Help me and experience authentic Dutch countryside life in Bontebok, Netherlands

Infos

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  Description

  Hi! My name is Lucy, I’m 33 years old and recently moved back to Friesland after living in Amsterdam for several years. I recently bought an old cottage in my hometown of Bontebok and I’m slowly making it my own little place in the countryside.
  
  I’d love to share this new chapter with travellers who enjoy nature, animals, meeting new people and experiencing everyday life in a small Dutch village.
  
  I’ll first tell you a bit more about myself so you have an idea of the person behind this place :)
  
  I work as a dog groomer and animals are a big part of my life. I also love nature, hiking, yoga, healthy food and creating warm and cosy spaces 🐶
  
  Outside of work you’ll often find me horse riding, dancing dancehall or enjoying the outdoors. I love meeting people from different cultures and having good conversations over a cup of tea or dinner.
  
  I’ve travelled, WWOOFed and done Workaway myself over the past 15 years, including in Australia, South Africa and the USA, and have explored many other countries along the way.
  
  After being on the traveller/volunteer side for so many years, it feels really special to now be able to welcome people into my own home. For me, that cultural exchange is a big part of why I want to host. I love hearing people’s stories, learning about other cultures and ways of living, and hopefully sharing a little bit of Friesland and Dutch life in return 🧘‍♀️
  
  My parents live just a short walk away and are a big part of my life here. Bontebok is a tiny village, but there’s a lovely local community, including internationally minded people, and plenty of beautiful nature to explore :)
  
  What am I looking for?
  
  For me, Workaway is mainly about sharing everyday life and doing things together.
  
  There are always little things we can do together around my private home and garden, such as gardening, organising spaces, tidying up, decorating and generally making the cottage and garden feel more like home.
  
  I’m not looking for volunteers to do professional renovation, construction or building work. The cottage is an old house and there will be renovation happening over time, but those jobs will be done separately by professionals.
  
  I’d like us to share tasks rather than you working for me. I’m learning a lot myself about living in the countryside, gardening and taking care of an old house, so if you have ideas or things you can teach me, I’d genuinely love that too.
  
  And hopefully I can share some things with you as well — about Friesland, Dutch culture, animals, the area I grew up in and life here in general.
  
  And now… where will you be staying while? 🏠
  
  There are two buildings on the property. You’ll have your own private room in the main house, as well as your own bathroom with a lovely view.
  
  I stay in the other building, so there is plenty of privacy and space for you to enjoy the countryside and have your own time too.
  
  Good to know
  
  I’m usually at home in the evenings and I enjoy sharing meals, so most evenings we can cook and eat together. I’m generally away in Amsterdam one evening a week for work, so on that day you’ll be free to use the kitchen and make your own plans.
  
  You may also sometimes join meals with my family, who live just a short walk away.
  
  I think it’s nice to have a balance between spending time together and both having our own lives and space.
  
  Vibes
  
  I’m hoping to create a relaxed and enjoyable atmosphere. We can do little projects around the house and garden together, have tea or dinner, go for walks, spend time outside and you’ll have the chance to meet my family and experience a bit of everyday life here.
  
  I have my little dog Scott, so walks and having an animal around are naturally part of life here too 🐶
  
  What I hope to get out of hosting is actually quite similar to what I loved about travelling myself: meeting someone I probably would never have met otherwise, exchanging stories and ideas, learning about another culture and hopefully having a really nice time together.
  
  At the same time, you’ll definitely have your own space and freedom to explore Friesland or just enjoy some quiet time.
  
  If you feel some kind of spark while reading my profile, don’t hesitate to send me a message. We can have a video call, get to know each other a little and you can share your story too.
  
  You’ll be joining a warm family with a love for nature, animals and people.
  
  Oh, and I’m a Libra ♎️
  
  Looking forward to meeting you!

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  Types d'aide et opportunités d'apprendre

  Jardinage d'entretien

  Projets DIY créatifs

  Aide à la maison

  Petits travaux d'entretien
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  Centres d’intérêt

  

  Mode et beauté

  

  Dev. personnel

  

  Animaux de compagnie

  

  LGBT+

  

  Bénévolat

  

  Auto-stop

  

  Animaux

  

  Sports d’hiver

  

  Yoga / bien-être

  

  Nature

  

  Danse

  

  Sports d'aventure
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  Echange culturel et opportunités d'apprendre

  I’d love for you to experience life in a small Frisian village and become part of our little community while you’re here.
  
  My parents live just a minute away. My mother is very creative and organises often creative workshops, and my sister, her husband and their 2 children also live nearby. If you’d like, you’re very welcome to join family dinners, BBQs or other family activities from time to time.
  
  Every full moon there is a beautiful Full Moon Ceremony, and there are yoga classes nearby if that’s something you enjoy.
  
  I regularly go horse riding, and if you’re interested, I’d be happy to introduce you to that part of my life as well 🐴
  
  Friesland is full of forests, lakes and beautiful walking routes, and it’s a wonderful place if you enjoy nature and a slower pace of life.
  
  There is a bike for you to use.

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  Aide

  The help will mainly include:
  
  * Gardening and taking care of the outdoor spaces
  * Organising and tidying up around the house
  * Cleaning and making spaces feel fresh and cosy
  * Decorating and little creative projects around the cottage
  * Cooking together and sharing everyday household tasks
  * Other small projects we can do and learn from together
  
  What we do will also depend on your interests and what you enjoy. I’m very open to your ideas and input too. I’d actually love to learn from the people who stay here.
  
  We’ll mostly be doing things together rather than you working independently for me.
  
  For me, motivation, curiosity and enjoying doing things together are much more important than having any particular skills 😊

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  Langues parlées

  Anglais: Courant

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  Hébergement

  You’ll have your own private place to stay and plenty of free time to explore the area.
  
  Important;
  
  Because I also work 2 days a week, I can’t promise to cook every day. You’re always welcome to use the kitchen, and we’ll definitely share meals whenever it fits. Sometimes you’ll join family dinners or BBQs, while other days you’ll cook for yourself.
  
  For dinner I have a Hello Fresh subscription, so we can cook and eat together most evenings. We also regularly have dinner with my parents, who live just around the corner. We eat mainly vegetarian food.
  
  For breakfast, I usually have oatmeal myself, but there will always be plenty of other options in the house as well. The fridge is normally stocked with things like yoghurt and eggs, and there is always bread and other basics available.
  
  For lunch you’re welcome to make something yourself from what we have at home. I’ll make sure there is enough food available for three meals a day, including on days when we don’t eat together.
  
  I really enjoy sharing meals, so whenever it fits, cooking and eating together will definitely be part of the experience 😊

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  Autres infos...

  Hopefully we’ll work hard, laugh a lot, learn from each other and create memories that last much longer than the renovation itself.
  
  I look forward to meeting you! ❤️

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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

  For digital nomads, we can def create a comfortable workspace with a desk on the private floor, so you can easily combine your remote work with helping out around the cottage.

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  Espace pour garer des vans

  If you’re travelling with your own camper, there’s plenty of space to park it on the property. You’ll be surrounded by nature while still having access to the facilities in the main house, including the kitchen, bathroom and laundry.

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  Possibilité d'accueillir les animaux

  I have a cute 5-year-old Shih Tzu, Scott, who is an important part of the family. If you’re travelling with a well-socialised dog or other pet, they’re more than welcome too.

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  Combien de volontaires pouvez-vous accueillir ?

  Deux

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  Mes animaux

  

  Scott (5 ans)

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