Abby

Travel information

I am currently

Description

I love meeting new people, exploring places I haven't been to before, eating new foods, experiencing different cultures. I also love dancing (especially tango and contra dancing), hiking, and just wandering around places unfamiliar to me. I like to be able to immerse myself in the culture of the place I am visiting. For this reason I find home stays very attractive. If possible, I also like to learn the language of the place I'm visiting. Having lived in Germany in 1988 I did at one time speak German pretty well, but now I find it hard to put a sentence together. Having volunteered in Paraguay with Peace Corps 1992-1994, my Spanish is not what it used to be, but still at least conversational. The Chinese I learned for my trip to Asia in 1987 was low level conversational, but now I just have a few fairly useless phrases.
I enjoy physical labour, but not backbreaking work. I love animals. Just seeing a dog makes me smile.

Interests

Music

Photography

Hiking

Sustainability

Pets

Mountain

Performing arts

Languages

Outdoor activities

Nature

Events & social

Cooking & food

Charity work

Dancing

Architecture

Books

Animals

Culture

Languages spoken

English: Fluent
Spanish: Intermediate
German: Beginner

Skills and knowledge I'd like to share or learn

I'm interested in:  

Animal Care

Babysitting and creative play

Being an elderly companion

Eco Projects

House & pet sitting

Life at a Farmstay

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Some knowledge of:  

Hospitality/Tourism

Teaching

Charity Work

Creative DIY projects

Helping around the house

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Able to teach about:  

Languages

More details about your skills

In Ecuador I volunteered playing with children while their parents took a class. In Paraguay I put together environmental education lesson plans that incorporated games. I've cat sit for a friend, and dog sat. Every Thursday I bag bread and help distribute the bread and other food to community members that come to pick it up. Tuesdays I help distribute fresh fruits and vegetables, and Fridays I help distribute prepared food. For several years I helped restore/renovate a very old house. This involved many hours of sanding, fetching tools, installing insulation in spaces too small for others on the team to reach, using power tools to cut wood to size, and even some cement work. About 15 years ago I did a lot of digging when I helped create a pond, but I'm not up for that kind of work now.

Age

66

What else ...

I sometimes tell a (usually funny) story, or read a (usually funny) poem I've written at a local open mic in my neighborhood. I tango dance about five times a week. I am a fast walker. Some people who don't know me, know me as that lady that walks really fast.

Some more information

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  Smoker

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  Driver's licence

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  Allergies
  no

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  Special dietary requirements
  no