Help with our garden and 1905 house in Zuidwending, Groningen, The Netherlands

Informationen

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  Beschreibung

  We live in a big old house in Zuidwending, a rural village in the NE part of The Netherlands. Nice and quiet but lots to do and see. Please read all of our information and look at the pictures and their captions. When responding show us you've actually READ our profile and BE SPECIFIC what help you offer please. "I like your profile and want to do all jobs" is just not sufficient ...
  
  Jobs done in 2021, our first WA year: building a rain water collection system, a garden fireplace, painting the grill kota, putting tons of white rocks in the front yard, lots of gardening, cleaning, stowing some 10 tons of firewood etc. A very successful first Workaway experience for ourselves and the volunteers we hosted, thanks guys/gals! We didn't host in 2022 or 2023 but do want to start again this year.
  
  We've done a lot to make our home climate neutral: we stopped using fossil fuel in 2017 and we even generate a surplus of solar energy since 2013. We are still working on a green roof, rainwater use etc. to try making our ecological footprint as small as possible. Our motto:
  "Try and leave this world a little better than you found it" [Baden Powell].
  "Improve the world, start with yourself..." [general saying]
  "...but don't stop there and help other to improve as well!" [Paul].
  Paul loves to show and explain what he did and inspire others to take steps towards their own energy transition.
  
  We were married in 1981, our 3 kids have grown up and left the nest. Monique works part time in a nursing home for the elderly, likes to do aquarel painting, reading and work in the garden. She speaks only limited English but understands more and would like some practice with you. Paul is a retired navy officer, but likes his volunteer jobs in many different fields. Hobbies include scouting, amateur radio, playing the recorder in all sizes and DIY. Around 2000 we lived in Dubai with our kids for 1.5 years and we love to travel abroad. We hope to host some interesting people. You perhaps? Please tell us how you would like to help us and who knows... ;)
  
  We strongly support all UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) however we've added only the most relevant to our profile. We expect guests to respect them and try to live by them. This means not using more energy, water and other resources than is absolutely necessary. Take only short showers, turn off lights, unplug appliances, don't waste food, separate garbage etc.

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  Arten von Hilfe und Lernmöglichkeiten

  Sprachpraxis

  Hilfe bei Ökoprojekten

  Seniorenbetreuung

  Gartenarbeiten

  Heimwerker- und Bauarbeiten

  Zubereiten / Kochen von Mahlzeiten für die Familie

  Hausarbeiten

  Handwerkliche Arbeiten

  Hilfe mit Computer /Internet
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  UNO-Ziele für nachhaltige Entwicklung, die dieser Gastgeber verfolgt

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  Was ist das?
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  Kultureller Austausch und Lernmöglichkeiten

  Paul acquired a lot of know-how on energy transition for your house. He finished ours and is only too happy to show you what measures he took and how he did that.
  
  Paul plays almost all sizes of the recorder (blokflöte, flute à bec, flauto dolce) so bring your instruments if you have them for some playtime together. He can introduce you to this underrated instrument and show you his collection. You're welcome to tag along when he'll join in an "Irish Session" on some Tuesday evenings in O'Malley's Pub in Groningen City.
  
  We love to try different kinds of food and can teach you how we prepare ours.
  
  Life in rural Groningen might be quite different to yours, let's explore the area together. In the weekends we can take you for a day trip sightseeing in the provinces of Groningen and Drenthe or maybe even into Emsland in neighboring Germany. Province capital Groningen is a bustling student city with many historic buildings and only half an hour by train. We have excellent bike roads for you to explore on our spare bikes, a free app is available to plan your trip.
  
  If you like to help tackle some of the bigger jobs we can enhance our DIY and language skills together.

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  Arbeit

  Some of the plans for 2024:
  
  RENOVATE the downstairs toilet and laundry area. The old standing toilet will be replaced by a toilet hanging from the reservoir that will be built into the wall and a small sink for washing hands will be added. All water and sewer pipes and the tiles on the floor and walls will be replaced. The laundry area will be stripped and rebuilt in a different layout. This will be the #1 priority and can be started on short notice.
  
  STUCCO the shed: We are looking for an experienced stucco worker who wants to teach Paul "on the job" by plastering the outside walls (some 100 m2) of the shed together, see picture. We intend to use cement stucco with pigment coloring with a rough finish to create a Mediterranean 'look'. Please tell us about your stucco / plastering experience when applying for this opportunity. How should the walls be prepared? Let's wait for good weather, June perhaps?
  
  GARDENING: we'd like to restart the vegetable patches as these have been neglected a bit over the past few years. Some diseased apple trees need to be removed and the lawn urgently needs to be scarified because there is a lot of moss. The compost heaps need maintenance and the ready compost should be put to use etc. etc. Do you have green thumbs? We'll gladly host you from March.
  
  VOLUNTEER RENOVATING: our local community center "Dorpshuis de Wending" will undergo a major refurbishment from March to September. Paul is one of the volunteers and would love some extra help. We'll work together with the other local volunteers but as most are a bit beyond their prime (like we are), some strong younger hands extra would be greatly appreciated. We'll start around the end of March with demolition of some of the old structures and taking out the floor. The rest of the planning is not yet clear.
  
  RENOVATING front door steps: Another plan is to renovate the path and renew the steps to the front door, see picture. This includes totally removing the old steps and their foundation, creating a new concrete foundation, lay new stone slabs, cobbling etc. Paul thinks he knows knows how this should be done but needs help with the heavy work.
  
