Lina

Netherlands
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Profile information

Travel information
I am currently
At home
Activities i am interested in:
I like visiting museums and enjoying nature in some way (although I am by no way a professional hiker haha), but I am open to doing anything really, since I have a broad range of interests.
Description
Hey all, my name is Lina and I'm a 26-year-old dutch student, currently about to finish my master's degree in International Development Studies at the University of Utrecht. I've been kind of putting it off for a few years now because I've really enjoyed studying and learning new things, but I guess I will have to come to terms with the fact that I am now almost graduating... Anyway, I've just returned from a wonderful exchange semester that I spent in Helsinki, where I fell in love with Scandinavia even more. Over the last years, I've made quite a few solo trips to Scandinavia, including a few Workaway stays as well. Anyway, I already miss being in a foreign country and having the freedom to just explore and do whatever you want, so that is why I am currently considering going on a longer trip after my graduation, now that I am still flexible and not tied to any permanent job position (yet). After that trip, I would like to start applying for long-term jobs in the Netherlands and get myself a job in the domain of social sciences, as I've discovered more and more throughout my studies that I really enjoy doing sociological research. Although this really sounds cheesy, I've always felt quite determined to make the world a better place and tackle social injustices, so I am hoping that I will be able to do just that with my future job. But for now, I am just exploring my travel options for the fall of this upcoming year because I just can't seem to get enough of traveling and meeting new people... Ideally, I would like to explore new places as a workawayer while at the same time contributing to a meaningful (charity) project, perhaps related to sustainability issues like plastic pollution in oceans. All in all, I have given Workaway a bit of a break in the last year, but I am happy now to give it another try, especially since I've found that I've felt more and more disconnected and alienated from the "mainstream" tourism sector which is problematic in so many ways. I'm not saying that I'm a saint, but at this point, I've come to prefer more "slower" and "conscious" ways of traveling, where you as a traveler yourself also contribute in a meaningful way to the place/people that you are visiting. And I think that another workaway trip will be able to provide exactly that!
Interests
Yoga / Wellness
Outdoor activities
Water sports
DIY & crafts
LGBTQ
Nature
Sailing / Boating
Fashion or beauty
Events & social
Books
Farming
Culture
Politics / Social justice
Vegetarian or vegan
Languages
Self development
Sustainability
Charity work
Drawing & painting
Movies & TV
Writing
Music
History
Beach
Art & design
Animals
Languages
Languages spoken
German: Fluent
English: Fluent
Dutch: Fluent
French: Beginner
More details about my language interests
Anything language related intrigues me, so do not hesitate to help me learn new words and things about a foreign language!
Find a language buddy
Skills and knowledge I'd like to share or learn
I'm interested in:
Gardening
Babysitting and creative play
Being an elderly companion
Life at a Farmstay
Eco Projects
Animal Care
Charity Work
Art Projects
Helping with Computers/ Internet
Teaching
Some knowledge of:
General Maintenance
Helping around the house
Languages
More details about your skills
As I have been raised bilingually by a Dutch father and a German mother, I speak Dutch and German fluently. I frequently visit my German family to catch up with, who lives an hour away from us in Germany. This means that I could help out with some German or Dutch language practising if needed. Beside language practising, I could teach you things about the Dutch and German culture if you want! I could also help out with practising French and especially English.

When I was still in high school, I used to work at a homework guidance institution in my hometown, so I know how to help out and motivate kids with doing their homework and studying for tests.

In my gap year I worked as a cleaning help which taught me a lot about housekeeping. It also made me get more used to socializing with/talking to strangers and people in general, as I constantly had to visit different homes of people I didn't know.

Over the last few years, I have done a lot of babysitting - especially children aged 6 to 12. Up until now, I haven't had any real struggles doing it.

I did a typing course a few years ago. Ever since, I have been able to type pretty fast. Therefore, if needed, I could provide some help with typing any letters or other messages that have to be send by computer.

