Learn and grow while sharing your time and passions on Kauai, USA

Details

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  Description

  We are a family with three kids living on the north shore of Kauai.
  
  For the last decade, we've lived collaboratively with multiple long-term guests at a time. It has enriched our lives immensely. As our reviews imply, staying with us is often personally transformative, and many guests now feel like extended family members.
  
  We challenge ourselves with innovative and ambitious projects - while raising children, building out the land, and giving back to the island community.
  
  Before joining us, you'll want to reflect on the following:
  
  1) All children should be around loving, attentive adults who take a genuine interest in positively influencing others. If you are primarily looking for a place to stay while collecting fun experiences in Hawaii, then we will not be a good fit. You should have the desire and discipline to be a fully present role model.
  
  2) We are passionate about the practice, and benefits, of living more communally than most. We're the opposite of the hostel or farm that might only be interested in your labor. We want to get to know you, collaborate with you, and ideally help you find the right balance of comfort and challenge to get the most out of your experience. We strive to be a household of learners and doers.
  
  3) We hold a high bar and do our best to do things well, with intention and beauty. We look for natural leaders who are inclined toward high-quality execution and follow-through. We have in-house skills in various areas and are happy to teach attentive guests who have a can-do, McGyver-like attitude. Healthy boundaries and balance are important to us, but a "clocking in and out mindset" doesn't work here.
  
  4) You are comfortable with a two to six-month minimum stay. Longer stays build deeper connections and allow one to see projects through to completion. We occasionally make exceptions, but longer stays tend to be more fulfilling for all.
  
  Perhaps the best way to think about living with us is to consider yourself joining both a family and an evolving community that aims high and uses structure and routine to maintain good habits, raise healthy children (and adults), and positively impact those around us.
  
  Guests generally help with several things.
  
  1) Re-imagining and thinking through better ways to live on the land, contribute to the wider community, and educate the next generation.
  
  2) Special projects might include helping create a greywater system, installing solar hot water panels, and building new decks.
  
  3) Landscaping, gardening, painting, etc.
  
  4) Organizing, logistics, and office assistance.
  
  In the garden, we aim to replicate parts of the "Dervaes Family Farm" which you can google.
  
  Some important things to note:
  
  We make a point of living as a small community / big family. On weekdays, as the sun rises, everyone is expected to join us for an early morning 10-minute quiet sitting and stretch, followed by breakfast at 7:30. We usually cook three times a week on a MWF schedule and stock the fridge with prepared food that can be reheated at mealtimes.
  
  Outside of your communal responsibility for food prep, common area cleaning, and joining for weekday breakfasts and dinners, we ask guests to complete 25 hours a week of efficient, productive exchange.
  
  We live near one of the best places to learn to surf in Hawaii and try to go to the beach every afternoon. That is often a 4-minute drive to a lovely swimming and snorkeling spot, or 10 minutes further to world-class surfing.
  
  On weekends, guests sometimes take the $2 bus to other parts of Kauai or have pitched in on a car rental to explore the island more extensively. Some guests have bought used cars (which we'll help resell if needed).
  
  Our street is in a quiet area filled with long-time residents. It is also narrow and windy, with no sidewalks and invasive guinea grass. For those reasons and because we consider it especially important to deeply respect our neighbors and the difficult history of these islands, we maintain a very low profile. This will make much more sense after you've seen and experienced our unique and beautiful location. The tourist industry has made it easy to forget that Hawaii remains an occupied kingdom and displacement remains ongoing. Most families struggle to live here and your presence alone can be triggering.
  
  If we sound like a family you'd like to connect with, please tell us more about yourself, your specific skills, experience, aspirations, and anything else that helps us better get to know you. People often share bios, resumes, writing samples, portfolios - and whatever else you think helps build a fuller picture.
  
  Many Thanks!

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  Types of help and learning opportunities

  Charity Work

  Art Projects

  Language practice

  Help with Eco Projects

  Teaching

  Gardening

  DIY and building projects

  Farmstay help

  Creating/ Cooking family meals

  Help around the house

  General Maintenance

  Help with Computers/ Internet
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  Interests

  

  Outdoor activities

  

  Camping

  

  Hiking

  

  Water sports

  

  Yoga / Wellness

  

  Sailing / Boating

  

  Beach

  

  Mountain

  

  Team sports

  

  Fitness

  

  Nature

  

  Astronomy

  

  Languages

  

  Gardening

  

  Books

  

  DIY & crafts

  

  History

  

  Music

  

  Drawing & painting

  

  Performing arts

  

  Writing

  

  Carpentry

  

  Vegetarian or vegan

  

  Sustainability

  

  Self development

  

  Culture

  

  Politics / Social justice
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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

  We're unusual in that we feel so strongly about living in a more communal way - with several languages between us. Here, the kitchen table seats 8 to 10. Our family is a mix of Irish American and Northern Thai.

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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

  Here is the orientation you'll need to succeed.
  
  1) You lean toward being a self starter and leader.
  
  2) You like challenges and hold a high bar in all you do.
  
  3) Great with kids and have a genuine interest in spending time with them (but not as babysitters, au-pairs, or nannies).
  
  4) An ability to keep your phone in your pocket when around the kids.
  
  5) A sincere interest in living communally and giving/sharing with others - while giving back to the wider community.

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  Languages

  Languages spoken
  English: Fluent
  Spanish: Intermediate
  Thai: Beginner

  This host offers a language exchange
  We''re always looking for guests wanting to practice and expand their Spanish and/or Thai.
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  Accommodation

  It really depends on who is staying with us at the time. In many cases, we have a first come, first choice policy, though often take stage of life into account. Most people stay in either of several extra rooms. Be prepared to share a room, but rarely is that necessary as we have a lot of space.

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  What else ...

  Research the north shore of Kauai, and you'll get a sense of the stunning beauty.

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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

  Yes, we have fast internet and some guests attend school or work remotely online. We supply the basics for a healthy vegetarian diet with fruit as our default dessert. Guests are certainly welcome to buy their own meats and sweets!

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  How many Workawayers can stay?

  More than two

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  My animals / pets

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