Cultural immersion, artistic opportunity and gardening fun at a community space for children in a mountain village near San Isidro, Intibuca, Honduras

Infos

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  Description

  Before I get started, please take note that Workaway has my location tagged in the wrong place on their map. Please look up Macuelizo, San Isidro, Intibuca on Google maps to make sure you understand where you think you are going. Thanks.😉😊
  Hi! My name is Aura. I live and work with children and families here in the mountains of Honduras. Perhaps you could say I'm a permanent workawayer. My home has become a popular place for creative expression to many children and young adults here in this corner of the world. With the daily focus of being a positive and inspiring community member, I try to use my varying skills to help develop and enrich the lives of children and young adults.
  I've lived in Honduras for 10 years, and have been in my current home for 4 years. I appreciate and love the Honduran people and they have an abundance of love to share in return.
  Another passion of mine is art, especially painting and sculpture. I have a BFA in sculpture, and immensely appreciate participating in the creative process, whether it be art, landscaping, gardening, sewing, or culinary delights. At present, I'm working at painting murals in the village"s public school.
  And would welcome, with open arms, any traveler that desires to contribute to this endeavor.
  Another of my passions is flower and vegetable gardening. Although I prefer the permaculture approach to gardening and life, I do humor myself with trying to keep vegetable crops in my garden. (Weeding is always a challenge, however, as weeds in a tropical environment are happier than ducks in a pond...)
  The outreach that I offer to the community is primarily aimed at creative enrichment. The space that I've made available for the community children is a place where they come to paint, draw, study, bake, play, laugh, sew, and visit. My hope is that any workaway volunteer will feel the same freedoms to do likewise, share their inspiring project ideas, and relate to the children on a personal, casual level.
  During the Honduran school year, which runs from the beginning of March to early November, I tutor Spanish reading skills and basic math concepts (addition and subtraction) to the children that struggle to learn them in school. I offer organized art activities year round, as well as organized English classes; (which serve wonderfully as "bilingual classes" for any workaway volunteer who would like practice in either English or Spanish). I love to have volunteers who aren't too shy to try helping conduct English classes😉😊

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  Types d'aide et opportunités d'apprendre

  Projets artistiques

  Pratique d’une langue

  Enseignement

  Jardinage

  Bricolage et construction

  Cuisine/repas pour la famille

  Entretien général
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  Echange culturel et opportunités d'apprendre

  I speak fluent english and spanish that is fluent, but not perfect. A visitor will have language and cultural immersion, as well as many opportunites to accompany the natives in their daily life activities. There is a mine of cultural gems that could be discovered by those that are willing to explore and relate.
  Those travelers that are interested in picking coffee should come between November to February.
  Those that are interested in working with children should come between March and October.
  April and May are hot, dry, dusty and smoky.
  The remaining months are a comfortable 75°-85° F, often rainy, and quite pleasant.
  In any season, the children and I love to play baseball, soccer, and swim in the river.

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  Projets impliquant des enfants

  Ce projet peut impliquer des enfants. Pour en savoir plus, consultez nos directives et conseils ici.

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  Aide

  This small mountain community is one of many in a chain of coffee producing villages. It is a quaint, friendly and safe place that is inhabited by many beautiful people--beautiful in their gentleness, in their kindness, in their hospitality, and in their ability to accept outsiders into their lives and homes. We are surrounded by a plethora of nature- forests to visit, rivers to swim in, and coffee plantation to get lost in.
  For the artístic and creative, here can be found much time and space to imagine and create: as well as share your skills and inspiration with the interested youngsters. I would love to host any and all artists that are willing to give an hour or two of their time to show the children new art techniques in any medium.
  I keep a nicely planted and watered vegetable and flower garden that serves all year around in meal preparation. Any garden lovers are welcome to find their space or corner and try new things, or simply help me keep up with weeding, watering and harvesting. It's fun to invite the local children into the garden and inspire them to create their own garden spaces in their own homes. Many children and adults would love to know more about gardening, and some try, but the community's traditional approach to planting and harvesting lacks variety; and consists of only beans, corn, and coffee.
  
  Generally speaking, my home offers the opportunity for volunteers to be completely immersed and involved with the natives and their culture. On the flip side, it is not so easy for volunteers to separate themselves from the daily activity and intensity of immersion.
  I've got plenty of projects that I slowly but surely work at bringing to fruition. Including landscaping, and, the newest project that has come up, mural-painting the public school's classroom walls. I would love to collaborate with any interested painters or muralists that have experience. And, if you don't have any experience, and would like to gain some, I know it'll continue to be a great project.
  
  Lastly, I will say that it is very important to me that any volunteer can take basic instructions and decide for themself how to execute a task according to one's own strengths and talents.
  Self motivation, and the ability to identify things that need to be done are very helpful characteristics to have for easy going days up in these parts of the world.

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  Langues

  Langues parlées
  Anglais: Courant
  Espagnol: Courant

  Cet hôte propose un échange linguistique
  Cet hôte a indiqué qu’il souhaitait faire partager sa propre langue ou en apprendre une nouvelle.
  Contactez-le pour en savoir plus.
  
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  Hébergement

  As far as accomodations go, I have two houses side-by-side. One of the two is for "work" and teaching related activities. The other is for "personal" space and time out from what, on some days, can be super-intense activity. I offer a private bedroom with a padlock. Depending on which room is available, you will be given a double bed, or single bed and semi-private bathroom with hot, running water. In one house I cook with wood. In the other, where the children bake, there is a gas oven as well as a wood stove. Visitors are welcome to share meals, or cook and eat on on their own time and in their preferred space. I try to keep a well stocked kitchen. But the truth is, everyone up here eats "typical mountain food"-eggs, fresh milk, homemade cheese and yogurt, beans, corn tortillas, rice, bananas, other seasonal fruits, vegetables and delicious fruit juices and amazing coffee. We have electricity, and Wi-Fi, but during rainy season frequent lightning storms often cause power outages.

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  Autres infos...

  The mountain community here, as well as the many other coffee producing villages in the vicinity, is a "doors and windows opened-every body received" culture. Nothing goes over looked, everything gets talked about and discussed by the entire neighborhood. They are a close knit people, and watch out for and take care of each other. They watch out for me, too, and I do my best to reciprocate. Visiting here is perfect for people that don't mind close and frequent relating to others. Everything is "hand's on" and the children are ready and eager to learn anything presented to them.
  We enjoy trips to the river together, excursions to pick mangos and oranges, and playing soccer or baseball where ever a game may unfold.
  For those that enjoy hiking, there are plenty of beautiful places to walk through. For those that would like to experience coffee-picking, there are choice opportunities. Neighbors will lend horses for riding, and motorcycles for exploring. We are "dirt-roads", and few-cars. There are a few daily busses that come and go from the nearest town an hour away, as well as to the next larger town 2 hours away. Bus fare is $1.50-$3 each way. I am ready to answer any questions you may have and give as many more details as you may need about the area and lifestyle.

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  Informations complémentaires

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    Accès Internet

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    Accès Internet limité

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    Nous avons des animaux

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    Nous sommes fumeurs

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    Familles bienvenues

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  Espace pour garer des vans

  Small, van sized vehicles would fit inside the parking area

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  Combien de volontaires pouvez-vous accueillir ?

  Plus de 2

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  Nombre d'heures attendues

  Maximum 3-5 hours a day, 5 days a week

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