Sweden
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Two open spots / vacancies from 10th of January.
We prefer people with knowledge of German or Swedish because it makes it easier to communicate on the construction site, as my father hardly knows any English.
We are a family (2 adults and 2 children) living in the Swedish countryside surrounded by forest and with a lake in front of the house. Our place is a really beautiful spot and it feels a bit like vacation every day : ) There are hiking trails directly behind the house and more in the north of the lake. Canoeing, fishing and bathing in the lake are other activities you could do in your free time. Cycling too. Or ice-skating and skiing in wintertime. Ängsbacka is nearby if you are interested in personal and spiritual growth.
I have a collection of different instruments if you like to play (piano, guitar, bass, accordion, french horn : ) or we could do some painting on canvas together.
We moved from Germany to Sweden in 2012. And in 2019 my father moved here too. He is living next to us in a little cabin now but the plan is too move to his house in autumn. The house is build 1860 and is under reconstruction right now. That is where the most work is and mainly why we are here on workaway.
We eat together in the evenings Monday to Friday and share the workshop, the shower and the laundry room with him.
Often there are more people living at our place. We have a room in the main house that we rent out and another room in the annex (which we rent out if no workawayer lives there : ).
At our place are cats, a dog and chickens around and you will meet sheep too at my fathers place.
I am working as a teacher in Backa freeschool (a holistic school for a sustainable life) that I started together with a group of other women in 2015. Back in Germany I worked as an architect. My partner works still as an architect and started his own business in Sweden. We are working part time and are both home on Fridays and in the weekends.
We like outdoor-life and hiking, especially in wintertime. In our free time at home we like to build things like furniture and house-extensions, create things, renovate in the house and annex. We chop wood, take care of old windows and do some gardening. That is where more work is to find for you : )
And besides all that we do the everyday life things too : ) We even cook (preferably with the organic vegetables from the cooperative farming) although we don't like the everyday cooking after a long workday. So help with this task is very much appreciated : )
I have a very sensitive nose and react to strong fragrances, especially artificial ones but also to certain natural ones. So when using perfume we have to find a balance together : )
Gardening
DIY and building projects
Animal Care
Creating/ Cooking family meals
Help around the house
General Maintenance
We love to share all our experience with you. Just show that you are interested. About building. Living in Sweden. Starting a school. Being at Ängsbacka and part of the extended community. Painting. Making music. Taking care of children. And animals. Baking bread. Making soap and ointment. You could learn German and Swedish. You could develop your canoeing skills and discover the Swedish landscape.
I just put a check mark on all the things we would appreciate help with. It doesn't mean that you have to do all that and it doesn't mean that there are always help needed with all the tasks.
The main task is building:
- helping at my fathers place with making clay bricks and plaster walls with clay. Build the wall frames in wood. Screw wooden boards to the ceiling. Insulate the ceiling with seaweed.
- helping at our place with reconstruction the annex, tearing down a wall, build a new wall, inserting renovated windows and doors, renovate the old windows, insulate with seaweed, ... Building up a greenhouse.
There are endless tasks with building : )
But of course we appreciate help with gardening, taking care of the dog and the chickens, wood chopping and the major cleaning in the home too.
The working hours are flexible. 25 hours per week. Usually you will work at my fathers place Monday to Thursday and at ours on Fridays, 5 hours a day. It is possible to change days if this suits our/his/your plans better. It's possible to work more some days and get an extra day off or to reduce the amount of hours and work more days a week. We want to take your needs into consideration and make your stay as pleasant as possible. We are also happy to adapt the start times to your lifestyle as far as possible.
The general tasks that arise from living together are not included in the working hours, just like in normal life. Usually one day a week is your cooking day, where you prepare dinner for everyone living with us. If cooking is not your thing, we are open to other solutions. If you love cooking a lot, we are more than happy if you want to cook more than once : ) We are usually very grateful if you lend a hand and, for example, sweep up, help clear the kitchen mess or wipe down the table.
Covid19:
The quarantine period we had before is no longer necessary as my father is now fully vaccinated.
Languages spoken
German: Fluent
Swedish: Fluent
English: Intermediate
This host offers a language exchange
I really like words and what you can do with them. And I like teaching. I could and would like to teach you German and Swedish, but I have realised that I don't have enough time and energy to do it intensively. You could learn by listening. We adults speak a lot of German with each other and the kids. The kids mostly speak Swedish with each other and us.
You would either stay in the annex and have a room by 15m2 with simple kitchen for your own if this room is available under the period you want to stay or you would stay in a small bedroom in the main house.
The room in the annex is furnished with a bed, 2 cupboards, a little table and an armchair. The kitchen has two cooking plates, a sink, a microwave, a water heater. Water you get in a canister from the main house. The bathrooms in the main house are shared. As well as the laundry room.
The bedroom in the main house is furnished with a bed, an armchair and 2 cupboards. We share the kitchen, the bathrooms, the two living rooms and the laundry room.
In both rooms there is good internet connection.
By agreement you have the opportunity to use the sauna, canoe, printer, a bike, to grow vegetables (if you are staying a longer time : ), to play the piano, guitar and other instruments, create in the workshopspace and much more.
We are non-smokers and wish to smoke away from the plot if you need to smoke, its not allowed in the rooms.
Are you travelling with children and you are interested in our project just ask if it is possible to stay with your children. We will check the possibilities together and hopefully find a solution that feels good for us all.
It's a shop in Molkom, nearby in Tidafors is a great second hand shop, in Karlstad you can find a lot of possibilities for activities, events, shopping, museum, galleries, restaurants. 3 km from our spot is a bus station where the bus to Molkom/Karlstad in one direction and to Filipstad in the other direction is passing. In Molkom you have the possibility to catch two more buses. And from Karlstad you can get everywhere by bus, train, flight.
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
Please ask about it. So that we together can check if our possibilities fits for your kind of work.
Please ask about it. So that we together can check if our possibilities fits for you.
Depends on the pet. Just ask.
Two
Maximum 5 hours a day, 5 days a week
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