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Aloha! My name is Ro. I am a teacher, artist, linguist, former exchange student, and lover of Nature (sort of a pan-animist). I grew up in the Pacific Northwest (USA), and lived with host families in Argentina for a year during high school, and in Japan for a year during college.
I am currently in the process of bringing my fiancé (from Salvador, Bahia, Brazil) here to live with me, so my availability at this time will vary depending on factors beyond my control (which I try to communicate about as clearly as possible and honor your time). I welcome your stories and experiences with immigration and cross-cultural relationships and families!
**Regarding Covid-19:
I am fully vaccinated as of March 2021. Boosted October 2021.
I have also had and recovered from Covid-19 last fall myself, and have been through just about every angle of social dealings that I could imagine around it, including navigating hospitals, life and death, judgement, ridicule, denial, guilt, shame, regret and fear (for all kinds of reasons!!), international airports, and several different cultures, languages, geographical realities, and extremely varied access to resources, health care, testing and vaccination.
That all said, while I feel deep compassion for all the various viewpoints and choices people are making around this pandemic, I am not willing to accept any unvaccinated volunteers. I am a public school teacher and have a deep responsibility and privilege as an outsider in Hawaii that I feel extends to anyone choosing to travel here, as well, and I will be taking every precaution possible to prevent the spread of this virus.**
Ok, moving on…
I moved to the big island of Hawai’i 5 years ago, after many years of dreaming, planning and working toward the goals of homesteading and living as an artist… still very much working on it! My passions and priorities (for myself and others) are safety, self sufficiency and sovereignty, and using the many blessings and privileges bestowed upon me to protect and improve life for future generations.
In a nutshell what I’m offering at this time to volunteers/guests is a comfortable, simple, private and safe home for a week or two, a healthy and hopefully healing and inspiring lifestyle and perspective on life, and direct contact with plants and animals.
I have big plans and visions for the future of this homestead! (relating to the āina/land, art, music, education, activism and cultural exchange) that I’m very glad to share with you and am grateful for your contributions and energy in making it reality for others, as well.
I have lived and worked in Latinx communities for most of my adult life, and am particularly captivated by the rhythms, philosophies, flavors and struggles of the African diaspora. I love to dance, sing, play and listen to music, swim, cook, be with animals, and build things with my hands.
So, what am I doing in Hawai’i?
Well, first and foremost learning about Kanaka Maoli (Hawaiians) and doing my best to honor their land and lives and follow their lead. The Hawaiian kingdom and its descendants, as well as the true spirit of Aloha is still very much alive and provides some of the most unique, innovative, compassionate and powerful solutions to modern-day struggles I have ever come across.
I’m completely off-grid (except for internet) and I live a simple lifestyle by choice. You will need to be ok with limited consumption of resources if you stay with me, so if you have never thought about your own habits around consumption and shared resources, and if you are not interested in understanding and improving your impact on others (NOT your intentions), particularly as we relate to power structures and intersections of oppression, then this may not be the best fit for you. I want folks to understand that a bit more before reading on :-)
I love tropical, island life and the unique struggles and joys it offers, as well. I’m trying my best to utilize the many blessings, privileges, talents, skills and resources bestowed upon me in this life to become a better person, build my capacity to offer more to others, and educate myself and others to help right some of the wrongs committed by various segments of humanity, including my own ancestors. My very existence in Hawai’i (and yours if you choose to travel here!) is full of complexities, regardless of our best intentions.
I like to enjoy myself and am very social, but I definitely consider myself more of a serious person in terms of my goals and passions and will always try to be aware of others’ needs first and the impact of my actions and choices, and I prefer to be around people who do that naturally, as well.
My paternal grandparents (a librarian and a forester) lived in Hilo in the 1970s and bought this acre of land that I fell in love with when I first saw it as a teenager and am now blessed to care for. In fact I feel it (the aina, the land) has very much changed my life and what I enjoy most is simply listening to its heartbeat so to speak.
I was raised in the Pacific Northwest in a Quaker family of activists/advocates and still identify a lot with the values. I am passionately committed to racial, economic, social and environmental justice and strive to live in a way that supports this lifelong work.
I play and teach capoeira (a Brazilian martial art) and am a working potter (both endeavors which I hope to build spaces for here on my land but currently practice nearby). I’m also a language tutor and am happy to work with you if you’re interested. I could use some support with marketing if you’re skilled in that area!
I teach art full time in a local public school and stay quite busy as you can tell! but I love (and long for) being home with my kitty cat and chickens, just listening to the waves crashing (especially at night), birds chirping (especially in the morning) and wild roosters crowing (at all times, haha…)
Thx for reading my long-a$$ description! Please message me if you understand these things I am putting out there, if you feel you have something to offer and would be a good fit. Please be brief (sorry to be a hypocrite on that one!) and descriptive in your initial message. I find it’s helpful to preserve time and energy and get real and right to the point when making first contact. Thank you again!!
