Come to the heart of Indian Country in New Mexico, USA

Detalles

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  Descripción

  We are a couple living on 5 acres in New Mexico, not far from the town of Gallup. We have four friendly dogs, all rescues from the local area. Helpers are welcome to bring dogs along - our dogs love company! However, they are not used to cats and will act aggressively towards them.
  
  We've got several garden areas, and lately have been concentrating on establishing fruit trees and shrubs in the beds. The plan this summer is to plant greens and other vegetables among the trees, which are small seedlings at this point. In past years we've grown tomatoes, lettuce, squash, spinach, etc., in these garden areas, which mostly we eat and sometimes sell at a local produce market. The watering is done by drip emitters on timers, but we can use help with planting and pulling weeds. We are also in the midst of some building projects and are especially looking for people with basic building skills or the ability to learn them. Underway are a toolshed and a greenhouse (with polycarbonate panels), and the trailers can always use improvements. I can also use help organizing sheds and the various piles of building materials in the yard, and there is a constant need for landscaping.
  
  I'm also looking for help with some decorative work such as making mosaics and mosaic stepping stones, painting the outsides of the sheds, and perhaps inside in the bathrooms. I'd like to make a bottle wall someday and have been collecting the bottles and jars to do so. I've also collected old windows for constructing a greenhouse. As you can imagine, there are many projects to choose from!
  
  Most of our guests stay at least a week, but we've hosted for just a few days and for a few months. Long term volunteers are especially welcome this summer - we may both be traveling a bit for work and that's always easier when we have reliable helpers to look after the dogs and the garden.
  
  In the summer, there are nightly Indian Dances in downtown Gallup, and there are various festivals, parades, and other events throughout the year. Gallup has a monthly Arts Crawl, a movie theater, and several grocery stores. There is an excellent and unique flea market every Saturday. There are also good hiking trails, as well as bike paths and climbing areas. It's a great area for outdoorsy activities. Otherwise, it is a small town and has small town amenities, and our place can seem pretty remote. (No street lights around us, but the stars shine brightly at night!) We strongly recommend that helpers have their own means of transportation; we can't always get away to show helpers around, take them shopping, etc. We only ask about 20 hours of work per week in exchange for room and board, so there's a lot of time to get out and about.
  
  When we have the time, we do enjoy showing volunteers the local sights, and have taken helpers to such places as the Grand Canyon, Petrified National Forest, Monument Valley, etc. If you have your own vehicle, there are many beautiful places to explore and hike within a few hours' drive.
  
  I am American and my husband is originally from West Africa. We are omnivores at the house, but we can and have hosted vegetarians and vegans. Volunteers who have required strictly non-GMO and organic food have had to make shopping trips to Albuquerque on their own.
  
  We don't smoke but do enjoy the occasional alcoholic beverage. No smoking is allowed in the house, but out of doors is okay. The dogs live inside but are quite friendly and love company. They have a dog door and can come and go as they please - they'll often visit helpers in the trailer area and love to be taken for walks.
  
  There are two 18' travel trailers on the property. One of them (whichever is available) will be your home while you stay with us. The trailer area is self-contained - each trailer has a kitchen, and there is a full bathroom in a shed a few steps from the trailers. There's also a barbecue grill and a firepit. We both work from home now, and the trailers allow a bit more space and privacy for everyone. However, we often will cook together and get to know each other over shared meals. There is a television with DVD player in one of the trailers, and we have a lot of DVDs and books that helpers are welcome to borrow.
  
  We have plenty of room for tent camping or for parking large vehicles, RVs, campers, etc.
  
  We have satellite internet access, but cellphone reception can be spotty.
  
  Please be in touch if you want to come and visit!

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  Tipos de ayuda y oportunidades de aprendizaje

  Proyectos artísticos

  Práctica de idiomas

  Jardinería

  Construcción y bricolaje

  Cuidado de animales

  Cocinar para toda la familia

  Ayuda doméstica

  Mantenimiento general
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  Intercambio cultural y oportunidades de aprendizaje

  We are a multicultural couple ourselves, and cook food from both America and West Africa.
  
  This area of the US is unique in that it is called 'Indian Country.' The Navajo tribal lands are very close to us, as are the Hopi and Zuni lands. The population of Gallup is also diverse, having large percentages of Hispanic and Indian members. There is also a small Arab community and a local mosque.

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  Proyectos con niños

  En este proyecto podría haber niños. Para obtener más información, consulta nuestras directrices y consejos aquí.

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  Ayuda

  In the summer, most of the work here involves increasing the size and depth of garden beds, and planting, weeding, and harvesting them at growing time. In the spring, we start many of our seeds before planting time. We heat the house with firewood, so in winter we spend lots of time gathering and chopping wood (there are many dead pine trees in the area due to years of drought). There is always general maintenance and cleaning around the house.
  
  My husband and I both work full-time apart from whatever progress we make around the property, so there is always much to be done. We are hoping to organize and convert a couple sheds for better garden productivity (one old horse barn has been partly refurbished as a green house) , and I would love to get some of the general clutter better organized as well.
  
  When I have the time, I enjoy preserving some of our food by canning and freezing, and can use help with that. I also make lotions, soaps and small bath luxuries like scented salts, and working on those together can be a fun project - but usually after the other chores and tasks are done! We've also done tie-dye projects in the past and I have the supplies for that.

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  Idiomas

  Idiomas hablados
  Inglés: Fluido
  Francés: Intermedio

  Este anfitrión ofrece intercambio de idiomas
  Este anfitrión ha indicado que está interesado en compartir su idioma o aprender otro.
  Ponte en contacto con él para obtener más información.
  
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  Alojamiento

  We have two 18' travel trailers where you will make your home while you stay with us. The full bathroom is just a few steps away, and we have laundry facilities in the house.
  
  We have plenty of room for tent camping or for parking large vehicles, RVs, campers, etc.

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  Algo más...

  We are located several miles south of Gallup, New Mexico, in the heart of Indian Country. The Navajo and Zuni Reservations are nearby, and the area is rich in culture and history. During the summer months, there are nightly Indian dances in Gallup, and a Saturday flea market operates all year. Gallup is on historic Route 66 and just off Interstate 40. The Amtrak train stops in town, as does the Greyhound bus.
  
  Within four hours of here are national parks (the Grand Canyon and Petrified Forest), national forests, and other scenic wonders. Several Indian pueblos (and casinos) are also in this area.

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  Un poco más de información

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    Acceso a Internet

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    Acceso a Internet limitado

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    Tenemos animales

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    Somos fumadores

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    Puede alojar familias

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  Puede acoger a nómadas digitales

  Este anfitrión ha indicado que le encanta acoger a nómadas digitales.

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  Espacio para aparcar autocaravanas

  We can accommodate any size of van since we have plenty of space. The only issue is accessibility, since our driveway can be nearly impassible when there is mud from a lot of rain or snow. However, this only happens a few times per year when there has been a lot of snow or rain.

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  Podría aceptar mascotas

  We have hosted a lot of volunteers with dogs and there has never been an issue between our dogs and theirs. However, our dogs chase cats, so if you have a cat it has to be kept indoors at all times.

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  ¿Cuántos voluntarios puedes hospedar?

  Más de dos

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  Horas esperadas

  3-4 hours a day, 5 days a week

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