Stephanie & Michael

United Kingdom
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Profile information

Travel information
We are currently
At home
Description
We are a couple, hoping to find a 2 week Workaway in India, in March/April 2023.
Interests
Yoga / Wellness
Vegetarian or vegan
Writing
Technology
Team sports
Sustainability
Self development
Politics / Social justice
Nature
Outdoor activities
Performing arts
Pets
Movies & TV
Music
Mountain
Fitness
Gardening
Hiking
History
Blogging
Cooking & food
Books
Culture
Cycling
DIY & crafts
Carpentry
Art & design
Architecture
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
French: Beginner
Skills and knowledge we'd like to share or learn
We're interested in:
Art Projects
Eco Projects
Life at a Farmstay
Some knowledge of:
Gardening
DIY and building projects
Animal Care
Creating/ Cooking family meals
Helping around the house
General Maintenance
Able to teach about:
Teaching
Helping with Computers/ Internet
More details about your skills
Michael - I am a lecturer in Public Health Nutrition and statistics at King's College London, and an experienced research scientist with good knowledge of excel and other software. I wrote a book on statistics for undergraduates and love teaching. I am mad about cycling, rode from Land's End to John O'Groats (the length of Britain), and blogged the whole journey. I am a good handyman with basic woodworking skills. In addition to cycling I enjoy music, reading, cooking, gardening, travel and walking the dog.

Stephanie - I am a lawyer, working in local government, in contracts / procurement law (not as boring as it sounds. Well, I think so). I want to do more creative work - particularly sewing, in which I have reasonably good skills - and broaden my horizons. I like walking, reading, cooking, gardening, and playing table tennis (which I've taken up again after 40 years' break).
Age
66 & 76
What else ...
We're a married couple aged 74 and 64, still working and active and physically fit but we want to spread our wings (you can do that at our ages!). So doing a 'workaway' period sounds a really exciting way of finding out about other countries and getting to know people, wider than simply being a tourist and travelling - though we are intending to do that too. We would like to put our existing skills and knowledge to use in a new setting, but also happy to learn new things and contribute wherever we can be useful.
Some more information
- Smoker
- Driver's licence
- Allergies
- Special dietary requirements
  Michael doesn't eat meat or poultry but does eat fish

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25 Apr 2023

Left by host (Welcoming volunteers who want ...) for Workawayer ()

Ms. Stephanie & Mr. Michael was the first old couple I have ever hosted. Before their arrival I was very reluctant & skeptical as both were highly qualified and old for the challenging life they were going to face during their stay in the remote-mountainous region of Uttarakhand village. As soon as I met them, their friendly & modest behavior… read more

(Excellent )

23 Apr 2023

Left by Workawayer () for host (Welcoming volunteers who want ...)

What an extraordinary two weeks. Dev is an extraordinary person. He is generous and gracious, talkative and candid. He has a drive and purpose that draws people to him, be they Workawayers or his friends in the village (of which he has many). It was a privilege to be a part of his world. His English is excellent and he has a wonderful sense of… read more humour.
We did not help him dig the reservoir as many had done before (at 64 and 74 that was beyond us) – sorry Dev! But we did help with crochet and knitting and cooking (Stephanie), with woodwork and electrical improvements in the workshop and cooking (Michael) and conversational English (Michael and Stephanie). The landscape is breath-taking, including views of the snowy peaks of the Himalayas.
Accommodation is basic but comfortable. The beds are hard boards with simple cotton quilt coverings, but after a day’s work we slept soundly. The “shower room” doesn’t have a shower, but warm water could be generated using a heating element, so a bucket and cup sufficed. The kitchen was also basic but more than sufficient to create delicious curries, dahl, rice and chapati. Dev is an excellent cook, so the basic fare varied delightfully from day to day and meal to meal. There were treats! Deep fried potato and rice snacks with dressings of mango powder. And lots of tea and chai masala.
The house, is in Dobh, one of four small villages that make up Lalurikhal. It is a steep 800 m trek from Laluri village to the house, so we were far fitter when we left than when we arrived. The days took on a rhythm – poha for breakfast (which we learned to make), followed by a trip down to Laluri for womens’ lessons or woodworking in the workshop; back to the house for dal and rice; back down to Laluri for the workshop or teaching (Michael) / womens’ class in the house (Stephanie); tea / chai in the village or on the terrace at the house; walks to the spring to collect drinking water; sabzi and chapatti for dinner…
One day we walked to Jamnikahl – accompanied by Tracey, Dev’s dog, who wouldn’t stay at home – a lovely high-level walk. Dev arranged for us to be picked up there (with Tracey) and taken to Chandrabadni temple, up MANY steps. Magnificent views from there. Tracey threw up in the car on the endlessly windy roads. Another day trip was to Srinagar with Dev to get provisions – interesting busy town with a small, beautiful ancient (900 year-old) temple.
We spent two weeks with Dev. There was an initial shock of living somewhere so utterly different from our lives back home (that’s why we wanted to be there!), and time to appreciate the beauty of the place. Would we go again? Absolutely.

(Excellent )