Profile information
Host rating
80 %
Last replied
25 Apr 2024
Feedback
28
Email verified
Badges (2)
Details
Description
Hey People!
If you want to join our family let us know! (read below)
Have a great time visiting the world!! Have safe travels!
*We have space for tents/campers if needed! (also for short stay)
Hey there!
We are a family based in Aalter, Bellem. (Near Ghent)
We're end 30's and have 2 energetic kids.
Girl 12 in September and boy 11 in November both 1st grade at secondary school.
So kids need some friendship/activities but not babysit's ;-) Teenagers :-D
We (Leen and Ben) are self-employed - entrepreneurs, meaning we're quite Busy. (Ben is traveling a lot)
We have plenty of space to host work away travelers, in exchange for help with kids and household/maintenance of the garden,... We can host up to 2 people at the same time, we prefer 1-2 people at once for the long term (2-4w or even longer!).
Regarding kids: they don't need a babysitter or nanny anymore, but more like "friends" to play with once in a while outside, football or Kubb, go swimming, visit a city,...
We will ask you what you're planning regarding the day(s), just to know if you're around or not.
If they need some help, they know they have a friend nearby. (without you babysitting all the time)
That's also why we don't make a fixed 4-hour work schedule, we leave it freer to you and the weather conditions, so we/you can decide at the moment to just plan another group/family activity.
We look for people who see what needs to be done and plan it a bit by themselves. (garden, house,... see below)
If you're not capable of planning yourself, please state in advance, then we will provide you with a schedule.
Open communication about your plans for visiting cities & being away from "home", or ideas for organizing stuff in another way, please shoot! We want people to become a part of the family!
We prefer to eat together, play some board games together, watch a tv show in the evening...
or even do a 2-hour game battle on PS4/Xbox...
We have 5000m2 of farmland, we will ask you to help on that as well! (keep the weeds away, water some plants,...)
You´re welcome to help us build a little farm! Drive the tractor, grow vegetables, ...
Yes if you join our family your hands will get dirty, and yes you will work outside (a few times a week), within your capabilities,... But next to that, you can bring your swimsuit and enjoy the jacuzzi or infra-red sauna after, enjoy the green area, go make a tour with bicycles, enjoy the little forest next door, read a book in the hammock,...
We have 2 train stations nearby, (Bellem 2.5km - 20 min walk or Aalter 4km - 45 min) We mostly drop off or pick up work-away people if they are arriving, leaving, or going on a city visit while staying with us. (or they use the bicycles)
From here, you can easily visit Bruges, Ghent, Brussels, Antwerp, Ostend, and Liege in Belgium. If you plan a weekend in Amsterdam or Paris, it's also quite easy to do by train or bus (depending on your budget) If you are planning to do some city trips from here, please PLAN in advance or at least state this before arrival. So we can keep this in mind while organizing the agenda.
If you want to visit our home, please send a mail, add your WhatsApp so we can do a video call upfront!
We are open to eating your local food, we are open to listening to your cultural stories, and we are open to a lot of stuff! Please be open to our way of living too! We will be happy to meet you and give you a space to enjoy Belgium!
We have many work-away people who became friends, that's our goal with you!
We hope to meet you soon! Looking forward to more friends around the world!
Leen, Ben, Axelle and Louis!
***For first-time travelers, couples, and ...***
If you are only looking for a spot to work fix 4 hours, and then hide in your room, smuggle food & snacks to your room leaving us with a dirty place, and fill up your backpack with soaps and toothpaste to run after a week (after visiting the 3 biggest cities)... Please do not join our family! (yes we have these experiences)
If you are not willing to make any "connection", please do NOT join our family. (we will kick you out!)
If you are a couple, please think of what your reason is for traveling. We look for people who want to connect with the family. You're not on a "honeymoon", you're on a cultural exchange.
If you are 'just' a traveler looking for a spot (then bring your tent, rent a van, take a hotel, and take care of yourself)
Don't eat our fridge empty and disappear!
We see Workaway as the exchange of culture/way of living, connecting, and making friends!
Workaway is not only a cheap way of traveling! - we state this very clearly because we already had some bad experiences..., again, if you do not want to connect, we will kick you out!
Types of help and learning opportunities
Language practice
Teaching
Gardening
Babysitting and creative play
Creating/ Cooking family meals
Help around the house
General Maintenance
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
You're in the middle of Ghent & Bruges.
You van visit Antwerp, Brussels, even Amsterdam & Paris... Its all within max 30min to 3h train.
