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Learn how to live in a self-sufficient jungle lab

5.0
(6 reviews)6

The experience

This position is very open to different skills and interests. Generally, everyone wakes up quite early. We have a yoga and meditation class in the morning, some choose to go dip in the waterfall, and around 8am we have breakfast. After breakfast we meet for a check-in (personal sharing and work related). The team and others who have been there longer share what they are doing, and new volunteers tag along anywhere they feel called for.

What you offer

20 hours of help per week

Building & Repairing: Help with a wide range of repairs or building.

Farming: Plant crops, sow seeds and help in outside tasks.

Gardening: Help grow plants and cultivate gardens

Additional fee required

Amount: US$ 20 Per day

Fee pays for: Benefits for travelers

Description: This fee pays for the food and expenses, like trips or what else. This fee allows us to accept many volunteers, even if they are not experienced. In Protopia, the volunteers are part of the community of people from all around the world, learning, teaching and building long lasting experiences. It's not a business type of an exchange. We are a regenerative farm that try to expand knowledge about living in regenerative relationship with nature.

What you get

2 days off per week

Private Room: You will have a bed in a private room. In other words, a room just for you.

Shared Dorm: You will have a bed in a shared room, which means you will share the same room with other travelers.

Breakfast: You are entitled to a free breakfast, every day of your stay.

Lunch: You are entitled to a free lunch, every day of your stay.

Dinner: You are entitled to a free dinner, every day of your stay.

Discounts on Tours: Get discounts for tours and excursions around town.

Free Tours: We’ll take you on tours and rides around town. For free!

Free Hiking Tours: We’ll take you on excursions and hikes around town. For free!

Free Events: Get free entrance for the best events in town.

Yoga classes: Take free yoga classes at our place.

Dance classes: Take free dance classes at our place.

Language lessons: Take free language classes at our place.

Holistic Therapies: You can take part in any of our therapeutic activities for free.

Permaculture Course: Take part in our Permaculture course for free.

Use our equipped kitchen: Feel free to use our kitchen and make your own delicious food.

Fast Internet Access: High-speed internet for you to work remotely

Dedicated Workspace: Specific space for you to work remotely

Requirements

Intermediate English or Intermediate Spanish

Over 22 years old

Welcomes solo volunteers, couples, and partners of volunteers

What's not included

Flights, Travel Insurance, Internal Transportation and Visa

Program Details

Depending on what time of the year the responsibilities are different. In general, we have teams that do: farming type work (planting, harvesting, bio-ferments, etc); building naturally (bio-construction), could me harvesting wood, could be plastering, sewing etc; team that does marketing and content creating; team that manages food and other essentials. We also allow and encourage volunteers to do art and other projects, even if it may not be so important for the community. For example: a volunteer wanted to build a tree house bc he wanted to start a business. We all got together and supported him to build a tree house, which we had to take it down recently.

Activities & Shift

In Protopia, we also host events as a financial sustainability mechanism. So volunteers, when there is an event, they are part of the Protopia team and support the event, and also take part free on the event. When there isn't an event, we still are a lot of people in Protopia. Usually 10 people is the minimum. Some come to volunteer, some come as digital nomads, some are 6 months apprentices, that are learning the whole in's and out's of building, maintaining and financing a eco-village, regenerative farm and retreat center. We go on trips every weekend—volcano hikes, national parks, hot springs etc.

Rules

9pm-7am are quite rooms in the sleeping areas. Obviously, we are a ecological community, so only bring biodegradable toiletries. Tabaco smoking, if it's a must, only in designated areas. Drinking is in a very very rare occasions. Protopia is not a place that has a strict rule system. But we respect the local community, we respect each other, and general kind behavior is expected. However, we also encourage everyone to be themselves, and we work actively, as a community, to solve problems by understanding them and growing beyond. We'll send a orientation pdf after you reach out, but not many rules.