Italy
Favourited 126 times
-
24/10/2019
1092
We are an Anglo-Italian family living near Venice, Veneto. I (Jeremy) teach English online whereas Serena (who is Italian) works as a doctor. We have two daughters. Caterina is not yet one while Margherita is two. Margherita loves playing in the garden, picking fruit and vegetables and generally exploring.
We live in an old (fully renovated) farmhouse. Although we are not farmers we have a large vegetable patch, chickes and lots of fruit trees. The trees include walnut, hazlenut, kiwi, apple, cherry, peach, apricot, plum, pears, fig, gooseberry, grapes and other stranger trees like the 'caki' tree and the 'nespole' tree.
We try to cook as much as possible with our produce but there are also great little shops nearby where you can buy beautiful produce from all over Italy (mozzarelle from Campania, oranges from sicily, prosciutto crudo from Parma etc.).
The grounds of the farmhouse are very lovely. As well as the trees and plants we have a small playground for Margherita and Caterina. We also have a sort of games room (the old stable) with a table-tennis table. In the summer there's a paddling pool outside. The location is semi-rural as there are fields at the back of the house but nearby there are villages with everything you need (supermarkets, small shops etc.). There is a proper cycle path to the villages but also to historic Venice (very last stretch is on the road). Transport links are good. There is a bus stop right outside our house which connect to Venice (bus + tram or bus + bus).
We are friendly and easy-going but we do like to keep our house very clean and tidy. We are definitely a non-smoking family and so probably not a good match with smokers.
Gardening
Babysitting and creative play
Creating/ Cooking family meals
Animal Care
Language practice
This project could involve children. For more information see our guidelines and tips here.
We love languages and learning and we'd be pleased to help you to learn Italian.
We live in an old farmhouse (completely renovated) with chickens, a vegetable plot and lots of fruit and nut trees. There is always something to do and help with. Obviously jobs would be decided in accordance with the guest depeneding on their skills and interests.
Depending on the season it could be picking the fruit and vegetables, making jam, preparing and tending the vegetable plot, collecting and choping firewood, feeding the chickens, mowing the grass (small tractor), pruning and treating the fruit trees (organic as possible).
We also have two little daughters so there is plenty to help with there. Caterina is not yet one so we wouldn't expect help with her but Margherita is a lively and playful 2-year-old who loves singing. dancing and exploring outside. W
e would love to do some imaginative, fun and creative activities with her. We also love cooking and eating (especially Italian but really any cuisine) and would be happy to share that task as well (depending on skills and interests of guests).
English: Fluent
Spanish: Fluent
Italian: Fluent
We have a small cottage on the grounds of the farmhouse for guests. It is recently renovated but in a rustic style. There is a sitting room (complete with a beautiful wood-burner / stove), a bedroom, a small but complete kitchen and a toilet / showeroom.
There is also a small front terrace and back terrace with tables, chairs, sun umbrella etc. There is air-conditioning / electric heating in both the bedroom and the living room.
Nearby (30 minutes drive) there are also the beautiful cities of Treviso and Padova (quite a lively student city). Other smaller towns which are very near and worth visiting include Noale, Mogliano and Mirano.
There are also good road and train links to Vicenza, Verona, Bologna, Brescia, Lake Garda. Even Rome is only a 3 hour train journey from us. We would expect guests to contribute to family life (eating together, sharing jobs) but also to have lots of free time off including whole days (or couple of days) for mini-breaks within Italy.
There are so many amazing cities that are within striking distance if you are interested in art, food, history etc. We would be very flexible.
We are also pretty near lake Garda and the alps for hiking in the summer and skiing in the winter. In a couple of hours of driving you can get to some good ski slopes (depending in season!).
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
More than two
Maximum 4-5 hours a day, 4-5 days a week (with possibility for more days off for mini-breaks etc.)
