Sunday, January 30, 2011

Información en español

Mama Roja Ofrece:

  • Talleres: en Bioconstrucción, Yoga y Meditación, Vida Sostenible, Medicina Herbal Natural, y mas... Fechas y costo a publicar. Solicitar mas información por e-mail.


  • Pasantías (bilingue en Ingles): duración 1 a 3 meses. Ver "Internships" para detalles del programa y costo.


  • Visitas diarias con tour: avisar por e-mail el día a venir y esperar confirmación de bienvenida. Donación a voluntad.


  • Grupos de escolares; acordar por e-mail.

Contacto: kimberly@mamaroja.org o mama.roja@yahoo.com

Se paciente-- tenemos acceso a internet una o dos veces a la semana.


Monday, January 24, 2011

Summer Superb

Sweet summer days-- refreshing mornings in the garden, long hot afternoons in the river. We are in between programs right now so we have been creative with our free time-- that is to say, hammocking, reading, and taking time to relax and create other projects.
Between visitors and hammocking, we have been slowly building our bread oven:

The adobe bricks were macheted to size.


The body is igloo-shaped with stacking bricks in an upward growing dome curving in on itself. The front will be a double arch over the door and a chimney spout to go over the top and out the back.

Mingo, Marcelo's father (almost 80 years old!), was here to help out... or rather boss us around! :)

Plastering with a horse poop and mud mix, with some smooth stones for décor.Now to just let it dry a bit, then we can light it up for fresh baked goodies!
We laso took a few trips around Misiones. Here we are in O´paybo (school for natural health) in Alem testing and prepping for a future workshop to transform a wood plank shed into a luxurious mud composting bathhouse.

Many birds around... this variety of toucan is particularly noisy and likes to watch us work from the treetops. (This fellow in the picture, however, lives in the bird park and was very photogenic-- notice the galiant pose. The wild ones aren´t this friendly.)

This fruit is a from a guembe (split-leaf philodendron)-- when it is totally ripe it tastes like custard heaven, but don't bite down on the seeds or you'll get one heck of an itchy throat!

Sunday, January 23, 2011

Upcoming Programs:



2013:
______________________________________________

February 19-April 18, 2013


and

September 17- November 19, 2013

Sustainable Living and Natural Building Internship
including Earthen Building, Organic Gardening, and sustainable living skills.
More info at
http://mamaroja.blogspot.com/2012/01/internship-in-sustainable-living-and.html

Applications currently being accepted.


Ask us for more info at mama.roja@yahoo.com


____________________________________________________



Long-Term Volunteer
We are accepting a volunteer (or a couple) who wants to join us and collaborate with our sustainable living and learning center for at least 6 months (longer stay is possible too). We will provide housing and meals, in exchange for hands-on help with the multifaceted, ongoing projects at Mama Roja.
Volunteer responsibilities can include: gardening, building/construction, property care-taking, animal care, group cooking, and general maintenance help. Generally, we ask for at least 5 days a week, 5 hours per day of work, depending on the project at hand. Also, we encourage you to add your own unique talents to Mama Roja by creating your own projects.
Volunteers must: Have a positive attitude. Be able to work independently, and with others. Be responsible, reliable, and fun! Be open to learning new things. Be willing to help with whatever task needs doing. Have a good work ethic. Be of strong body and mind. Be able to speak (at least some) Spanish and English.
Preference given to those with experience in Permaculture, organic farming, construction, “handyman” work, etc.
We will provide a bed in a shared cabin and daily delicious, healthy meals. There will also be ample time to enjoy the rivers and waterfalls, practice yoga/meditation, read, do crafts, etc. Also, there will be breaks between projects for free time or travel.
Property Info: We are off the grid, which means that we live very simply and close with the land. Our energy comes from solar panels, which is limited to charging batteries (computers, cameras, etc) and running lights. There is no phone or internet directly from the property, but a short walk would provide a cell phone signal and internet is available in the nearby town of Obera. There is public transportation to and from the property.
If you are interested, email us info about yourself (if we don't already know you!), your date of availability, and any questions you may have.

