Be a part of an Icelandic family in the Westfjords, help in a guesthouse and farm in Iceland

  • Favourited 2914 times
  • Last activity: 22 Mar 2024

Availability

  2024 

 Min stay requested: at least 2 weeks

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Details

  • Description

    Description

    My name is Silja and my husband’s name is Þórður. We live in Barðarströnd in the south of the Westfjords - a beautiful and still quite wild part of Iceland. We have a small guesthouse that we run all year round and about 100 sheep that we take care of. We also produce lamb meat for sell (the most popular is the smoked one) and keep 30 chickens for eggs for us and the guests. Over the winter I have social gathering every week where we do easy crafts work. I'm also the housekeeper of our community center.

    Host has indicated that they will pay at least the minimum hourly wage of their country for each hour worked and that accommodation will also be provided. They are asking for help with a business or business activity. Contact the host directly via the site messenger for more information and details about the wage provided. Any arrangements should be agreed in advance with your host.

  • Types of help and learning opportunities

    Types of help and learning opportunities

    Gardening
    Animal Care
    Farmstay help
    Help around the house
    General Maintenance
  • UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve

    UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve

    UN goals
    No poverty
    Zero hunger
    Good health and well-being
    Quality education
    Gender equality
    Clean water and sanitation
    Affordable and clean energy
    Decent work and economic growth
    Industries, innovation and infrastructure
    Reduce inequality
    Sustainable cities and communities
    Responsible consumption and production
    Climate action
    Life below water
    Life on land
    Peace, justice and strong institutions
    Partnerships for the goals
  • Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

    Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

    First of all, you will be a part of an Icelandic family - we will share with you our way of living and you will see what an everyday life in a countryside Icelandic farm looks like.
    I can tell you about the Icelandic history and culture. I can show you around the area and tell you the history of where we live. I could teach you about Icelandic knitting from Icelandic wool. I also could teach you about woodcarving. I could teach you about local herbs and their use in teas and spices. I could teach you about Icelandic cooking and baking.
    We are also happy to take you for local and family events (Seaman Day celebration, museum open day, concerts, birthdays)

  • Host offers payment in line with the minimum wage

    Host offers payment in line with the minimum wage

    This host offers accommodation and payment.

    Host has indicated that they will pay at least the minimum hourly wage of their country for each hour worked and that accommodation will also be provided. They are asking for help with a business or business activity. Contact the host directly via the site messenger for more information and details about the wage provided. Any arrangements should be agreed in advance with your host.

  • Help

    Help

    You will help us with our day to day work, main activities are:
    Helping with cleaning and preparing the guesthouse for the tourists
    Helping with general maintenance and little projects around the house and garden (like shopping, cleaning, cooking, picking mushrooms and blueberries, planting and picking potatoes, general garden work)
    Helping with the sheep - the busy time is spring, when they have lambs and are set free to roam in the wild by June, and autumn, when we fetch them from the mountains. Fetching the sheep takes time, but also gives you opportunity to walk in the areas not many people go to, so you’ll experience truly wild and beautiful Icelandic landscape. It is also time when we work with a lot of other farmers, you you’ll get a chance to meet the local community too.
    Helping with the chickens - we need to feed them and change water every day, collect the eggs and close them in the chicken house for the night
    Taking care of our 2 dogs
    We also welcome any sort of initiative - there’s probably a lot of things we can improve, optimize or make more pleasant, I also have many concepts for future projects that I like to discuss, so feel free to suggest and implement your ideas

    In general we want to offer you activities that will be interesting for you and will match your skills. We don’t have a strict schedule - the activities for the day depend on what is a priority at the moment (or on the weather! :)).
    The things I need help with are things that I need assistance with, so most of the time we would be doing them together.

  • Languages spoken

    English: Fluent
    Icelandic: Fluent

  • Accommodation

    Accommodation

    You will have your own room in our house, with shared bathroom and decent internet. We have a private hot-tub, which is a great spot to observe the northern lights too. We have three dogs at home. You can eat with us or use the kitchen to cook your own food if you want. The nearest supermarket is 34 km away, so trips there are not an everyday thing and we have to plan our meals well :)
    It is a peaceful area, perfect if you like nature and would like to spend time far away from big city noise and hassles.

  • What else ...

    What else ...

    Near us there is a swimming pool and an nature hotpot with a beautiful view over the bay and the mountains. There are plenty of sights in the area, mostly regarding the landscape. We can take you around the area and tell you about its history.
    Some attractions in our area are: Látrabjarg, 72 km away (westernmost point of Iceland, a beautiful cliff and a great spot to observe birds), Rauðasandur beach, 45 km away (a golden sand beach), Flatey island (accessible by a ferry).There is a bus that goes to Látrabjarg as well as Ísafjörður (the biggest town in Westfjords) during summer and we could help you plan your travels.

    To get to our place from Reykjavik, you need to get to Stykkisholmur (you can check the route here: straeto.is) and get a ferry to Brjanslaekur, where we will pick you up.

  • A little more information

    A little more information

    • Internet access

    • Limited internet access

      Limited internet access

    • We have pets

    • We are smokers

    • Can host families

  • How many Workawayers can stay?

    How many Workawayers can stay?

    One

  • ...

    Hours expected

    Maximum 4-5 hours a day, 5 days a week

Host ref number: 449922283784

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