Herve

& Alexandra

Travel information

We are currently

Activities we are interested in:

I do gardening (for food), building work (as in building houses), teaching, cooking (vegetarian), technical advice.

Description

"Do what you love. Love what you do."
We try and apply this rule every minute of my life, whatever lemon comes at us :)

We believe in actions rather than words.
Things that make us get up in the morning:embracing new ways of life, contributing towards honest and altruistic people's goals, knowing that our contributions will be appreciated.

We are down to earth people.

Herve:
I am experienced with renovating and repairing houses and stuff around houses, growing food, taking care of hens, cooking, teaching, building and running a business, writing software (incl. web sites)... and I keep doing it all, all the time. I am a dual national (FR, NZ), I lived in France, New Zealand, Belgium, Greece, and Norway. Currently I live happily in Germany.

I met wonderful people, and that's the whole of my wealth. As long as I am in good health, I'd like to keep adding to this kind of wealth, by getting to know other fellow humans.

I am currently travelling with my partner, Alexandra, yoga teacher for over 20 years, conservator specialised in old buildings, and a kindred soul. She has been a workaway host for several years.

Important things for you to know:
- We like to get things done.
- We are autonomous.
- We hate waste, whichever the resource. We like to reuse discarded materials. We prefer to
repair than to buy.
- I put much emphasis on functionality, durability, and efficiency, especially when there's lots to do and few hands around.
- Alexandra does all the above, with aesthetics coming first.
- We are rather altruistic.
- We want to do stuff to serve the altruistic goals other people, or for people in need of help but can't afford it.
- We do not want to be exploited. If you intend to make money with the product of our work for you, then pay us or don't invite us.
- We have great difficulties waiting for people to make decisions past the proverbial sleep on the matter.

Interests

Dancing

Writing

Yoga / Wellness

Van life

Vegetarian or vegan

Sustainability

Self development

Sailing / Boating

Politics / Social justice

Languages

Farming

History

Drawing & painting

Books

Camping

Carpentry

Charity work

Cooking & food

Astronomy

Architecture

Languages

Languages spoken
English: Fluent
French: Fluent
German: Beginner

More details about my language interests
I have taught English as a Second Language (ESL) to French pupils, and I liked it. I write in English for business on a regular basis. I can definitely help a wide audience with getting better at English, which should always include (a) getting the information out in the order compatible with English thinking, and (b) using verbs to the fullest. I have helped adolescents and adults with learning French as a second language. French has a specific "story telling" approach to expressing things. French adjectives make up for the dearth of verbs. I am currently learning German. There is a lot of sensibility and subtlety in the way to express things in German, and very often things come from a different place from French or English. I love it.

Find a language partner

Skills and knowledge we'd like to share or learn

Some knowledge of:  

Charity Work

Eco Projects

Light gardening

Creative DIY projects

Life at a Farmstay

Creating/ Cooking family meals

Helping around the house

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Able to teach about:  

Languages

Teaching

Helping with Computers/ Internet

More details about your skills

I studied computing (MSc, 1994) and neuroscience (PhD, 2018).
I founded a company that provided food and work to a handful of people for 12 years: I learned how to do it on the job, and tried to not do the things I didn't like from my previous employers.
Other things I learned on the jobs: DIY, building work such as timber walls, timber roof, stone + lime masonry, lime plaster, electricity, plumbing, insulation, painting, wood work, repair work all around the house.
I learned to do things with the materials around, I learned to be more patient, I learned "good enough".
I speak French and English fluently, and learned bits of Greek, German, and Norwegian to be polite but not enough to have a decent conversation.
I like sharing the knowledge I gathered in my studies and my life experience. I taught English in secondary school, some AI to Master students, software programming to a variety of people.

Age

56 & 57

What else ...

I like playing board games, mostly cooperative games (Pandemic, Flashpoint), chess, tock. And some card games.

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
  Vegetarian. Not meat'etarian nor vegan. Just in between ;)