Left by Workawayer (Julian) for host
Wow ! I don't know where to start praising this amazing family.
I stayed with the Franzens for 2 1/2 weeks. It was my very first Workaway stay and I can tell that it exceeded all my expectations. When Melissa and Tom picked me up at the bus station in Batemans Bay it felt like meeting old friends.
They accommodated me in their brand new, spacious,
… read more self-contained pool house which was great. As I arrived Friday night they told me to have a relaxed weekend and allowed me to acclimate before worrying about work Haha. On my first day they took me for a ride and showed me around the beautiful beaches in the area. They also took me to the supermarket on the way to make sure that I have everything that I needed. Just awesome.
The work I did was basically minor construction work like outdoor painting and installing skirting boards in the pool house. They had made a list of various jobs to be done and left it up to me which work I felt most comfortable with and what I wanted to do first, all without putting any pressure on me.
The kids Shaun and Charlotte are just adorable and I guarantee you will find yourself falling in love with them as soon as you get there.
Last but not least I want to mention Carlene, Tom's mother, the fifth family member on the property living in a separate building next to the pool house. She is a heaven sent angel. Always made sure that I had everthing, really everything that I needed, happily invited me in the mornings to have breakfast with her and the kids and even made fresh orange juice for me every morning after I caught a cold. She truely treated me like her own son (or maybe even better! ;-P)
The Franzens made me instantly feel as a part of their family, always made sure that I feel as comfortable as possible and did everything to make my stay unforgettable. They showed me heaps of terrific places, introduced me to their friends and relatives who are all super nice and gave me very best advice when I was going somewhere on my own. They were very flexible and happy to pick up / drop off and even let me take their car when it was available.
All in all I can highly recommend staying here if you want a genuine, original Aussie experience and be part of an amazing family. I personally have the feeling that I haven't only made wonderful new friends but also found a second family right on the other side of the world.
Dear Franzens, I can't thank you enough for this unforgettable experience, beautiful memories and everything you did for me. I already miss you guys and really hope to see you again soon.
I wish you all the best from the bottom of my heart.
