Volunteer and Work
Nestled in the mountains just outside of the rural village of Chugchilán, our guesthouse offers you all the comforts of home while working in the High Andes of rural Ecuador.
 Past Managers: Danni and Jeremy |
 Past Managers: Juerg and Christine |
Full-time Managers
We are looking for a multi-talented couple
who love to be busy, who don't mind having
limited personal space and are flexible to meet a variety of demands. We live in
one of the most beautiful spots in the world and have very comfortable facilities.
Working at the Black Sheep Inn can be idyllic, yet managing the Inn is an incredible
amount of hard dedicated work with unlimited hours. We are looking for people who
are planning on living in Ecuador for an extended period of time regardless of this
employment opportunity at the Black Sheep Inn.
Wide Skill Set Primarily we need help running the Inn,
serving the needs of the guests. Daily
duties would include but not be limited to: opening and closing the lodge (open 7 am;
close around 10:30 pm), checking-in guests, taking reservations by phone and e-mail,
doing bills and accounting, overseeing cooking and cleaning by the local staff, meal
planning, shopping and stocking, host/hostess, taking care of guests needs (hiking and
travel information etc.) general maintenance, gardening, cooking and cleaning, animal
care and more. We tend to work long hours, 7 days a week. We need managers
to do everything that we do and more.
Flexible We have a local staff of 6 women and 3 men.
These people are our employees,
but also our best friends in the area. You will work very closely with them.
As a manager you are both overseeing the staff for cooking, cleaning and maintenance
projects, but also personally acting as host and hostess, wait staff, buyer, stocker,
receptionist, accountant, builder, designer, cook, advertiser and more. The
managers also must be able to do all of the tasks of the staff.
Self-Sufficient Black Sheep Inn is extremely rural
(3 hours from a bank, post office or gas station),
which means we must be self-sufficient. We maintain a large inventory of food,
drink, building supplies and hardware. We also maintain our own water system
(and much of the towns water system too), our own gray-water system and composting
toilets. If the phone or electric lines go out we often fix them ourselves,
instead of waiting weeks for the utility companies to arrive. The managers would
be expected to participate in all of the above. The daily schedule of running the
Inn is often filled with surprises and interruptions. No two days are alike.
We are looking for smart, capable, fast learners.
Personality Match The most important aspect of
working at the Black Sheep Inn is that we all get along and
work well together. Because of our isolated location, a successful working
relationship/friendship is vital.
Award Winning Ecolodge We have been
internationally recognized as one
of the Top 10 Eco-Lodges in the World by Outside Magazine, Top 50 Eco-Lodges by National
Geographic Adventure Magazine in 2009, Top 10 Eco-Resort by Delta SKY Magazine,
The Guardian (UK), the Miami Herald, and the Chicago Tribune. So... we are looking for
Top 10 Managers! This does not necessarily mean people who have worked in a Marriott,
nor people with a degree in Hotel Administration and Management, but it does mean diverse
open minded hard workers. We strive for excellence in every aspect of running and
building the Inn. We are very detailed oriented. Creative thinking and the
ability to problem solve are assets.
Manager Reqirements and Qualifications
Commitment Ideally we are looking for a couple who
is already planning on coming to Ecuador for an extended period of time. We want
people who are committed to live abroad for a 1 year or longer. In fact, we
are looking for a much longer commitment with the possibility of partnering and hiring
permanently. Regardless of your potential commitment there is no way of telling
if our personalities are compatible until you arrive and begin working at Black Sheep Inn.
Time Frame We are now working with seasons groups: June through August,
and November through March. We can hire for one of these shorter periods but we prefer to interview
you in person at your own expense.
Age Minimum of 25 years old. We are looking for
someone with rich life experience, who is knowledgeable and open minded. Sorry,
no children.
Language Fluency in English and Spanish. We work
closely with the local community and our local staff only speak Spanish. To be
a manager English and Spanish are essential minimum requirements; any other language
skills are a plus as guests come from all over the world, but you must have good
English and Spanish.
Health A good bill of health. We need fit people
who are physically active, like to be busy and don't like to sit still. Black Sheep
Inn is at over 10,000 feet in elevation (3200 meters). Don't apply if you are
accustomed to afternoon naps. No allergies, you will interact with all our
animals: dogs, cats, llamas, sheep, guinea pigs, chickens and ducks.
Experience All of the following experiences would be
useful: Food Service; Hotel Service; Trip and Travel Leaders; Computer Skills;
Handy Work; Small Business Administration; Management; Farm Work; Self Employment;
Construction and Latin American Travel.
