Tom & Deena

United States
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Profile information

Travel information
We are currently
At home
Activities we are interested in:
Tom: caving, hiking, biking
Deena: teaching English, improving Spanish, local cuisine
Description
We are both recently retired educators - Deena worked with preschool kids but mostly helping adults with ESOL, remedial math, and reading skills, while Tom taught 15 years of elementary level science, followed by another 15 years mostly in lower-grade classrooms. Both our kids have graduated college and left the house, so we are now able to use our new freedom and most importantly, this wonderful gift of TIME, to travel and explore places new and old.
We both have lived for extensive periods abroad - schooling and multi-month or even -year stays in Chile, Mexico, Spain, Ireland, Singapore, Thailand, and five years on the Pacific island of Saipan. We are comfortable with different types of people and living conditions, and are actively seeking new experiences! We can both speak Spanish as well as English.
We both are active, love learning new skills, and enjoy helping out in exchanges with like-minded people. We have benefitted as Workaway hosts for a few years, and now would like the opportunity to come and help you!
Interests
Writing
Plant care
Music
Cooking & food
Hiking
Charity work
Sustainability
Gardening
Carpentry
Self development
Languages
DIY & crafts
Camping
Outdoor activities
Cycling
Books
Yoga / Wellness
Politics / Social justice
Nature
Farming

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Languages
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
Spanish: Fluent
More details about my language interests
Deena is interested in a Spanish/English exchange
Find a language buddy
Skills and knowledge we'd like to share or learn
Some knowledge of:
Gardening
DIY and building projects
Being an elderly companion
General Maintenance
Creating/ Cooking family meals
Life at a Farmstay
Eco Projects
Helping around the house
Animal Care
Hospitality/Tourism
Charity Work
Art Projects
Able to teach about:
Languages
Teaching
More details about your skills
As former teachers we are both good talkers! :)
Deena can help with English skills, general household help and cleaning, light gardening, taking care of animals.
Tom can help with construction projects, gardening, building, eco and permaculture type projects, things along that line. He has a good deal of experience along these lines.
Age
60 & 59
What else ...
Love to play backgammon, other games, chat with others, enjoy nature and people. Tom is an avid caver and makes his own wine and mead. Deena loves to cook healthy food.
Some more information
- Smoker
- Driver's licence
- Allergies
  sulfides
- Special dietary requirements
  Deena is lactose intolerant

Feedback

16 Apr 2024

Left by Workawayer (Tom & Deena) for host (Gardening, food growing and a ...)

I was at Carol's place for about ten days and really enjoyed my time there. The work was varied, interesting and rewarding: taking down broken tree branches, mucking out a chicken coop/rabbitry, installing fenceposts and chainlink fencing, pointing between stones on a wall, installing a terrace in the garden...as well as just general helping out… read more

(Excellent )

11 Apr 2024

Left by host (Come and help with the start ...) for Workawayer (Tom & Deena)

Tom and Deena were at absolute pleasure to host! Every night we had dinner together and had great talks, they were also kind to our children who quickly warmed to them. They required very little direction when it came to working in our garden, whilst here they helped build a chicken coop. Highly recommend!

(Excellent )

28 Mar 2024

Left by Workawayer (Tom & Deena) for host (Come and help with the start ...)

We had a great time with Cori and Joel. We were there about two weeks - enough time to help with some general cleaning/rearranging of a garage, and then to get started in on two projects - intense weeding of their garden, and starting construction of a chicken coop. Both Cori and Joel were very clear in their communications with us as to what they… read more

(Excellent )

17 Jan 2024

Left by host (Help out with garden and DIY ...) for Workawayer (Tom & Deena)

Although Tom was only able to stay for a few days due to a family emergency, I could tell that we would have had a very successful experience. He was primed to get started on a number of different projects, and even though we didn't get to do them, simply talking through some of them gave me some good ideas on how to proceed. Right off the bat, he… read more

(Excellent )

16 Jan 2024

Left by Workawayer (Tom & Deena) for host (Help out with garden and DIY ...)

Unfortunately I had to cut short my planned 3 week stay after only two days, due to a family emergency which necessitated my quick return to the US. However, based on my admittedly brief time with Sarah, I feel confident I would have had a great time there. There with three other guys as Workawayers when I arrived, and Sarah handled all of us, as… read more

(Excellent )

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16 Apr 2024

Left by Workawayer (Tom & Deena) for host (Gardening, food growing and a ...)

(Excellent )

11 Apr 2024

Left by host (Come and help with the start ...) for Workawayer (Tom & Deena)

(Excellent )

28 Mar 2024

Left by Workawayer (Tom & Deena) for host (Come and help with the start ...)

(Excellent )

17 Jan 2024

Left by host (Help out with garden and DIY ...) for Workawayer (Tom & Deena)

(Excellent )

16 Jan 2024

Left by Workawayer (Tom & Deena) for host (Help out with garden and DIY ...)

(Excellent )

12 May 2023

Left by Workawayer (Tom & Deena) for host (Come join our permaculture ...)

Deena and I spent five weeks at Casa Anima in Feb/March and had a great time. You are given clearly defined tasks, but also a great deal of latitude to suggest and take on projects that you see need doing. Sebastian was our primary contact for the first month (as Sara was at that point in the US), and was very open to and appreciative of the work… read more

(Excellent )

20 Mar 2023

Left by host (Come join our permaculture ...) for Workawayer (Tom & Deena)

Una pareja que sabe y le gusta trabajar en equipo, agradables y simpáticos harán de cada proyecto algo especial, Tom un Dude con mucha experiencia en proyectos de restauración, mantenimiento y o proyecto de granja de una manera divertida pero y no menos seria. Deena, la chica mas prendida si de ayudar y aprender se trata, muy paciente y con gran… read more

(Excellent )

26 Feb 2023

Left by Workawayer (Tom & Deena) for host (Eco-projects close to Mérida, ...)

I had a good time with Luis and Katta at their project outside of Merida. There's a lot going on there, the work is not very difficult, you can arrange your time as you see fit, and Luis and Katta took me and the other Workawayer to neighboring towns and a cenote to experience local life. I appreciated his leaving us his truck for us to get to… read more

(Very good )

2 Dec 2022

Left by host (Help a stay at home Dad with ...) for Workawayer (Tom & Deena)

Deena is an absolute and total delight.
thank you so much for all your help and for your wonderful company.
you are always welcome here again, any time :)

(Excellent )

14 Nov 2022

Left by Workawayer (Tom & Deena) for host (Help a stay at home Dad with ...)

The kindest people you could hope to meet. I felt immediately at home and totally enjoyed my too-short stay : )

(Excellent )

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