  

  Animals

  

  Winter sports

  

  Outdoor activities

  

  Hiking

  

  Cycling

  

  Camping

  

  Beach

  

  Adventure sports
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  Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

  I have been a Japanese speaker for over 40 years having lived in Japan and hosted guests from Japan including 5 years as an English language teacher in Japan so can claim to have some skills with regards to helping overseas guests with English as a Second Language. I am very active so if my schedule allows and guests are keen to enjoy some outdoor activity more than happy to invite them to join in whatever sports I am up to if they are at an intermediate or above level. Guests also welcome to borrow bicycles and enjoy the city on our excellent cycleway s which the city is famous for. As a tour guide for over 30 years I really enjoy to share this great lifestyle and beautiful part of New Zealand that we live in and appreciate if our guests want to help and exchange and hopefully they can learn from us be it in our garden or cooking or in some of my DIY projects.

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  Help

  There are many raised vegetable beds, a large glasshouse and over 10 fruit trees so there is a lot of tending to do in the garden and around our home which we would be so grateful to have some help with.

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  Languages

  Languages spoken
  English: Fluent
  Japanese: Intermediate

  This host offers a language exchange
  Having been an English teacher for 5 years in Japan some 30 years ago can claim to have some skills when it comes to assisting our guests with English as a Second Language .
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  Accommodation

  A room with a double bed and single bed and an ensuite bathroom.

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  What else ...

  I have bicycles you can borrow or the main bus route is only 500 metres away and less than 10 minutes to the city centre. We are about 8 minutes walk away from one of Christchurch s largest shopping malls. There is a vast range of activities which are available in the city for active people from mountain biking park, 18 golf courses, pickle ball, table tennis, uncountable hiking courses in the port hills and the magnificent Botanical Gardens. So much to see and do

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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

  Most of my booking s come through the internet so someone who is digitally savvy is always welcome to try to upskill me. We have a really good internet connection service with 112.0 download and 161 upload.......

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  Space for parking camper vans

  This host can provide space for campervans.

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  How many Workawayers can stay?

  Two

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  My animals / pets

  

  Milly and Poppy (4 years)

  Poppy the younger one has just turned 3..Milly is 15 last September.. They are our friends dogs and she used to live next door so quite often we have them come and stay ...Most beautiful natured dogs and they get on well with our cat and chickens.

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