Join my family for an urban-rural experience near Frankfurt, the heart of Germany

Details

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  Description

  My American parents (78, 81) were teachers who traveled to Europe and Germany in the summer of 1969. One year later, they moved to Germany and still haven't finished exploring Europe and the rest of the world. They are full of interesting stories and can give you many tips on what to explore. My mother would like to help you speak English and I can help you speak German, so long you know the basics in one or the other language. I would gladly support you during your new adventure in Germany/Europe, as I have traveled a lot myself and know how to get around on a low budget.
  
  I like cooking sustainable, and I try to teach different generations how to use vegetables that do not look perfect, and that farmers have problems selling - it is kind of a "freegan" lifestyle I prefer, meaning using resources that are already there or others do not want, can´t sell or simply have too much of. I like doing things together and try my best to advise our guests. There is so much to explore here like music festivals, beautiful nature, historic buildings, and many nice people to meet who almost all speak English.
  
  Since over ten years I am self-employed doing sustainable catering a few times per year, organizing community cooking events, and holding speeches on how to avoid food waste. Therefore I am quite flexible between jobs and help my parents regularly. I am staying at the neighbor's house, which my parents bought, which is at least 200 years old and was an old farm house. My parents bought a bigger neighbor house right behind theirs that me and Workawayers cleaned and and put some paint on walls and ceilings in some rooms. Since August it is our 2nd and much bigger guest house.
  
  So we own three houses in Königsau, a small village 100 km from Frankfurt am Main and 25 km from the small airport HAHN, you can reach several European countries from.
  There are two barns on our property, several garages, an old baking house next to the stream across from the street and quite a lots of garden, we keep quite wild with a few fruit trees and berry bushes. I like all the possibilities to improve the buildings and property.
  
  I was a Couchsurfing ambassador for many years in Wiesbaden and now mainly host Workawayers at my parents place to get more work done together, to learn with and inspire each other.
  
  You would stay in one of my parents' two guest houses in 55606 Königsau, Germany. I will spend most time there during your stay as well. It is great for exploring the 2nd largest forest in Germany and across from the three houses it is possible to swim in a stream called "Kellenbach" or try yourself on a paddle board or air-tube.
  
  In 2006 I moved to beautiful Wiesbaden, Germany with the the zip code 65193 near Frankfurt´s International Airport. I live in a shared apartment in a small room and usually do not host people during the night. My parents' two guest houses twill be the main place for you to stay and is 80 km away from where I live (Wiesbaden), My Dad still works full-time in Wiesbaden and drives back and forth between Wiesbaden and Königsau. Wiesbaden and Mainz (across the famous Rhine river) are very interesting and easy for you to explore when you join my Dad on the way to his work Mondays threw Fridays from 10 - 7.
  
  It´s a great option for you to switch between a beautiful German rural area and beautiful city.

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  Types of help and learning opportunities

  Charity Work

  Help with Eco Projects

  Elderly Companionship

  Gardening

  DIY and building projects

  Creating/ Cooking family meals

  Help around the house

  General Maintenance

  Help with Computers/ Internet
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  Interests

  

  Events & social

  

  Vegetarian or vegan

  

  Sustainability

  

  Culture

  

  Self development

  

  Plant care

  

  Music

  

  History

  

  Architecture

  

  Performing arts

  

  Photography

  

  Gardening

  

  Cooking & food

  

  Camping

  

  Nature

  

  Dancing

  

  Water sports

  

  Cycling
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  Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

  Travelers will get to know a nice rural area of western Germany where my parents live and one of Germany's most beautiful cities, in the middle of Germany called Wiesbaden where I live. From Wiesbaden, you can easily reach many castles along the Rhine River, the city of Mainz and Frankfurt.
  
