Help me revamp an old school house in the beautiful Stugun, Sweden

Details

• 

  Description

  Hello there!
  
  My name is Terese and I live in a massive old school house built in 1909 in the north of Sweden, just outside Östersund. The house sits high up, overlooking the big river called Indalsälven. Deer walk past here almost every morning and five minutes walk from the house is a small waterfall with a pool you can swim in. The house is vast with many rooms and sits on two acres of garden/woodland. I use some of the rooms for b and b and they're beautifully done up in different vintage styles and if you come here you get to stay in those rooms, with your own bathroom and living room. To add to the comforts of my home I am a skilled cook and you will be very well looked after staying with me. In the winter we have the northern lights and in the summer there is the midnight sun so expect to experience the magic of the northern skies, whatever time of year you come.
  
  I have many different tasks to be carried out around the house and I'm looking for someone with DIY skills to help out with these tasks. I do not have the skills to do it on my own so you need to have at least a good basic set of DIY skills.
  
  In the barn I have a wood workshop that needs to be set up better than it is now, and I also need help with designing/cutting the woodwork for the porches of the house, as well as helping with tiling, carpet laying and various indoor renovations. If you have any skills in these areas I'd be very happy to welcome you here this winter.
  
  This next bit is not applicable ATM since its to do with help with the park that is only open in the summer:
  
  Last year I built a small amusement park in the forest behind my house as a summer treat for the kids in the local area. With mainly scrap wood, pallets and lots of imagination I created a few old fashioned fun stalls with a whacky side show theme and blew the minds of the lucky children who got to experience a magical day here in July. I live in a low income area and a lot of the kids don't get to go on a summer holiday or do anything out of the ordinary all summer, so to be able to give them some magic, even just for one day, was amazing. This year I want to expand the park and I need all help I can get. I have lots of ideas and plenty of material, but not the muscle or the skills to build it all in my own, and so this is where you come in. You don't need to be a building wiz, just good enough to handle a saw and a drill, and preferably bring some of your own imagination to the project so we can create something really cool for the kids. If you have any skills in street performance, be it devil sticks, fire breathing, making giant soap bubbles or whatever else that could entertain the kids it would be a massive bonus.

• 

  Types of help and learning opportunities

  Charity Work

  Art Projects

  Gardening

  DIY and building projects

  Help around the house

  General Maintenance
• 

  UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve

  ...

  ...

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  What's this?
• 

  Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

  You get to experience the beautiful nature of Northern Sweden with the midnight sun up all night, as well as getting the experience of staying in my unique house. I have a wood fired bakery in my barn where we can bake pizza. I used to have a cupcake business back in the day when I lived in London, so if you want to learn some cake making skills i will teach you! And if you don't want to learn how to bake I'll bake for you :D
  
  On top of that, you'll be meeting the local kids on festival day and you'll be getting a taste of Swedish culture, as well as being fed delicious food and just having an awesome time!

• 

  Projects involving children

  This project could involve children. For more information see our guidelines and tips here.

• 

  Help

  I need help with various indoor renovation projects over the winter, such as tiling, laying carpet, remodeling and setting up the wood workshop that used to be part of the school. I also need help with general maintenance of the house and the grounds.
  
  In the summer time the main focus is the theme park where I need help with designing stalls and games and fun features. It would be great if you could bring some of your own imagination to the project so we can create something magic for the kids. If you have any skills in street performance, be it devil sticks, fire breathing, making giant soap bubbles or whatever else that could entertain the kids it would be a massive bonus.

• 

  Languages spoken

  English: Fluent
  Swedish: Fluent

• 

  Accommodation

  You will get a beautiful comfy room in the b and b - a newly renovated part of the house that has its own bathroom and living room.

• 

  What else ...

  There is so much to see and do here with plenty of good day trips if you want to explore the county. If you like quirky things you should definitely go to Borgvattnet - the spiritual capital of Sweden - a small village next to a beautiful lake in the middle of nowhere. Here sits Swedens most haunted house - the old Vicarage - and tourists from all over the world travel here to visit it. The brave ones can even book a night to stay there. If that sort of thing don't take your fancy there are numerous nature experiences to be had. Amazing waterfalls, rock climbing and even a dead/drained waterfall you can walk through. There is just so much to explore in this amazing part of Sweden!

• 

  A little more information

  • 

    Internet access

  • 

    Limited internet access

  • 

    We have pets

  • 

    We are smokers

  • 

    Can host families

• 

  Space for parking camper vans

  Loads of space here!

• 

  Can possibly accept pets

  Cat friendly dogs are welcome here.

• 

  How many Workawayers can stay?

  More than two

Website Safety

Feedback (1)