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Description
Hi, we are a small openhearted family of three, sometimes four (patchwork-family ;).
My name is Linda (44). I live with my husband Soenke (52) and our 13 year old son Leon in a beautiful renovated farmhouse on the countryside near the Dutch and German Border in Raeren, Belgium, close to the city of Aachen (Germany).
Our little belgian Village is only 20 minutes drive from the city with its historic center, shopping, cafés and restaurants, theaters etc...
On our Farm we live with 3 other families and their animals: Dodie & Joey the two little Shetland Ponies, Bodo the Donkey, Cats and Sheep. And many birds ;)
I am currently recovering from cancer and the hardest year in my life so far - fortunately getting back on my feet but still having some back-issues…
I am an self-employed Architect and Interior Designer and also Ceramic Artist, but currently not working, hopefully start soon ;)
I offer ceramic and sculpture workshops here in my beautiful art-studio in the house.
Our son Leon is a very sweet and friendly young boy. He was born 3 Months early and due to his early birth has some physical handicaps, difficulties with walking, eating, putting on Clothes etc.. Especially his left hand is having problems so he needs help with most actions.
His physical care is provided by my husband and two helpers. He would love to have someone to be with him for fun stuff! Since he has no siblings to play with.
My Husband Soenke is a Designer working as a Professor at University in Aachen and enjoys little Woodworking Building Projects around the house and garden.
We all love music, good healthy organic vegetarian food, having Friends over or going for hikes into the nearby beautiful forest with little wild creeks, or working on creative projects. Currently we would like to finish our nature pool-garden-house project so Leon and all of us can enjoy water more in our everyday life.
But sometimes, it is just not easy to get it all done, especially since I got so ill 2 years ago and still recovering ...
This is why we are looking for someone to support us a little with Leon, being a company to him, take him outside or playing music together. And maybe if you like working with your hands you might help us creating a beautiful outside environment..
In Exchange we offer good company, food and stay in your own beautifully renovated tiny apartment with integrated bathroom and kitchen in a peaceful rural environment!
Types of help and learning opportunities
Gardening
DIY and building projects
Babysitting and creative play
Help around the house
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
We live in an area where three countries meet - Netherlands, Belgium and Germany.
We live on the belgian side, but the end of our road is the german border!
My husband works in Aachen, the next bigger city in Germany, only 14 Kilometers from our house.
My son goes to school in germany, lives in belgium. My sister lives nearby across the dutch border in Vaals, NL. I sing in a choir in the next belgian city called Eupen, also only 20 min drive from our house...
As soon as you cross the borders, you will find yourself in another culture, another way of living, food, architecture, agriculture and farming, languages... This area of the so called "three corners" of three european countries is multicultural and therefore very open to other influences and cultures because it is part of our everyday life! The history of this region is highly interesting and unique. Our region of Belgium is one of the three regions in belgium - the french orientet region around brussels, the flamish region in the north - and the german speaking region where we live - it is a small area with only one city and a few villages - but has its own parliament and laws! And therefore it is a very unique situation here.
Projects involving children
This project could involve children. For more information see our guidelines and tips here.
Help
We are mainly looking for support with our son Leon, mostly on weekends, sometimes single afternoons or evenings (so we can finally go out as a couple!) or during summer vacations for a couple hours a day (2-3).
If you bring some skills for gardening or building you are welcome to support us there also (we have little projects ahead like a terrace in front of your apartment, a garden-pool-house made from old windows, a wooden pool-terrace ) (That would be a plus, but is not a must ;)
Leon is well supported in a beautiful school in Aachen and with extra helpers 3 afternoons a week - but on Weekends, sometimes Afternoons or evenings it would be great if you could take him for a ride with his bike, a walk or be outside or go swimming together since he cannot do these things on his own.
He loooves water and swimming, we also have a little rainwater-pool in our yard.
It’s basically babysitting with a little extra.
Also he loves music and since his left hand is a bit handicapped cannot play most instruments by himself, but playing together with rhythmic instruments, our piano or listening to music or create some on his music app together - anything would make him so happy!
If possible it would also be a big help to get him ready for school in the mornings and helping with preparing breakfast etc.
Languages spoken
German: Fluent
English: Fluent
French: Beginner
Accommodation
In exchange for your help we offer a beautiful newly renovated small 1-room apartment with bathroom and a small kitchen and own entrance door to the sunny frontyard. The apartment is connected with an internal door to our entrance area, so no need to go around the outside in order to see us or Leon...
This apartment is on the ground floor, as well as our art-and ceramic studio and woodworking workshop area.
We live on the first floor.
You are welcome to enjoy the garden, share the great wooden terrace overlooking the hills of belgium and watching the sun set. Some evenings we have a movie-night on big screen in our spacious living room upstairs and you´ll be invited - or sitting outside on the fireplace watching the stars appear on the night sky.
We have a second car here and bycicles, so you could also get to town or around on little trips if wanted :)
When it comes to food, we will provide fully for what you need and like. Either we cook together or we also might buy your food when we go get our own also and you might prepare your own food the way and times you like - you will have a stove and a refrigerator in your apartment.
good W-Lan connection is there in your aparment.
TV not ;)
(but as I said: we might wanna watch movies on our beamer and big wall in our living room together..)
You are also welcome to share my ceramic studio or Art studio whenever I am not giving a workshop there.
What else ...
During Week-Days you will have much free time, since Leon is coming home from school around 4 pm.
If you like nature, you will find many beautiful places nearby such as the forest with litte creeks, a high-moore called "hohes Venn" where you can hike only on wooden paths across the vast and wild landscape...
Hiking or biking Paths along the meadows and hills of eastern belgium..
there is also a few lakes in the area where you could go swimming..
The city of Aachen offers all typical highlights of city life -
And trips to nearby Cities such as Liége or even Brussels and Antwerpen in Belgium, Maastricht in Netherlands or Cologne or Dusseldorf are possible as day-trips since they are all between 1-3 hours to drive from our house.
In old little belgian villages you might enjoy antique flea-markets..
To Aachen (Germany) or Eupen (Belgium) there is public busses also.
In our small old belgian village with a mixture of old cottages, a small castle, church and modern family-homes you might wanna visit a pottery museum in the castle, or listen to one of the singer-songwriter or blues and jazz concerts that are playing for free in a nearby restaurant... you could walk by foot from our house...
or just sit and watch the sun set together with the donkey and little horses :)
My husband Soenke will be working from homeoffice some days. I am at home most times now. Sometimes I will offer a ceramic workshop on the same ground floor as your apartment, but that shoud not be a problem at all..
Since we have only a normal door between your apartment and ours, we will have to exchange a bit about who needs what and when (such as quiet times etc..) but I am certain we will figure that our together :)
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
Can host digital nomads
We have a decent wifi connection you can also use from your little apartment. We never had a problem here :)
Space for parking camper vans
The van can be parked at the property, a toilet would be there in our studio/atelier, shower also available.
How many Workawayers can stay?
One
Hours expected
Maximum 3-4 hours a day, 4 days a week
