Martha

& Maria

Travel information

We are currently

Activities we are interested in:

We're currently traveling around South America until May. We hope to learn, help and build friendships throughout our travels. Beyond volunteering, we hope to hike and climb.

Description

Hi there!
Our names are Martha and Maria, we are best friends from the island of Cyprus.

A bit about us and a bit about Cyprus:
We both grew up in Cyprus, a small island in the far eastern part of the Mediterranean sea, with a mix of Mediterranean and middle-eastern culture, food and way of life. The two of us met in school 12 years ago and have stayed close friends ever since, sharing many common interests.

A bit about Martha:
I have studied ecology and conservation and I am currently working in an environmental organisation towards the protection of a near-locally-extinct vulture species in Cyprus. Working in nature and for nature is my biggest passion while I believe that engaging local communities and supporting nature-based initiatives is important both for people and nature. In my spare time I love to hike, bird-watch, horse ride and draw.

A bit about Maria:
I have completed my university degree in environmental anthropology and have been part of conservation initiatives, activist efforts and research projects in Cyprus. I have also worked in an animal clinic and other service-facing jobs, but my true passion is socio-environmental research focusing on the connection between local communities and nature. Any free time I have, I spend it in the outdoors, whether that is climbing and bouldering, or hiking. I also enjoy doing pottery, drawing and playing the guitar with friends.

A bit about why we want to join work away hosts:

After studying and working for several years, this November we decided to leave Cyprus together in hope to experience more of the world, see beautiful places, get to know other communities and connect with people from different backgrounds. We are not looking for holidays but rather an opportunity to share our skills, exchange stories and broaden our horizons. We are excited to help out local initiatives, make lasting friendships and learn new skills.
We are both fluent in Greek and English, and look forward to improving our Spanish.

Interests

Books

Carpentry

DIY & crafts

Adventure sports

Politics / Social justice

Farming

Nature

Vegetarian or vegan

Outdoor activities

Sustainability

Gardening

Mountain

Pets

Charity work

Art & design

Drawing & painting

Hiking

Plant care

Culture

Cooking & food

Animals

Languages

Languages spoken
Greek: Fluent
English: Fluent
Spanish: Beginner

More details about my language interests
Knowing a language is one of the best ways to truly understand a culture and be able to help out, live in a local society more efficiently but also find new ways to express yourself. We are both interested in improving our Spanish while we can both help in English teaching. Of course if anyone wants to learn Greek we will be more than happy to help but prepare for a challenge!

Find a language buddy

Skills and knowledge we'd like to share or learn

We're interested in:  

DIY and building projects

General Maintenance

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Some knowledge of:  

Charity Work

Teaching

Gardening

Life at a Farmstay

Babysitting and creative play

Creating/ Cooking family meals

Helping around the house

Hospitality/Tourism

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Able to teach about:  

Art Projects

Languages

Eco Projects

Animal Care

More details about your skills

Both me and Maria have a range of skills that we are happy to share in order to support our potential hosts.
We are both skilled in animal welfare with experience in pets, livestock and wild animals. We have both practiced animal care professionally since Maria worked as a veterinary assistant in an animal clinic and Martha worked as a pet sitter as well as a wildlife rehabilitator (with focus on wild birds). With some experience in taking care of plants, we are well-suited to farm-life and know well that jobs never finish around a farm!

We are happy to cook and share recipes from our home and beyond. Cyprus is well known for its food and hospitality, making sure no one ever feels hungry. Healthy, hearty food is very much a key to ones heart!
We are both experienced in childcare, while Maria has experience working in a nursery as well as in a refugee centre working with children and Martha taught horse riding classes for children for several years so we are able to look after children of any age.
We both have knowledge of the natural world so we can help in any conservation/ nature protection initiatives as well as nature guiding, bird-watching, animal watching.
Lastly, we are skilled in art and would love to help in painting murals, design work and any other creative task needed!
We are quick learners and keen to help in any other task. Manual labor doesn't scare us, we are happy to get our hands dirty where needed!

Age

24 & 24

What else ...

Coming back to this

Some more information

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  Smoker

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  Driver's licence

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  Allergies

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  Special dietary requirements
  Preference in vegetarian based diet but flexible