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Derek (66) & Laura (63)

World, Africa, South Africa, Randburg

Project dates

Work to be done

Your accommodation

Carpe Diem

Volunteer since
2016

Speaks

Fluent in English and Afrikaans

Last seen online
more than 6 month ago

About me

Have 5 children. All home schooled and independent now.
Have worked in South Africa, Swaziland and Ghana. Have been involved in projects in UK, USA, Australia, Italy, Poland and Germany. Love travelling
Primarily involved in the finance and development field
Want to travel with my wife now and experience people countries and cities at a leisurely pace.
Would like to get involved with:-
- stone wall construction
- hedge laying
- green woodworking. Coppice work etc
- general construction
Learn a language (even just the basics thereof)
Love reading and learning about people culture and interesting things
About Laura
Worked in a museum for several years. She also has an artistic flair and has taught art at school and to our children. After we started a family we decided to focus on the children. We had three of our own and adopted two more about 20 years ago.
The children were all home schooled and are still at home (mostly). We have a large house 7 bedrooms and 4 hectares to play in. We have quad bikes and scramblers. We have built off road (4wd) tracks on the property.
Laura is exploring and researching healthy cooking methods and ingredients. We are starting to eat better now and have moved onto raw milk, free range eggs and meats etc.
We are starting to eat more healthy grains and trying to cut out harmful chemicals and so on. Bit of a mission as these products are not readily available in South Africa.
We would love to spend time with like minded people and travel.

Preferred location

Would like to start in the UK, and wind my way through Europe to Italy

Skills

I am a retired executive. 58 years old overweight but active.
Played competitive squash, tennis cricket soccer and golf. Did plenty road running.
Taught tennis and squash and golf for some years.
Lectured in evenings at university
Recently made cement building blocks for a project. Project nearly completed - about 50m of walling 2m high.
Recently build some furniture from recycled packing crates
Lectured at universities in evenings

Additional info

I am not a smoker, I have a drivers license, I am not a vegetarian and I have no allergies.

Cat and dog hair. Under control though.

Type of work I want to do

  • construction
  • farming
  • gardening
  • language practice
  • maintenance tasks
  • teaching projects
  • charity work
  • eco projects

Where I want to volunteer

Europe

England, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Scotland

Oceania

Australia, New Zealand

North America

Canada

More photos about me

Derek 58
building blocks made for a project
part of upgrade project
Front view of our home
Back garden
Left to right. Derek, Karen (and grand daughter Chloe), Warw