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28 Oct 2024
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Description
Hi Workawayers,
Grab a coffee or a glass of wine and make yourself comfortable as we introduce ourselves :)
WE NEED YOU FOR A MINIMUM OF 3 WEEKS PREFERABLY 1 MONTH
We can book you in more than a month ahead BUT we only CONFIRM a maximum of a month ahead due to people often changing travel plans. If you are going to be on the road or off wifi before you arrive LET US KNOW.
YOU WILL NEED TO CONFIRM YOUR TIME OF ARRIVAL 10 DAYS AHEAD.
We are a down-to-earth, friendly and at times very loud family of 5.
Mikki (an Aussie) my husband Nikša (Croatian and not home very often as he is at sea) and our 2 sons Jon (23 & living mostly in Zagreb) and Jak (22 attends University in Dubrovnik) and KOBI our American Akita pup, large but very chill.
(Kobi unfortunately does NOT like other animals on the property and does not like children)
We are living in the Župa valley just 15 minutes drive south of Dubrovnik.
We speak English and Croatian.
We will welcome you not just into our home but our family, so please think about this before applying :)
After years of Hosting, we are very experienced with our exchange and would like both sides to get the most out of our time together. So we give quite a detailed description of ourselves and our needs.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS AT ALL PLEASE LET'S ANSWER THEM BEFORE YOU AGREE TO JOIN US :) :)
We would like you to be aware that we eat meat, we have no problem if you do not, as long as you respect our choice ;)
Although 90% of Croatia is of the Catholic faith, we loosely follow some of the traditions, Xmas, Easter and the many public holidays.
Mikki is not religious and will not be converted to ANY :)
Our family MOTTO- Treat people the way you would like to be treated!
Our home does not discriminate, we will not tolerate abusive or violent behaviour under any circumstances.
Alcohol on a social level, we PREFER non-smokers but if you must, be aware that smoking is strictly OUTSIDE, NOT DURING WORK TIME and NOT around Non-Smokers.
We are surrounded by mountains with the Ivanica border to Bosnia Herzegovina just 8 minutes drive away, 8 minutes drive to Srebreno beach and 40 minutes drive to Montenegro.
I love to find new places around the area and also take trips further afield so you could be included in these trips.
Accommodation and food:
YOU MUST - have adequate travel insurance or be prepared to pay for any medical/dental emergencies.
ACCOMMODATION - on the bottom floor of the family home with a separate entrance.
There is a single bedroom with 2 single beds (it can be pushed together to become a double bed) with access to a very small terrace, a bathroom with shower, toilet, you have the use of a small self-contained kitchen with fridge, oven, hotplates and microwave and access to a washing machine (we do not provide washing powder).
We provide 2 sets of bed linen, towels and beach towels.
You will need to provide your own body shower gel and all other toiletries eg hygiene, hair products or moisturizer you must provide.
The front of the apartment is a work area, which will generally not be used after 7 pm or before 7 am unless it is an emergency.
There is no lounge area and the kitchen and bathroom must be kept clean and tidy at all times.
Your bedroom does have a key, for your peace of mind.
You will be given a food allowance, as you have a kitchen this will be your responsibility to shop and cook for yourselves. Over the years we have found this to be the best policy as people can choose their own dietary needs. You will be invited to join the family on occasions for a meal or Mikki may prepare traditional foods for you to try.
We are happy to take you shopping at the supermarket each week.
Cleaning products will be supplied to keep your area clean, you are sharing the Kitchen with the workspace so it must be kept CLEAN at all times, this also includes the bathroom area.
You are expected to wash your linen weekly and keep the area in the CLEAN and HYGENIC state that you were provided.
If the space is not being kept CLEAN AND TIDY you will be told.
If you leave the space less than clean it will be reflected in your review.
We have a large garden and there is always a quiet spot to sit, we have an outdoor summer kitchen area with a pizza oven you are welcome to use provided you clean up and keep the area maintained and restocked.
There is a small bakery within a 5-minute walk which is open daily from 6 am until 1 pm.
If you have a car or bike we provide off-street parking.
The beach is within a pleasant walking distance.
Tasks:
INDOORS:
Household cleaning including windows, ovens, and kitchens, vacuuming, cleaning and mopping all tiled surfaces, toilets, and bathrooms, washing and ironing, decluttering, reorganizing, moving and restoring furniture.
There will be some cooking or assisting with meal preparations.
Help with shopping and putting it away.
