Profile information
Host rating
80 %
Last replied
5 Jun 2022
Feedback
36
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Details
Description
We are Cliff and Valeriya living near sunny Motueka at the top of the South Island, New Zealand. We work full time maintaining our home and gardens. This region is known for its lovely climate, abundance of outdoor attractions, incredible arts community and positive vibes. We are close to the sea, the bush, the mountains, a beautiful river and four National Parks, the most famous being Able Tasman National Park. Cycle trails and hiking tracks are everywhere.
Our place is located in the fertile Motueka River Valley about 2 1/2 km west of Motueka, one of the sunniest locations in all NZ. It is a 45 minute walk or 10+ minute bicycle ride from town. It is a 5 minute walk through the neighbour's orchard to the beautiful Motueka River.
We have lived at this location since 2001. English, Russian and French are spoken in our household. We enjoy the international mix of our friends here in New Zealand.
Come enjoy our two acres of beautiful gardens, both vegetable gardens and park gardens.
Types of help and learning opportunities
Gardening
General Maintenance
Help around the house
Animal Care
Help with Computers/ Internet
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
Both Valeriya and I are pleased to share our knowledge and experience. We are happy to provide language practice. We have travelled and lived overseas and enjoy meeting people of all backgrounds.
Projects involving children
This project could involve children. For more information see our guidelines and tips here.
Help
You can expect to help with many outdoor tasks like pruning the fruit trees, shrubs, and trees, taking care of the lawns (ride-on mower and push mower) and berries. In the main growing season we need help planting and weeding the vegetable gardens and maintaining the tunnel house. In the off season there is garden clean-up, mulching and composting to do. Pruning the roses is a big mid-winter job. There is much to be done to maintain the beautiful gardens (parks).
The flock of white homing pigeons needs to be fed and watered daily, flown two or three times a week and their loft cleaned occasionally.
We endeavour to find tasks best suited to your interests and skills. Good will, common sense and sense of responsibility is expected. We are looking for mature, independent people who have initiative and are able to work unsupervised.
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
French: Fluent
Russian: Fluent
Accommodation
You will live within our own home as family. One double bedroom and bathroom are for your use. Laundry. WiFi.
We usually enjoy vegetarian meals but at times eat meat and fish. You are invited to eat your meals with us.
You are expected to work 4 hours a day with one day off each week or 5 hours a day for five days a week. We will do our best to accommodate our schedules.
Our property is tobacco, drugs, and alcohol free.
No pets please.
What else ...
We have a two-day probation period while we decide to extend an invitation for one or two weeks or longer. These two days are also for you to decide if you'd like to stay longer.
Bus service is available to Motueka as well as tourist bus operators connecting Motueka to Able Tasman National Park and local attractions. In your free time you may tour around on our bicycles, walk to the Motueka River, go with us on several short walks to local points of interest (Motueka Quay, Riwaka River Resurgence, worlds largest sited Kiwi, and others), and if you wish we will take you to the beautiful Able Tasman National Park on your day off so you can enjoy a water taxi and hike the best part of the Able Tasman track. Take another hike from Stephens Bay to the gorgeous golden sand beaches of Kaiteriteri.
We have a spa pool, a home gym, and our house has a rumpus room with a full-size pool table. We have a large swimming pool and hammocks to use in season. These and the bicycles are for you to use.
Come give us some help and enjoy our beautiful gardens and resort type features.
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
How many Workawayers can stay?
Two
Hours expected
Maximum 4hr/day, 6 days a week or 5hr/day, 5 days a week
Feedback (17)
people. Work was interesting and never boring, we had so many different tasks to do. We worked mainly outside, and it was nice, because the area where Cliff and Valeria live is beautiful. We loved your garden! Food… read more
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Feedback
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Accuracy of profile:
(5.0)
Cultural exchange:
(5.0)
Communication:
(4.7)
people. Work was interesting and never boring, we had so many different tasks to do. We worked mainly outside, and it was nice, because the area where Cliff and Valeria live is beautiful. We loved your garden! Food… read more
My job was like not work but help. It started at 9 am and we had a Smoko( that means 15 min break time in Kiwi) at11 and finished at 1pm. The help was very simple and clear. They gave me a lot of different tasks everyday so I was never bored.
Cliff is a very intelligent and a big fan of… read more
I learned so much from them, not only weeding and mowing the grass but about different cultures, board games (9 man morris got me addicted!) and about their beautiful pidgeons. I miss staying with Valeria and Cliff already! They are a wonderful couple with so much to give, they really brought a… read more
We worked every morning (9AM-1PM, with a special "smoko" at 11AM) in the garden or in the tunnel house with Cliff, after a big filling… read more
You are both great fun and we loved hearing all your stories and travel adventures. The food was the best we have had in New Zealand - so many yummy treats to keep us going as we dug the holes! All the best and hopefully see you again before we leave NZ.
They are polite, thoughtful, considerate, and helpful. We… read more
