Arjen

Netherlands
Login to see last activity

Badges (4)

Photos

View all

Give the gift of Workaway

Profile information

Travel information

I am currently

Travelling

Activities i am interested in:

right now in Amsterdam on my way to Türkiye, Indonesia, back to Curaçao and then either Cuba or Colombia
Description

Hi, my name is Arjen; I am an allround violinist from the Netherlands. I have studied Jazz music at Conservatory but also Indian music in Calcutta and a few years Baroque violin in Utrecht. The last seven years I've lived on Curacao, in the Carribean, where I have been teaching the violin and playing many styles like Salsa and Pop music. also, I am very fond of Bluegrass music. In Holland, I used to play mantras and accompany Yoga classes.
Besides that, I am a (sports) masseur and I guess I am quite good at giving relief when people come to me with a muscle that is stuck for example; this way I made a lot of friends in the orchestras I played in!
We Dutch are well-known for our capacity of speaking foreign languages; at school I have learned Dutch, English, German and French and lately I have been learning Indonesian and Spanish.
I would like to contribute to the well-being of animals in general. I was a volunteer at a dog rescue centre once and I rescued several dogs and cats on Curacao. I learned something about the body language of dogs and recently followed a course about intuitive or telepathically communicating with animals. Not that I am very good at it yet 😅Therefore, I am a vegan and also very concerned about the well-being of our earth.
Interests

Animals

Fitness

Events & social

Cooking & food

Yoga / Wellness

Vegetarian or vegan

Sustainability

Self development

Pets

Performing arts

Outdoor activities

Nature

Music

Languages

History

Hiking

Gardening

Farming

Culture

Camping

Books

Beach

Art & design
Languages

Languages spoken
German: Fluent
English: Fluent
Dutch: Fluent
Spanish: Intermediate
French: Intermediate
Indonesian: Intermediate

More details about my language interests
At school in the Netherlands we learn Dutch, English, German and French, and I am still learning Spanish and Indonesian. So I am not an experienced language teacher, but I could teach some languages to children for example.

Find a language partner
Skills and knowledge I'd like to share or learn

I'm interested in:

Eco Projects

Life at a Farmstay

Helping around the house

Light maintenance

Light gardening

Charity Work

Some knowledge of:

Languages

Art Projects

Animal Care

Teaching

Babysitting and creative play

Being an elderly companion

House & pet sitting
More details about your skills

This is my experience as a volunteer: I have occasionally worked as a babysitter, once I volunteered on a care farm with autistic children, I am an experienced house sitter and took care of dogs and cats and I volunteered at a dog rescue center where it was my task to calm down anxious dogs; I dare to say that I am good with them
Age

59
What else ...

I like making walks in nature preferably with a dog. I like the company of dogs and cats and animals in general. I like healthy food and a healthy lifestyle. I like swimming, jogging and working out and I like Yoga a lot but last years I wasn't able to practice a lot due to injuries
Some more information
- Smoker
- Driver's licence
- Allergies
- Special dietary requirements
  I am vegan

Website Safety

Feedback

25 Mar 2026

Left by Workawayer () for host (Help our local team at a ...)

My overall experience was good! I had to work in the garden, cut old leaves, cut grass, shape the vegetation and plant new plants, clean the trash on the street side, paint some closets and other things. my work was quite tiring but rewarding. I got the chance to follow dance classes at the hostel but also outside of the hostel. I even got the … read more

(Excellent )

24 Mar 2026

Left by host (Help our local team at a ...) for Workawayer ()

una personas muy agradable, atento y dispuesto ayudar en cualquier tarea, con nosotros estuvo en jardinería y pintura, y todo super, nos dejo unas plantas sembradas SUPER... lo único es que solicito irse 1 semana antes de lo acordado....

(Very good )

7 Feb 2026

Left by host (Join us on weekend trips and ...) for Workawayer ()

Arjen from the Netherlands was an amazing volunteer to have with us! He stayed for two weeks and quickly became part of our community. He’s very easy to talk to, fun, and has lots of life experience.
Arjen is a professional violinist and could even play Indonesian traditional music, which everyone loved — it was a beautiful cultural exchange … read more

(Excellent )

5 Feb 2026

Left by Workawayer () for host (Empower communities through ...)

