The image depicts a group of approximately 25 people posing for a photo on a hillside, with a sign and trees visible in the background.
The image depicts a group of people, including children and adults, gathered outside a blue building in a tropical setting, surrounded by lush greenery.
The image depicts a group of children gathered in a backyard, surrounded by bamboo poles, a water tank, and purple balloons, with a small table and chairs in the background.
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Learn traditional herbalism and soap making in a small community in Jaibalito, Guatemala

Availability

  2025 

 Min stay requested: at least 3 weeks

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Details

  • Description

    Description

    Stay with us by the side of a beautiful lake, enjoy stunning views, disconnect from the noise, become more sustainable, learn herbalism, soap making, teach English and connect with our farm animals. We are waiting for you!

    NEXT AVAILABILITY: March!
    MINIMUM STAY: 1 month
    ONLY 4H WORK: compared to the average 5h+/day requested by most hosts
    UNIQUE PROJECT: working towards making an impact on our eco system by changing daily practices from most places in the uses of soap that damage the delicate ecosystem.

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    𝗣𝗟𝗘𝗔𝗦𝗘 𝗣𝗟𝗘𝗔𝗦𝗘 𝗣𝗟𝗘𝗔𝗦𝗘: 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗳𝗶𝗹𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗰𝗸 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗮𝘃𝗮𝗶𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗯𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘂𝘀. 𝗠𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗢𝗞 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲. 𝗣𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲, 𝗱𝗼 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝘂𝘀 𝗶𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗱𝗼𝗻'𝘁 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗲𝗽𝘁 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝘄𝗲 𝗱𝗼𝗻'𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗲𝘅𝗰𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀!

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    Hello! My name is Genoveva, and I live with my 10 year old daughter on a small isolated village of Jaibalito, Lake Atitlán, accessible only by water. There are no roads, Just nature, the songs of birds, and a stunning beach. I’m on a journey since 10 years ago I began my Herbal business and have been working in with it teaching herbalism and making products. I work with Mayan Medicine and Chinese Medicine both traditional medicines I bind this two worlds together and my aim is to continue preserving this knowledge so it wont get lost. On the other hand our herbal business started around 5 years ago making liquid castile soap and other soaps. All made with ingredients local to the area. Basically I want to educate everyone, businesses, local people, kids that using natural products like this one can have a positive impact on our delicate ecosystem.

    We also have a tiny school in a small Guatemalan indigenous community on Lake Atitlan. Our goal is to foster skills and opportunity in the fields of the local ecology, natural health/nutrition, gardening, music, natural building, and entrepreneurship. Our current project is to expand our children's ukulele club/musical instrument library, and part time school for small kids into a fully functioning school.
    Our children's school has been going part time for 8 years. Our model is based around nature, how to live with the forest in a stewardship, reforestation, preservation of water resources, botany, traditional herbalism etc... while focusing on singing, reading, writing, learning English .

  • Types of help and learning opportunities

    Types of help and learning opportunities

    Charity Work
    Art Projects
    Language practice
    Help with Eco Projects
    Teaching
    Gardening
    DIY and building projects
    Animal Care
    Farmstay help
    Babysitting and creative play
    Help around the house
    General Maintenance
    Help with Computers/ Internet
  • UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve

    UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve

    UN goals
    No poverty
    Zero hunger
    Good health and well-being
    Quality education
    Gender equality
    Clean water and sanitation
    Affordable and clean energy
    Decent work and economic growth
    Industries, innovation and infrastructure
    Reduce inequality
    Sustainable cities and communities
    Responsible consumption and production
    Climate action
    Life below water
    Life on land
    Peace, justice and strong institutions
    Partnerships for the goals
  • Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

    Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

    We offer a nice tree house dorm to sleep. It has bunkbeds. It has a fully furnished kitchen. We don't include food.
    Bedding is included. Wifi is available.
    The place has a dry compost toilet, warm, shower and its in nature, so expect to have normal things that come with nature.
    The nights are pretty quiet around here, the noises from town are not loud up here so you can really enjoy the place and the views from the hanging out area in the 3rd floor are great.

  • Projects involving children

    Projects involving children

    This project could involve children. For more information see our guidelines and tips here.

  • Help

    Help

    Here are some things you can help us with:

    -Soap making: we are making soap every week, making the processes, bottling soap, labeling, its all a part of the job!

    -Herb processing: drying herbs, bottling tinctures, labeling, processing herbs, it all varies depending on the season and demand,

    -Errands and Deliveries: since we are isolated everything that comes in or out has to be carried by boat. This also gives you a chance to go sightseeing.

    -Marketing and Education: a big part of our project is to make people understand why the need to change habits. And what other options there are. If you can help us with this is a big task!

    -Construction: our tree house apothecary is always under construction! there are many projects always going on with bamboo and wood mostly. Painting, varnishing.

    -Animal Care: we have a small farm with goats, chickens, dogs, cats and hopefully rabbits soon.

    -Rooftop herb garden: I have started to plan a small garden on the roof top full of nice herbs and some edibles.

  • Languages spoken

    English: Fluent
    Spanish: Fluent

  • Accommodation

    Accommodation

    We have a 4 bed dorm with a kitchen and bathroom.

  • What else ...

    What else ...

    We are a guatemalan family, our friends are mostly guatemalan so you will be involved in our local life, we might do things slightly different from other local families but we are in love with traditional ways of living and we do this in everything we do. Including canning, cooking tortillas, and things like this. We enjoy to sometimes share meals and maybe bake some cake and play some cards! There is a wealth of activity here on beautiful lake atitlan from swimming and kayaking to hiking, paragliding, ziplining, etc.. The local expat and tourist community is very fun and social. As well, one can connect with many meaningful ways to make a difference in local peoples lives.

  • A little more information

    A little more information

    • Internet access

    • Limited internet access

      Limited internet access

    • We have pets

    • We are smokers

    • Can host families

  • Can host digital nomads

    Can host digital nomads

    This host has indicated that they love having digital nomads stay.

  • How many Workawayers can stay?

    How many Workawayers can stay?

    More than two

Host ref number: 923996143346

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Photos

The image depicts a group of approximately 25 people posing for a photo on a hillside, with a sign and trees visible in the background.
The image depicts a group of people, including children and adults, gathered outside a blue building in a tropical setting, surrounded by lush greenery.
The image depicts a group of children gathered in a backyard, surrounded by bamboo poles, a water tank, and purple balloons, with a small table and chairs in the background.

Feedback

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Cultural exchange:
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