Ysaline

& Louis

Travel information

We are currently

Description

Hello!

We are a Belgian couple currently in Canada for a one-year Working Holiday Visa. We started our journey in Toronto, but soon realized that the city doesn’t really suit us. We’re now looking for a place where we can feel more fulfilled, focus on the things we truly enjoy, and grow personally.
We are open-minded, easy going and enjoy to discover new people.

We arrived in Canada three weeks ago, and our plan is to discover the “real” Canada and its nature, which is why we’ve chosen Alberta. During our Workaway stay, besides helping our host, we also have the project of buying a van, renovating it, and converting it so we can travel across Canada once warmer days returns.

What we’re really looking for through Workaway is not just a transactional relationship, but the chance to build genuine connections, share experiences, and learn from one another. We’d love to find a host who, just like us, is invested in their own projects and would also be enthusiastic about ours.

Ysaline :

I’m 26-year-old and in Belgium I worked as a history teacher. I’m passionate about history, but also very curious and always eager to learn new things. In my free time, I love reading and creating things with my hands, such as embroidery, macramé, knitting, and sewing. I also enjoy cooking, especially sweet treats like banana bread with ripe bananas, and recently I’ve been exploring fermentation, making milk kefir and homemade ginger beer.

I like staying active and healthy, and I enjoy fitness, strength training, and swimming.

I’ve always loved living and working in a community. I grew up with three brothers, spent my whole childhood in the scouts, and later became a scout leader myself. I also lived for two years in a flatshare with five other people, and I really enjoy sharing daily life, knowledge, and experiences with others. I think it’s one of the best ways to grow.

I already have some volunteering experience: two years ago I went woofing in Ireland, helping a woman in her garden. During my time in the scouts, I also joined several camps in the countryside and on farms, where we helped with farm maintenance and looked after animals such as pigs, cows, and sheep.

When it’s time to relax, I love playing cooperative board games and spending quality time with others.

Louis :

I'm a 27 yo and say that I'm curious and quite positive person. I'm a software engineer and worked last 4 years developing applications for the Belgian government. Besides this life behind a desk, I like to move around a lot and try new things.
I enjoy seeing friends, going out with them, or organizing dinner or movie nights. I play a lot of Ultimate Frisbee and climb from time to time, both indoors and on cliffs. When I have free weekends, I also like to go hiking.

Before moving in with Ysaline, I lived in a co-living space for 3 years. There, I enjoyed living with a bunch of different people who became true friends. I was also a scout leader for 5 years, responsible for children aged 6 to 17, inventing new games and organizing weekends and summer camps in nature.

In recent years, I’ve also worked on manual projects. In our co-living space, I built a raised bed with a mini-greenhouse on top to grow aromatics during winter. When Ysaline and I moved in together, we wanted to avoid buying everything from Ikea, so we tried to give a second life to some old furniture (see pictures below).

I would love to work on more of these projects, but with everyday life, work, and living in town, it’s hard to find the time. I would therefore enjoy having more opportunities to help with such projects, as well as connecting more with nature and animals.

Interests

Charity work

Events & social

Sustainability

Van life

Culture

DIY & crafts

History

Music

Books

Gardening

Cooking & food

Animals

Outdoor activities

Hiking

Mountain

Winter sports

Team sports

Nature

Fitness

Camping

Languages spoken

English: Fluent
French: Fluent
Dutch: Beginner

Skills and knowledge we'd like to share or learn

We're interested in:  

Gardening

DIY and building projects

Creating/ Cooking family meals

Life at a Farmstay

Eco Projects

Animal Care

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Some knowledge of:  

Languages

Helping with Computers/ Internet

Teaching

House sitting

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Able to teach about:  

Charity Work

Art Projects

More details about your skills

We both enjoy cooking : Louis loves taking the time to prepare savory dishes, while Ysaline enjoys making desserts.

Louis is very handy and would like to use this Work Holiday year to develop his practical skills, especially in woodworking, repairing things, and learning new techniques. He also has knowledge of electricity and, as a computer engineer by training, can always help with computers or internet networks.

With her background as a teacher, Ysaline can support children with their homework and help them learn French. She also loves animals and has experience taking care of them.

We both grew up with cats at home and in the countryside, so we really appreciate the presence of animals : they bring life and soul to a home. We would also love to learn more about animal care during this experience.

We are sociable, attentive, and curious people, always eager to learn and develop new skills. Louis especially hopes to grow his practical and manual abilities, but both of us are excited to learn in many areas, especially when it comes to working with animals and gardening.

Age

26 & 27

Some more information

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  Smoker

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  Driver's licence

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  Allergies
  no

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  Special dietary requirements
  no