From: United Kingdom
Individual account
Argentina, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Mexico, Nicaragua, Peru, United States
05/10/2018 - 05/10/2023
257
Blessings,
21.10.2019 Update: I'm in San Cristobal de Las Casas, heading to Guatemala tomorrow or next day.
My name is Sara, but normally go by Tink (short for Tinkerbell). I feel incredibly grateful to have the opportunity to be here, and for all of those who are reading me.. Much Gratitude, my heart is full.
************************ Small intro to the being behind the photo ******************************
(note: I cut my dreadlocks about 3 weeks ago, but still don't have updated pictures)
I was born in Portugal and grew up in Italy. I did leave rather young and lived most of my life in other countries. English became my primary language about 15 years ago. My native languages are English, Portuguese and Italian, and fluent intermediate Spanish.
I love Nature, People & Animals (order not relevant), and one of my purposes is to learn and share this beautiful experience we call Life with all. I love to travel and meet new places, new cultures, new ways of living, new people, new animals.. deeper connections, loving connections.
Coming from a Gymnastics and Martial Arts background (Muay Thai, Krabi Krabong, Tai-chi, Kickboxing) , I was always very keen to follow a more natural way of living - avoiding pharmaceuticals, chemical products, etc.
About 9 years ago (after a couple of life/health events), I've decided to change lifestyle completely. This is where Ayurveda, Yoga, Meditation (among other practices) came into place. Since then, I've been following consistently and looking to learn more and more about Eastern medicine (mostly Indian and Chinese) and their philosophies. Gratefully, path has been leading me to all these different amazing projects spread around the World, where I was able to not just learn, but also to practice it.
I wanted to deepen my studies in Yoga, Ayurveda and Natural medicine (Herbal and Plants), so events led me to Rishikesh, in India, where I spent three months, in a beautiful Ashram sitting in the Himalayas.
I'm so honoured to have received the 500 Hours Hatha & Asthanga Yoga Teacher Certification (RYT). I've been giving classes in many different environments and sharing different practices throughout the last couple of years (time that I've been permanently volunteering). I still study (Self study mostly) and love to learn from all the different teachers/masters/all I meet along the way. One of my purposes is to share this knowledge, experiences and spread awareness and Love all around.
I've adopted the Volunteering lifestyle because I find my purpose every day in it... It's quite amazing all that you learn and how much we can do.. and I am so grateful.. I am literally living dreams. I was never really ambitious of having a house, a car or material things to full-fill myself. To me was always about discovering, communicating, learning, sharing... I guess I always very curious and Life fascinates me. It's exciting and always a surprise :)
I felt from the beginning that it was one of my callings. To be of service of others.
****************************** Work/ Professional Experience **********************************
I started working rather early, holding my first job at the age of 15. I was living in Italy (up in the mountains), attending an Hotel & Tourism professional Institute (equivalent to High School), and working evenings & weekends at a local Pizzeria and Hotels. I worked as a waitress, head-waitress, pizza chef (pizzaiola) and as a receptionist.
After completing the course in Italy, I've moved back to Portugal (my birth country), and started working as a temp receptionist for a newspaper, followed by a bank and an editorial magazine, whilst bar-tending and serving in the evenings.
In 1999, I started working for a well-known IT & Telecommunications company in Lisbon, where my career in IT actually began. My first role was in Customer Service and progressed as follows.
For the following years up until 2 years ago, I worked for many international IT companies (in many different countries), providing IT Support, Server & Network management for our clients (Support included everything from the base (passing cables, patching, network infrastructure, etc.), to the smallest device.
I was an IT Support Manager for about 8 years, leading small, medium and big size teams, whilst still acting as a Senior Support Engineer & Systems Administrator (Server & Network management). During this time I was responsible for all the Engineers and Customers training - in several different areas.
I kept on working evenings and weekends at hostels, hotels, restaurants, pubs and Coffee shops. I've always loved Hospitality and mostly serve others in all ways possible.
I also had the opportunity to work in different areas than IT and Hospitality. For about 6 months I've worked in a building/construction project - building an office inside a 300 m2 warehouse). It was a very physical work, but very rewarding. All was done from scratch, from putting up walls, to paint, reconstruct, working the ground for the gas/water lines.
I had a truly amazing and fulfilling career and it was essential for taking the path to this beautiful journey and to where I am now.
****************************** Volunteering Experience **********************************
I started volunteering (as in full time) in January 2016. It was a long due calling and it was when I've taken action into a path change.
