Profile information
Host rating
100 %
Last replied
23 Feb 2024
Reply rate
100.0 %
Usually responds within 1 day
Feedback
41
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Details
Description
We (Judith, Jurgen & Juliette) are a small family that is trying to build a place to grow old (in the long term that is :)), not only for the three of us but also for the 4 or 5 families we hope to accommodate on our premises in the future in a cohousing project. A dog and a lot of free birds in the garden complete our herd for now.
We think it would be great to share our way of living and learn from others. And we hope we can travel-while-at-home when working together with energetic volunteers from all over the world.
Types of help and learning opportunities
Help with Eco Projects
Gardening
DIY and building projects
Help around the house
General Maintenance
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
We are happy to share all our knowledge of Dutch culture and language, and discuss all we know about sustainable building (never enough, but a good start), architecture and project management. If your skill level is still low: no worries, we can work together on improving it (as we are every day improving our own under-development skills and knowledge).
We love cooking and have a well-stocked kitchen, so if you want to learn about weekly meal prep, try plant-based cooking and pick up some new recipes, joining us in cooking is definitely an option.
And ... you would be staying in a real Limburgse Hoeve.
Projects involving children
This project could involve children. For more information see our guidelines and tips here.
Help
We are working on building new homes for a group of 4 or 5 cohousing families that can live here in the future. While setting up the terrain we could use help with all kinds of (small) tasks in building (brick layering, carpeting, painting, plumbing, stucco) & maintenance (and further set up) of the garden. Except for the high roofs we want to do everything ourselves and with the help of volunteers. That is also why we keep investigating sustainable and doable options for non-experts (such as ourselves). We are always around to work together on the tasks.
A stay of (minimum) 1 to (maximum) 2 weeks is preferable for us.
In the long barn, we want to create a general space for yoga, a processing kitchen, an atelier, and a mini-cinema for the future cohousing group residents - but first, we'll just make sure all walls and the ceiling are in place :) so we can use it for storage of the materials.
Writersblock 1 is going to be our real tiny house; with only 10m2, we will have to be smart to fit everything in for a one-person-mini-house.
Witersblock 2 is one of the houses available for our future cohousing project and has a living room above the main gate.
If you want to contribute by keeping our household going and taking care of our garden projects - of which we have many - or [any suggestion] that is good too, do let us know your intentions and plans in advance, so we can make sure expectations match.
We make sure to evaluate together with you after the first (couple of) day(s) if expectations, tasks/work & living together work out the way we all hope/plan/want.
Languages
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
Dutch: Fluent
German: Intermediate
French: Intermediate
Spanish: BeginnerThis host offers a language exchange
Improving our languages on the job would be excellent, especially our French and Spanish could use some improvement, but training in any language will be fine. We are happy to share our knowledge and train you in the Dutch and English language.
Accommodation
We have a bedroom in the house available for our 1 or 2 (sharing a double bed) volunteer guests.
Advice from a previous workaway-guest: bring warm indoor shoes :)
We usually work on weekdays between 8:30 and 15:30 with plenty of break time. Wednesdays and weekends are off.
Meals for our workaway-guests are provided on all days during the stay (on all week days: Dutch breakfast @7:15, usually a salad or soup lunch @12:30, home-cooked dinner @17:45) and we have regular coffee/tea breaks. In the weekends the timing of the meals is looser :). We close off the working week every Friday with a 'weekendfeestje' with a snack to celebrate the weekend. Btw Judith and Jurgen eat planted-based-ish and Juliette is flexitarian.
You will be part of our household during the stay, so you can join us in all kinds of activities, sports, puzzle and movie nights, walks, cooking and more. This also means we expect you to participate in regular chores; so crown yourself chief dishwasher or 'setter and cleaner of tables' during your stay, or go with the flow and see what you can help with on a day-to-day basis.
We also appreciate it if you bring your 'signature dish'-recipe and cook one evening (or more) during your stay - of course we can help with cooking (& learn from you).
What else ...
The surroundings of where we live in the southern part of Limburg are wonderful (for hiking & biking). You can borrow our bike for a ride if you want, Or borrow our dog for a walk :), he really likes that!