  Wiesbaden where I live has 26 hot springs, no other city has so many hot springs. Wiesbaden and Mainz, two capitals of German states are divided by the famous Rhine River along with many castles. There is plenty to see here in Wiesbaden, but also in the neighbor city Mainz with its two very old cathedrals. The older cathedral has a big size for back then when it was built, 1500 years ago! The newer one is huge and over 1000 years old, right next to each other. Everything is easy to reach by food in Wiesbaden and Mainz. Frankfurt is a more modern city which has an old historic city center as well, like almost every German city.
  Wiesbaden where I live is the 2nd or 3rd richest city in Germany and you can recognise that by looking at the beautiful historic architecture.
  
  I speak English and German and don´t mind helping you improve one or the other language. My mother was a teacher and has time to help improve your English. She is very talk-active, me as well ;)

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  Projects involving children

  This project could involve children. For more information see our guidelines and tips here.

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  Help

  I always need help with general housework and small maintenance jobs; we can figure out how to do them together. Usually, I will be doing the same or other jobs close by. I try to explain everything clearly and answer all questions while you are doing something. So, no worries. If you like to cook and use the kitchen, there is plenty of healthy food you can cook for yourself. If not, I can cook on all days you help me, because I do not like preparing meals alone. Just let me know what you prefer to eat. I might not be around on your days off, so you should plan to cook for yourself or have a late dinner with my parents, who always have meat/sausage in their dinners. I usually cook vegan or vegetarian. If you wish, I can prepare meat-containing meals for us on your working days. I have many vegan vegetable stews I have prepared and canned myself for a fast, healthy meal to warm up, and add heavy, juicy German wholewheat bread, which Germany is famous for.
  
  I have many vintage clothes that need to be ironed and require small sewing work, with hand and needle, or with my sewing machine.
  There is always work involved in my garden plot/allotment in Wiesbaden and the gardens of my parents in Königsau. I would be glad if you could help with different tasks and enjoy working with your hands.
  
  I like having cooking or dinner parties and hosting people from all around the world :) If you know how to play an instrument and like to practice in front of a small audience, you are very welcome to do so :) If you like to cook for me and other guests, just let me know and I will try to organize everything you need, I don´t have it already.
  
  Work is to be done during the day or in the evening, depending on when you would prefer to explore the beautiful surroundings. I tend to sleep long, my parents, too. But you could start earlier in the garden at my parents' house if you are an early riser. My father leaves Königsau to work in Wiesbaden at 8.30 am and drives back from there close to the main train station in Wiesbaden shortly after 7 pm (Fridays, he starts and leaves one hour later). You can join him and save time getting to the Rhine-Main area with many cities like Frankfurt/Wiesbaden/Darmstadt/Mainz, you can explore easily from the "Hauptbahnhof Wiesbaden" or just meet me when I am not at my parents' place.
  
  You are the perfect helper if you do not mind getting dirty, can keep yourself motivated, like learning, and feel free to bring up your ideas for improvements.

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  Languages

  Languages spoken
  German: Fluent
  English: Fluent

  This host offers a language exchange
  I can help you improve your English and/or German if you know the basics and stay for a while.
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  Accommodation

  At my parent's place, you stay in one of their two guest house(s), which were regular traditional farm houses once and between 200-300 years old. There you have a room for yourself or to share with your partner/friend/companion in a bunk or big double bed at my parent's property in 55606 Königsau, Germany,

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  What else ...

  I like having travelers over from all over the world and meeting new people, just like my parents who are getting to be Workaway hosts, since it got difficult for guests to sleep at my shared apartment in Wiesbaden. If I have time to explore the area with you together, I will do so. My parents might want to drive with you to the beautiful open-air museum with a lovely Restaurant, that looks like in the old days in the countryside. Though the area is quite easy to explore on your own and we can give you lots of good advise.

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  A little more information

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    Internet access

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    Limited internet access

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    We have pets

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    We are smokers

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    Can host families

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  Can host digital nomads

  50 Mbit is available.

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  Space for parking camper vans

  There is plenty of room on my parent's property where we will be doing work together if you stay longer than two weeks. They live in 55606 Königsau, Germany.

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  Can possibly accept pets

  This host has said they are willing to accept those travelling with a pet.

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  How many Workawayers can stay?

  More than two

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  My animals / pets

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