In case you need me to provide some help with other activities, of course I could do that as well! If others need help and I can provide it, I don't mind helping out, as I am a helpful, friendly, patient, caring person. I don't consider myself a very difficult person who tends to give others a hard time. Taking others into account is important to me and I am not hard to please at all! If I am asked to do something, I will try my best to do it as well as I possibly can, withouth rushing anything.
Age
26
What else ...
Hobbies of mine are, among other things, reading, writing, clubbing with friends, visiting museums and (online) shopping (preferrably sustainably!). I also like being creative in all sorts of ways. I am interested in a LOT of things, but a few examples are (art-) history, immigration, poetry, sustainability, gender and sexuality. I also play badminton. Besides that, I am also a member of a travel student association called AEGEE. This is a student association, based in many European cities, which facilitates international events and exchanges. Through this student association, I was able to partake in various so-called "summer universities" organized by other AEGEE associations located in Italy :) It's been a great way to go on a relatively cheap holiday and meet other students from all over Europe!
Some more information
- Smoker
- Driver's licence
- Allergies
- Special dietary requirements
  I am a vegetarian, but I do eat fish from time to time.

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3 Jul 2024

Left by Workawayer () for host (Wide range of experiences and ...)

I stayed with Bine and Dag for two weeks in May, and I think this must have been my best workaway experience so far. They are really kind, generous and interested people, with a good sense of humor and a good heart. Previously, I had only had two other workaway experiences, so when I arrived I kind of knew what I could expect. However, I must say… read more that my stay at their place was nothing like the previous workaway stays, and I mean this in a good way ;) I was pleasantly surprised by how they welcomed me into their home and I felt at home from the very beginning of my stay. During my stay, I mostly had to help with gardening, but I also did some painting as well. Since I didn't grow up on a farm and hadn't been very familiar with gardening, I learned a lot during my stay - about organic farming, different plants and animals. I love how "gressløk" (chives) was one of the first Norwegian words that I learned haha. Their way of living and their outlook on life really inspired me in lots of ways and it opened my eyes to other, alternative ways of living in this world. Since Dag was already retired, this meant that he was always at home, doing all kinds of tasks around the house. At the time of my stay, Bine worked for three days a week at a school, so she couldn't always join Dag and me for lunch. However, we would always have dinner together in the evening. Breakfast was the only meal that we didn't share, which I was fine with, because I am not really a morning person at all. I had my own fridge in the cottage, so I could just have breakfast there in the mornings. On the days when Bine went to work, I would start gardening by myself in the morning and sometimes she would join me later after she had returned from work. Although I sometimes had to carry out the tasks by myself, I didn't mind it that much, because I felt like I did spend a good amount of time together with the hosts. For example, besides sharing meals, I also joined them on the 17th of May, the national holiday in Norway. On that day, they also visited a few family members, who were very kind and didn't seem to mind at all that I had joined Bine and Dag. Moreover, I also joined Bine, Dag and their sons on a trip to a family cottage at a nearby lake, where we spend the whole day. On these special occasions, I was once again surprised by how generous, warm and kind their family is. Overall, I had a wonderful time at their place and I would definitely recommend going! The surrounding nature was just stunning and it was nice to have a cabin to yourself as a workawayer. Moreover, I don't think I have ever eaten healthier than during my stay there, since the (delicious) meals were mostly organic, with a lot of vegetables. I hope I will be able to cook as well one day as Bine can :)

(Excellent )

27 Jun 2024

Left by host (Wide range of experiences and ...) for Workawayer ()

Lina stayed with us for two weeks in may. She is a calm and pleasant person to be around. In the period she stayed with us, we were preparing and cleaning the garden. Lina also helped us with painting shelfs and wall in the barn. She is presisely and dutiful in her work. Good days together with Lina.

(Very good )

3 Jul 2024

Left by Workawayer () for host (Growing vegetables, animal ...)

