Une possibilité de fuite ?
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Description
Hello workawayers! I'm Will and I'm leading this project. It's been my dream for a long time to live off grid and build a Buddhist community around values of health, self-sustainability, and harmony with the environment. I'm a very relaxed person and I'm easy to work with. I want to make this exchange beneficial for you as well as me. I have put a lot of thought into what kind of experience I would want to have, and how I would want to be treated as a volunteer.
I'm starting up a yoga, meditation, permaculture center, in the rural countryside outside of Chiang Mai in northern Thailand. The land is a beautiful green space with two basic houses on it already, and lots of fruit trees and edibles growing. The land and house have been neglected over the years so there is lots to be done.
This workaway is more than simply volunteering. We are building a community of yogis, meditators, and earth lovers committed to living mindfully. Every morning starts early with meditation and yoga. Yoga and meditation are optional, but encouraged. After breakfast we will work until lunch, have a break, and then a bit more in the afternoon. Late afternoons and evenings will be free for you to relax. We are located out in the countryside, so bring a book or instrument to entertain yourself as we're quite far from town.
Lunch and dinner will be provided on workdays.
Breakfast will be up to you, but I can help you source what you need. All meals will be vegan, mostly Thai food with a few western favorites. Thai food is very easy to prepare vegan with a few key substitutes. It's also naturally gluten free. If you have other dietary needs, I will try my best to accommodate you. Let's eat healthy, exercise, and practice living the mindful life together in nature.
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Type of help
Gardening
Building
Cooking / shopping
General Maintenance
Farming
Help with Eco project
Help in the house
Art project -
Help
I'm looking for a few specific trades. I'm looking for architects, builders, and carpenters to help with construction of some earthen bungalows and a yoga shala with the assistance of friends and volunteers. I could make good use of a builder with adobe and/or wood skills. All the structures are going to be made of mud bricks, so knowledge of working with them is helpful. Knowledge of bamboo and other natural building techniques are a plus!
I'm looking for a gardening fanatic who has prior experience designing a garden. If you've volunteered in Southeast Asia or tropical countries before, that's a bonus. Specifically what I need help with is designing the garden. You will have a lot of freedom to design as you like and add your personal touch to the design. I want you to let your creativity shine.
I'm also looking for someone with knowledge and experience with designing ponds and/or natural swimming pools. I have two ponds on site and would like to turn the larger one into a natural swimming pool by sealing the bottom. If that's you, please get in touch as you're the person of my dreams!
An electrician would also be welcomed, as the current system is old and faulty.
Yoga teachers always welcome to help teach some classes. I'm enjoying teaching every morning but I'm happy to let you practice teaching as well.
I'm asking for 5 hours of help a day, 5 days a week. We are coming into rainy season now so some days we won't be able to work as much, other days we might work more. Let's see how things go.
Just because you don't have the skills listed above, I may still accept you if I have space. You may have a skill that I haven't thought of yet, or you may simply be too awesome to turn away. However, due to the large number of requests, I'm not able to host everyone who requests. So please send me a detailed message as to why you'd like to volunteer with me and what you can bring to the project. Also, I'm only able to accept volunteers for 2 weeks or longer at this point. Thanks!
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Languages spoken
English, Spanish (un poco), Thai
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Accommodation
Accommodation will be VERY basic. You will be provided with a mosquito net and a mattress on the floor. There are also hammocks available if you prefer. There are a few private areas to sleep if you are a couple, or if you don't mind, there is plenty of space in the open air of the big house and you can sleep in nature. You are welcome to bring your own tent as well and place it anywhere you like. Please note that this house is open air, so basically a roof and no walls, just open space. Think of it as camping with a big shelter. There is no Internet, but I will be able to hotspot my phone and give some access if needed.
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What else …
On the days off, you're free to explore Chiang Mai or just stay here and enjoy the quiet countryside. It's about 40 minutes (20 km) to town if you decide to go. There's always something fun to do like going to waterfalls, caves, temples, restaurants, live music, etc. Chiang Mai is a great city and that's one reason I'm setting up here. It's an ancient city bursting with color, flavor, and culture. There's always something going on, from wandering around local markets, to visiting several hundred year old temples, to swimming under waterfalls, to getting a $5 massage, to sampling some of the best food you'll ever try (Thai food and more!). The list is endless. Chiang Mai people are very gentle and kind with visitors, and around the old city, someone who speaks a bit of English is never too far away to help you if you need it. I imagine that you'll enjoy your days off almost as much as the workdays out at the project. I'm more than happy to show you the best of what Chiang Mai has to offer.
Visa situation!
So visitors from most countries get one month visa on arrival. What you may not know is that you can extend that visa for an extra month at immigration in Chiang Mai, giving you two months in Thailand. If you are coming from a neighboring country, you also have the option of applying for a single entry tourist visa at the Thai embassy. This will give you 60 days, plus the option to extend for another 30 days, giving you a total of 90 days in Thailand. Finally, if you're coming from your home country (only available there, not abroad), there is a new visa available called the METV, a 6 month tourist visa. It is more expensive, but it gives you unlimited entries and exits into Thailand over 6 months and is extendable for an extra 3 months. If you want to stay in Thailand for longer than the 30 days on arrival, contact me and I'm happy to help you figure out how to do it.Lastly, this is a chemical free property. Before coming out here, please pick up some natural soap, shampoo, conditioner, and laundry soap if you need those things. I have some out here that you can buy from me at cost, but if you want to choose your own, there are many natural product shops in Chiang Mai.
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A little more information
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Internet access
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Limited internet access
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We have pets
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We are smokers
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How many Workawayers can stay?
More than two
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Cultural exchange and learning opportunites
I will be leading morning meditation and yoga classes. We will all be learning together about permaculture, building, and cooking Thai food, because we will all be sharing in each other's work. Being out in the countryside of Northern Thailand, you will get a chance to see how life is outside of the touristic areas. The property is across the road from a Buddhist temple, and you will have the chance to visit and maybe see a ceremony there. Also I can teach you some Thai so you can have some small conversations with the locals. They really appreciate the effort!
That brings me to the most important aspect of the project. So this may seem like your average "business", but I want to do things differently. The end product will be retreats centered on yoga, meditation, and permaculture, but also with an element of service. I call this a "heart centered business", leading with the heart but also respecting that it is a business; one that has the potential to fund social projects in the area. I'm exploring what kind of projects I'd like to become involved with, from volunteering to teach with the local school, helping local farmers convert to organic, free community yoga, starting some bamboo based social enterprises, really the list of ideas is endless. The core business function itself is worthwhile in its own right too. I want to empower people to take their eating habits, exercise, and mental development into their own hands at a reasonable price. This will not be a high end resort, but rather an affordable retreat center committed to healthy people, healthy communities, and a healthy society. I would be thrilled if you joined me in this huge task in some way so we can effect radical social change together.
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Volunteering hours expected
Maximum 4-5 hours a day, 5 days a week