Maintaining the cleanliness of the workshop area, helping with organising and packing away.
Social media/website/computer work.
OUTSIDE:
The gardens are divided into areas, each have common and specific tasks.
COMMON- ALWAYS LOTS OF WEEDING, planting, picking and general clean-up of areas.
SPECIFIC-
There is a 50-tree developing Lemon Orchard, although reticulated some additional watering may be required during summer. Trimming and picking of lemons is mostly November - January
There is an extensive vegetable garden that requires pruning, picking and endless weeding. There are some reticulated areas but also daily watering during summer.
The general gardens including a small lawn, potted plants and garden beds need to be maintained.
This area includes Lavender, Rosemary and a variety of herbs that we dry.
Harvesting of fruits and olives in season, we have 4 other plots of land in the area which have olive and fruit trees.
ANIMALS:
Unfortunately, we can not accept animals, no matter how well-behaved your loved one is.
We have approximately 30 free-range chickens and may include a couple of ducks in the future.
The chicken coop needs to be DRY CLEANED every day this means SIFTING THE COOP FLOOR OR MUCKING IT OUT, eggs need to be collected, water needs to be changed daily and this includes brushing the containers before refilling. Food needs to be checked every second day.
Weekly the nests need to be emptied and reset and the coop needs to be cleaned and sprayed with vinegar.
PROJECTS and OTHER TASKS:
Learn how to make beeswax food wraps to replace plastic and recycle old t-shirts for shopping bags.
Learn how to make natural food seasonings by dehydrating vegetables/herbs and assisting with making preserves, we also make our own eco-friendly cleaning products.
learn about Rakija
Teach me how to use social media and how to use my website.
Video and photography projects.
Painting of property walls.
Painting of interior walls.
So if you are up to some hard work, can keep your space clean, are not afraid to handle chickens and clean up after them and follow instructions we are open to making your stay happy and memorable.Types of help and learning opportunities
Art ProjectsHelp with Eco ProjectsGardeningDIY and building projectsAnimal CareFarmstay helpCreating/ Cooking family mealsHelp around the houseGeneral MaintenanceHelp with Computers/ InternetCultural exchange and learning opportunities
All throughout the year there are many cultural activities in the area.
We also make our own Rakija, we preserve fruits and vegetables mostly by dehydration.
We pick our olives and send them to the local process man, we also preserve some.
We make natural seasonings, from local produce.
Mikki is happy to teach you traditional dishes.Help
Our description on our profile is very detailed and clear, please read carefully.
Languages
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
Croatian: FluentThis host offers a language exchange
This host has indicated that they are interested in sharing their own language or learning a new language.
You can contact them directly for more information.Accommodation
PLEASE BE AWARE THAT THE FRONT SECTION OF YOUR ACCOMMODATION IS ALSO A WORKSPACE WE TRY OUR HARDEST TO NOT WORK IN THIS AREA AFTER 7 PM OR BEFORE 7 AM. SOMETIMES IT IS UNAVOIDABLE BUT YOU WILL ALWAYS NEED TO BE FLEXIBLE.
The accommodation is clean, cool in summer and warm in winter. There are ceiling fans in the bedroom and front area. Blankets and duvets are provided during winter.
There is a wireless internet connection provided.
Although part of the family house it is separate and has its own entrance.
2 single beds with linens and towels. The beds can be put together and have a padded centre piece to stop rolling into a ditch ;)What else ...
We are an easy 20-minute walk to the beach, there are many walking/bike tracks around.
There are local buses to Dubrovnik and down to Cavtat and takes approximately 20 minutes to either place.
Some taxis are available at reasonable rates.
There will be plenty of free time, we understand and appreciate your wanting to see as much as possible.
We will go out of our way to help you so we would truly appreciate you putting in a solid work ethic.
If you are NOT prepared to work hard, clean properly and follow instructions or you're looking for a free place to party we are not what you are looking for.A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
Can host digital nomads
We have unlimited download and wireless connection to the internet in the house, outside garden areas are not covered.
Space for parking camper vans
We have quite a large area at the back of the house which has fitted a large converted bus it is not under cover, there is an outside toilet close by.
How many Workawayers can stay?
More than two
Hours expected
5 full hours/5 days. When the weather is unpredictable help hours may need to be split during the day. Should a task need to be completed which runs over the 5 hours that extra time will be returned.
