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Join us creating our self sufficient family homestead in Balsa, Romania

Availability

  2025 

 Min stay requested: at least a week

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Details

  • Description

    Description

    Hello! We are a family of seven living in the Transylvanian hills of Romania since july 2022. We are Mirjam, Menso and our 5 children: Mila (15), Nuri (11), Ilias (7), Josha (5) and Ramses (3).

    Our ideal is to live as self-sufficient as possible, in the middle of nature, in peace and with enough time for our family. We own two houses next to each other one we live in and the other house will be a Workawayer house and workshop, but it is not ready yet.

    We live between two villages, quite remote in the middle of forests and fields. It is beautiful here, plenty of wild plants and animals to see and great for walking. In the past year we have welcomed two puppies, chickens, two horses and bees. We hope to add other livestock in the future, but for now we have our hands full!

    The nearest village is 1 kilometer away. There is a dirt road to our house that can be driven with a 4x4 car or a tractor (if it's not too wet). Several other families settled in the valley where we live before we came. These families have different nationalities and there are now about 17 children between the ages of 0 and 14. Most families are also on workaway and have Workawayers on a regular basis. So there are plenty of opportunities to meet and get to know other people.

    In addition to live self-sufficiently, we intend to earn some money with online work (teaching and coaching), small-scale tourism and Menso will use the workshop to make wooden children's toys. Mirjam would like to make and sell decorated wool coats and sell them.

  • Types of help and learning opportunities

    Types of help and learning opportunities

    Language practice
    Help with Eco Projects
    Teaching
    Gardening
    DIY and building projects
    Animal Care
    Farmstay help
    Babysitting and creative play
    Creating/ Cooking family meals
    Help around the house
    General Maintenance
  • Interests

    Interests

    Sustainability
    Self development
    Farming
    Music
    Plant care
    Gardening
    DIY & crafts
    Drawing & painting
    Cooking & food
    Carpentry
    Art & design
    Animals
    Outdoor activities
    Dancing
    Nature
    Mountain
    Hiking
  • Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

    Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

    Because we are not Romanian and have only been living here for a short time, we cannot tell you much about the Romanian culture. In the area where we live, the villages are still authentic and traditional in many aspects. If there is an interest in these things, there are possibilities to get in touch with Romanians.
    If you are interested in woodworking, building, nature, animals, psychology, pedagogy, living in a large family in a remote back to basic place, you are very welcome! And ofcourse we can teach you the Dutch language

  • Projects involving children

    Projects involving children

    This project could involve children. For more information see our guidelines and tips here.

  • Help

    Help

    We have so much to do right now that the priority list should have its own priority list. So there is something for everyone here. We are newbies when it comes to hosting volunteers, so can't say exactly what to expect yet. We like to do everything in consultation and are curious to other people's expertise and talents, in addition to the fact that we ourselves enjoy sharing our knowledge with others.

    Because we have only just started our adventure and there are many things fighting for priority, help is welcome in many areas. Since we have not been (easily) accessible for months, there is a lot of rubble / construction waste / junk around the houses. Most of this still needs to be sorted out, burned and disposed of. The building rubble can be reused for improving the dirt road. Also, the joints of one of the houses must be redone.

    Much of our land has not been worked or cleaned up for decades, so there are many trees to be felled and bushes to be removed. Chopping wood for the winter is also a job that can be done.

    In the garden, weeds can be weeded, new vegetable beds laid, fruit harvested and preserved and pruned. There will be several smaller jobs in and around the house. Help with the household is also very much appreciated

    Since our children are homeschooled/unschooled, we are very interested in people who would like to teach our children something. The eldest two are learning English and are interested in nature, horses, music and history, but we are open to other talents and fields of expertise.

  • Languages

    Languages spoken
    English: Fluent
    Dutch: Fluent
    German: Intermediate

    This host offers a language exchange
    We would like to learn Romanian

  • Accommodation

    Accommodation

    From July on we have our second house available for volunteers. Still not finished but there will be a bedroom and livingroom and private composttoilet.

    We have a big tent with a double bed. Of course you are welcome to put up your own tent. We will soon have an outside toilet, for now we have a compost toilet in the house and a hot shower is available too. We do have a washing machine and refrigerator. Electricity is available and there are wood stoves in the house.

    We will provide all the food needed. All meals can be eaten together, but of course it is possible to eat separately when wished for.

  • What else ...

    What else ...

    - From Balsa, one of the two nearest villages, a bus to Orastie departs twice a day
    - In Orastie there are shops and restaurants
    - Orastie has a bus connection to Deva, a somewhat larger city (markets, shops, swimming pool, etc.)

  • 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 have excellent internet access.

  • How many Workawayers can stay?

    How many Workawayers can stay?

    More than two

Host ref number: 667879534577

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