I first went to British Columbia (Canada), and volunteered at a Scuba Diving Resort located in Browning Pass. It was a fluvial resort, only accessible by boat. The resort was closed for guests that period, so we had no electricity, water or communications (except for the radio). The tasks included taking care of the place, maintaining, cleaning and do any repairs necessary.
Went to Alaska after that, where I volunteered in a beautiful place called Wasilla, an hour north of Anchorage, looking after 24 dogs retired sled dogs. I did some projects in the house too, working with wood and repairing, building the house interior. I also had the opportunity to learn how to weld and helped with the exterior gates of the property.
I've travelled again through Canada and made my way down to Mexico, Guatemala, and Nicaragua. I mostly volunteered for hostels - Eco, surf, backpackers, etc. - and Permaculture and Herbalism communities. I had different roles, but mostly was taking care of the guests and the hostel itself - Bookings, check-ins, check-outs, cleaning, bar-tending, serving, etc. I've also worked in webdesign and the social media aspect, as well as photography.
************************** Most recent Volunteering - 2018-2019 *********************************
I started as a volunteer at a Hostel in San Jose (CR), and after a month or so, took a position as the Hostel Manager (where I was also managing the volunteers), so I was there for a longer period (5 months). It was an amazing experience.
After Costa Rica, I've travelled to and through Peru, Chile, Bolivia and Mexico, where I've been volunteering in different Hostels ( Eco, Surf, Backpackers, Yoga Retreats) and communities.
Had many different tasks (most already described above), but also had the opportunity to paint a mural in my most recent volunteer project (pictures are on my profile), and photography.
I've been giving Yoga classes, workshops, massages and Ayurveda consults in many different environments & settings throughout this year, which has been amazing. I feel incredibly grateful, really.
I love working my hands (building, fixing, repairing, planting.. all), and I was happy to do some work with plants (taking care of compost, replanting, preparing the soil, etc.).
************************** A little bit more on day to day life *****************************
Living as volunteer it's been quite rewarding. I don't really have an income and I've been living by selling jewellery, performing at the traffic lights/ plazas/ birthday parties sometimes, exchanges and donation (for the yoga classes, massages, consultations). I want to serve the people, the communities, our nature, our animals, ourselves.. "making money" was never really a goal.
I am happy, open heart & mind, and I love to work/ share with other people - while I am also independent and auto-sufficient. I adapt easily to different environments, settings, as more and more I accept all as it comes... I find it beautiful to learn and see how the moments and we evolve.
Nutrition wise, it's been quite a while since I've adopted the Ayurvedic system, and I've been adapting it according to where I am at that moment (mentally, physically, emotionally and geographically) and according to what is available :)
Life is beautiful, peaceful and I am always happy to find common ground. Also easy when it comes to accommodation :) I love the outdoors, so sleeping outside or in a tent suits perfectly :)
In order to keep myself balanced (physiologically, psychologically), I've become consistent with my self-practice and be/do Asanas (Yoga) on a daily basis, meditation, Contact Staff, Dance, Music, among other different activities. Complemented by nourishing myself with alive foods mostly, and respecting cycles and metabolisms, whilst improving my immune system and keep vibrations and energy higher. I love to use creativity and imagination and come up with solutions to anything and everything.
I would love to volunteer and experience Life with you. I feel I have a lot to learn from you... a lot to discover. I would love to learn more about the your culture, traditions, places, people... all :)
Sending the Love and warm hugs filled with gratitude,
Tink
Babysitting / child care
Other
Help with Eco project
Help in the house
Animal care
Helping with Tourists
Charity work
Language practice
Art project
Help with Computers / internet
Teaching
*️️️️️️️️️️️ Yoga Teacher Certification (RYT 500) - in Rishikesh, India - at Rishikesh Yog Peeth - Abhayaranya
*️️️️️️ Artist ( Fire & Contact Staff) & Poi
* Massages (Sports, Relaxation, and targeted for specific purposes upon request).
* Ayurveda Hips Alignment
* Ayurveda (Nutrition, Cooking. etc)
*️️️️️️️️️️️ Hospitality And Tourism School,
* Languages University (English, Italian and Spanish) ;
* Hospitality services & Hostel/Hotel Management
* Household
*️️️️️️️️️️️ TEFL Certification
*️️️️️️️️️️️ IT (several certifications)
English, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese
38
Portuguese/Italian/English
Smoker
Driver's licence
Allergies
Nope
Special dietary requirements
No special requirements, although I don't eat meat.