Feedback (62)
Pania just gets on with what is needed, uses her initiative to carry on with tasks and checks in to let you know what has been completed. Micheal is a great handyman, he is a… read more
Unfortunately, Ana was here during a pretty stressful period but she just took it in her stride, I would love to host Ana again at any time and highly recommend her to any future host.
I can not reccommend them highly enough, ANY HOST WOULD BE GRATEFUL TO HAVE THEM.
Totally reliable, capable of working independantly, compliment each others strengths and have a broad range of skills.
They have become friends during their 2 months… read more
Photos
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Accuracy of profile:
(5.0)
Cultural exchange:
(4.8)
Communication:
(4.9)
Pania just gets on with what is needed, uses her initiative to carry on with tasks and checks in to let you know what has been completed. Micheal is a great handyman, he is a… read more
Unfortunately, Ana was here during a pretty stressful period but she just took it in her stride, I would love to host Ana again at any time and highly recommend her to any future host.
I can not reccommend them highly enough, ANY HOST WOULD BE GRATEFUL TO HAVE THEM.
Totally reliable, capable of working independantly, compliment each others strengths and have a broad range of skills.
They have become friends during their 2 months… read more
Mikki is easy to talk to, she has a lot of information related to herbs… read more
Having a great family background her work ethic is strong, focuses on the tasks and sees everything through to completion. Tess arrived on a particularly difficult day when I had to tell a workawayer who had an incident with the local police to leave. Tess… read more
This was the best workaway to start with and I… read more
I thoroughly enjoyed her company, sense of humour and will… read more
It was a pleasure to have them and they left their accomodation spotless.
We highly reccomend them to any future host.
Guys, safe and happy travels and keep in touch.
Emma and Lucie are great mates and have become good friends since their stay. They helped me with soo soo many things I can't thank them enough. Lucie is a super photographer and videographer, she has a keen eye and… read more
Work was always something new every day and having our own apartment (with kitchen and bathroom) was a nice change from the hostels.
if you're an Aussie… read more
Vivacious and with more energy than an ever-ready battery, what she lacks in strength she makes up for in happiness and consideration. Maddy gets along with everyone so is a great team player. We wish her safe and happy travels and every success in her future endeavours. Maddy the… read more
As a host, Mikki is clear, concise and works hard. She is also fun, filled with jokes and a real confidant.
I learned so much from Mikki, not just about farm life, but I have also gained so many valuable life lessons from my time with her.
The… read more
He was never late, starting at 7am and although the baby chickens were not his favourite job he kept his apartment spotless.
He is super keen to learn and broaden his experience so I highly recommend him to any future host.
You work usually 7-12pm 5 days a week helping with chickens, gardening and other random house hold tasks. It changes day to day so you never get to bored of the… read more
Daniel is a very, very sweet young gentleman. Clean, detailed and happy to help.
He is great with technology, and works really well with others, a great team member. We wish him safe and happy travels.
They work well with others and were generous with their personal time with single travellers. We wish… read more
We loved being able to stay with Mikki for 5 weeks this April. It was nothing but an absolute pleasure! From being able to visit the beach every day to learning all of Mikki tips and tricks for travelling around the area as well as Montenegro and Bosnia, the location and workload is perfect. Work was simple and rewarding and Mikki… read more
Work was varied and included both indoor and outside tasks to help Michelle with her many… read more
THE WORST TASTE IN MUSIC 🎶 🤣🤣😂
Unfortunately I HATED DISCO the first time round and I STILL HATE IT. 🤣😂🤣😂
Sam got on so well with his fellow workawayers. Unfortunately for Sam his last couple of days he had the… read more
canadian winters can be (when you know, you know!). I was looking for a place where I could enjoy the sun and I've found Mikki's place, exactly what I wanted! Mikki's home is a bit outside of Dubrovnik, surrounded by mountains with amazing… read more
Cindy and Benjamin are always up for a challenge. Benjamin LOVES to experiment with new tasks, always looking to try and improve a process. Cindy is quieter but works constantly and carefully.
I love their enthusiasm and independence when exploring around the area.
It was winter so often variable weather but they… read more
They had gone home for Christmas and New Year but flew out the first week.
We laughed every day, the girls are hard working and get on with the tasks without needing supervision. Never having… read more
She was prompt to reply and even reached out to her friend from a previous workaway Rhiannon to join her. They had gone home for Christmas and New Year but flew out the first week.
We laughed every day, the girls are hard… read more
Laura brings sunshine, humor and such a good vibe into every day. Dave is more serious, and likes to get on with things making them a great team.