Visa 12-9 (sometimes called 12-10) This is a
six month Ecuadorian visa 'for work or pleasure' and must be obtained from an Ecuadorian
Consulate or Embassy in your home country BEFORE coming to Ecuador. The following
is needed for a 12-9 VISA
-Passport with at least one year validity
-Letter requesting the 12-9 visa
-Cost approx. $240 each
-Air ticket leaving Ecuador
-Copy of your passport (perhaps even a notarized copy)
-Certificate of health (sometimes an HIV test)
-Police Record (no felonies)
-Bank Statement proving you have $ to survive for the next 6 months
*Every Consular can be different and require different things. You should contact the
Ecuadorian Consulate nearest you in order to be sure you have all the documents and
certificates necessary to obtain the visa through them. You MUST enter with the 12-9
type of visa to have the possibility of extending it or changing it. The typical
tourist ordinarily enters Ecuador with a 'tourist visa' that is only valid for 3 months
and is extremely difficult to extend. It is worth the extra effort to enter
Ecuador with the 12-9 visa, if you are serious about staying in Ecuador for an extended
period of time. Send us an email for advise.
Salary Starts at $300 per month per person plus
FREE room and board. There is an opportunity for pay increases, depending on
commitment, abilities and compatibility. You should plan on working 5 weeks
straight, and then having one week off.
Room and Board You will have a private room at the Inn,
including all bedding and bath towels. The Manager's room has a great view,
lots of windows, couch, desk, sleeping loft, ensuite bathroom including hot and
cold water, sink, shower and composting toilet. We also include all food while
at the Inn. We serve gourmet vegetarian. You are welcome to bring in
and cook your own meat. Your Bar Bill will be calculated separately at a
discounted rate. Long distance phone calls are at cost and you can use the
internet for personal use approximately 1 hour a day.
Location Black Sheep Inn is very rurally located just
outside of the small Andean village of Chugchilán, Canton Sigchos, Provincia
Cotopaxi. We are 3 hours from Latacunga and the nearest bank, post office or
gas station. We are 5 hours from Quito, Ecuador’s capitol city.
Photos Appreciated Only small jpg files
(250kb maximum size or smaller), our internet connection is slow.
Do you have what it takes??
If you are seriously interested in this position then please write to us with the dates
you are available and information referring to the above qualifications.
We hope to hear from you soon.
Yoga & Massage Instructor We are looking for a combined Yoga and Massage teacher that can teach and lead yoga sessions twice a day and offer massage during their stay at the Black Sheep Inn in exchange for room and board.
Requirements 2 years+ experience as Yoga Teacher,
2 month+ commitment, some Spanish language, and willingness to help with minor
tasks in the lodge. If you are interested, please contact us via email at
blacksheepinn@yahoo.com.
Massage & Yoga Trainer We are looking for a massage therapist/massuese to train local neighbors in various massage techniques. Leading Yoga classes twice a day with the guests in exchange for tips is also required. Black Sheep Inn would like to offer a new service and at the same time generate jobs for the community. We do not want to staff this position with personnel from Quito, but prefer to train 2 to 5 local residents of Chugchilán enabling them to develop a valuable skill while earning income and future employment opportunities in sustainable tourism.
If you can commit to a minimum of two months, Black Sheep Inn will provide you with free
room and board. We have a massage table and a room for giving massage while
simultaneously training locals. Guests at the Black Sheep Inn will pay approximately
$30 for an hour long massage and this money will be split 50/50 between yourself and the
Black Sheep Inn. This is still an experiment. We are trying to recruit local
people to observe and train in massage.
We anticipate that each massage therapist would contribute a unique range of techniques
and we view this as an asset in developing aspiring masseuse's skills.
Requirements 2 years experience and a license in massage,
2 month+ commitment, some Spanish language, and willingness to help with minor tasks
in the lodge.
If you are interested, please contact us via email at
blacksheepinn@yahoo.com.
Tree Surgeon
As of July 2010, we have trimmed the tree and no longer need assistance.
We are looking for an experienced Tree Climber / Pruner.
We have an incredibly tall Eucalyptus Tree that we want to safely trim/prune.
We are looking for an experienced tree climber with experience trimming large limbs with a
chainsaw at heights. The limbs must be put into a sling and lowered down carefully.
Someone with tall tree Eucalyptus experience a plus! Email us and we will arrange
an exchange. blacksheepinn@yahoo.com.
Management Intern
Do not apply unless you are planning a trip to Ecuador or already in Ecuador.
"For us, having a volunteer is like getting a new housemate."
We can only have 1 or 2 volunteers at a time and we usually do not accept volunteers
when we have fulltime managers.
Cost $250 per month - negotiable after 2 week trail period.
Commitment 8 weeks minimum. The first 2 weeks are usually
spent training and learning the hikes that we send our guests on. For this reason we ask
for a 8 week minimum so that we will be able to get at least one month of work out our volunteers.
Job Description Help run and maintain the Inn along with other
odd projects. Most of your time will be spent maintaining the lodge, boiling water for
tea and coffee, stocking the refrigerator, helping the guests with things they need. We
want a volunteer to be able to play the role of a temporary manager. Gardening experience,
carpentry skills and an interest in Ecotourism are a plus. Mostly we are looking responsible
fast-learners to relieve us from the everyday tasks of running the Inn. See managers description
below for more details.