It took me a while to find out what their project was about exactly, and it turned out that hey mainly needed me as a Violinst for their event in the fields. That place was so beautiful! There were already like 6 other volunteers so I had a very relaxed time. It was a big gathering with lots of music and dance , meditation, food, (and drinks for … read more

(Excellent )

5 Jan 2025

Left by host (Empower communities through ...) for Workawayer ()

Arjen is such a kind, humble, and wise man. And truly, a maestro with the violin! Every note he plays is pure magic and beauty! He made our annual event so much more memorable and unforgettable ✨ We had such a great time with him, making arts and music :)

(Excellent )

View all

Photos

Give the gift of Workaway

Friends

Feedback

These are extra optional ratings when members leave feedback. The average rating left for each option is displayed.

Communication:
(4.8)

Skills:
(4.7)

Observed house rules:
(4.8)

25 Mar 2026

Left by Workawayer for host (Help our local team at a ...)

(Excellent)

24 Mar 2026

Left by host (Help our local team at a ...) for Workawayer

(Very good)

7 Feb 2026

Left by host (Join us on weekend trips and ...) for Workawayer

(Excellent)

5 Feb 2026

Left by Workawayer for host (Empower communities through ...)

(Excellent)

5 Jan 2025

Left by host (Empower communities through ...) for Workawayer

(Excellent)

17 Oct 2025

Left by host (Help with the rescue dogs in ...) for Workawayer

Before Arjen’s arrival, I explained that the main tasks would be digging for tree planting and creating a new vegetable bed, which would be hard physical work. Although he said he enjoyed this kind of work, he didn’t begin these tasks and spent the majority of his time weeding.

There was also some misunderstanding over days off, as the work done … read more

(Good)

19 Aug 2025

Left by Workawayer for host (Help with the rescue dogs in ...)

The place is beautiful but the house needs a good rearranging and maintenance. I offered to do the floor for example but she refused .The work is hard. The food is good, but Joanna wants her Workawayers to work for seven days a week #redacted# When I thought I could take a day off after six days of working an average of five hours a day, not … read more

(Very good)

20 Aug 2025

Left by host (Connect with nature and learn ...) for Workawayer

Arjen es un workawayer experimentado y la primera persona en visitar nuestro proyecto. Durante su estancia con nosotros, estuvo siempre dispuesto a ayudarnos con nuestras tareas al tiempo que compartiamos nuestras impresiones acerca de diversos temas. A pesar de que su visita ocurrió justo en la temporada de los Paramitos de San Juan ( muchas … read more

(Excellent)

24 Jul 2025

Left by Workawayer for host (Connect with nature and learn ...)

Carlos is a very idealistic man; he's busy planning several projects around his finca in the mountains, such as guesthouses and a vegan restaurant, and he's also preparing a project to make vegan dog food. He's rescued several dogs that live on his land, and some of them are sick. He thinks this is due to the traditional dog food he feeds them, … read more

(Excellent)

16 Aug 2025

Left by Workawayer for host (Recharge in nature with ...)

Nazareth and Rodrigo are really nice people. But it is not a coffee farm like they mentioned, and on arrival I was requested to donate 100,000 pesos per week, which is okay but they should have mentioned this in their profile or in advance. The work was very random and I really enjoyed the environment and running with the dogs every morning.

(Good)

3 Dec 2024

Left by host (Craft a sustainable dream in ...) for Workawayer

Arjen was a very motivated person and fitted right in with the team. His work ethic was really of a high standard and he made a major contribution to my project. He gave a violin concert for the team which was greatly appreciated by all. It was a real pleasure having him on my project. I highly recommend him to any future potential host, as he is … read more

(Excellent)

24 Nov 2024

Left by Workawayer for host (Craft a sustainable dream in ...)

I had my very first Workaway experience at Herman's and it was a super positive one though it was not completely clear for me whether Herman would be there or not. After getting used to the situation in general, I had a very good time helping construct the traditional mud house. It was a very 'zen' activity. I also enjoyed the two little doggies … read more

(Very good)