They are solid and trustworthy… read more
She works well and mixes well with other workawayers.
Her computer and organisational skills are… read more
The weather wasn't always in our favour and although the world cup was on the weeks they were here many things were closing down as it was the end of the tourist season.
They were able to take the time to work on their van before heading… read more
Mature, responsible and fun, Dani is great company and a great worker.
Artistic, and super eager to learn.
I had to go away for 10 days and left Danni in charge of another workaway and keeping my son, husband and dog under control 🤣😂🤣 she handled it like a trooper.
Reliability, honesty and a sweet nature is what you have… read more
I had the pleasure of meeting a beautiful family that made me feel at home, always in a good mood, asking if I needed anything and if I was okay. They even invited me to birthdays and family reunions.
From day one she was clear with everything that this exchange implied… read more
Sam and Bren are super reliable, enthusiastic and are able to be left to use their common sense to see tasks through. Bren has a very dry sense of humor but can certainly take as good as he gives.… read more
From the beginning Mikki was clear with the work required which made it really stress free.… read more
Any future host will be more than happy with this hard working, organised and super stress free couple.
2 months flew by, they learned a lot and just fitted into our crazy family with ease. I was able to really concentrate on my business as Kate and Jon always used common sense and initiative to power through… read more
We stayed with Mikki and her family for almost 2 months over July and August this year. We learnt a lot, laughed a lot, sweated a lot (haha) and had a great time!
Being summer, our daily tasks mostly included; looking after her many chickens and cleaning/maintaining their coop,… read more
She is a super chilled, independant and creative young woman. She works well with others and also is happy to work solo.
I wish her well and highly recommend Tina to any future host.
Bel LOVES TO CLEAN!!!
Mati is a great handy man, likes to complete things properly and always puts in 110%.
They work well as a team or individually.
It was their first Workaway and I believe any host will be happy to… read more
Mikki gave us a variety of tasks and she was always very considerate of us, she tried to keep us from working under the sun at times when it was very hot.
She never made us work an extra minute.
The… read more
Andrea speaks fluent English and Artur is improving every day.
Anything the boys didn't have experience with was met with open minds and a give it all attitude.
Andrea is fabulous at marketing, pays attention to details and his videography and photography are stunning.… read more
They tackled some heavy labouring moving a large amount of soil without complaint!!
They learnt a lot during their time here.
They looked after the chickens, kept up with restockng the chickens feed learning how to use the grain grinder.
Harvested lemons, learnt how to dehydrate… read more
We had a great time here for 3 weeks in January. The family are great to be around and are extremely welcoming. The work was clearly instructed and the food was well organised which also contributed to the positive environment.
Undertook bicycle maintenance, heavy manual labour,… read more
We spent 6 wonderful weeks with Mikki, her family, and the chickens! They were so kind to host us for Christmas and New Years and we really felt like we were… read more
We did a variety of jobs, from looking after the chickens (miss you kiwi!), to making homemade pesto with fresh ingredients from the garden.
Mikki is a great host and is very clear about what she expects from the… read more
Kim is a good spirited, sensitive soul who gives 120% to anything you set her to do.
She did a lot if heavy gardening, weeding and helped with building projects.
Dont be misled by her small frame she is STRONG.
We wish Kim… read more
Tash, is a great videographer which was why we contacted her for her first workaway 🎥🎞📽🎬
She also learnt a lot of new skills during her stay such as looking after 45 chickens, preparing and dehydrating vegetables, making beeseax wraps… read more
From the moment we got there we were made to feel welcomed and like we were an extension of the family being included in everything.
Mikki was clear with everything that was… read more
They are a kind, friendly, sociable and responsible couple. Always up… read more
We had a lot of physical work to get through, as we were unable to overlap the old to new workawayers so alot of catch up. They got stuck in and always did their best.
I needed some video and stills for my social media and website this was where Elijah excelled and was totally… read more
You can eat fresh eggs from the chucks and if you come in the right time of the season you can eat a lot… read more
We have lots of manual labour jobs at this time of year. Tammo is very capable and thinks through tasks, loves to find solutions. Anni is sweet, sociable and always puts in her full efforts. Both got on soo well with my sons and their friends, making this an… read more
Work kicks off at… read more
Friendly, fun and up to the tasks put infront of them. We had loads of little finniky jobs from sorting through material, to trying to put the garage in some order. Brian is quite the handyman and Kim is very creative. We really enjoyed their company and appreciated yheir hardwork. Should you be fortunate enough to… read more
We had a very pleasant time at this place. We felt very comfortable working for the family, all mornings started taking care of the chickens and the garden. We did different tasks almost every day, so time flew: cleaning the garden, collecting lemons, cutting bushes, helping Mikki in her workshop,… read more
Megan fitted in like a new garden glove.
