Experience Rural Life & Help at our Guesthouse Close to Tirana

Netherlands

5

Pellumbas is an amazing place the guest house mountains close to the capital city of Albania. The guests that come here are amazing travelers from all over. The volunteers are even more diverse in their ethnicity, and I loved meeting people from different cultures and backgrounds and working together on this amazing piece of land. We worked a lot the guest house garden, on the guest house and cooked and cleaned the place every day. There was a lot of freedom in when and what to do which sometimes created confusion, but once it was mentioned we all started working towards a different solution very actively.

8 months ago

Ilir replied

Thank you for taking the time to write such a wonderful review, Marin! I'm sorry I missed the deadline to do the same for you. Thank you for all your hard work and contributions to The House and the people who live and work here. We loved your delicious food, creativity and artwork and are grateful for the improvements you made in the garden and to the house. We hope you'll get to use your skills and energy in another project soon and that you will continue to learn and thrive on your travels.

Brazil

5

It's a nice place for you if you want to disconnect everything and be surrounded by people with the same idea! The place is simple, but comfortable! The connection is just basic (but enough for messages and youtube) . As it's not high season, our hours have been flexible and the same for the days off, we have a meeting every week to schedule everything. We have amazing dogs here, they are a nice company! I'm super enjoying my time here and feeling Like recharging my energy, appreciate everyone that makes part of that :)

8 months ago

Colombia

5

Good place, the dynamics are different every week depending on the volunteers and guests, we had a great time with the volunteers who welcomed us, and it was a place that allowed us to explore our creativity both artistic and culinary.

9 months ago

Mexico

5

The guest house was an amazing and unique experience, life seems to slow down and you feel at peace the guest house place, the other volunteers are very welcoming and there is always open communication, it feels like home the moment you walk in, everybody is willing to help if you have any questions and the food is delicious and made from scratch, I learned a lot of recipes and many other things, I will definitely visit the guest house future, it'll always have a special place in my heart

11 months ago

New Zealand

4

I had a very fulfilling time at the guest house. Being volunteer run meant a lot of freedom but also a lot of responsibility. I mostly enjoyed this, although would have appreciated a bit more communication and clarity the guest house beginning phases. As soon as I set boundaries though I felt they were heard and respected. The nearby river and mountains are incredibly beautiful and provided the perfect place to slow down. I formed very meaningful connections with the guests and especially the other volunteers. Ilir is a calm and gentle man and I enjoyed his presence a lot when he was here.

4 months ago

Malaysia

4

I had good time there, met the best people from different parts of the world. I truly recommend this program if you wanna experience a self-sufficient life. However, just so you know that there is no WiFi provided there so you might have to buy your own data plan (if needed). Besides, during my stay we didn't have a clear delegation of tasks, you would have to expect to work for the whole day (proactively, cuz there's na “leader” overseeing everything). But when there're not many guests it'd be pretty relaxing = some days you have to work for the whole days, some days can be vr chill.

5 months ago

Mexico

3

It's a beautiful place to be. the guest house dogs are adorable, I met amazing people, and it's a great spot to connect with nature and yourself if you wish. Keep in mind there's no WiFi and that organization is lacking. In my case, I occasionally worked more hours and had fewer days off than agreed due to poor shift planning among volunteers, as the manager doesn't provide clear structure. That was my experience, I've heard things are about to improve soon

5 months ago

Costa Rica

4

An experience I would recommend to everyone. The facilities are beautiful as well as the surroundings. All surrounded by beautiful nature. The family that owns the guest house are very friendly and cordial. The meals were given and they gave me a nice place to sleep. To improve: During my last week I was the only volunteer, which caused me to have to work more than the agreed hours. It made me feel under-appreciated as a volunteer even though I did my best. two days before my departure I was asked how I was feeling. The organization should be a better. Other than that it was nice. Thanks!!

7 months ago

Ilir replied

Dear Yen,
Thank you so much for your commitment and your help . It is very much appreciated !
Yes it is true, we have to be better organized. We are trying as we can and learn from every situation.
Your kindness and commitment was very much appreciated.
Wish you a very good journey and great experiences!
You are welcome here anytime!
Ilir

Canada

4

The guest house is located in a beautiful area, and I enjoyed my time with the other wonderful volunteers. When I arrived, it appeared to be a transition to a busier season with more guests and, overall, growth/popularity feels like it outpaces the organizational structure. After working together to explore solutions, we figured out a way to arrange working hours to accommodate the increased busyness, with most of the time devoted to cleaning and cooking. I'm happy to have spent four weeks here :)

8 months ago

Colombia

4

The experience with Helen and Iliar was invaluable to us, we learned a lot about Albania and the Balkans. The evenings of talks were enriching and the work days flowed very well. We would especially like to thank Helen for her guidance, company and specially for recognizing and acknowledging our creative knowledge. Iliar has many projects and ideas for the guesthouse and we hope everything develops for the best! Thank you so much for this experience and we hope Pëllumba, Michi, and Blacky continue to take care of the guest house with you 🐶🏡

9 months ago

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