Language English and Basic Spanish Skills a must.
Schedule Work 8 hours+ per day, one day off per week.
We like people who like to be busy, yet we understand that everybody needs down time too.
Age Ideally 22 plus years old. We do not have an
"age bias", but we want competent, responsible, capable and mature co-workers.
For us, having a volunteer is like getting a new housemate, we must get along well.
Room and Board After trial period, room and board are
negotiable, usually free. You will have a spot in the shared bunkroom at the Inn.
We also include all meals while at the Inn. We serve gourmet vegetarian food. You
are welcome to bring in and cook your own meat. Your Bar and Snack Bill will be calculated
separately.
If you are interested please also take a look at the manager's job decription below, as an ideal
volunteer merges into a manager. You can contact us via email at
blacksheepinn@yahoo.com.
Community Volunteering and Donations Volunteer Professionals If you are a doctor, nurse, dentist or educator, and you speak Spanish, there are opportunities to volunteer in the local town of Chugchilán. Generally, you will need to commit to at least two weeks of volunteering. Write to us, and we can discuss what you might be able to do to help the local community. You will still pay for your room and board at the Black Sheep Inn.
 Handing out donated supplies |
 Volunteering in the classroom |
Donations
Black Sheep Inn has a small fund for helping the community. We have constant requests
from local communities asking for computers, printers and even typewriters. Instead
of purchasing new equipment, we have received several dozen computers through generous
donations of our guests. We've received feedback from guests saying, "If I
only knew, I would have brought down my old computer."
Please let us know if you have any of the following used equipment in good working
order that you'd like to donate:
-- Computers - Pentium IV or better.
-- Printers - We only can take NEW printers now.
-- Typewriters - manual or electric typewriters, complete
with special cartridges if necessary
-- Microscopes - with slides
-- Centrifuge - with test tubes
-- Spanish Language Books - not how to speak Spanish,
but books written in the Spanish language
-- Small Copy Machine or Mimeograph or Ditto Machine
If donating a computer we usually suggest packing the CPU, keyboard,
mouse and printer, but leaving the monitor behind. Monitors are heavy,
bulky and fragile. For approximately US$70 we can purchase a used monitor
here in Ecuador.
Please note: we must
spend approximately US$120 per computer that is donated in order to reformat the hard
drive to a Spanish operating system, purchase a used monitor, power bar and a new
printer. Donations of both equipment and funding for these purchases are appreciated.
 School Kids receive new books! |
 Michelle's computer class |
Airline Luggage Limits
It is actually easy to bring stuff down. Most airlines with international
flights allow two pieces of checked luggage weighing up to 50 pounds each per
passenger! That means you could bring a checked bag and a carry on for yourself
and one more piece of checked luggage for the community. Luggage size must
be under 62 linear inches (that means the sum of the height + width + length must not
exceed 62 inches). The weight must not exceed 50 pounds. Check with your
carrier to verify limits. Don't spend too much to get the old machine
here... computers prices have plummeted, which means the money might be better
spent in purchasing new equipment than in excess overweight luggage.
How to Pack Your Donations
A 15 to 18-gallon plastic storage bin works perfectly! These are inexpensive and
can be purchased at department stores. You can use old clothing to pack around
the equipment to protect it. If the clothing is also a donation make sure
it is small sizes as the people in Chugchilán are small. The bin can be
closed by drilling small holes through the lip of the lid and then putting plastic
'pull ties' through the holes. This is easy for airport security to open and
close. Make sure you have a few extra 'pull ties' with you or packed inside
the bin for security to use. Cardboard boxes and packing tape also work well,
but beware that Quito sometimes has a 'box ban' during peak travel seasons.
It is always best to check with your airline for specifics.
Customs
It may sound unusual, but at Ecuadorian customs, you are allowed to bring in a
personal computer. You do not need to declare anything. The truth is
that tourists rarely get checked as they are entering Ecuador.
FREE Airport Pick-Up
Let us know if you are bringing something down for the community of Chugchilán
and we will offer a FREE airport transfer to your Quito hotel upon your arrival.
We will have a driver waiting for you with a sign that says Black Sheep Inn. If
you are using public transportation while in Ecuador, or if you are traveling to other
destinations before coming to the Black Sheep Inn, then the driver can store the
donation so you don't have to worry about it anymore. The equipment will be
brought to Chugchilán later in the month. We are trying to make your arrival
hassle free! Thank-you for your donation!
Planning
PLEASE let us know if you are interested in donating something to the
community. Unfortunately we must APPROVE whatever you want to donate. We
are not acting as a Salvation Army drop off! Let us know if you have any
items to donate.
Thank you so much for considering the people of Chugchilán. We look
forward to meeting you soon! Email us with your reservation and
any other questions you may have.
blacksheepinn@yahoo.com
