Profile information
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Host rating
100 %
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Last replied
27 Jul 2026
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Reply rate
100.0 %
Usually responds within 5 days
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Feedback
18
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ID verified
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Email verified
Badges (5)
Find your perfect host
Min stay requested: at least a week
Details
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Description
My name is Philipp and together with my partner Vivian, a bunch of huskies and cute cats, and some local worker/friends, we are building an off-grid paradise at the shore of lake Atitlan, grounded in nature and combining the best practices and technologies of both the past and present. Natural building, carpentry, boat-building, blacksmithing, permaculture are our main occupations in this endlessly evolving little project in the midst of stunning nature. We are located in Chuitinamiet, a hill home to the ruins of the Tzutujil spiritual capital, a mere km across the bay from Santiago Atitlan.
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Types of help and learning opportunities
Help with Eco Projects
Light gardening
Creative DIY projects
Animal Care
Farmstay help
Creating/ Cooking family meals
Help around the house
Light maintenance
House & pet sitting
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Interests
Politics / Social justice
Sustainability
Pets
Self development
Farming
Performing arts
Plant care
Books
Photography
Languages
Carpentry
History
DIY & crafts
Cooking & food
Architecture
Water sports
Winter sports
Team sports
Outdoor activities
Beach
Yoga / Wellness
Fitness
Camping
Dancing
Cycling
Hiking
Nature
Mountain
Sailing / Boating
Adventure sports -
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
The main take-aways from staying here is learning from off-grid living, innovative solutions, thoughtful discussions, a variety of crafts, local culture and history, and enjoying living in nature away from the distractions of urban life; conveniently at the shore of a stunning lake with beautiful swim spots.
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Projects involving children
This project could involve children. For more information see our guidelines and tips here.
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Help
We are looking for mature people that want to learn from each other and live in a secluded, peaceful and quiet location. Its a large property and we need help to realise, maintain and grow our eco-vision. You should be fine living 20 minutes away paddling (or 5 min by taxi-boat) from the nearest village and have an affinity for nature and sustainability. Looking for people who ideally have some experience in gardening, growing food and nursing trees; or building/carpentry. Yet at times having somebody just help us tend the house and animals, nourish our bellies, or do some photo/video documentation is already great help too. And for those that come with less skills, but not less passion, we offer room to grow and develop in new areas/crafts. Speaking some basic spanish isn't required, but recommended to communicate easily and independently with anyone else but us, your hosts.
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Languages spoken
German: Fluent
English: Fluent
Spanish: Fluent
Dutch: Fluent -
Accommodation
We have a private bed-room with a double bed (for single travellers or couples) above our communal house for our volunteers. This house has a fully equipped communal kitchen with filtered water, electricity (solar), gas stove, solar oven, pizza oven and fridge. We offer this private room, access to communal areas and free food from the garden and fresh solar baked bread in exchange for 3-4hrs of work during weekdays. We share the costs of purchased food/or you can get your own food
It is important to remark that the cooking, processing food, cleaning and mantainance of the common areas are things we don't consider in the working hours and as a community we expect everybody to participate on those tasks equally as humans living together.
We have a dry compost toilet that works with sawdust and (while a hot shower is being built) our current shower is taking baths in the lake. Please bring exclusively organic/eco hygene products (shampoo/soap/toothpaste) as we greatly respect and want to keep a clean lake environment. -
What else ...
We have our own dock, on which public boats on the lake can drop or pick you up upon request to travel across the lake. A private boat to Santiago is 60Q or roughly 7$; while you can also rent a local canoe for as little as 1$ a day. Or you can join me when I paddle to town twice a week to gather supplies for no charge. We can't leave the property alone, so in the evenings and weekends when there are no workers, we coordinate that one of us stays behind.
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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
We have Starlink for all of our community powered by our solar system! Being so secluded it is a must for safety and smooth communication to get a local sim card, just to be able to be reachable in case of emergencies or when you are far from the house/wifi.
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How many Workawayers can stay?
More than two
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My animals / pets
Bilbo
The eternal burglar, beware of leaving your sandwich unattended
Nube and Nieve
Mother and daughter, fluffy and cuddly siamese cats.
Freya
Our blue eyed princess, daughter of Saga
Saga
Our sweet little adventure husky, mother of Freya
Aquiles
Our ferocious dobermann guardian dog, still a puppy, very sweet and protective with us.
Chat with Workawayers who've visited this host
Feedback (11)
It was amazing to witness and play a little part in Philipp's multiple projects. Everything is crafted with care, and there's plenty of ways to contribute. From building, gardening and cooking, everyone can find a way to be … read more
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:
(4.9)
Communication:
(5.0)
It was amazing to witness and play a little part in Philipp's multiple projects. Everything is crafted with care, and there's plenty of ways to contribute. From building, gardening and cooking, everyone can find a way to be … read more
The work is varied, be it in the garden, cooking meals or even carpentry work. We would like to thank Phil for this wonderful time and look forward to returning again.
Pasci Mara
Working in the wonderful garden with Juan while practising my spanish was always fun and never really felt too much like work. In the afternoons I enjoyed the lake, the amazing nature or just relaxed in my hammock up in the trees. Living with Philipp was so easy going, we … read more
