Come and help us on our lifestyle block and garden in North Canterbury, New Zealand

Detalhes

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  Descrição

  General profile
  
  Hi we are available for a worker for the rest of April and May. If they are a good worker it can be ony for a week or two, but longer if they want to and possibly have carpentering skills. But a person who will give us a definite start date and stick to it, please.
  
  Hi, we are a couple who enjoy meeting people from other walks of life. We live on a lifestyle block about 38 kms north of Christchurch and would welcome longer term help with some chores/projects around the garden and lifestyle block. We enjoy hearing about people's cultures and their life experiences. We have several cats, all rescued, and all who understand English, an elderly rascal of a dog, and 4 alpacas.
  
  We do need people who are Covid vaccinated. Because of health issues for us we cannot take anyone who hasn't been triple vaccinated for Covid - sorry.
  
  Although we don't mind people who don't speak absolutely fluent English, we do want people with a high intermediate level of our language. It is because of the safety of our workawayer and the time spent trying to translate.
  
  We are non-smokers and this is definitely a non-smoking, non-vaping home and environment.
  
  We are surrounded by livestock which are for human consumption. We also are meat eaters with the occasional vegetarian meal .
  
  We are fairly laid back and enjoy a leisurely lifestyle with the occasional/regular burst of activity.
  
  We can use someone with just a good general knowledge of carpentering and also we need gardening/weeding and some other maintenance around our lifestyle block, weed eating, hedge trimming/cutting, digging the garden, helping plant the vegetable garden in the spring, spraying weeds on the driveway and courtyard and various other seasonal chores. Also to help out with putting in a pipeline so we can run taps from our water tank to water the hundreds of trees we have planted and various other projects as they come up. General tidying up of our storage areas. We have had really helpful people who are kind and willing to help when we require it. We really do appreciate people who have a good work ethic so that when we ask you to help it gets done.
  
  Then we can ALL have time to take off on a picnic or similar or our workawayer(s) can take off on their own, if they have their own transport and that's what they prefer.
  
  (Please note after a couple of bad experiences we would like to say if you don't take instruction well and just want a free bed and food, you won't do well here.)
  
  Because our car is for our own use only, a Workawayer would definitely need their own transport, especially when/if house/pet sitting. Please note - you would be welcome to come with us wherever we went and to join in our lifestyle. If a workawayer doesn't have their own transport we would not be continually running you into the city or the township. So you DO need transport if you want to go away from our property frequently. This is not negotiable. We have found that some workawayers expected us to run them everywhere. We're very sorry but we don't have the time or fuel to do this.
  
  There is definitely help needed on the lifestyle block, but if we have worked a couple or three days and there is a beautiful day and a picnic to be had, then that is great. Off we go. Or just chill down at the pond or wherever. We do NOT enforce a strict 15 or 25 hour work regime. Just when we need things done.
  
  We have turned most of our place back into a park like sanctuary. We have wild ducks who bring their babies to live on our ponds in the Spring and they stay until their offspring learn to fly. It is so nice to just watch them go about their parental duties. We have lots of other birdlife and finally have got our first Bellbird and fantails flit around when it is their season, with swallows nesting in our other barn. We have a Blue Heron who visits occasionally.
  
  As we are totally a meat eating household and we are also surrounded by animals which are being grown for eating, our Workawayer experience will probably be unpleasant and unsuitable for a vegan/vegetarian. Most of our meals are of meat, eggs, cheese and milk to drink etc. with lots of gluten in the products we eat. We have our own vegetable garden although in early spring it is in need of a dig to prepare it for spring planting. We want just an ordinary person who we can eat our healthy, ordinary, full of meat and gluten etc diet, which we will not be changing.
  
  We are looking for anyone, single or a couple, from 2-3 weeks, to longer term if we get along well together. Both my husband, Sam, and I like a home that is filled with laughter, kindness, honesty, willing help, and reciprocal respect. We do want someone who is really looking to help around our lifestyle block and definitely NOT just a casual stop before you get full time work nor are we just an overnight bed stop.
  
  If you are a person who wants to just do their own thing i,e, arrive when you want to, not keeping to a booked date or similar free and easy personality, and not willing to work well, please don't get in touch. It won't work out well for either of us.
  
