Profile information
Host rating
80 %
Last replied
7 Sep 2025
Reply rate
71.4 %
Usually responds within 9 days
Feedback
10
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Badges (3)
Details
Description
Hi! My name is Salla. I invite you to experience cottage life in the north in the summer time and the early autumn! This is an old timber house that used to be a working farm with a cow house and a barn. Nowadays the place is my second home, my summer cottage. It is located in Swedish Lapland in the municipality of Pajala, in a remote village. The house sits by the Tornio River - the border river between Finland and Sweden. I am actually Finnish so I can help you explore both cultures.
In the summer I would need a little help around the house and the garden. I work full time on my laptop and could use an extra pair of hands maintaining the garden and the house during the growing season.
I would describe the place to be a little bohemian - you will find overgrown rose bushes and trees as well as recycled elements around the yard and the house. It also brings an air of freedom and relaxed vibes which I hope you'll enjoy.
You will be staying in a big cozy room at the other end of the main house. Kitchen and toilet in the house are shared. I have a lovely old-fashioned wood burning sauna where you will be washing yourself - there is no shower in the house. At the moment the drinking water comes in bottles.
About transport: the public transport connections do exist but they are sparse. There is actually a bus stop right in front of the house for buses driving between Haparanda in the south and Kiruna in the north. However, you should also consider arriving through Finland as there are both train and bus connection from Helsinki all the way to Pello on Finland's side of the river (25 km from the house) and the Rovaniemi airport is relatively close. I have a possibility to pick you up from a convenient distance and I am happy to help you find the best connections! There are many more than the ones above.
Locally, you could borrow my two bikes and go bike around. There are no services in the village. Houses sit by the main road, locals are mainly older people, active and friendly. The views to the majestic Tornio river are beautiful, there is a small secluded beach around 5 km away, lovely forests invite for walks... We can hop in the car and do our groceries together so you would also see a little bit of the closest village Pello.
There are certain things (see below) that I would especially need your help with in the summer season. It would be about 4 to 5 hours a day and I would be providing you with accommodation and meals. The food would be vegetarian. You will obviously also have space in the fridge/freezer for the extra snacks of your choice.
Types of help and learning opportunities
Gardening
DIY and building projects
Help around the house
General Maintenance
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
You would have a chance to familiarize yourself with cottage life in the north. You would be staying on the Sweden's side of the river with a Finnish host. My place might not be the most standard cottage but here you could experience one chosen lifestyle among many. :) We would probably have nice chats about our experiences while working or having meals together.
Help
Painting the outside walls of the house is one of the current tasks. I could also use your help in cutting the grass, trimming the trees and bushes, helping with the vegetable garden, collecting some wood and just maintaining the tidiness of the house.
If you have special skills there are always also different kinds of small scale renovation tasks. On a rainy day you could give inside windowsills and frames a coat of paint. Depending on the season also picking berries with me would be a great help. I am thankful for your help in any shape and form!
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
Finnish: Fluent
Swedish: Intermediate
German: Beginner
Spanish: Beginner
French: Beginner
Accommodation
A big room in the house - see more above.
What else ...
I am primarily looking for you who are happy to spend a shorter time workawaying as the place is not my primary home and I am not able to host for long periods of time. I am hoping you would stay at least 2 working days, maximum being 2 weeks if our timetables match well.
I would be happy to host a couple or two friends - in this case you would also have the company of each other as I am the only person in the house and busy working long hours at times.
We would also be respecting each other's privacy - certain spaces in the house are shared but being able to have non-social time is also of high value.
***There is no wifi in the house!
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
Space for parking camper vans
The yard is big and easily fits a campervan.
How many Workawayers can stay?
Two
My animals / pets
Chat with Workawayers who've visited this host
Feedback (5)
Debora was a great help for me in many ways around the house and the garden while I was busy with my laptop… read more
I worked every morning,… read more
As a workawayer, Andrii was super effective, hardworking and willing to help wherever he could. I had a list of tasks in mind… read more
The work was light and very fair, giving me plenty of time to relax and enjoy the surroundings. One of the absolute highlights was the daily sauna ritual —… read more
Photos
Chat with Workawayers who've visited this host
Feedback
These are extra optional ratings when members leave feedback. The average rating left for each option is displayed.
Accuracy of profile:
(5.0)
Cultural exchange:
(5.0)
Communication:
(5.0)
Debora was a great help for me in many ways around the house and the garden while I was busy with my laptop… read more
I worked every morning,… read more
As a workawayer, Andrii was super effective, hardworking and willing to help wherever he could. I had a list of tasks in mind… read more
The work was light and very fair, giving me plenty of time to relax and enjoy the surroundings. One of the absolute highlights was the daily sauna ritual —… read more
I got to know Salla as a very kind, lovely, sympatic, reliable, open-minded and interested person with a great view for design! She is a very good cook and I enjoyed the food soooo much!
The work at Sallas place was various and nice. I helped with sanding and painting an… read more
