updated   Last minute

How does helping renovate an old railway station building in the Harz (Germany) sound to you?

  • Favourited 312 times
  • Last activity: 27 Apr 2024

Availability

  2024 

 Min stay requested: at least a week

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Details

  • Description

    Description

    Hi, how nice that you have landed on our profile. We are Edward (53 years young) and Ingrid (56 years young), Dutch and living in Ballenstedt since September 2020, where we bought an old and ruinous train station. We instantly fell in love with the building and its historical details, which have many stories to tell. Ballenstedt is located in the beautiful region of Harz, in the former East Germany.

    Since July 2020 we have been working on the mega job and we would like to invite you to help us and have adventures with us. We have already had fantastic help from dozens of WorkAwayers from as many Nationalities and love the Workaway platform to get to know other people and cultures. Ingrid has been a Workawayer herself.

    We are already very far along with the renovation. The downstairs and second floor are finished and we are now in the process of creating rooms on the 2nd floor. And we could use some help with that. Do you like carpentry and painting, or would you like to learn? Then get in touch with us.

    We are open, honest, enthusiastic, welcoming and love challenges. A station is always a lively place with people from all over the world who have their own life stories. That is what we also want to achieve with our station (unfortunately without rails, but with a beautiful bike path). We enjoy connecting people at our station and contributing to their travel stories.

    Our English is very good, our German good (and getting better every day) and Ingrid also speaks a little French and Italian. Of course you become a part of our life and we like to take the Workawayers everywhere (if you want to, of course).

    Our project gets a lot of attention from the Dutch and German media. We have even been on Dutch television and are being followed by German television, which will be broadcast from June 2023.

    The town of Ballenstedt is small (about 5,500 inhabitants), but has a beautiful castle that is also related to our train station. Tourist places such as Quedlinburg (UNESCO World Heritage Site), Wernigerode and Thale (Central Mountains) are close by, as well as trendy cities such as Leipzig (75 minutes by car), Magdeburg (50 minutes by car) and Berlin (2 hours by car). Ballenstedt is located in a quiet area, with beautiful nature. You can enjoy biking and hiking in the area.

  • Types of help and learning opportunities

    Types of help and learning opportunities

    Gardening
    DIY and building projects
  • Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

    Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

    The Workaways are becoming a part of our lives. We really enjoy involving the Workayers in our daily activities and social life. At the station you will get to know the various German and Dutch craftsmen and perhaps other WorkAwayers. You can join us to explore Ballenstedt and its surroundings, but of course you can also go out on your own.

  • Help

    Help

    We would love some help with
    -carpentry
    -sanding
    -painting (doors, windows, walls, sealing ect)
    -gardening
    - And more ...

  • Languages

    Languages spoken
    English: Fluent
    Dutch: Fluent
    German: Intermediate
    French: Beginner
    Italian: Beginner

    This host offers a language exchange
    This host has indicated that they are interested in sharing their own language or learning a new language.
    You can contact them directly for more information.

  • Accommodation

    Accommodation

    We are living in the station building since the end of 2022. In the large living room we have a comfortable sofa, chairs and a television, perfect for relaxing. We sleep in the basement, which is still somewhat improvised. There we also have (also improvised) spaces for our WorkAwayers. Of course, we have a (shared) bathroom with toilet and shower.

    We make sure you lack nothing and provide plenty of breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, drinks and of course fun! Of course, we take you into account and make the shopping list for the supermarket together.

  • What else ...

    What else ...

    We have a passenger van for 8 people, so after work we can arrange nice trips to explore the natural and cultural richness of the area. Unfortunately, there is no longer a railroad line in front of our station, but there is a bus station right next to our building, with good bus connections to the various places around Ballenstedt. Train stations are located in Quedlinburg, Aschersleben and Hoym-Nachterstedt.

  • A little more information

    A little more information

    • Internet access

    • Limited internet access

      Limited internet access

    • We have pets

    • We are smokers

    • Can host families

  • Can host digital nomads

    Can host digital nomads

    We can host Digital Nomads. There is plenty of space to work online. We have stable and fast (500Mbits) Internet.

  • Space for parking camper vans

    Space for parking camper vans

    We have garden space around the station building. The bathroom with shower and toilet is in the station building.

  • How many Workawayers can stay?

    How many Workawayers can stay?

    Two

  • ...

    Hours expected

    5 hours a day, 5 days a week

Host ref number: 199615586232

Feedback (26)



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Accuracy of profile: (5.0)

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