If you're under 25 you can buy a Go unlimited train ticket for 1 month in summer to visit unlimited cities in Belgium!
If you bring your international driver license, you can use a car!
Projects involving children
This project could involve children. For more information see our guidelines and tips here.
Help
Work in the garden, football with kids, cooking.
Languages
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
Dutch: Fluent
German: Beginner
Spanish: Beginner
French: BeginnerThis host offers a language exchange
For people who want to learn dutch, our 2 kids will teach you! If you want to learn the family: French/Eng/Spanish/... you are very welcome! We are willing to learn!
Accommodation
Room with bunk bed (2p), or gypsy wagon (2p)
private shower/bathroom.
Free to use jacuzzi , Ir sauna, steam shower,..
What else ...
Biking, outdoor sport (20km)
Use the car OR e-bike...
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
Can host digital nomads
Yes, there is plenty of space to do your online job.
Space for parking camper vans
Yes, there is space to put your campervan. There is even a sweet spot at the end of the street where you can watch the sun go down in the water canal. For romantic souls, it's a nice place to be.
Can possibly accept pets
We can, after chat.
How many Workawayers can stay?
Two
Hours expected
Maximum 4-5 hours a day, 5 days a week
Feedback (15)
They did a lot for whole the family. they took care of the garden and the chickens outside :-)
They also did together a great job in housekeeping! thank you so much for that!
it was a great help for us!
hope you can see a lot more of Belgium and discover this beautiful country :-)
greetings, Leen and Ben
Feedback
These are extra optional ratings when members leave feedback. The average rating left for each option is displayed.
Accuracy of profile:
(4.9)
Cultural exchange:
(4.7)
Communication:
(4.9)
They did a lot for whole the family. they took care of the garden and the chickens outside :-)
They also did together a great job in housekeeping! thank you so much for that!
it was a great help for us!
hope you can see a lot more of Belgium and discover this beautiful country :-)
greetings, Leen and Ben
It was our first Workaway and it couldn't be better. They are an incredible family, we started building a Greenhouse with Ben, we played football and video games with Louis, we draw and we had our manicures with Axelle, we spent a lot of time talking with Leen about everything and we learned a lot from her. And we also had time… read more
everything went smooth and gentle. they are super friendly.
They are always welcome to come back!
greatings Leen & Ben
We would love to see Maryse back next summer for a little festival in the garden (after covid :-) )
Take care! Have a nice trip & enjoy life!
A lovely lady! She takes care just fine!
If you need a content writer, stop looking for it, you've found her!
Wish you all the best with your travels in EU!
Hope to see you back one day ;-)
B&L
Thank you for staying with us!
You're like a flower walking around in the house! Energy and sun! We loved your presence.
Please do come and visit us again, it's not that far :-)
Have safe and fun travels next years!
See you soon!
Ben & Leen, Axelle & Louis
xxx
He is amazing! We miss him everyday! Still!
Stas stayed 2,5 months with us. He can stay another 2,5 years with us!
If you are looking for one of the best workawayers ever seen? Well just ask Stas to join your family!
Hope to see you back, soon! We miss you!
Ben & Leen, Axelle & Louis.
When I was… read more
Please do not take Meera in, she needs to come back to us :-D
Meera is a fantastic cook! We spend our time like having restaurant diner every night.
Whatever you ask, she will help you, with whatever you want!
We would love to see Meera back for more fun! and delicious meals!
If you have Meera coming over, please put her… read more
It was lovely to have them in the house to look for the children, to help cleaning and ironing.
we enjoyed the time together and always welcome back!
grtz, Leen and Ben
Rosita is a very nice person! She's like a mother keeping the house together!
Cooking skills are amazing! ask for fresh pizza!
Always welcome back in our family!
She's always busy cooking, household without asking,...
If you want to host Sabrina, don't think, just do!
Always welcome back in our family!
They came with us, we were allready hosting 2 workawayers,.. so we had busy times.
Lovely girls! playfull with kids! Cooking skills ... spanish :-p
If you want to host these 2 sisters, go for it!
Always welcome back!
Juli is a very nice person, wakes up with a smile and goes to sleep with a smile.
Juli has skills in house, but also in building, gardening...
She alway's says 'yes'!
Tnx for being with our family, hope to see you back!
I promise you will really satisfy by them:))
Also their location are the best for traveling to Amsterdam, Paris and so on!
Enjoy your time with Roman!