Never looked at the time, just hopped from one job to the next. Always happy, laughing and down to earth.
Megs learned a lot during her stay and took it all in her stride.
From looking after the 40 chickens, endless weeding, planting, harvesting, preparing the veg for the… read more
Really genuine, sweet, funny and hard working couple.
We had the pleasure of their company and Chechu celebrated her Birthday during their stay.
Chechu is not a fan of early mornings but we always found a compromise and she works with 110% effort. Ezi took on the responsibility of caring… read more
We did a little yoga, she showed me yin yoga and then she introduced me to qigong and I am now hooked.
Mandy is an absolute JOY to be around.
She is flexible, enthusiastic, sooo funny and truly a special soul.
Mandy has found a home here in… read more
He worked well by himself and with others.
We were expecting a little more carpentry work but he seemed to prefer the gardening, looking after the chickens and general labouring.
This was his first workaway and we wish him well for his future travels.
Always with a genuine smile and a fabulous laugh.
Im sure they will both be an asset to any future hosts
Safe and happy travels.
It was such a lovely place to stay and all the surroundings are so beautiful. Thank you for everything I know you take care all the workawayers like your family :)
Wish you all the best!
They both worked far beyond what was expected of them.
Jen is an optomistic, soulful woman and very physically strong. Flyn is a wonderful young… read more
This couple were always prepared to go the extra mile, spent time with my teenage kids and their friends, treated our home and our family with respect and it was all truly appreciated.
I will welcome them back at… read more
Mikki and her family were so welcoming and all very generous.
There was plenty of jobs to be done around the place with enough variety so you were never bored.
Mikki provides great meals on your work days. So you’ll never go hungry.
Mikki is also a great source of… read more
She has a wealth of advice to offer especially related to dogs in particular.
Danii had no problem getting up for work and loves to have a list of jobs to work from and a variety of jobs. Although her gardening skills are basic she has a keen interest to learn… read more
Cat is a team worker, uses initative, has a great work ethic and is sooo funny.
Cat your welcome here ANYTIME.
Well I would like to thank you both soo much for all your hard work and how well you treated and respected my family and our home.
On the rare occassions we had a hiccip with communication it was a pleasure having you here and your English improved so much… read more
We are very grateful, they took us to visit many interesting places in Croatia and Bosnia, we had Easter and Mikkis… read more
Clair is going to be a BRILLIANT lawyer, thanks to her eye for detail she painstakingly proofread my website… read more
The work we did was super fun and always very different, varying between gardening, farm work, help with computer work including assisting with website and packaging design, and helping make beeswax food wraps.
The apartment we stayed in was well… read more
What I did during my stay was mainly take care of lots of… read more
Our work involved both physical and office work, which is great to have variety.
We fed her 16 super friendly chickens daily… read more
They never looked at their watches, they finished tasks way beyond their… read more
The works were varied, depending on… read more
Our local workmen ask after her constantly as they are bewildered that a woman can work so physically hard and still have a smile on her face, and… read more
Antonia and Kane worked harder than any workawayers I have had before, believe me I have had some good ones but these two really stood above the rest.
Never late, always 100% effort into every task, never a moment of hesitation as to what they were asked… read more
Using initiative they just get on with the tasks at hand.
Heavy labouring, weeding even constructing a very large raised herb bed and all the little odd jobs in between.
They will always be welcomed to return, my boys treated them as big sisters :grinning::grinning:
Really sweet, fun and helpful couple. Great with other workawayers and ready to share their experiences with others. They always have a smile, a flexible and positive attitude and a WACKY sense of humour that sits well with my crazy family. Unfortunately we had a sudden loss in the family which threw our house into turmoil… read more
He never hesitated to complete tasks, often used his intitiative to carry on with jobs to completion in fact a couple of times I had to remind him to take it easy.
He has a dry but contagious sense of humour and fun which is soo important when there is heavy… read more
We stayed 2 months and we absolutely loved it!
The work we had to do varied so it never got boring and most of it was fun!
We also did some trips… read more