Profile information
Host rating
100 %
Last replied
1 Sep 2025
Reply rate
100.0 %
Usually responds within 1 day
Feedback
32
ID verified
Email verified
Host offers payment
Badges (4)
Details
Description
When we began hosting workers in 2017, we were a hardworking family made up of Alessandra and Emanuele (both now 56), Emanuele's parents (Renzo and Maria, who passed away in 2021 due to old age), two dogs: Momo (who recently passed away in July 2025) and Nero, and two cats, Tina and Pippo, who remain skilled and indispensable hunters.
In 2018, Sidi joined us at 17 (a foster child from Mali, now married and living in nearby Voghera), and in 2023, a second foster child, Abdul, was added at 5 (the foster care ended in June 2025). We have thus returned to being a small family, less noisy but still happy to welcome people like you.
We have decided to move away from the city to reclaim a life closer to nature. We want to build a place in harmony with what we feel: a small farm. A straw bale house. A moment of happy crisis and work-related respite.
Types of help and learning opportunities
Language practice
Teaching
Gardening
DIY and building projects
Creating/ Cooking family meals
Help around the house
General Maintenance
House sitting
Interests
Farming
Pets
Sustainability
Vegetarian or vegan
Van life
Movies & TV
Culture
Writing
Music
Drawing & painting
Books
Art & design
Animals
Yoga / Wellness
Mountain
Hiking
Dancing
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
We live a simple life in contact with nature. We are mindful of energy saving, water cycles, bio-building, waste recycling, and local consumption. We like to know how things work. Emanuele is expert in construction. Alessandra is an excellent cook.
Au Pair Help
Further details can be found here
Projects involving children
This project could involve children. For more information see our guidelines and tips here.
Help
We are still working to improve the place we live in. We need help to build shelter for animals, arrange the garden (spring / summer), build fences, arrange the existing buildings, cut the wood for the winter.
Languages
Languages spoken
Italian: Fluent
English: IntermediateThis host offers a language exchange
Interested in learning English and teaching Italiano
Accommodation
Volunteers will be able to sleep in an independent (max 4 person) apartment, with private bathroom, but without a kitchen. There is a chance to have their own fridge, but we would like to share the meal times to give more meaning to cultural exchange.
What else ...
We live in a small country (10 inhabitants) in the middle of the anything. Walk you can reach a small bar, but for other stores you need to take the car. There is a service bus that connects the main location. In the summer there are many cultural events and food. In the winter need to move a bit more away for leisure. Cities that you can visit from here are Milano, Pavia,Vigevano, Piacenza, Genova.
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
Can host digital nomads
We no longer have a wi-fi connection: we use our phones as routers. So those few times that we will both be absent we cannot guarantee connection.
Space for parking camper vans
This host can provide space for campervans.
How many Workawayers can stay?
More than two
My animals / pets
Nero
Chat with Workawayers who've visited this host
Feedback (14)
Thanks to his cheerful and jovial spirit we spent some wonderful moments sharing and playing.
He's a teacher: we really appreciated the fact that he took care to explain himself and corrected our pronunciation and comprehension errors. Gotcha!
We hope to meet again on the journey.
There is plenty to do on break days, such as a day trip to Genoa, some small hikes, or just walking across the beautiful landscape. The work… read more
Taavi helped us complete many difficult and demanding tasks, even under a merciless sun.
Despite his young age, he was a valuable workmate.
Photos
Chat with Workawayers who've visited this host
Feedback
These are extra optional ratings when members leave feedback. The average rating left for each option is displayed.
Accuracy of profile:
(5.0)
Cultural exchange:
(5.0)
Communication:
(4.9)
Thanks to his cheerful and jovial spirit we spent some wonderful moments sharing and playing.
He's a teacher: we really appreciated the fact that he took care to explain himself and corrected our pronunciation and comprehension errors. Gotcha!
We hope to meet again on the journey.
There is plenty to do on break days, such as a day trip to Genoa, some small hikes, or just walking across the beautiful landscape. The work… read more
Taavi helped us complete many difficult and demanding tasks, even under a merciless sun.
Despite his young age, he was a valuable workmate.
Maria, much more outgoing, (as a good psychologist) loves to know how we are and how to be helpful.
Both were hard workers even in tiring heat and often took the initiative to do work beyond… read more
Thank you so much for the wonderful company, card games, and (of course) the incredible food! Sending my love to Momo and Nero and I… read more
A presence that interests and cheers everyday life.
Not to be bored!
His air of old-fashioned gentlemen, his particular elegance of manners and his affability make him a perfect host for summer dinners. Ask him about Irish culture: he likes to talk about it.
The period of time spent with her was filled with intense chatter about ours and her history: a very fruitful intercultural and intergenerational exchange.
One thing is certain: she is not afraid of the hard work done under an authentic and… read more
Seriously, Magda presents herself as shy and not up to par but in reality she is strong, courageous and very nice.
With us she worked all the hours we had decided even if the weather was unfavorable, she trusted what she had read about… read more
Although young people asked us to do hard work that they did well.
Eager to share they were pleasant playmates, stories, impressions and above all laughter.
For those who don't want to get bored.
Silent and enterprising worker. Thanks to his initiative he completes the work he has seen him do even without explaining everything to her.
It was a lot of fun to have her as a collaborator and to note that she was ready to provide the right tool or piece at the right time, like a nurse in the operating room.
His professional advice as… read more
Always smiling is a very helpful workmate, besides being a pleasant playmate
Enterprising, precise, he uses imagination and inventiveness to carry out works begun together and finished by himself excellently.
Friendly and sympathetic even if at first it may seem more introverted and thoughtful we consider it a good workawayer
Staying with them was pleasant and interesting because they are starting a project similar to ours.
They are people full of energy and positive… read more
Paravello is a lovely hamlet in the beautiful countryside south from Milan. Great scenery, perfect for hikes and hill running ;) There is a little bar down the hill where you can indulge in the tastiest ice creams, perfect… read more
In the short time she was with us we worked together, we saw her working hard alone, she prepared a plate of her land and told us how to do art therapy (something that we could not experience on us) .
The rain kept us company in those days but it would be… read more
We learned a lot from them about simple and happy family life.
Every thing we did together was enjoyable and meaningful: cuting wood, building, walking in the forest, watching movies, playing games, exchanging recipes and eating what we all cooked.
We also learned what you can achieve with your own… read more
Precise and accurate, they placed every instrument used in their place, creating an order that was often better than before.
Regarding working hours, they accepted our every proposal without discussion.
They prepared delicious food.
In their eyes was the serenity and the joy… read more
Alessandra and Emanuele's house is in a really nice place. Surrounded by hills, little villages, woods...And the… read more
He worked hard and was very interested in cultural exchanges, above all poetic, with a lively intelligence and a surprisingly fast word speed, not to mention the languages he knew.
A special person
Volentious, full of initiative, respectful and curious. Hosting her and Caleb (her beautiful doberman) was really a pleasure.
Plus we learned Spanish!