  We are usually in bed around 10.30 - 11.00 p.m. and up at 8.00 - 9.00 a.m. We also enjoy watching tv in the evenings if there isn't anything else to do. This is NOT a place for people who got to bed early and get up early. We don't work well together as you will be waiting for us to get up and we are noisy if you want to go to bed early. So I repeat, this is NOT
  suitable for early to bed - early to rise people. We find they don't enjoy themselves as much and it can create tension in the house and on the property, which we don't want to live with.
  
  I would be willing to help someone if they are a DEFINITE intermediate or higher level of English. We aren't interested in someone who only has beginners or a low level intermediate understanding of speaking and understanding English. It takes too long to explain how to do gardening etc weed names and dangerous mistakes can be made if using light machinery like a weed eater or hedge trimmers. This also applies to anyone who has a friend who doesn't have any English or just beginners English. If there are two of you , you must BOTH speak definite Intermediate English. This saves us from having to say no because of a language barrier.
  
  Also sorry for the firmly stated words in capitals. We've been getting a number of people who are obviously not reading our profile carefully. It's worrying that quite a few have just ignored what we have written. It's unpleasant to have to say no to these people.
  
  Well I don't know what else I can say except "Hope to hear from you soon!!" We are on Whatsapp if that helps you. Please read the rest of our profile as it does contain more info in those sections.
  
  (IF you are looking for a long term position like a year or two then please read carefully and take note of the separate, more long term, permanent, furnished accommodation offered in the "Type of Accommodation " section in return for 15 hours help a week. We don't want rent - we want a helper or a couple who WILL help WHEN required. (This could suit a couple who are looking to save for their own home and one can have a paying job in NZ and the other can help us. This is a separate deal from the just 2 -3 week workawayers) Please see below at the end of "Type of Accommodation" if you are interested.

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  Tipos de ajuda e oportunidades de aprendizado

  Jardinagem

  Construção/faça você mesmo

  Cuidar de animais

  Ajuda em fazenda

  Ajuda a cuidar da casa

  Manutenção geral

  Ajuda com computadores/internet
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  Oportunidades de intercâmbio cultural e aprendizado

  I think I have said it all in the above chapters. But intermediate and higher language help/correction can be offered in conjunction with helping, if required. So learning language while you help out, as long as you are at about a good intermediate or above level. If you are just learning English (beginner or low intermediate) then it wouldn't be suitable because of the danger when using machinery. Also joining in with some older folks who have a wealth of knowledge between them and having a good laugh. No pessimists allowed!
  
  Learning about which are weeds and which are plants, gaining experience in other things on our lifestyle block or just about life, if you are that way inclined. People with initiative are very welcome. Plus many other things, which we are usually helping with anyway. We would like someone who is interested in being with us and having an interesting reciprocal conversation, during the day. But who, perhaps, also enjoys watching television as this is our way of relaxing in the evenings. The last 2 workawayers (18 and 19 year old German lads) came back to us for extra weeks after leaving and they still text us regularly, as do several of our other workawayers.

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  Ajuda

  It is just general help that we need, building new gardens and weeding as it needs it. Weed eating and hedge trimming/cutting if it is needed. Putting in pipe and electricity to some of the block and the paddocks which will be done with machinery. And many other things too many to list so there could be a variety of different projects available, none of them requiring a degree, just a willingness to work when required. Being amenable and very conscious of their own safety.
  
  I have put down 25 hrs/5 days a week, but this is very flexible with joint agreement. At this time neither Sam nor I can envisage a 25 hour week so perhaps we can sort that out between our prospective workaway person and us. Perhaps sometimes we may need longer and then other times we would do shorter hours. It is a matter of respect or give and take perhaps, but not taking advantage from either side. We all have a day off on Wednesday and we give the worker a day off on Sunday when we are all working.

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  Idiomas

  Inglês: Fluente

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  Acomodação

  There is a master bedroom in the house which has an en suite, with king size bed. Due to water restrictions showers are to be definitely one a day and definitely limited to 10 minutes only. This is because we are constatntly on water restrictions and also our electricity is very expensive for heating the water. Because of one or two past workawayers there is a list displayed in the bathroom of "Do's and Don'ts". The greater majority of people are courteous and respectful but there have been a couple of people who think our home is a hotel and we are their servants. We want you to enjoy yourself and have a happy time here and for us to be happy with your stay.
  
  There is also a separate flatlet with lounge, semi kitchen, bathroom and sleepout which our other workawayers, who have stayed in there, have loved. If we don't have a permanent person then this is also available. If you are a couple then that is good but if you are just friends you will still have to share either of the beds available. Not one friend in the house and the other friend in the flatlet.
  
