Creative English/Dutch couple with retreat in Fruska Gora National Park, north Serbia

Details

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  Description

  We are a couple from England/Serbia and the Netherlands (with a dog and cat) and work in teaching and theatre. We have finished our renovation after all these years, with the help of WorkAwayers as yourself!
  
  We are currently looking for a couple or two friends who are willing to help out a week or two between 5 and 25 April. The sooner the better! The work is typical for spring, like prepping the garden/polly tunnel for this season, do a bit of digging and moving soil, perhaps some cutting and clearing wood. It's physical work, also doable for her, as long as you have a hands on attitude.
  
  You'll basicaly get your own appartment, altough often in the weekend they are being rented, so we will ask you then to move to our spare room in the house with us. (we rent out these two apartments for holiday makers / check our website).
  
  You must have wellies or working/hiking shoes; we will provide the gloves ;)
  
  We are one hour from Belgrade and 45 minutes from Novi Sad. But let's have a video chat first!
  
  Vivien and Kalki

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  Types of help and learning opportunities

  Help with Eco Projects

  Gardening

  DIY and building projects

  Farmstay help

  Creating/ Cooking family meals

  Help around the house

  General Maintenance
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  Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

  The first time you visit Serbia (as a Westerner) you might expect Eastern European poverty, signs of a recent civil war and NATO bombings. This is true and it is false. People have mobile phones, there's wifi everywhere, most people drive mostly modern cars, but yes, some vehicles wouldn't be allowed on the road in Germany. Roads can be bad, roads can be really bad, but new roads are also being built. Although Serbia lies in the heart of Southern Europe - in between Italy and Greece and South of Hungary - it has been a candidate member of the EU since 2012. Being outside of the EU means you can still smoke cigarettes in cafes and restaurants though, it means that 14 year olds can sip their first glass of beer on the terrace, it means that every farmer can still sell their own goods at the market without having to have the right permits and paperwork, it means that there's a little less regulation, a little bit more of an accepted anarchy, in short: a lot of things in Serbian life make a little more sense :)

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  Help

  Gardening tasks depend on the season. We follow the principles of permaculture. We might also do basic building works, like taking down an old roof, or building some simple (animal) housing using reclaimed materials.

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  Languages spoken

  English: Fluent
  Dutch: Fluent
  Serbian: Fluent
  German: Beginner
  Spanish: Beginner

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  Accommodation

  We rent out two newly renovated apartments in our stable for holidaymakers, and we organise courses and activities for theatre professionals. When you will be here, we might have guests in the weekend, and you might have to move back and forth between your own apartment, and the spare bedroom in our house. The place is big enough, so that shouldnt be a problem in terms of privacy, but we might be housemates for a few days.

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  What else ...

  Apart from taking a dip and a cool-off in the lake down the road, you can take walks or cycle routes in the forest, discover the caves and monasteries of the area, go on a wine-tasting tour around the local vineyards, take a bus to the local town (and cheap taxis!), and from there you can get buses and trains to Belgrade and Novi Sad which have all the usual attractions of cultural cities. The local town has Roman ruins, a river with a beach and fishing.

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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

  Please check our website balkan-retreat !

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  Space for parking camper vans

  Plenty of parking outside.

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  Can possibly accept pets

  No agressive/male dogs. And 1 should be enough...

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  How many Workawayers can stay?

  Two

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  Hours expected

  Maximum 5 hours a day, 5 days a week

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