Jardinage
Bricolage et projets de construction
S’occuper des animaux
Aide dans une ferme
Cuisine/repas pour la famille
Entretien général
I am a perpetual exchange student :-) I’m fluent in English (my native language), Spanish, Japanese and Portuguese, and I love learning about other languages, as well.
I have a Bachelors degree in Foreign Languages and a Masters in Teaching (Art and English as a second language).
I love learning about and participating in different cultures and sharing experiences, “talking story” as they say here in Hawai’i :-)
Right now I’m looking for help building/preparing and tending to a few sizable vegetable gardens.
Help moving a’a lava rocks around is also a need, building flower and garden beds, pathways, and landscaping with the lava rocks here on the land.
There is a lot of weeding to do always around the land, as well as tending to trees, spreading dirt and mulch, that sort of thing.
I could potentially use help with some building projects if you have knowledge and experience with construction.
Organizing and moving materials is a need, as well.
Help would be 3-4 hours a day, 5 days a week.
I love sharing meals, so if you like to cook it’s a definite plus!
Langues parlées
Anglais: Courant
Espagnol: Courant
Japonais: Courant
Portugais: 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.
Small “ohana” 8x8ft guesthouse suitable for one, maximum two people w/small space for clothes, foldable table, double bed/futon sofa (2 people would need to be ok sleeping in same bed). No lock on door.
Private outdoor heated shower and compost toilet is exclusive for guests.
Towels and linens provided (sheets, blankets, pillows). No laundry on site (laundromat nearby).
Small kitchenette w/sink (running water inside cabin), plus small butane stove, pot to heat water for tea/coffee, and drinking water (no fridge) in guesthouse.
Fully screened, rain protected, painted, but unfinished. Overhead light. There is no electrical outlet in the guesthouse.
Large private outdoor area to enjoy tea/coffee, meals or just relax.
Personal preferences in regard to food and eating can be negotiated directly with host. I am unable to accommodate lifestyle choices that require separate cooking pots/skillets (for things like meat), but am willing to work with you if you have a health condition of some sort like a major allergy or gluten intolerance that you are able to manage and navigate effectively in shared spaces.
Parking space for one car. Space to lock a bike if you have one (transportation is not provided by host). There are several car rental companies in town which I highly recommend looking into for personal use.
Big Island is an incredibly beautiful and wild place to explore!
****You will definitely need to research ahead of time and be able to navigate transportation options, as it a quite difficult to get around on big island.****
I highly recommend renting a car while you’re here if you want to explore or have more food options, etc. There is one company that I know of that rents to folks under age 25, which some previous workawayers discovered. Other companies are often booked because of tourism crisis on the islands! Especially during covid times.
The bus service is not great, but you can catch one a block away from my house now a few times a day (they just added service down here! Previously a 30 minute walk to nearest bus stop).
There is a bus that goes across to Kona side (doesn’t run on Sundays) that you can catch for a little getaway.
The beach (steep cliffs, not for swimming) is a 10 minute walk!
Swimmable beaches (Onekahakaha, a white sand very calm and shallower kid-friendly beach, Kehena, a black sand wild and challenging beach, as well as others) are about 25 minutes away by car, and Hā'ena, a white sand beautiful swimming beach, is a gorgeous 1-hour hike away. Lots of spectacular beaches, hikes, and adventures around the island, which require a rental car.
Maku’u farmers market is a 10 minute drive by car. Downtown Hilo is about 30 minutes by car.
Prince Kuhio Plaza mall area in Hilo (20mins by car) has just about every amenity you could need/want.
Volcanoes National Park is a 40 minute drive.
Ask me more about activities and adventures that you might be into!
I like my privacy and autonomy and respect yours, but I am also very social and open. Just ask! :-)
Accès Internet
Accès Internet limité
Nous avons des animaux
Nous sommes fumeurs
Familles bienvenues
Yes! **You will definitely need to bring your own portable battery charger for nights and on the go (like pocket juice, for example).** My solar system is small and unfortunately cannot handle much electricity use at night besides lights, so at this time wi-fi and charging electronics is only available during the sunlight hours. The space I have prepared for volunteers is comfortable and private, and someone could easily work from their own computer during the day and set up a professional backdrop for meetings and things like that. There is only a water connection to it at this time, and an overhead light. There is NO ELECTRICAL OUTLET in guest space, so again, charging things like a computer or phone from my solar system would have to be during the daytime hours, as well. I hope you find this liberating like I do! Internet has become a necessity these days, but it does not need to rule our lives :-) Nor does TV, and electricity use at night. I understand this a big adjustment for most people coming from the U.S. in particular. Thank you for your understanding and humility in advance.
I have ample space to park a camper van or motorhome. My systems (water and electricity) are very limited, however, so I would not be able to support guests who wish to hook up their own appliances.
Deux
3-4 hours a day, 5 days a week
Ce sont des évaluations supplémentaires en option lorsque les membres laissent un feedback. La note moyenne pour chaque option est affichée.
Exactitude du profil:
(5.0)
Échange culturel:
(5.0)
Communication:
(5.0)