If you like swimming, bring your swimsuit because there is a great (in & outdoor) pool at a cycling distance.
The train station is 15 minutes on foot and the train takes you easily to Maastricht & Aken or Heerlen - where you can make a tour to visit the many outdoor murals. The train station Klimmen-Ransdaal was voted - again - to be the best station in the Netherlands.
No smoking in the house and buildings (preferably not at all), no drugs, moderate alcohol
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
Can host digital nomads
We have good wifi (yes in a part of the garden too) and on most of the terrain good 4G/5G too, so digital work in the garden is definitely an option.
How many Workawayers can stay?
Two
Hours expected
5 hours a day, 4 days a week
Feedback (17)
He helped hard in our project, helped a lot in all everyday tasks, is great company, has been a great help when he joined in cooking sessions for the senior citizens of our town - sharing his grandmothers recipes. We loved to do… read more
We had a lot of snow; working outdoors was a bit rough (and cold). Faye is experienced at working with wood and carpeting, handing over tasks was easy. Jurgen and Faye worked on building the wooden skeleton of the wall.
Jigsaws, long walks with Benni, delicious French onion soup as a… read more
Cooking, yoga, corvee, walks with Benni, helping on the column wall in de long barn, jigsaw, flash visit to Bruxelles, reading, and movies, no matter what we threw at him: he said 'okay!'
Fynn is a… read more
Feedback
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Accuracy of profile:
(4.8)
Cultural exchange:
(4.8)
Communication:
(4.9)
He helped hard in our project, helped a lot in all everyday tasks, is great company, has been a great help when he joined in cooking sessions for the senior citizens of our town - sharing his grandmothers recipes. We loved to do… read more
We had a lot of snow; working outdoors was a bit rough (and cold). Faye is experienced at working with wood and carpeting, handing over tasks was easy. Jurgen and Faye worked on building the wooden skeleton of the wall.
Jigsaws, long walks with Benni, delicious French onion soup as a… read more
Cooking, yoga, corvee, walks with Benni, helping on the column wall in de long barn, jigsaw, flash visit to Bruxelles, reading, and movies, no matter what we threw at him: he said 'okay!'
Fynn is a… read more
They are really kind people who always tried to help me, especially with learning Dutch, what I appreciate a lot. I could also learn many things about the Dutch culture, including Dutch politics.
I stayed in a nice room, with (to be honest) the best bed since I… read more
In his free time, he enjoyed the surrounding villages by bike and… read more
I was a great expirience to stay with juliette, Judith, Jürgen and Benni.
This is a place where you can meet people with humor and an open mindset.
If you want to, you can learn how to
-Build a House (or Parts of it)
-Demolish a Wall
-make herbs -mixes
-walk the dog (benni is a super friendly dog)
-cook… read more
She is very flexible as we had to change our work plans a number of times due to rain or too-warm-to-do-brick-layering weather. She worked very diligently and the wall we… read more
These two weeks have flown, and they recommended places to see charming Limburg and help me improve my English.
The JuJuJu family are people of the heart and… read more
Moniek and Aisling are enthusiastic, hard-working workawayers with a heart for animals, and Benni (our dog) loved having them around as… read more
The work was a lot of fun. We worked on clearing the walls of the tiny house from plaster and leveling the floor of the long barn. It was physically pretty challenging, but very satisfying to see results… read more
They were extremely patient with us as we were still beginners in Dutch but trying our best to speak. We loved learning so much about the Dutch culture and the language!
You guys inspired us… read more
We feel that that is an indication of their drive and motivation: work hard, learn hard and have fun! We enjoyed their… read more
I've been there only 9 days but I felt like home. Everyone treated me like I'm a part of their family.
For work, it was quite hard with demolishing old stuff but there were a… read more
I learned a new skill and a lot of tricks and tips for cooking, planning and creating.
JUJUJU you are beautiful loving and caring people and I will love to come and stay at your premises more often to help and share, we'll keep in touch hopefully, thank you for your kindness… read more
