Join our family and learn DIY skills in our garden in the Land of Maas and Waal, Netherlands

Infos

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  Description

  We are a Dutch couple in our late 40’s, who love to meet new people. We have 2 little guard dogs, 2 cats, and more than a few chickens. David works away from home, so you will spend most of your time here with Annemiek. She has lived abroad and loves having international visitors! In his free time David is a sound technician and guitar player and -builder. Annemiek likes to sew, and garden. We have completely renovated our previous home and are builders at heart, but we are getting too old! This is why we would love to share our knowledge and experience in building and diy in exchange for some help around our “new” home. We have lived here for 8 yrs and it is finally time to fix up the garden. Please apply if you are strong and would like to help. Experience is less important, but it would help if you are a practical person.
  
  We have a little caravan with an electric heater and a good bed (for a couple or single person) that you would be welcome to stay in, but if you prefer your tent or van we will find a place for it. You will share the toilet and shower in the house with us. We have 20 chickens, and when they are laying we eat a lot of eggs, and hardly any meat. We will provide 3 meals a day, breakfast and lunch will usually consist of simple sandwiches, in true Dutch style. We are quite laidback, but there are a few things we really don’t like: smoking (not allowed indoors), abuse of alcohol, any use of drugs, radio / music that we can hear. Also, if you don’t like animals, you shouldn’t apply.
  
  The area is rural, we will provide a bike for a single person or a tandem bike for a couple so you can explore the area. Nijmegen is the closest city, it is a 60 minute bike ride from here (there’s also a bus to Nijmegen). Druten is smaller and much closer (10 minutes), it has shops and a few bars and restaurants. You can bike to the rivers Maas and Waal, swim in the Maas, go to the Gardens of Appeltern for gardening inspiration, explore the ancient towns of Hernen and Batenburg, or just hang out in a hammock in our garden and play with the dogs or read a book from our English library.
  
  Annemiek speaks and can teach English and Dutch, David speaks Dutch. We can also understand German and a little French, so don’t worry about the language, we will work it out!

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  Types d'aide et opportunités d'apprendre

  Aide avec des éco-projets

  Jardinage

  Bricolage et construction

  S’occuper des animaux

  Cuisine/repas pour la famille

  Aide à la maison

  Entretien général
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  Echange culturel et opportunités d'apprendre

  You will gain some experience in diy, designing practical things, building them, using hand tools, some power tools. If you are interested in chickens, we can teach you a lot about them. You will probably pick up some Dutch and English. You will learn about Dutch culture and visit some historic towns in the area. Biking is a big part of Dutch culture, we have regular bikes, but also a tandem and recumbent bikes for you to try. David can teach you to ride them if you want.

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  Aide

  Upcoming projects are: fencing the veggie patch, building a composting toilet, outdoor shower, outdoor kitchen, pizza oven, and a garden shed, laying pavement, maintaining the veggie patch, making new garden beds.
  
  ***Our big project for this summer: building a greenhouse. If you have experience with laying bricks we would really like it if you could help us with that!
  
  Please apply if you are strong and would like to help. Experience is less important, but it would help if you are a practical person. We can work together, but if you prefer to work alone that will also be ok.
  
  We have completely renovated our previous home and are builders at heart, but getting too old! This is why we would love to share our knowledge and experience in building and diy in exchange for some help around our “new” home.

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  Langues

  Langues parlées
  Anglais: Courant
  Hollandais: Courant

  Cet hôte propose un échange linguistique
  We can help you learn English and Dutch.
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  Hébergement

  We have a little caravan with an electric heater and a good bed (for a couple or single person) that you would be welcome to stay in, but if you prefer your tent or van we will find a place for it. You will share the toilet and shower in the house with us.
  We will provide 3 meals a day, breakfast and lunch will usually consist of sandwiches, in true Dutch style. We are not vegetarians, but we don’t eat a lot of meat. Let us know your preferences and we will take them into account!
  We eat in the kitchen when we can’t eat outside. Everybody helps with the dishes.

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  Informations complémentaires

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    Accès Internet

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    Accès Internet limité

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    Nous avons des animaux

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    Nous sommes fumeurs

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    Familles bienvenues

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  Possibilité d’accueillir les digital nomads

  I have WiFi in the caravan, it is usually pretty fast. There is a little desk in the caravan and many tables, hammocks and parasols outside so you can even set up a comfortable outdoor workplace.

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  Espace pour garer des vans

  A small van would fit in our driveway.

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  Possibilité d'accueillir les animaux

  No pets in the caravan, but if you have your own tent or van a small dog could be ok. He can play in de garden with my dogs, but only if he doesn’t hunt chickens, chicks, hedgehogs or cats, and if you clean up after him. If he doesn’t get along with my animals I will ask you to keep him confined.

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  Combien de volontaires pouvez-vous accueillir ?

  Deux

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  Nombre d'heures attendues

  Maximum 4-5 hours a day, 5 days a week

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