Profile information
Host rating
100 %
Last replied
23 Mar 2025
Reply rate
100.0 %
Usually responds within 5 days
Feedback
4
Email verified
Badges (2)
Details
Description
I bought a fairly large house a couple of years ago, on my own, and there's lots to do to maintain and upgrade it (although it's comfortable to live in as it is). It has three bedrooms, 1.5 bathrooms, 3 living areas and a nice big yard. It's located just outside of the small city of Brockville, which is about halfway between Toronto and Montreal in Ontario, Canada.
In March 2024, I adopted Bertie, a large and very gentle poodle (or poodle mix - no one is quite sure!) who spent his whole life in a breeding mill. Now he is enjoying his retirement with me and gets spoiled every day!
Types of help and learning opportunities
Gardening
DIY and building projects
Animal Care
Help around the house
General Maintenance
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
I am happy to cook for you or get ingredients if you would like to cook, show you around the area and help with your English if you are not a native speaker (I taught English for several years). I have a lot of experience with official English language tests, so I am happy to help with preparation for that. I am open to suggestions about things you might like to do while you're here.
Help
I'm mostly looking for people who are at least a little bit knowledgeable of basic DIY and have a few skills (decorating, using tools, gardening or anything). More general tasks could include cleaning, snow shovelling, yard clean-up, etc, so don't worry if you aren't a DIY expert. I can offer a flexible work arrangement of around 3 hours per night you stay (or 21 hours per full week) so that you can take off and explore nearby places.
I have set my limit to one Workawayer at a time as I don't feel I have enough work for two people. However, I may accept a couple for a maximum stay of one week, especially if you already have really good home improvement skills.
IMPORTANT NOTE: I expect my guests to help with meal preparation and cleaning up, as required and without being asked. I also expect them to clean after themselves, maintain shared areas and put things away after using them. These tasks are not included in your work hours. It is very uncomfortable for me to have to remind adults of this.
Languages
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
Spanish: Fluent
French: Intermediate
Italian: IntermediateThis host offers a language exchange
Happy to help you with your English and to explain aspects of the language. However, I am not offering formal lessons. I would also appreciate opportunities to practise my Spanish, Italian or French.
Accommodation
You will have your own room with a queen-size mattress and I am happy for you to have sole use of the upstairs bathroom, except for when I need to shower. I live on a fairly busy road, so there is traffic but I don't find it too intrusive. The photos on my profile are from when the house was for sale, so the furniture is different (and, of course, there is now a bed in the guest bedroom!!)
What else ...
Ottawa is 1 hour or so by car, Montreal just over 2 hours, Toronto about 3 hours, and trains and buses are available. There are a couple of border crossings with the USA nearby too, but I don't think there's any public transport to take you over.
I am a sociable person but I will also respect your privacy and can keep the house quiet (I need things to be relatively quiet while I'm working). This is an LGBTQ+-friendly house and I appreciate respectful and open-minded people. I'm a flexitarian and I mostly eat vegetarian or fish/seafood, but this is not strict.
Brockville is a pleasant area with really friendly inhabitants and there are definitely some cool places to spend time in nature nearby. Overall, I think this opportunity would be perfect for someone who is perhaps travelling across the region or the country and would like to stop for a few days or a week or two between Montreal and Toronto.
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
Can host digital nomads
Internet is via cable and is at 40Mbps, which should be fine for most purposes. You are welcome to use the dining table for working.
Can possibly accept pets
Only housetrained, vaccinated and well-mannered dogs, please.
How many Workawayers can stay?
One
Feedback (2)
Dan is everything you could want in a host.
We spent wonderful days together with Dan and his friends and fantastic evenings listening to music that Dan proposed to us thanks to his great musical culture. We had a lot of laughs and it was wonderful to listen to his travel… read more
The work was fun and not too hard if you like working outside. Dan explained everything and told me about his project for a great backyard !
Dan also made sure that I wasn't bored and took me to many places to visit and… read more
Photos
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Accuracy of profile:
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Cultural exchange:
(5.0)
Communication:
(5.0)
Dan is everything you could want in a host.
We spent wonderful days together with Dan and his friends and fantastic evenings listening to music that Dan proposed to us thanks to his great musical culture. We had a lot of laughs and it was wonderful to listen to his travel… read more
The work was fun and not too hard if you like working outside. Dan explained everything and told me about his project for a great backyard !
Dan also made sure that I wasn't bored and took me to many places to visit and… read more
