Darien

Travel information

I am currently

Activities i am interested in:

Any or all of: gardening, farming and permaculture; eco-projects; cooking and hospitality; photography; computer and internet help; possibly more - I love learning.

Description

I’m looking for an adventure. I don’t know what it looks like specifically, but in general, it involves helping with tasks I’m already capable of doing, learning new ones, and improving my skills in general. It may be a matter of a few weeks; it may be longer, it may be shorter, though I prefer a week or longer due to travel requirements. Great scenery is a real plus.

I'm a consultant and academic transitioning my environmental science, psychology, and planning and policy scholarship and skills into new uses and places. I'm also a former sous-chef and professional baker.

In addition to specific skills, I bring curiosity, adaptability, and an enthusiasm for sharing learning, self-sufficiency, and helping communities.

Curiosity - I would love to learn more about many things, especially practical aspects of sustainability, food, and culture. I would particularly like to find opportunities that allow me to:

1) grow my practical knowledge of permaculture, off-grid living, and other aspects of sustainability, climate change adaptation, and community empowerment;
2) expand my cuisine repertoire with regional cooking and baking;
3) continue to learn and grow in other skills including language skills (French, Spanish, German beginner); and
4) learn more about eco-design, innovative building, and novel solutions to traditional challenges
5) use my hospitality experience from working at a retreat center;

However, I am open to opportunities with other points of focus as well.

Adaptability – Most things interest me. In 2019 I learned to drive a small off-road work vehicle complete with winch and helped to clear hillsides that presented a California fire danger. In 2020, I was taught to operate a log splitter, and I earned my drone pilots’s certificate in October. I’m also learning about artificial intelligence applications.

I am a semi-professional photographer, most interested in landscape, wildlife, and macro photography, but with experience in architecture, event, and wedding photography.

Originally from Wisconsin, I have visited all 50 states and over 20 countries in North America (Canada, Mexico), Asia (Hong Kong, Korea, Malaysia, Singapore), and Europe (Austria, Belgium, Denmark, England, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Monaco, the Netherlands, Scotland, Slovakia, and Sweden), both for pleasure and work. I have lived in Australia (3 years) and England (5+ years) as well as the US, and spent several months each in France and Mexico.

I am looking forward to unique scenic, cultural, and culinary adventures wherever opportunities take me!

Interests

Videography

Movies & TV

Mountain

Outdoor activities

Events & social

Writing

Plant care

Music

History

Cooking & food

Photography

Charity work

Sustainability

Pets

Dancing

Gardening

Self development

Languages

DIY & crafts

Architecture

Books

Animals

Yoga / Wellness

Politics / Social justice

Nature

Farming

Culture

Languages

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

More details about my language interests
This workawayer has indicated that they would be interested in sharing their language(s) or learning a new language. You can contact them directly to discuss this.

Find a language buddy

Skills and knowledge I'd like to share or learn

I'm interested in:  

Gardening

DIY and building projects

Life at a Farmstay

Eco Projects

Animal Care

Hospitality/Tourism

Languages

Art Projects

Helping with Computers/ Internet

Teaching

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Some knowledge of:  

General Maintenance

Helping around the house

Charity Work

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Able to teach about:  

Creating/ Cooking family meals

More details about your skills

I can do almost anything, except fly a kite. Mostly, I excel at cheesecakes, chocolate truffles, breadmaking, other good food (I have cooked and baked professionally), gardening, basic repairs, and other things my father thought a girl should know about. I am a product of his feminist vision for me - basically, he raised me with the idea that I could do anything and I have done my best to prove him right.

I love to take photos, but hate having mine taken. I prefer landscape, macro, wildlife, and urban/architectural photography but also like to capture humorous images no matter what the subject. I have edited a restaurant cookbook for some friends, have managed my own consulting businesses, and spent nearly 9 years overseas as an academic. Growing up in Illinois farm country my typical chores included gardening and helping my parents at their university laboratories. Over the years, I have earned three degrees in different subjects so I am quite adaptable and adept at learning new skills.

One minor caveat: I have bad knees so any situation requiring me to frequently climb lots of flights of stairs or steep slopes or do heavy lifting is not likely to be a great fit, though often accommodations can be implemented (finding other routes to get around climbing up steep slopes, for instance). I've learned many over the years, so please don't let topography be an obstacle without checking with me first.

Age

68

What else ...

I like exploring, especially with my camera.

Some more information

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  Smoker

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  Driver's licence

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  Allergies
  soy

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  Special dietary requirements
  no soy except fully fermented soy sauce, soy oil and soy lecithin