I stayed with Petra and Robin for about a week, so it was a very short stay. They were able to welcome me on a very short notice, which was very nice and generous of them. Despite the short duration of my stay, I really enjoyed staying at their place. From the very moment that Petra picked me up at the nearby bus stop, they made me feel welcome… read more and at home. Their home had a warm, cosy and pleasant atmosphere, where you can easily feel at home, and they have a gorgeous garden with lots of vegetable beds and different animals. During my stay, Petra had just started a new job at a police station, so she had to work quite a few night shifts. This meant that usually, she would be home in the morning to explain the tasks I would have to do that day, then she would leave for work around 1 o'clock and only come back at midnight. At the time of my stay, Robin was also quite busy preparing for the upcoming EU elections, because he worked in the local municipality. Therefore, I didn't see him that much, but I did have dinner with him most evenings. Although both Robin and Petra were both quite busy with work during my stay, when either of them had the chance, we shared meals and had interesting discussions about a wide range of topics. I felt like they both really appreciated and enjoyed these moments that we did spend together, and they did make time to share meals with me as a workawayer. They were easygoing, laidback hosts, who didn't set the expectations too high in terms of the tasks I had to do. The tasks mostly involved taking care of the animals (chicken, ducks, goats) and gardening, which was enjoyable and not too difficult. All the tasks were well defined and explained, so it was clear what they expected me to do. During my free time, I explored the surrounding nature and the nearby cities of Jonköping and Grenna, and they were happy to give me tips and recommendations for these trips. Although I was sometimes all alone at their place, I also came to appreciate these moments of silence, when I was all by myself, more and more. These moments gave me more peace of mind and space for reflection. To conclude, I really enjoyed my stay at their place and I would definitely recommend them as hosts. If you are a workawayer traveling by yourself, I would however take into consideration that they might not always be around as much as other hosts, since they both went to work during the day. Since I only stayed for a short while and since I am okay with being by myself, I did not mind their busy work schedules. Moreover, Petra and I had been on a phone call before my arrival, in which she made it perfectly clear what their week schedule will look like, so I did know what to expect.

(Very good )

26 Jun 2024

Left by Workawayer () for host (Help with food foraging and ...)

I really did not want to leave a bad review like this, but unfortunately, I have to. Several weeks before my arrival at Jimmy's place, we had a phone call about my planned workaway stay. During this phone call, Jimmy gave me the impression that usually a handful of workawayers stay at his place, resulting in an interesting, inspiring cultural… read more exchange. Although he did mention that he is not always at home because of his work, from what I can remember he was at this point not sure yet whether he would be there during my stay. I guess it was good that he mentioned this, so that I knew what to expect, but in many other ways I did not exactly know what to expect, since the phone call remained a little bit vague. Nevertheless, I went for it since I was in desperate search of any workaway hosts in this specific area. My plan was to travel through Norway and Sweden for seven weeks by staying at multiple workaway hosts, and I had only arranged a stay for the first two weeks, so I guess this partly explains why I decided to go for this host, despite the vague information I had gotten. Upon arrival, it turned out that only one other workawayer stayed there, who planned to leave within one day. Since Jimmy stayed at another house when I arrived, I would have to stay at his home all by myself and finish all the tasks alone. When I asked if any other workawayer would arrive soon, he was quite vague about it, instead of being straightforward. With this uncertainty of not knowing when the next person would arrive and the prospect of me having to stay there all by myself for at least the next days, I decided right away to look for another last minute host. After only two nights I left Jimmy's place, to travel to another nearby host. I understand that it must be difficult for Jimmy as a host when workawayers cancel at the very last minute, but he could have done a better job at being more clear and honest about who would for sure stay at his place and for how long. If he didn't have any definite confirmations from workawayers, he could have been honest about this as well. He hadn't told me about the other workawayer staying when I arrived, so I was left in the dark about what I could expect. So in the end, my stay at Jimmy's was sadly not what I had expected at all. I am sure that my experience might have been a very nice experience, had there been more workawayers staying in the same period as me, but in my case I did not have a positive experience. Based on our phone call and our WhatsApp contact, Jimmy seemed like a friendly, nice person and he did show understanding for my decision to leave, which I very much appreciated. When I told him that he could have been better at communicating things, he asked for the things he could have done differently, which I also appreciated. To conclude, I feel like Jimmy did not think everything through and did not consider enough what it might be like to stay at his place as a workawayer, all alone. I hope that in sharing my experience, other workawayers will be able to make a more informed decision about staying at his place. Judging from the feedback from other workawayers, it seems like it could be a really nice experience, but it would be good to also know about an experience like mine.

(Negative )

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