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Host rating
65 %
Last replied
23 Mar 2024
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Description
We are looking for the right couple to help us in our hostel located just 2 blocks from the beach. All of work here is done to benefit our local Sea Turtle Rescue.
Late in 2019 (yes, we know…great timing), we opened a bar with plans to add a hostel for the next high season. The universe had different plans for us, but we are finally ready for that next step.
The hostel is a work in progress which we hope to open in the fall of 2023. It will be small with just 2 private rooms (en suite) and one bunk room with 3 or 4 beds. We have a bath house, a full kitchen and a nice garden area.
We are Mitchell & Patty, who retired early from office type jobs and went on a wander. The wander landed us here with a house sit in 2013. We moved on for a while, but dreamed of coming back one day with a purpose. We are very active with our local community and our local sea turtle rescue. We have lived in the area since 2017, and here in the village since 2019. Our two dogs, Black Lillie and Danny Boy fill out our household.
Types of help and learning opportunities
Charity Work
Gardening
DIY and building projects
Hospitality/Tourism
General Maintenance
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
Barra de Potosí is a small fishing village along the pacific coast of Mexico. Our closest city is Zihuatanejo. About 150 Mexican families live in the village, along with a few vacation rental houses/apartments. At the edge of town lies a lagoon that is open to the sea for part of the year.
Our village is an active community with many chances to interact with locals. First, there are the celebrations; there is something going on for just about every national and religious holiday. Usually, it involves a parade or Kermés (Mexican street fair/party), or both. The children are always involved, doing traditional songs or dances. There is a local artisan’s Tianguis (fair) each year where artists sell crafts, clothing, paintings, wood carvings and much more. In addition to this is the FOOD. Many of our local women will be found selling their specialties; food to eat there, and also salsas, seasoned salts, pickled vegetables, etc. to take home.
Our mangroves and the adjacent beach, that has zero development, is a great (easy) hike. While you can do the walk yourself, it is more fun to take a guided tour available through the women’s co-op. You will learn about local plants, fruits and animals along the way.
Want to learn or brush up on your Spanish? We have a bilingual local woman who is a great teacher. In the high season (Nov-March) she holds group classes with the fee benefiting a program to help our local high school students with transportation to school. In the low season, private lessons are available. Or you can go to one of our local restaurants and strike up a conversation!
Our local community center is also just a few doors away with a sewing workshop and yoga lessons, and 2 blocks away is a children's library with week day activities including a science club.
FOOD
On a regular basis, a number of locals open up at night in front of their house to sell typical Mexican fare like enchiladas, tacos, tamales, quesadillas & sopes. Cooking at home is simple as we have fish, shrimp, chicken, and every vegetable available within our three block long town. During the day, there are some small restaurants in town, and also many beachfront restaurants. Open every day.
Our women’s co-op has cooking classes that you can sign up for; these classes are taught in the home of whoever is teaching the class. It might be fish, chile relleno, or chicken, but it will always include salsa and fresh hand made tortillas on a comal over a fire. Students are encouraged to participate in every step along the way. It is a fun way to learn the local cuisine and meet a local family.
Our staff
Yami is a local mom with many talents. She has painted our many murals, and also provides (with her family) tasty local food when we have fundraiser events here. She also helps us with cleaning and is just generally amazing. She does speak a little bit of English, but is more comfortable in Spanish which is great practice.
We will be hiring a helper for Yami when we are closer to opening the hostel. Our Workaway helpers are not expected to do the daily cleaning.
Brandon and Manuel are two local high school students. They help us out here and there with gardening type tasks to make some pocket money. School always comes first, so we don’t have a set schedule.
Help
Our season runs from November to March, during which time duties would include:
-Interacting with guests of hostel (check-in, offering advice on local activities)
-Light garden work (raking yard area, pulling weeds, watering)
-Filling the water tank (turn on a switch, then turn off when it overflows, but mostly making sure it is done daily)
-General help around the hostel (not the daily cleaning, more like tidying up, putting away washed dishes, taking out trash if needed, letting us know if there is a light bulb out or some other maintenance issue).
-We have a bar adjacent to the hostel which is open 4-5 days per week. We have several fundraising events during the season and would ask for help with those events. This would include things like setting up lights, tables & chairs for music events. If Spanish is spoken, maybe also helping make sure the musicians have what they need.
Prior to opening the hostel, we will need some help with gardening and maintenance. Examples include, but are not limited to: painting, organizing & setup of hostel, planting garden areas.
We will not be asking our helpers to tend bar. All of our bar tips are donated to the local sea turtle rescue, so we always tend the bar ourselves.
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
Spanish: Intermediate
Accommodation
We have a large room available with sitting area where you can work on your computer, or chill in private.
The room is in a building that houses a dorm room, along with shared kitchen, dining, and living space.
We have a shared garden area with bath house.
What else ...
We are about 30 minutes from the city of Zihuatanejo, and 15 minutes from the airport. Public transportation is readily available during daylight hours.
Within walking distance you can swim in the sea or lagoon, kayak, paddleboard, surf. There are small boats owned by our fishermen neighbors who you can hire to take you out fishing, snorkeling, or just on a tour. We also have some captains that are trained in whale watching.
Within a short ride on public transportation, you can visit a wild animal refuge, participate in a sea turtle hatchling release. And just a little farther down the coast, you can visit some interesting Mexican ruins.
We have 2 dogs so we cannot accept anyone travelling with pets. Our dogs are part of our family and are loose in the garden, so we hope for dog lovers.
Non-smokers only.
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
Can host digital nomads
Digital nomads would have wi-fi access throughout the property with multiple access points. Work can be done in the workaway volunteers personal living space or any common space. The specific times of some volunteer work requirement may not be flexible.
How many Workawayers can stay?
Two
Hours expected
5 hours / 5 days per week
