ShawjeremA few weeks ago I received a message from a fellow Tribe member (online community of over 5,000 “tribes” that links people together with similar interests). This person, Shawzy, told me that she and her husband, Jeremai, are traveling the world and hooking up with other Tribe members.

The idea is that they will share their talents, experience and muscles with folks in exchange for a place to stay. They are really knowledgeable about sustainable living, intentional communities, household electrical issues, hydroelectric (and other alternative power sources), gardening and landscaping, and many other things.

Shawzy is an artist and has a very creative eye. She also enjoys painting. Jeremai is obsessed with diesel power – especially bio diesel, which is using used restaurant cooking oil in place of gasoline to run cars. Both of them are incredibly sweet, loving and intelligent people.

While they were here they painted one room of the apartment, updated some electrical work and installed a new shower head in the apartment bathroom.

But three exciting things they were able to share with us stand out the most:

1. Kefir

Kefir is a refreshing cultured-milk beverage, which originated many centuries ago, in the Northern Caucasus Mountains. Traditional authentic kefir can only be prepared by culturing fresh milk with Kefir grains. The grains are a soft, gelatinous white biological mass [biomass], comprised of protein, lipids [fats] and a soluble-polysaccharide Kefiran complex. The Kefir grains last forever and multiply with each new batch made. Jeremai and Shawzy gifted us our first grain and showed us how to make the beverage and Kefir cheese.

In addition to beneficial bacteria and yeast, kefir contains minerals and essential amino acids that help the body with healing and maintenance functions. The complete proteins in kefir are partially digested and therefore more easily utilized by the body. Among the many numerous benefits of Kefir include regulation of the kidneys, liver and nervous system to helping relieve skin disorders, boost energy and promote longevity.

2. Kombucha

Kombucha is the Western name for a fermentation of sweetened tea using lactobacilli and yeast cultures. The tea contains a symbiosis of yeast species and acetic acid bacteria. It grows on top of the tea in the form of a fungus or mushroom. The list of long-known benefits derived from the tea are endless, but include at the top of the list arthritis, asthma, hair growth, diabetes, diarrhea, stomach issues, and eczema. Again, Jeremai gifted us our starter Kombucha and taught us how to grow it and make the tea.

3. Pineapple Ginger Beer

Shawzy and Jeremai are not ones to waste anything. So they used up our pineapple skins to make a homemade beverage. Using the skins along with a few pieces of pineapple and giner, we fermented the drink and bottled it up. Boy! Was that delicious!

The overall experiment was a success and it was great to spend time getting to know these guys. It was a learning experience though and I would suggest to anyone looking to find “work for stay” folks that they iron out all the details about expectations before your guests arrive.

It’s not that in our case anything was “wrong,” it’s just that, for instance, Isaac and I even had a different idea between ourselves what to expect. If it were up to Isaac, Shawzy and Jeremai would have spent 99% of their time in the apartment (when in fact they stayed in the house with us), and would have worked 12-hour days for their keep!

I on the other hand wasn’t looking for slave labor, but a balance between sharing our time together and seeing the fruits of our (their) labor. I do wish we could have accomplished a bit more in the week, but it was a learning experience. And we made some nice, new friends.

For anyone who has extra space, could use some help around the house (farm, etc.) and would like to meet some loving people, I’d strongly suggest opening up your place to some “work for stay” people. Contact me for more info or do a search on Google.