  PROGRAMMING Home Assistant: We could also use an experienced programmer to help Paul expand his Home Assistant domotica project. You know all about YAML, HACS, Entities, ITTT etc. Please specify what experience you have if this is your "piece of cake".
  
  NATIVE ENGLISH: Unfortunately Monique didn't get much out of the WA'ers we hosted so far, as we were mainly doing heavy work outside. We would like to host a native English speaker with a common interest in Monique's hobbies like aquarel painting or working in the garden for some one on one quality time together, helping Monique to improve her English. Doing some household chores together would be great too. You will have a video call with her before we will accept your request.
  
  There is always plenty to do in and around a big old house with a big garden. Bring your smile, toothbrush and any musical instruments you play and we can find a good way to mix work and pleasure for as long as you and we all like.
  
  Working hours are flexible. If you want some extra time off on some days you could put in some extra hours on other days. Do however discuss that well in advance with us so we can adapt the planning accordingly. Overall we need you to do your best for around 25 hours a week. The remaining 143 hours are yours.
  
  We have a broad taste and like to try new kinds of food. We have a great kitchen with almost any appliance you can think of. We are flexitarians and keen to find new ways to eat less meat and find vegetarian alternatives. However we're not shy of a good BBQ occasionally for which we even have a grill kota in the back garden! We hope you want to share your cooking skills and you're welcome to enjoy your meals with us, especially dinner. We love herbs and hot spices and try to limit use of salt, fat and sugar. We will try to take your dietary requirements into account as much as possible.
  
  You're welcome to take your pick of all the jobs we've listed above. SPECIFY WHICH JOBS you'd most like to do when you respond and what experience you have for them. If you come up with other useful ideas we're all ears.
  
  We started hosting in June 2021 with great results so far. However we also received numerous applications like "I can do anything you want" but that is NOT what we require. We would like to host but it's a two way deal, *please be specific* on what skills and experience you have to offer and which jobs appeal to you. When you don't, you'll just get a reply asking you again or a polite rejection. If you need more info or would like to set up a video call: propose a way to do that. We can do WhatsApp, FB messenger, Google Meet etc.

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  Sprachen

  Gesprochene Sprachen
  Englisch: Fließend
  Niederländisch: Fließend
  Deutsch: Gute Kenntnisse
  Französisch: Gute Kenntnisse
  Spanisch: Grundkenntnisse
  Italienisch: Grundkenntnisse

  Dieser Gastgeber bietet Sprachaustausch an
  I can help you improve your Dutch and English, want to practice my German and French and would like to try and see what you can understand from my Spanish or Italian and would like you to speak those languages to me to help me improve. Monique is interested in improving her English.
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  Unterkunft

  We have a couple of spare rooms with good beds and can provide bed linnen, towels etc. Couples can share the double bed in the larger guest room, singles will have the smaller room to themselves or might have to share that if more than 2 workawayers are here simultaneously. You'll all have to share the downstairs family bathroom with us.
  
  We will gladly share our meals or you can prepare your own. Customs vary around the world and we expect to be able to work out a good compromise between yours and ours, provided we know what you want so let's talk about that together soon after you've arrived. We are used to a light breakfast with cereal, toast or bread, a bread lunch in the early afternoon and a hot dinner (quite) early in the evening. What is your cup of tea?
  
  There is plenty of free parking space for a car, minibus or motor bike or we can arrange to pick you up at the Veendam railway station (5 km from our home) if you come by public transport. We have excellent wifi and some spare bikes to use during your time here.
  
  We expect you to pick up after yourself as we are not a hotel and have no maid. Your laundry can be done with ours or after discussing that with Monique you could use the washer to do your own.
  
  We expect you to be considerate, especially when Monique has to work (and sleep) at odd hours. We don't smoke, actively or passively. If you must, please go outside to get some 'fresh air'. ;)
  
  Please note this: we have a zero tolerance policy for any kinds of drugs! Alcohol in modest amounts is excepted after work, we'll gladly share. Coffee and tea are available in unlimited quantity.

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  Was noch ...

  We have good WiFi and some spare bikes for you to use as there is no public transport close by. There is a lovely little lake with a beach only a few minutes away by bike, great for relaxing or swimming if the weather cooperates after you finish your day's work. We could do some sightseeing together in the weekends, go to the local community center ("dorpshuis") for a drink and perhaps a game of billiards, play petanque / jeu de boules in the court right across the street, relax in the garden or our conservatory, or you could come up with your own ideas.
  
  We'd like to teach you some Dutch and/or exercise our own foreign language skills, play music together, talk about Scouting, sustainability, introduce you to amateur radio (I'm PA5UL, a licensed 'ham' and currently building an antenna tower and a shack), exchange cooking skills etc. etc.

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  Etwas mehr Information

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    Internet Zugang

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    Eingeschränkter Internet Zugang

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    Wir besitzen Tiere

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    Wir sind Raucher

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    Familien möglich

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  Kann Digital Nomads unterbringen

  We have excellent internet with a glass fiber connection and good WiFi throughout the house and parts of the garden.

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  Platz zum Abstellen von Camper Vans

  We have a big driveway but will need to pass that to reach our garage. A minibus is no problem and anything larger is OK for one or two nights but a longer period could be a challenge unless we can strike a deal with a neighbor.

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  Hier sind Haustiere in der Regel willkommen

  Paul is allergic to cats and dogs so these can't stay in the house unfortunately...

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  Kapazität - wie viele Workawayer maximal

  mehr als zwei

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  Arbeitszeiten

  Maximum 5 hours a day, 5 days a week but not (much) more than we do....

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