  If you only help 15 or less hours a week then you supply your own food.
  
  If you are helping 16 to 25 hrs and giving to us as we would be giving to you, then all three meals or supplies for Breakfast and Lunch would be supplied. Nothing too elaborate as I am a good but plain cook. We don't adhere to rigid meal times so please note this. This means we won't be serving dinner at exactly 5.00 p.m! Reciprocal courtesy and kindness is a big requirement when you are living in our home. And if you are in our separate accommodation it is the same.
  
  Breakfast supplies would be rolled oats or Ricies and Cornflakes with some toast and jam or similar. Any special additions to be supplied by Workawayer. Lunch would be sandwiches, with peanut butter, jam, or similar or if you want to cook up pasta for yourself. ALL meals would be with us unless you want to be on a picnic down by the pond or something similar. There are quite a few hideaways to go to on our property. If you are living in the flatlet you may want to have your breakfast there before you start work.
  
  Evening meal can be the full main meal with meat etc. or occasionally easy, casual things like an omelet or cheese on toast etc. Usually served around 6.00 p.m. to 7.00 p.m.
  
  We sometimes stop at a pub for an evening meal if we are coming home late after showing you all the sights. We do expect you to pay for your own meals at the pubs/hotels. But anything we cook in our home is included in your accommodation.
  
  Our workaway people in the past have been of the opinion that all fresh fruit, alcohol which includes beer, soft drinks, etc. are their own expenses so we have accepted this as a guideline. Please don't ask for these as a refusal often offends.
  
  Although, if it is summertime there is an orchard with peaches, plums, apples, pears and some other fruit just behind the barn and you can eat all the fruit you like from this. But remember that there are also others who like to eat the fruit so don't take a lot of the tree and store it in your room. Or you an help me put them down in the freezer. Except the Apricots!!!! They are MINE! Haha.
  
  And, after the evening meal, whoever does the cooking DOESN'T do the washing up. Or wording it differently, washing up the dishes, after the evening meal, is a job for the people who DIDN'T cook the meal.
  
  We like to be kind and understanding to ALL our workawayers but occasionally you have one who knocks your confidence in the human race by throwing your kindnesses back in your face. Please don't apply if this is your way of doing things as you will be asked to leave. Our house is a peaceful sanctuary and we don't like hostility here.
  
  Lastly, as stated above, there is the possibility of separate, permanent, fully furnished accommodation for a long term person who is looking for this type of position. We are looking for someone who wants to have a permanent base for a much longer period of time (3 - 4 years). This accommodation would be available to them free in return for 15 hours work (each person) and they would supply all their food etc. It has a Lounge plus Kitchen and separate bathroom, with a bedroom/sleepout directly outside the door. (See photos) All carpeted and with all appliances supplied. All areas are warm and insulated. If you are interested in this it would mean payment of the power used, references, current Police check, a good personality, patience and kindness, with good fitness and health plus good work ethics. Also a different set of work requirements. If you are interested in this, please note this in your reply. At this time we still need temporary workers as well. There would also be a refundable bond for this accommodation in accordance with bond criteria.

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  Algo mais...

  We live a short distance from several lovely walks/hikes in the mountains, not far from a river, which does dry up in the summer, There are mountain bike tracks nearby, own mountain bikes required. You would also need your own transport to get to the township which is about 8 kms away, although occasionally, depending on the length of your stay we may take you on a sightseeing trip to the mountains or to Kaikoura and the East coast. The views here, at our house, are really beautiful - we look over farmland straight out to the Southern Alps which are about 45 minutes to 1 hour away. The beach is about 30 kms away (East). Christchurch is about 38 kms away (South). There are many activities in this whole area, too many to list. Suggest you read travel brochures on what to do in the North Canterbury area, as well as Christchurch, Banks Peninsula and Selwyn area.

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  Mais alguns detalhes

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    Acesso à internet

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    Acesso à internet limitado

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    Temos mascotes

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    Somos fumantes

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    Pode hospedar famílias

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  Pode hospedar nômades digitais

  We do have unlimited internet although sometimes, because of living in the country, it is a little slow during the day. But then you would possibly be helping on the land during the day and the reception is okay at night.

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  Espaço para estacionar campervans

  As we are on a lifestyle block we have room for motorhomes. If you have your own power plug then there is a power outlet for motorhomes/caravans.

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  Quantos Workawayers pode acomodar?

  Mais de 2

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  Horas previstas

  5 hours/day, 5 days/week maximum but not rigid about this.

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