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7 Feb 2025
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Description
I live between our old (backwater) home (where I work & workaway) and my parents home about 10 kms away. I am occasionally joined by my mother to oversee farm happenings, and by my brother who has special needs and loves board games and the harmonica. This house has great potential, it was once an Airbnb but now lies without a definite goal except to sustain food production- you may come and leave your mark.
We are currently focused on manual watering- from the river using buckets. This is a physically intensive job. We are also keen to have somebody who can cook for themselves if not for two-three people.
Some ideas we are dabbling with: Zero-till farming, natural buildings, upcycling from the local salvage
Some ideas I am dabbling with: SOLAR PUNK, Kalari, Meditations (Vipassana/Zazen), Platforms to connect me/India to the world (Etsy, education), Tao Te Ching,
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Other potential jobs:
At parent's home: Complete Family tree (meals will be provided)
At backwater home: Utilizing PAINT to art ( tribal stick figures)
BUILDING an outside fire place- for cooking.
Using reclaimed Aluminum FENCING to fix broken walls
Some basic BAMBOO projects are planned-
Optional
Making VOLUNTEERING trips to a wonderful endeavor - we can join them at 5 AM for meal prep, resident bathing etc. They are a home for people with mental challenges that have no where else to go. The trust also serves a 1000 meals everyday for the bystanders/caretakers of patients at hospitals.
Making VOLUNTEERING trips to the hard-to-reach hamlets in Kerala to raise awareness about free educational resources among other things
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See what fits your interest and duration of stay here or we may brainstorm other ideas.
We will stock up the kitchen with the local farm-store produce.
I will keep things interesting for you by showing you very local spots and trails
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If time permits- we will make a trip to hidden backwater spot where the freshest & sweetest coconut sap juices flow abundantly. It is the best Toddy in all of Kerala- let no previous experience discourage you.
I am currently going with the flow, waiting for the breeze to take me weightless to next plans, but if the breeze blows you my way - that will be our project for now.
Being riverside, we have kayaks to ride the water roads. No surprise here that water roads are way more fun than tar roads. Also water roads during sunrise and sunset is magic. Interested individuals could help with clearing the waterways near our home among other things.
More about me:
My keen interests are story-telling educating (making science fun and interesting), devising sustainable and independent ways of living, contributing towards solving social issues like waste management, flora/fauna preservation, historical and cultural contexts, exploring art
I think of myself as a flaneur, grateful to be basking in the magic that surrounds us.Types of help and learning opportunities
Charity Work
Art Projects
Language practice
Help with Eco Projects
Elderly Companionship
Teaching
Gardening
DIY and building projects
Animal Care
Farmstay help
Creating/ Cooking family meals
Help around the house
Hospitality/Tourism
General Maintenance
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
You can get an immersive look into the village life. I am drawn to the old ways, including the history of this land, which I love to share. Trips to the local toddy shop, eateries and view points is my routine- you may join when keen.
Help
As far as farming goes, we follow zero-till farming or Zero-effort farming (:)), which is not really zero-effort but close enough. We try to let things grow as they want to, with minimal intervention, creating a vibrant eco-system. We do try to create a little space around our harvest plants like turmeric, black pepper, passion fruit etc
Building mud, bamboo, clay structures, incorporating sustainable waste - management and energy systems like biogas systems etc are all part of the plans for the future. I am also keen to try many traditional recipes for farming, mosquito repellents etc.
Being riverside, we have kayaks to ride the water roads. No surprise here that water roads are way more fun than tar roads. Also water roads during sunrise and sunset is magic. Interested individuals could help with clearing the waterways near our home among other things.Languages
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
Hindi: Fluent
Malayalam: Fluent
Arabic: Beginner
Spanish: BeginnerThis host offers a language exchange
This host has indicated that they are interested in sharing their own language or learning a new language.
You can contact them directly for more information.Accommodation
We have a 3 bedroom house (with attached bathrooms): A room for myself, a room for workawayers and a room for my parents and family who drop by occasionally. There is also a separate space in the back, with an old kitchen, sleeping space and eastern toilet- which we hope to revitalize soon enough.
As far as eateries close by, we do have a generational breakfast place by the house- open from 6 AM to 9:30- 10:00 AM.
There is also lunch served by Kudumbshree (women's collective) about 500 meters away. It has been especially good lately, they start serving at noon upto 2 PM- sometimes 2:30- 3PM. Also they are open Monday through Friday (some Saturdays).What else ...
Kumarakom backwaters are very close to us, so is Kottayam town. There are buses every 15 minutes There is a lot of history and scenery in the area that I can direct you to. Thazthanagady Juma Masjid, CMS College, Thirunakkara Temple, Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary among many others. Also our place is equidistant from Thekkedy, Varkala, Allappey etc (about 2-3 hours from all these places). You can reach Allappey by ferry boat (costs about Rs 20/ ticket) and get a nice 2-3 hour boat ride through the lake.
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
Can host digital nomads
We do have a good internet connection
Space for parking camper vans
This host can provide space for campervans.
Can possibly accept pets
We can take in pets. There is plenty of verandah space and field in the front which would work well.
How many Workawayers can stay?
More than two
Feedback (8)
The main challenge was misaligned… read more
Auf seinem… read more
Words can't do justice to how amazing the place is. It’s a serene spot where you can enjoy the view over the river,… read more
Tabea is always keen to help-… read more
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The main challenge was misaligned… read more
Auf seinem… read more
Words can't do justice to how amazing the place is. It’s a serene spot where you can enjoy the view over the river,… read more
Tabea is always keen to help-… read more
Jeffrey is a… read more
His dog Loki was a joy to look after and we already miss him a lot.
Would love to come back at some point , Jefferey’s hospitality was amazing!