Join my peaceful home with garden herbs, veggies and mountain views in Zernez, Switzerland

Details

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  Description

  Thank you for looking at my host profile!
  
  I'm Thomas, kind of retired, and I live in a small village in the Engadin Valley, one of the nicest parts of Switzerland. I live here because of the clear sky, the fresh air and the beautiful scenery. At night the stars are clear and bright. The energy of nature is unbroken.

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  Types of help and learning opportunities

  Art Projects

  Elderly Companionship

  Gardening

  DIY and building projects

  Creating/ Cooking family meals

  Help around the house
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  Interests

  

  Sustainability

  

  Self development

  

  DIY & crafts

  

  Photography

  

  Gardening

  

  Cooking & food

  

  Carpentry

  

  Camping

  

  Sailing / Boating

  

  Hiking

  

  Cycling
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  UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve

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  What's this?
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  Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

  Starting September 2025 I plan to host a sound circle at my house, ore in a close village, we might be even start a singing and chanting circle ore some dance sessions (free movement, drawing, writing). There is a large studio in my house that you can use in the morning for movement, yoga, meditation or whatever.
  
  I can show you some basic concepts of the Tamalpa Life Art Process, that includes movement, drawing and writing. (artistic processes and media to explore and deepen our relationship to psychological life, to social issues, and to creativity itself)
  
  There is a cinema with 25 seats in the village, open on weekends.

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  Help

  I have a big house with garden to live in and to care for, so from time to time some helping hands would be appreciated! I do not have a farm!
  So, honestly, mostly there is not that much to do. On 1400 m the main garden season starts in May, ends in September. This might be the usual outdoor tasks throughout the year:
  
  April:
  grow seedlings, prepare the garden, weeding
  
  May:
  prepare the garden, plant out seedlings, weeding, collect mountain thyme and other herbs for tea
  
  June:
  sow seeds, plant out seedlings, weeding, collect mountain thyme and other herbs for tea
  
  July:
  weeding, collect herbs for tea, cut the grass, haying, watering plants, collect first berries, pick cherries, pick vegetables, conserve for winter
  
  August:
  weeding, collect herbs, watering plants, collect berries, make jam, collect mushrooms, pick vegetables, conserve for winter
  
  September:
  weeding, collect herbs, collect berries, make jam, collect mushrooms, pick vegetables, conserve for winter
  
  October:
  Pick last vegetables, conserve for winter, prepare garden for winter
  
  I try to keep the garden as natural as possible, do not use any poison or artificial fertilizer. I’m an amateur, do kind of permaculture gardening . . . but I like it the way it turns out. I let some weeds that make nice flowers, add up some more flowers. There are always enough veggies growing.
  But – I like some new inputs about gardening, try out new things on the spot. I also have some small projects and ideas how to make everything nicer, also appreciate your ideas about this.
  
  Throughout the year, there are some tasks in the house. Like help cleaning the house, preserve food, baking bread, making crackers, cookies, and so on. Most my stuff is made from scratch,
  I mill my flour, use no sugar, no milk – most of my meals are vegan or vegetarian, most of the ingredients organic. I like cheese – so local cheese might show up from fall to spring on the table. And I eat meat from local farmers.
  
  Usually we will do tasks together, in some way that it is fun.
  
  So over all – you will spend a lot of time outside, hiking for berries, mushrooms, wood, herbs . . . or work in the garden.
  
  I’m an electrical engineer, so most of the stuff I do I’m not professional. But I happily share my knowledge - you learn by doing it! BUT - if you have a lot of questions how technical stuff works - I can explain you a lot of things in an easy, understandable way :-)
  
  Main thing is: HAVE FUN AND LOT'S OF POSITIVE VIBES!

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  Languages

  Languages spoken
  German: Fluent
  English: Fluent
  French: Beginner
  Italian: Beginner

  This host offers a language exchange
  I'm not very talented, but learning proper Italian would be nice
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  Accommodation

  You will have a tiny house 2 meters by 2 meters with a single bed. It looks out in the sky and mountains - people like to stay and sleep there! It is detached from the house, about 5 meters away. You will have a separate toilet / shower in the house for exclusive use.
  
  We will have all meals together during the "work" days. In summer I mostly eat twice a day, in the morning and late afternoon. But we can talk about this - I'm flexible. I try to stick to a healthy, organic diet, there is no convenient food around in the house! I eat fish and meat, but not on a regular base.
  
  Please, now smoking or drugs on my property. I prefer volunteers for up to 1 or 2 weeks, no longer stays.

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  What else ...

  There are multiple hiking possibilities starting at my house. In short distance by car, there is the only Swiss National Park. We can go for some hikes together - or you can go alone.
  
  There is a train station in walking distance in the village. The train to Zurich takes 2.5 hours. Public transportation is very good in this valley. I can also drive you to places close by.
  
  Also - short trips to Italy or Austria are possible.
  
  Since I do workaway myself, here is my Workawayers profile page: workaway.info/en/workawayer/Tschapotschetti/overview

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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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  How many Workawayers can stay?

  One

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  My animals / pets

  Ants, snails, butterfly's, birds, sometimes a cat walks by

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