Learn horseback riding while living with our family in Húsavík, Iceland

Details

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  Description

  I'm Anna I own and run a small farm in the north of Iceland.
  
  I have two girls, born in January 2018 and April 2020.
  
  The family is quite big, and most of my siblings have children of their own, and most of them visit quite frequently.
  
  We live on the farm and my parents are here quite often as well. Especially during the summer they spend most of their time here.
  
  The farm has 160 sheep, 28 horses , 6 chickens, 2 dogs and a cat.
  During the summer and into the autumn we run a horse riding business from our farm. Horses are also essential in the sheep roundup in september. Since we have the riding business we have horses that everyone can ride. Horses are on vacation during the winter.
  
  I grew up on the farm, went to farmer school and is a graduated farmer and also studied horse riding for two semesters. I also working part time at a hair saloon some days.
  
  We like board games during the evening when there's time, and during the summer we frequently visit the swimming pool.
  
  Just as a note we mostly cook and eat meat products, many of which we make ourselves (lamb/sheep meat).
  
  We don't have any problems with vegetarians and you're welcome to cook your own food if you want to but dinner will usually be meat products. We are interested to try nice vegetarian dishes if you'd like to cook for us occasionally.
  
  We are not sure the farm will be right for vegans since we run a business producing meat.
  
  We are not asking for help til run our business!

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  Types of help and learning opportunities

  Language practice

  Teaching

  Gardening

  Babysitting and creative play

  Creating/ Cooking family meals

  Help around the house

  General Maintenance

  Help with Computers/ Internet
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  UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve

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  What's this?
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  Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

  Icelandic culture, horseback riding, trying exotic Icelandic food, access to a car and being a part of a big family.

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  Au Pair Help

  Further details can be found here

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  Projects involving children

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

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  Help

  Helping around the house, household cleaning, babysitting, general maintenance and such, possibly cooking.
  Tidying around the house.
  
  To have someone that’s confident with children and can look after our daughters if we have to do some things around the farm, or have to work later than the kindergarten is open, so drivers license are essential and some confidence driving.
  
  Longer stays are preferable by us, but it's not a dealbreaker if it's not an option.
  I try to answer all request but often they are so many I have hard time looking at all of them.
  
  We don't need help with the horses or sheep but of course you can learn and participate in their care.

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  Languages

  Languages spoken
  English: Fluent
  Icelandic: Fluent
  German: Beginner

  This host offers a language exchange
  Many Workawayers have learned quite some Icelandic by talking to our children and listening to conversations in the house. We can help you study Icelandic if interested, the children have started speaking english and We would like them to also learn more languages.
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  Accommodation

  A private or shared bedroom in the house with the family.

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  What else ...

  Nearby is one of the greatest waterfalls in Iceland Goðafoss and Aldeyjarfoss is also really beautiful waterfall in the neighborhood.
  Drive to nearest town, the biggest town outside of the capital, Akureyri is 35 minutes. The surrounding is really beautiful also and not far away is lake Mývatn a extremely beautiful lake with wonderful wildlife and beautiful lava-fields, hot springs and more interesting things.
  Whale watching is available both in Húsavík and Akureyri, both towns are a 45 minute drive.
  
  Busses pass by the main road not long from the farm.
  
  There is a swimming pool we frequently visit about a 15min drive from the farm.
  
  We have had quite a few workaway-ers with good experience, the worst thing is usually just the goodbyes, we would gladly show people the beauty of the country and the culture. We've gotten to know people from all over the world and tried some very interesting food and get to know different cultures.
  
  There usually is quite a lot of free time around the farm and people have had a good chance to do what they want, photographing, making music, writing books and just enjoying the country.
  Our workawayers have usually been involved with what the family is doing, and usually gotten to join us at parties, horse and bike tournaments, concerts, trips and other activities.
  
  We have a few horses around that most workawayers have been able to ride if interested. The mountains around the farm are nice for hiking, backcountry skiing and biking.
  
  If there are any questions don't hesitate to ask.
  
  We usually get a lot of messages and sometimes it takes a while to reply. Giving out some basic information about yourself usually helps you stand out.

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  A little more information

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    Internet access

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    Limited internet access

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    We have pets

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    We are smokers

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    Can host families

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  Can host digital nomads

  We have a 1gbps fibre connection to the farm, so our internet connection is way above average. It would be no problem to be working a job while staying here.

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  How many Workawayers can stay?

  Two

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