Write a short letter introducing yourself, answering the following questions:
  1. General information: What is your age, sex (if not obvious by your name), how do you occupy your time (work, school, etc.), and where do you live?
  1. What experience do you have with building, gardening/farming, alternative energy systems, community living?
  2. Why do you want to volunteer at Mama Roja?
  3. What hand-skills, crafts, abilities, or special training do you have?
  4. Do you have any emotional or health difficulties that are affecting your life now?
  5. Do you have any special dietary needs, food allergies or sensitivies?
  6. What else should we know about you?
  7. What date can you start?


Please send your letter and any questions you may have to mama.roja@yahoo.com.

2012:
__________________________________________________________

September 12- November 30, 2012
Sustainable Living and Natural Building Internship
including Earthen Building, Organic Gardening, and sustainable living skills.
More info at
http://mamaroja.blogspot.com/2012/01/internship-in-sustainable-living-and.html


Program Full. Apply to waiting list.
Ask us for more info at mama.roja@yahoo.com.



__________________________________________________________


Interns are invited to stay on as Apprentices to continue learning with us and/or to complete any personal projects.

Long-Term Volunteers
or Work-traders are accepted for a minimum stay of 6 months. See above for details.

Short-Term Volunteers
are accepted outside of program dates, depending on ongoing projects. Contact us at mama.roja@yahoo.com for availability and dates.
Visitors
are welcome to come for the day and see our projects. Please contact us by email to let us know when you will be coming.

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Teaching Methodology

It is only our lack of awareness that limits us.” –Eckhart Tolle

In the common education systems, there is a great flaw, which impedes the true learning process. A classic classroom system fails us in that it creates dependency, regimentation, apathy, and dulls ones fire to learn. The paternalistic follow-the-orders way of learning (and living) stifles the imagination and is tremendously wasteful of our human potential. We need to break away from this mold in order to reclaim our minds and spirits, and experience the richness of our creative power.

Our world is confronting desperate problems and we need all possible human creativity and pro-activity to solve them. We cannot just blindly follow our leaders, teachers, gurus and so-called experts. We must rise up together to make positive change, to break away from the collective insanity, and this means we need a new way to learn.

The very nature of living a simple and sustainable lifestyle elicits a new manner of learning in and with the world. It is a constant first-hand learning-by-doing in which we participate with our bodies, see our hands as useful tools, grow in emotional stability, and feel the power of our own potential. Since we are active participants in our cycle of livelihood, what we do or don’t do affects the whole system for better or worse, and reflects back on us. Through this direct interaction, we begin to understand that there is no separation between the world and us. Recognizing this connectivity automatically makes us more responsible, aware beings, freeing us to indulge in our limitless creative intelligence.

By participating in the whole experience of simple, sustainable living, we are already making the world a better place—using less of the world’s resources, setting an example for others, and rising up to our full potential as a free creative beings.

The teacher and the taught together create the teaching.” –Eastern saying

At Mama Roja, we are a fellowship of learners and teachers, encouraging an atmosphere conducive to personal growth, where we can all thrive mentally, physically, and spiritually. We invite an expanded learning experience by seeing each other as valuable resources. Each of us has a vast treasure of knowledge and experience, and sharing that with each other allows us all to have more tools in our “personal toolboxes.” And we need all of the tools we can get to take part in the reshaping and redesigning of this world.

Just as learning from each other is natural, vital, and beautiful, so is making mistakes. If something is learned in the process, it is no longer a mistake! If you are stuck and just following orders, you are not really learning. So, ask questions, experiment, explore new techniques, bounce ideas off each other, and search for natural, healthy solutions, and congratulate yourself if you make a mistake.

Growing and developing should be lifelong activities—one of the most pleasurable and exciting experiences of life at all ages.” –W. Coperthwaite

It is up to each of us to make this a rich, rewarding experience. So, let the learning process be fun and joyful! If we are not enjoying what we are doing, then we are doing something wrong.