Profile information
Host rating
100 %
Last replied
26 Feb 2025
Reply rate
100.0 %
Usually responds within 2 days
Feedback
26
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Badges (3)
Details
Description
Hello traveler,
your help is needed here!
My name is Jennifer and I live on this homestead with my three little kids (7, 5 and 1). We are German but also speak English and Swedish. I speak Spanish too because I was living in Spain for a while. The kids also speak Dutch, I only understand it. My Romanian is okay, I guess. I understand more than I'm able to speak.
Next to my online work as a (ghost) writer I like being in the garden, playing board games or collecting and preserving foods. Also some wild herbs around here I can recognize and teach you about. To all my kids I gave birth at home which is why I'm knowledgeable about natural/ free birth.
In our valley we are surrounded by beautiful people and nature. There is a lot to see and learn here if you are looking for a peaceful and natural environment. On different occasions the families and friends in our valley meet and share some moments.
Some years ago the father of my kids and me started out as volunteers for our current neighbors. After a few days of volunteering we decided to stay and build our homestead. Now we are separated but the homestead still stands and needs tending. That's why we need you! :) I try to do as much as possible on my own or with the help of friends but more helping hands are very appreciated.
Things you could help with are the garden, kids, household but also building projects are on the to-do-list. Right now we have some cats, a dog, a goose and just a few chickens left. (The foxes around here are pretty hungry.) If you are interested in those kind of things feel free to write and be our guest.
But know that our homestead is pretty basic. In the kitchen we have running water so the dishes can be washed easily. For washing ourselves we usually use rainwater and a little tub but there are other ways too. Pretty close-by there is a small lake which invites for a swim. In the rainy seasons there is a stream about 50 m from the house.
The house is not connected to the grid but we have electricity from our photovoltaic system so you can always charge your electronics in the house. Our internet connection is a good one too if you need to do some things online. We also have a washing machine and a fridge. But: Warm water we don't have yet. On our land you'll find a well and a compost toilet. The well is inactive right now. That's why we get our drinking water from the spring in the village which is like 1.5 km away. No worries, we go there by car. ;)
At the moment there is no structure available for volunteers to sleep in. But there is plenty of space on our land so you can always find a good spot to pitch your tent. Pillows, blankets, a mattress and sleeping bags can be provided.
Types of help and learning opportunities
Art Projects
Language practice
Help with Eco Projects
Gardening
DIY and building projects
Animal Care
Farmstay help
Babysitting and creative play
Creating/ Cooking family meals
Help around the house
General Maintenance
UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
As we are foreigners in Romania, we can't give you much of Romanian culture.
What we hopefully can provide, is some food for thought and inspiration in regards to how or why to start on the path of self-sufficiency. We don't follow any specific prepper ideology or religious dogma, rather we try to be realists and look at the world as it now stands, and plan our steps accordingly.
Ideally, you will be pushed at least to the edge of one your comfort zones during your stay here, it might be physical, mental, emotional or spiritual. Either way, we hope that we can serve as a catalyst in some way for your continued growth as a human being.
Projects involving children
This project could involve children. For more information see our guidelines and tips here.
Help
Tasks for 2024:
- Finish walls/plaster
- collect firewood
- everything garden related (seeding, planting, weeding, prepare the greenhouse, prepare beds, ...)
- enjoy life
Languages
Languages spoken
German: Fluent
English: Fluent
Spanish: Fluent
Finnish: Fluent
Swedish: Fluent
Romanian: Intermediate
Dutch: BeginnerThis host offers a language exchange
This host has indicated that they are interested in sharing their own language or learning a new language.
You can contact them directly for more information.
Accommodation
You can choose to sleep in the loft of the new building which does not have walls yet or to put up a tent in a spot you prefer. We recommend you to bring your own sleeping bag as it can get cold in the nights. Also warm clothes and good shoes would be preferable for autumn/winter/spring.
We can provide you a mattress and blanket, plus a tent if you wish. If the road is not too wet it is possible to get up here in your campervan.
We are living off-grid surrounded by nature. The electricity comes from photovoltaic panels, the drinking water from a well, the firewood from the woods. For washing we usually use rainwater or go have a dip in the lake. Our toilet is a compost toilet.
Electricity and Wifi are available in our house. Of course food will be provided.
What else ...
We are in plain nature, no big streets nearby but many paths to hike!
In the village down the hill (1.5km) you can find a small shop, where you can connect to the locals or just spend some time off.
There goes a mini bus from the village to Orastie, where you have more variety of shops and entertainment if you're looking for that.
Hitchhiking from or to Orastie is the easiest option.
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
Can host digital nomads
We have a good internet connection so that working online should not be an issue. Jennifer is working online herself.
Space for parking camper vans
In summer when the road is dry you can get pretty close to our house.
Can possibly accept pets
Yes. But dogs should stay out of the house, garden and not chase the cats or chickens.
How many Workawayers can stay?
More than two
Feedback (10)
So I stayed here in Balșa at the homestead for around 5 weeks, mostly alone whilst Matthias and Jenny were away, only getting to meet them at the end for 2 short but lovely days. In the whole experience I… read more
Jennifer and Matias are such heartwarming personalitys, I felt welcomed from the first moment I got there. The experience of just being sorrounded by nature and really getting in touch with it was so peaceful. The work was fun and I really enjoyed it.
Definitely recommend this… read more
Photos
Feedback
These are extra optional ratings when members leave feedback. The average rating left for each option is displayed.
Accuracy of profile:
(4.9)
Cultural exchange:
(4.6)
Communication:
(4.9)
So I stayed here in Balșa at the homestead for around 5 weeks, mostly alone whilst Matthias and Jenny were away, only getting to meet them at the end for 2 short but lovely days. In the whole experience I… read more
Jennifer and Matias are such heartwarming personalitys, I felt welcomed from the first moment I got there. The experience of just being sorrounded by nature and really getting in touch with it was so peaceful. The work was fun and I really enjoyed it.
Definitely recommend this… read more
The tasks Hannah worked on were mostly weeding and building slipstraw walls and she did very well. I (Jennifer) actually was impressed by how fast she progressed in taking weeds out. ;) Without her help the… read more
They were both very nice and kept making sure I had everything I needed.
Matias and Jenny are always open to talk about anything. So the work was never boring. I helped to build a house out of mud and straw and to weed and plant in the garden.
I was able to arrange… read more
Both of them were really motivated and worked hard. They dug out some clay as… read more
Like it said in the profile it was unstructured but… read more
He blends into the social sphere naturally and doesn't take more space than he needs. Exceptional understanding of human nature and… read more
Although my stay here was very short, I´ve decided, nonetheless, to leave some feedback for Matias & Jennifer.
My idea was to stay longer, but, it ended up being just one week. The sudden and unexpected heavy rains made it impossible to do any work outdoors, and, at that moment, there were no tasks to be done in the… read more
Ludwig helped us with getting firewood (cutting dead trees down, chopping it to… read more
Thank you so much! We really hope you can make your new place ready for winter or at least next years first… read more
They are motivated, creative and can work on their own.
The food they made was awesome too! :) Thank you guys for everything and enjoy your journey.
She got along well with our little daughter and helped with other tasks. Sadly the weather was not the best to work more outdoors.
We wish her all the best. :relaxed:
