Fiona

Travel information

I am currently

Description

We think we have time.

Fit, active Jill-of-all-trades/Renaissance woman. I recently qualified for and hold a contractor's license. I am comfortable using power and air tools although I haven't done any carpentry/framing or welding. I am familiar with basic wiring and plumbing. I enjoy plastering/mudding drywall and painting walls because of the freshness and renewal color brings to painted walls. I have a garden and indoor plants (hubby's currently in charge of tending to their needs); I enjoy working in the soil, pulling weeds and tending to plants and find it a meditative/contemplative task. I am tech savvy and can help with Internet and basic website needs: I ran an online editing business for 10 years so can help with blogging and web content. I have a master's degree in accounting (taxation focused) and worked in public accounting for several years. I carry my weight in any project and am comfortable working in a team and flexible with both leader and follower roles; I am a great go-fer/runner/helper. I am a quick study so if someone shows me how to do something, I'm good to go and can usually run with the project.

I raised two daughters using the Socratic method (my undergrad degree was philosophy with minors in Spanish & business) and because of this they did very well with their studies (one graduated valedictorian and is now a doctor in the UK; the other is working in healthcare administration in Alaska). I feel rewarded as a parent having mentored my children to confidently navigate the world independently. I LOVE teaching/mentoring youth. I also have a master's degree in counseling and was as a substitute/locum teacher in public schools, including working with students with special needs. I have great patience with those who need extra time to "get it" and with those who are working to capacity. I regularly volunteer with local (ran a book-club for female inmates at the local jail) and international organizations (Bless The Children, Inc.) and have traveled to Honduras twice on medical missions. My primary caretaker for a period when I was a child was my grandmother so I am respectful, compassionate and happy to help with the elderly and frail. I'm comfortable working with animals and enjoy engaging with their sweet souls. I rode horses as a teenager so I'm familiar with basic tacking and horse grooming needs.

I have been sewing, knitting, crocheting and cooking since I was very young: I can help you with that mending pile. I can cook a variety of ethnic dishes and especially enjoy working with fruits and vegetables. I am a fastidious cleaner and make sure all the nooks and crannies are as clean as any of the open spaces (if I do any construction type work, I also make sure the spaces are thoroughly cleaned up when the project is done). In order to carry out all these tasks, I have to have an organized mind so am confident I can help you get your space in order using logical and ergonomic principles. I was close to my father who was a hoarder; I understand that different people have different brains. I don't judge: I help. If you are better off, I am better off: The world is better off.

I'm pretty much retired from the working world and am enjoying pitching in where I can to give a hand. I have traveled extensively internationally and domestically in both the United States and in Australia (my country of birth). I speak Spanish with decent fluency (I studied in and continue to travel to Mexico); Persian at beginner conversational level, and English at an advanced and highly sophisticated level (thus my work as an editor on doctoral and masters theses as well as business documents and websites). When I travel, I leave my Western bubble at home and immerse myself to fully experience the culture.

I am savvy and comfortable navigating just about every socio-economic level: I've danced on dirt floors in Mexico and on the marble floors of embassies. I've taught beginning English to immigrants, accounting at the university level, and knitting to hobbyists. I have mixed and mingled with fishermen & their families, locals in every country I've traveled, with diplomats and business executives. I do not judge anyone, except for how they treat their fellow humans. THAT is the true test.

As you can see from my education and life experiences, I truly am a Jill-of-all-trades/Renaissance woman. Whatever your needs, I can probably help.

Interests

Nature

Yoga / Wellness

Sailing / Boating

Beach

Dancing

Water sports

Languages

Languages spoken
English: Fluent
Spanish: Fluent
Persian (Farsi): Intermediate
Arabic: Beginner
German: Beginner
French: Beginner
Italian: Beginner

More details about my language interests
I very much enjoy learning languages and welcome the opportunity to learn or improve my conversational skills whenever I get the chance. I am a native English speaker and enjoy teaching it to speakers of other languages regardless of their age. I am experienced at editing English documents, including for submission to peer-reviewed journal articles.

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Skills and knowledge I'd like to share or learn

I'm interested in:  

Gardening

DIY and building projects

Babysitting and creative play

General Maintenance

Creating/ Cooking family meals

Life at a Farmstay

Eco Projects

Helping around the house

Languages

Teaching

Being an elderly companion

House & pet sitting

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Some knowledge of:  

Animal Care

Art Projects

Helping with Computers/ Internet

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Able to teach about:  

Hospitality/Tourism

Charity Work

More details about your skills

Construction (painting, tiling, drywall patching/plastering, basic electrical & plumbing), landscaping/gardening, cooking (vegan, vegetarian, omnivore, dairy-free, gluten-free), housekeeping (cleaning, organizing, sewing/mending), pet sitting, teaching/mentoring incl neurodivergent individuals, babysitting, being best buds/playing with children, accounting, Internet, editing, English, hospitality, charitable work, care of the elderly, animal care. Please read my description for detailed information.

Age

69

What else ...

I am a self-starter and the kind of individual who enjoys contributing to the effective functioning of a space. I am good at following instructions. I am happy to pitch in to help you with learning English (or Spanish), cooking, cleaning, repairs & maintenance (I have a general contractor's license), and finances/bookkeeping (I am a retired chartered/certified public accountant). I enjoy engaging with children and always marvel at how their budding brains and souls are flourishing; I am happy to help with pets and comfortable around farm animals.

Some more information

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  Smoker

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  Driver's licence

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  Allergies
  I am allergic to mold (alternaria) and mosquitoes. Lactose intolerant, but I carry lactase tablets. I wear a mask around excess dust or construction debris.

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  Special dietary requirements
  Prefer plant-based, but eat everything. I have lactose intolerance so avoid eating dairy products though I do carry lactase tablets.