Enjoy peaceful surroundings in nature and help with home projects, gardening and energetic large dogs in Bettna, Sweden

Details

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  Description

  I'm Lin, and I love a down-to-earth lifestyle together with my two dogs Luna and Ramses. Between April and October we live on a tiny farm in the countryside 140 kilometres southwest of Stockholm. Only while we live there, I need some extra hands as we stay elsewhere during the winter. The area is mainly land used for agriculture. Around us are cow pastures and fields, and some forest. Here, there are very sparse neighbours, like 1 kilometre between the houses. So it’s quiet here, like an oasis. I don’t have any fields to grow a lot, but I have a garden.
  
  I grew up in the forest in the county of Dalarna in Sweden, so I am a true nature lover from birth. I've been diving a lot into spirituality, and that's where my heart is. I like yoga and meditation. I work remotely with digital communication, making this lifestyle possible. Most of my free time goes to Luna and Ramses. Ramses is a big crossbreed dog ( german shepherd/husky/malamute) and is cheerful, playful, likes playing and running fast! He is a truly highly energetic dog born in March 2022 and weighing 40 kg. In August 2023, a husky called Luna was adopted, and she's 5 years old, weighing 20 kg. She is calmer around the cottage but loves to go for long walks and to run.

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  Types of help and learning opportunities

  Gardening

  DIY and building projects

  Animal Care

  Creating/ Cooking family meals

  Help around the house

  General Maintenance
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  Interests

  

  Sustainability

  

  Culture

  

  Videography

  

  LGBTQ

  

  Pets

  

  Self development

  

  Art & design

  

  Music

  

  Cooking & food

  

  Gardening

  

  Photography

  

  Writing

  

  Drawing & painting

  

  Animals

  

  Cycling

  

  Winter sports

  

  Yoga / Wellness

  

  Nature

  

  Camping

  

  Dancing

  

  Outdoor activities

  

  Hiking
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  UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve

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  What's this?
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  Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

  I can teach you almost anything you want to learn about Swedish culture. Oh well, perhaps not everything. But for example, if you are interested in food, I could show you how to make some typical food dishes in the outdoor kitchen. If you are interested in learning the Swedish language and perhaps have already started, I can help you to practice. I can teach you some new words, too.
  
  I know some traditional folksongs and can happily teach you a few of those. I can teach you some yoga, meditative movements, meditation and Classical Swedish deep tissue massage (used to work as a massage therapist once upon a time).
  
  The area is a typical farm and countryside area. There is a lot of wildlife, unfortunately, but not so much forest left. If you want some quiet, this is like an oasis of calm. I'll invite you to also learn about just being and enjoying the stillness, the simplicity of life.

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  Help

  The last couple of summers, the main focus has been to renovate the panel on the outside of the buildings. This summer I'll mainly just paint with this traditional red "falurödfärg". If you have skills in caring for old wooden buildings, that would be much appreciated. Or if you are just really good at using a paintbrush! Also, the windows need to be renovated, but I am not sure how I can do it myself. The garden is pretty wild, grown in some parts, so if you have skills in gardening in that would be awesome too. There needs to be prepared firewood for the autumn too.
  
  Also, you must be experienced with dogs because the large one (Ramses, 40 kg) can be a lot to handle. He is kind, though and loves cuddles, but can be quite intimidating for someone unused to dogs. Luna is half his size and the boss, also a real people pleaser, but she doesn't like dogs she doesn't know. Luna loves belly rubs and to kiss ppl faces if they allow her. Luna and Ramses play, run and hunt each other freely in the garden (there is a fence around).
  
  The daily walkies can be intense. Both Luna & Ramses have strong prey instincts that often feel like a workout to walk with them as they have to be on a leash. Sweaty walks if there are a lot of wild animals out (deer, hares, elk)! LOL. It's not always the case, but...
  
  Therefore, I am ideally looking for someone used to large dogs. And quite strong at least to be able to at least hold Luna back when she's on leash ;) So I guess this would be a bit too much to handle if one is not used to this kind of full-power dogs. They are also really chill and can relax, but just to be clear so there are no surprises. The dogs are central in my life.
  
  If you enjoy cooking that’s also a skill much longed for as I cook myself every day, so if you’d like to help with making meals and/or perhaps harvest from the garden, like making jam or lemonade etc that is much welcome. I would also like you to help with the dishes and general maintenance, like help with cleaning.
  
  Please keep the room you stay in intact and clean it before you leave.

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  Languages

  Languages spoken
  English: Fluent
  Swedish: Fluent
  German: Beginner
  Spanish: Beginner

  This host offers a language exchange
  This host has indicated that they are interested in sharing their own language or learning a new language.
  You can contact them directly for more information.
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  Accommodation

  There's a room in an extra building just 20 metres from the main cottage, so you have your own space. There's a single bed, a table, chairs, wardrobe. There's a folding bed too (if you travel together with someone). It’s a simple standard and feels a bit like travelling back in time. My dad says I live in a museum. The ceilings are pretty low, so if you are very tall, that can be a bit of an issue...
  
  Wifi is available, and there is also a washing machine you can use. There is a shower, but no modern toilet (no water closet). There is only an outdoor toilet, an old school privy.
  
  I eat three times a day (breakfast, lunch, and dinner) and will happily share food with you in exchange for your help. I eat lots of vegetarian food, but sometimes seafood and wild meat. If you are a vegetarian or vegan, it is no problem for me to just make that kind of food while you are here.

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  What else ...

  Good to know is that it is best if you have your vehicle, as I don't have a car. There is a bicycle you can borrow (if you didn't come by car) to take to the bus (approx 15-20 minutes ride). And there is a nearby town, Katrineholm, if you need to go shopping or visit a bank, or a pharmacy. It's like 25 kilometres away. From there, one can take the train to the capital, Stockholm, and it takes about 1 hour. There are some nature reserves around, but most of them are accessible only by car.
  
  If you want to go for a swim, there is a lake 4 kilometres away where you can also go by bicycle. It's a lovely ride passing old big oak trees near the dirt road that leads there. Near there is a place where you can rent horses also. 


  
  I like to have a good balance of work and rest, and play. I have lived in a few collectives and have travelled quite a lot. Places I have lived in for a longer period are Goa, San Francisco, London, the foothills of the Indian Himalayas and Mexico. I also used to be a host via couchsurfing.org and had some good experiences from that while I lived in Stockholm.
  
  It's good if you are the kind of person who, like me, likes to be in their own "space" and enjoy their own company, as nothing is going on in the neighbourhood of cow meadows and fields. I expect you to be able to respect the quietness of the area and not make lots of noise. This is a good place for you who, in your free time, like to read a good book in the hammock or go for a jog, yoga or bicycle on the dirt roads. Perhaps you like to paint or draw, knit, woodwork or do something else creative with your hands… the room when I don’t have guests is my creative space.
  
  There is a sewing machine too that you can borrow if you like to sew. In the evenings, when it is not too dry (risk for forest fire) or too many mosquitoes, I sometimes make a fire and invite you to join in, perhaps some sharing of life stories under the stars.

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  A little more information

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    Internet access

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    Limited internet access

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    We have pets

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    We are smokers

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    Can host families

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  Can host digital nomads

  This host has indicated that they love having digital nomads stay.

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  Space for parking camper vans

  This host can provide space for campervans.

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  How many Workawayers can stay?

  Two

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  My animals / pets

  

  Luna (5 years)

  Siberian husky

  

  Ramses (3 years)

  German shepherd, malamute, husky

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