Suzanne

Travel information

I am currently

Description

Hi there! I am Suzanne, single and 37, from Utrecht (NL). I have lived and worked in Madrid for 3.5 years as an English teacher and I would like to volunteer in Spain in February 2026. I speak Spanish and English well, next to Dutch.

I am a sociable, flexible, highly responsible, hospitable and enthusiastic volunteer! My current employer (local government of Utrecht) allows me to work remotely for reduced hours (8 to 10 hours a week) in February and March. In this time, I would love to make myself useful, for example by teaching or helping out with children, in the garden, painting/flooring, kitchen, pets or creative projects. I love a good laugh and I don't smoke. This is a great opportunity for me to discover if I'd like to move back to Spain again, and if so, what kind of lifestyle I'd prefer, because I am still very much in love with Spain!

Experience:
I have done esthetic renovations (new floors, painting, renovating a camper van). I have a vegetable garden with a friend where I do the heavier jobs.
I have cat- and dogsitted for my friends.
I speak English and Spanish well, because I've worked in Australia as an au pair (twice for the same family) and I've worked in Madrid as an English teacher for children and adults at a language academy for 3,5 years. Nowadays I live in Utrecht, The Netherlands, where I work as a policy advisor on social benefits for the local government of Utrecht. Prior, I was an in-company trainer/coach in communication, cooperation and (personal) leadership for 5 years, and I've coached in the hospitality industry.
Even though I'm new on Workaway, I am an experienced traveller, dog- and catsitter, and I've had an excellent helpx stay with a couple on their farm. They trusted me so much to take good care of their animals and plants, that they even took a little holiday themselves while I was there. It was very gratifying for me to help them planning a visit to some relatives further away.

A few reviews:
1) my farmstay: Isa and Humphrey 2017: "We had a great experience with Suzanne here. And we hope she will come here again. We really appreciated her happy mood, and almost constant smile. Suzanne is very adaptable and ready to do whatever needs done. A great help in a settings like ours where things do change and need adjustments. We thanks her for the good time she offered us all."
https://www.helpx.net/account?section=reviewsreceived
2) dogsitting: Catharina M. jan. 07, 2026: "Suzanne took care of my mother’s small 10-year-old Shih Tzu while she were visiting Denmark in 2024, and we couldn’t have asked for a better experience. He can be quite stubborn at times and doesn’t like being left alone, but Suzanne was incredibly patient, calm, and understanding with him. She handled him with great care and respect for his personality, and he clearly felt safe and comfortable with her. It gave us great peace of mind knowing he was in such good hands." https://www.rover.com/members/suzanne-g-happy-to-take-care-of-your-pet-in-its-own-home/
3) dogsitting: Ellen G. dec. 29, 2025: "Suzanne sat our dog Lily in December 2025 which was a great success. Lily absolutely adored her and you could see that the feeling was mutual which gave us a lot of peace of mind. We'd highly recommend Suzanne and would love to have her back."
https://www.rover.com/members/suzanne-g-happy-to-take-care-of-your-pet-in-its-own-home/

What I can offer you:
- Teaching English
- Teaching Yoga
- Doing arts together (painting, drawing)
- Working outside, e.g. in the garden (I share a kitchen garden with a friend)
- Basic sewing skills (e.g. during a helpx experience in 2017 I helped produce dried lavender bags that were sold at the local market)
- Painting walls etc.
- General help in the household (cooking, cleaning)
- Helping out with tourists / guests
- Taking care of animals
- Taking care of children (I've been an au pair twice in Australia)
- Light construction works (I have renovated my own campervan)

Personal interests:
In my free time I love going for a walk or a run, doing yoga, meditation, hiking, biking, playing tennis, the violin and the piano, reading, gardening, watching movies, going to classical and pop concerts, dancing, meeting up with friends in cafes, cuddling/walking/playing with cats and dogs, discovering delicious and healthy food, etc. I don't smoke, I hardly drink and I love to laugh!

I hope this gives you a rough idea of who I am. Of course I'd love to call to give you a more personal impression!

Interests

Vegetarian or vegan

Van life

Self development

Pets

Movies & TV

Events & social

Culture

Charity work

Writing

DIY & crafts

Music

Plant care

Languages

Blogging

Drawing & painting

Carpentry

Gardening

Cooking & food

Books

Art & design

Winter sports

Yoga / Wellness

Sailing / Boating

Nature

Hiking

Dancing

Cycling

Languages

Languages spoken
English: Fluent
Dutch: Fluent
Spanish: Intermediate
German: Beginner

More details about my language interests
I speak Spanish and English well, because I've worked in Australia as an au pair (twice for the same family) and I've worked in Madrid as an English teacher for children and adults at a language academy for 3,5 years.

Find a language buddy

Skills and knowledge I'd like to share or learn

I'm interested in:  

Eco Projects

Being an elderly companion

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Some knowledge of:  

Charity Work

Art Projects

Gardening

DIY and building projects

Animal Care

Life at a Farmstay

Babysitting and creative play

Creating/ Cooking family meals

Helping around the house

Hospitality/Tourism

General Maintenance

House & pet sitting

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Able to teach about:  

Languages

Teaching

More details about your skills

I speak Spanish and English well, because I've worked in Australia as an au pair (twice for the same family) and I've worked in Madrid as an English teacher for children and adults for 3,5 years. Nowadays I live in Utrecht, The Netherlands, where I work as a policy advisor on social benefits for the local government of Utrecht. Prior, I was an in-company trainer/coach in communication, cooperation and (personal) leadership for 5 years, and I've coached in the hospitality industry.

In my spare time I like working with my hands in the vegetable/fruit garden. I've renovated a campervan on the inside. And every apartment / room I've ever lived in, I've left more beautifully than upon arrival because I like to make things pretty (new floors, painting etc.)

Age

37

Some more information

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  Smoker

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  Driver's licence

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  Allergies

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  Special dietary requirements
  I hardly eat any meat, only some chicken sometimes and I've never learnt to appreciate cheese ;) (quite strange for a Dutchie!)