Frédérique

Netherlands
Login to see last activity

Badges (2)

Photos

View all

Give the gift of Workaway

Profile information

Reply rate
0.0 %
Travel information
I am currently
Travelling
My next destination:
Uruguay - from Oct 2025 until Nov 2025
View all
Description
I am 21 years old, come from the Netherlands but grew up in various European countries. I currently study in Utrecht where I will gain my bachelors degree in Psychology and Sociology. Having moved five times between countries within Europe, I have been exposed to different cultures and traditions, which taught me to be open, absorbing and agile to adapt.
I find motivation is setting and achieving personal, academic, and collaborative goals. For instance, I am currently training for a half marathon and pursuing my bachelor's degree. On a smaller scale, I am also highly motivated by planning and organising events. As the Chair of a university committee, I have collaborated with my board to organise student trips around Europe. I find it incredibly fulfilling when an event runs smoothly and I know that I have contributed to its success. I consider myself an active and engaged person, as I find a lot of happiness in sports such as horse riding, skiing and running. I'm also very passionate about travelling and exploring new cultures, cuisines, and new languages. Lastly, I truly value spending time with my friends and family.
Interests
Water sports
Winter sports
Pets
Outdoor activities
Nature
Mountain
Languages
Culture
Events & social
Beach
Animals
Languages
Languages spoken
German: Fluent
English: Fluent
Dutch: Fluent
More details about my language interests
I would be interested in learning various new languages like Italian, Spanish, or Portugese.
Find a language buddy
Skills and knowledge I'd like to share or learn
I'm interested in:
Hospitality/Tourism
Eco Projects
Charity Work
Some knowledge of:
Animal Care
Life at a Farmstay
Able to teach about:
Languages
More details about your skills
I attended two British and three International schools where I obtained my International Baccalaureate. I now study Psychology and Sociology, and hope to enrol in a Clinical Child and Adolescent Development Master's after my gap year. Having lived in four different countries, I speak three languages fluently: English, Dutch, and German. I have tutored Dutch to children before, but feel comfortable tutoring in any of my fluent languages. Further, I have taken horse riding lessons for 10+ years and skiing lessons since I was five, which are two sports I am very passionate about. During my school years I created a website for gap year travellers, which they could use as a social media platform, and I wrote and designed a small children's book about diversity and equality. Throughout my teenage years, I also babysat a lot and took a hostess job for a textile company. During university, I engaged in multiple organisation committees where I worked together with others to ensure the smooth-running of events. As I am a big travel-lover, I have travelled to various countries, but an experience which really stands out is when I hitchhiked to Ljubljana. This was a great adventure which I found very exciting, so am therefore planning to hitchhike to Budapest this spring.
Age
21
What else ...
I consider myself an outdoors person who enjoys being active and participating in sports. When not active outside, I enjoy partaking in creative activities such as drawing or textiles. I look forward to gain new experiences which can positively contribute to my future plans and studies.
Some more information
- Smoker
- Driver's licence
- Allergies
- Special dietary requirements

Website Safety

Photos

Friends

Feedback

26 Oct 2025

Left by Workawayer () for host (Horse lovers welcome in ...)

I stayed for 7 weeks, from the end of August to the beginning of October, and had a really great time! For the first two weeks, I was there with another volunteer, but for the remaining five weeks, I was alone (they mentioned this usually doesn’t happen, as they try to have at least two volunteers at a time). The volunteer room has everything you… read more need: beds with bedding, towels, limited closet space, a bedside table, and air conditioning. The kitchen includes all the basics and is shared with the workers (who are all very friendly!). There are two bathrooms for volunteers in the stables, both with hot showers and everything you need. There are also two washing machines, though they’re not the best; you fill them with cold water from a hose, add soap, and turn them on. Since the longest cycle is only 15 minutes, I usually restarted them a few times. Clothes don’t get perfectly clean, but given you’re working on a farm, it’s not a big deal.

Workdays ran from 08:00 to 13:00, with tasks allocated weekly. Isa (one of the trainers, whom you’ll work with most) posts weekly tasks on a whiteboard, and you can plan your schedule as you like. I usually started by cleaning the bathrooms and tidying the saddle pad rack. At the beginning of the week, I'd often help clear and set up the big arena. Then I’d stretch some horses, and later lunge, do horsemanship, and wash them. Isa is amazing, she teaches you about horsemanship, and I learned so much from her! When I was there with another volunteer, we were usually allowed to join about one lesson per week (jumping, trail rides, or flatwork). Sometimes you just have to ask! When I was alone, I got to ride much more, and in my final week, I was riding daily, either in lessons or working with a horse on my own. I also fed the cats every night :)

The work can get a bit repetitive, but if you love being around horses (there are many!) and other animals, it’s a really rewarding experience. When I was there alone, I even got to assist in lessons and teach some beginner riders, which was so much fun. I worked closely with Amanda (another trainer), who’s also wonderful and taught me a lot. They ride English style here. The stable hands are super friendly, though they only speak Spanish, so it helps to learn a few basics. Robin, the owner, was fantastic and made sure I always had everything I needed, especially when I was there alone. Everyone really looked out for me, which I’m so thankful for. Overall, I learned so much and became a more confident rider. The lessons are incredible; the trainers really take their time to teach you properly. When I left, they even gave me some souvenirs, which was such a sweet gesture. I’ll miss the animals and people here!

As for location, it is quite far from everything. They provide bikes, but I never used them. The roads are rough, and it’s too far to bike in my opinion. For the first two weeks, the other volunteer and I rented a car from AmiGo Rent a Car for 12 days, which cost $390.53 plus a $500 damage deposit (a hassle to get back, but I eventually did after visiting their office). If you’re there with others, I HIGHLY recommend renting some form of transportation, as it really makes the experience. It was great to go to the beach after work and take weekend trips. An Uber to Tamarindo costs around $16 one way. There are plenty of Ubers around, so it’s very easy to get one. Tamarindo is lovely: full of boutiques, cafes, restaurants, and nice beaches, and it’s a big hub for American tourism, so everyone speaks English. The supermarkets there are large and well-stocked. By the end of September, the rain starts picking up, usually in the afternoons, leaving mornings dry - something to keep in mind when planning.

Overall, I had such a great time here and highly recommend it! You’ll improve your riding, learn about Parelli’s natural horsemanship, spend time with amazing horses and other animals, and make wonderful memories.

(Very good)

To leave feedback make sure you are logged in & your account is online