Join our multicultural family and experience the local culture in Ōtaki, New Zealand

Details

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  Description

  Welcome to our slightly crazy, multilingual household — with languages, cultures, and ideas bouncing off the walls, it’s a place you won’t find anywhere else! Join our 5.5-year-old for afternoons of play, learning, and adventures, help with cooking, gardening, and seasonal projects, or just soak up the chaos. Every day is different — from forest school and board games to beach trips and geocaching — guaranteeing language practice, hands-on skills, and a lot of laughs.
  
  We are a multilingual patchwork family who once called the UK home - until we decided to sell (nearly) everything we owned and travel the world with an open-ended adventure in mind. We travelled many months and when we arrived in New Zealand, we fell in love with the country and its people and decided to stay!
  
  Currently, we’re renting a home in the beautiful and sunny town of Ōtaki, but we are actively house hunting, hoping to find our forever home, soon! As unschoolers, we embrace curiosity-driven learning and spend as much time outdoors as possible. With rivers, mountains, and the beach right on our doorstep, we’re truly spoiled for choice when it comes to nature and adventure!
  Ōtaki might be a small town but has an amazing community, there is always something going on from weekly markets with fresh local produce to local festivals like the famous kite festival, matariki celebrations and so much more.
  Nau mai, haere mai!

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  Types of help and learning opportunities

  Art Projects

  Language practice

  Teaching

  Gardening

  Babysitting and creative play

  Creating/ Cooking family meals

  Help around the house

  General Maintenance
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  Interests

  

  Farming

  

  Charity work

  

  Technology

  

  Politics / Social justice

  

  Events & social

  

  Culture

  

  Sustainability

  

  Self development

  

  Art & design

  

  Music

  

  Plant care

  

  History

  

  DIY & crafts

  

  Books

  

  Blogging

  

  Cooking & food

  

  Gardening

  

  Photography

  

  Languages

  

  Drawing & painting

  

  Water sports

  

  Nature

  

  Outdoor activities

  

  Hiking

  

  Mountain

  

  Beach
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  Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

  Travellers with us will enjoy a hands-on cultural exchange in a household that’s anything but ordinary! With so many languages and cultures under one roof, it’s not often you’ll find a home this lively and full of curiosity. Practice languages, join in homeschooling, cooking, gardening, and outdoor adventures, and be part of a family where your contributions truly matter. Every day brings something new — from forest school and craft projects to beach trips and geocaching — offering language practice, personal growth, and unforgettable experiences.

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  Au Pair Help

  This host is looking for Au pair help.

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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

  Every day with us is a little different, and we’d love for you to slot into family life. The heart of your role will be spending afternoons with our near 6 year-old daughter — keeping her company, joining her play, and sharing your own passions and skills. We would love for you to do this while speaking in one of her learning languages (German, Mandarin, or Te Reo; English is fine too).
  
  She’s curious, energetic, and loves board games, art, and outdoor adventures. We live a nearly screen-free lifestyle, so afternoons are about real connection — whether that’s playing, crafting, exploring, or simply chatting. She’s especially eager to learn skateboarding, surfing, and more art, but she’ll be excited to try anything new you bring.
  
  When you spend time with her, at least one of us will always be at home. Ray has fixed working hours (8–5), while Daniela works flexibly and fits things in whenever possible. This means you won’t be left completely on your own in charge, but you’ll be the one giving her attention and engaging with her during that time, with us there as backup.
  
  As part of family life, you’ll also:
  
  🍲help with cooking fresh meals or share favourite recipes
  
  🍯🍓join in seasonal projects like preserving food or processing firewood
  
  🌱lend a hand in the garden (weeding, planting, harvesting, worm farm)
  
  🏡pitch in with household tasks (windows, cupboards, etc.)
  
  and, like everyone else in the house, help with the 🍽️ dishes — but we always do them together.
  
  We expect around 25 hours of help per week, with the rhythm changing depending on the season and what’s happening that week.
  
  Fridays bring their own adventures: every second Friday our daughter goes to forest school, where kids combine nature play with learning about permaculture gardening — it would be wonderful if you could attend with her. On the other Friday, we head to German playgroup in Wellington, and you’re welcome to tag along and explore the capital.
  
  On weekends, we often go exploring — hiking, geocaching, or just hanging out on the beach. You’re always welcome to join in these adventures, or if you prefer, stay home and relax or do your own thing.
  
  You won’t just be “helping” here — you’ll be part of our home, sharing meals, outings, and the everyday flow of family life.
  
  ✨ In short: You’ll be part of our family life—sometimes helping in the garden or kitchen, sometimes sharing your language or skills, and always joining us in creating a warm, lively, and a little bit crazy home.

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  Languages

  Languages spoken
  German: Fluent
  English: Fluent
  French: Fluent
  Chinese (Mandarin): Fluent

  This host offers a language exchange
  Our family language is English, but we are happy to communicate in any of the other languages listed and of course teach you as they are our native languages and equally introduce you into parts of our cultures and more.
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  Accommodation

  You’ll have your own private room in our home, featuring a comfortable double bed that can sleep two people. Our main family space is an open-plan kitchen, dining, and living area, but we also have a separate lounge with a kitchenette where you can relax away from the family if you’d like. This space also has a sofa bed, which can accommodate another person or two children.
  
  If needed, we can add a single mattress on the floor in the bedroom or borrow a travel cot if you're traveling with kids and prefer to sleep in the same space.
  
  The downstairs bathroom is shared during the day but will be yours exclusively in the evening and at night. It includes a toilet, sink, and a shower over the bath.
  
  If you're traveling in a car, van or motorhome, parking on the roadside is no problem! We’ve previously hosted worldschoolers and couchsurfers this way, and it has worked out well.

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  What else ...

  We have no pets and are non-smokers, and we prefer non-smoking Workawayers. Unfortunately, we are not able to host pets.
  
  We only ever host one Workawayer at a time, unless you arrive as a couple, family, or travel companions.
  
  Our home offers a stable and reliable internet connection, perfect for streaming, video calls, or keeping in touch with family and friends.
  
  Life is chaotic but we make a point of sharing at a minimum dinner as a family, and we cover the cost of all meals for our Workawayers.
  
  Our location strikes the perfect balance of nature and accessibility:
  
  About an hour’s drive from both Wellington and Palmerston North.
  
  The local train only stops twice daily, but Waikanae station is just a 10-minute bus ride with regular connections to the capital (~$5). We can easily pick up guests from Waikanae, and on Fridays we are in Wellington, which can be combined with a pickup.
  
  InterCity buses can stop in Ōtaki on request — another convenient arrival option.
  
  We are surrounded by stunning landscapes:
  
  ༄.°Beautiful beaches just 10 minutes away
  
  ༄.°Tararua Ranges offering incredible tramping and hiking opportunities
  
  ༄.°Kāpiti and Mana Islands, must-visit wildlife reserves showcasing some of New Zealand’s most spectacular ecosystems
  
  We warmly welcome families (including single parents) and individuals from all backgrounds. As LGBTQIA+ allies, we strive to create a safe, inclusive, and respectful environment for everyone.

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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

  We have plenty areas to sit (or stand) while working at a PC and have good reliable connection. Digital nomads will find it easy to work from here.

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  Space for parking camper vans

  We live in a quiet cul de sac so not much traffic and parking is free everywhere with space to park up on the road in front of the house or on the driveway for shorter vehicles.

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  How many Workawayers can stay?

  More than two

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  My animals / pets

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