Join us in a rural green area near Leuven, Belgium

Details

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  Description

  We are living in a rural green area in a quiet street with limited car traffic but increasingly more bike traffic. College town Leuven is only 10km away and easily accessible by bus and of course by bike.
  We love both our backyard and the vegetable garden. We have a little separate building in the backyard to bake bread. And there’s an additional building with a firewood stove that serves both as lounge area and potential lodging place.
  I, Gerda, am living here by myself but my son Wouter is also involved with workaway.

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  Types of help and learning opportunities

  Gardening

  DIY and building projects

  Creating/ Cooking family meals

  Help around the house

  General Maintenance

  Help with Computers/ Internet
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  Interests

  

  Sustainability

  

  Music

  

  Gardening

  

  Cooking & food

  

  Books

  

  Outdoor activities

  

  Nature

  

  Hiking

  

  Cycling

  

  Dancing
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  Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

  We can show you how we make bread in the little building in our garden that is especially design for that purpose. More in general, we’d love to share with you — but also learn from you — as much as possible about living self sustainably.
  
  Leuven is a major college town only 10km away and offers plenty opportunities if you want to indulge in cultural activities or feel like shopping.
  
  In terms of languages, I am rather fluent in French but would love to bolster my English speaking skills. Dutch is my mother tongue.

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  Help

  Your contribution would be varied: we would certainly appreciate help with small tasks to maintain the backyard (e.g. mowing the lawn) as well as the vegetable garden (e.g. weeding, sowing,..).
  There’s also the more occasional chores such as tidying up the house, painting windows or garden furniture, or other chores around the house.
  
  Depending on the season we may process vegetables from our own garden (e.g. making strawberry jam) or from the broader area around the house (e.g. making elderberry blossom sirup). You would be welcome to participate when we bake bread in the baking house in the garden.
  
  I love cooking and creating surprising dishes with whatever is available from our own garden but also from nature around us.
  You would be welcome to join in on this creative process. Even better if you can bring your own knowledge and expertise. I’d be particularly interested if you have knowledge of natural herbs and perhaps even medicinal herbs or plants.
  
  I like dancing and playing music, and am interested in art more in general. I’d be open to any type of co-creation along these lines as well.

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  Languages spoken

  French: Fluent
  Dutch: Fluent
  English: Intermediate

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  Accommodation

  On the same property as the main house but in a separate building you’d have your own space with private toilet, shower and even kitchenette.
  Your place is located above a horse barn though. Which means you’d be exposed to sounds from the horses. We provide ear buds but you’re welcome to bring your own.
  
  You will have your own kitchenette including a fridge in your own personal space. This is giving max autonomy: you are free to have meals at times when they best suit your schedule.
  
  At the same time we could enjoy meals together at times when both your and my schedule allow for it. This sounds more natural at times of co-creation (e.g. baking bread together) but also at times when we want discuss work plans for the (next) day. This could be breakfast, lunch or dinner, depending on both our preferences of that particular moment.
  It might be good to know that although I enjoy spending time at my place, I am also out of the house for other activities a substantial part of the time. Which is another reason why you’ll have ample time for yourself but it also means we would not be sharing every meal.
  
  From that perspective: we tend to have vegetables in the garden most of the time. You are free to harvest fresh from that garden. When I am out of the house we will make sure you have enough supplies for your own meals.

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  What else ...

  The main house does have fluent wi-fi. It may not extend (yet) to the other building in which you will be staying.

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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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  How many Workawayers can stay?

  More than two

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