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Just dive into that new challenge -- life turns out well anyway.

Volunteer since
2018

Speaks

Fluent in Dutch, English, French, Norwegian. Swedish a little bit rusty. I understand German quite well -- speak only the basics.

Last seen online
more than 6 month ago

About me

I'm an active, social person with a very wide range of interests. Sometimes, it's a challenge to satisfy all these aspects inside me. That is why I'm here on workaway: to explore different things in life, to get inspired by other people, a new environment and a wide variety of volunteering tasks.
I'm a hardworking person (sometimes too much) but through the years I learned to appreciate the power of some time off as well grin
HIGH LEVEL PRESENTATION
I'm good with MENTAL STUFF (logic, organization, languages, figures, computers, ...) but at the same time I really enjoy switching off my brain and doing MANUAL LABOUR, even for looooong periods grin
My CREATIVITY needs some space as well, e.g. through playing the piano (however, I started learning playing the violin as this instrument is a lot more portable grin ). Or being creative in a more practical way: I'm good at finding innovative solutions to handle a challenge or just to improve things.
Lastly, although being basically an introvert, I am a SOCIALLY active and sensible person. I need interaction with people in any way. E.g. through work in team or as a team lead, sharing daily life with the (many) people I live with, serving guests in tourism, being a group guide. However, as an introvert, I need some time for myself to recharge after intense social interaction.
Contact with nature is a constant in my life. I need lots of time outside to feel good in my skin. Nature is where I am home.
MY RECENT HISTORY
From 2015 to 2012, I invested almost all of my time and energy as one of the founders of Kasteelklooster Sint-Jansberg, which hosted many workawayers as well. It was a gorgeous place with a fantastic, positive energy and marvelous people. We founded the place to become a "bridge to a new world", where everyone truly can be themselves. Spiritual, hippie, John Average or rather businesswoman? Anyone and everyone was welcomed and felt at home. Allowing yourself to be yourself is the first step towards more happiness.
We don't use the word "tolerance", as it is superfluous. At Sint-Jansberg, you come to a place that is open to whoever and however you are. This way, we put a lot of "spirituality" into practice here.
Sint-Jansberg had a co-housing community, organic restaurant, organic veggie garden, many party rooms breathing the 1800's castle atmosphere and a rusty chapel from the middle ages wink We organized workshops, seminars, concerts, festivals, art exhibitions, teambuildings, host family parties and business events.
Finally I gave up my management position in Sint-Jansberg because I felt my role as a founder had ended. Time for a new phase in my life.
During the next two years, me and my life companion Arnaud traveled around, volunteered, went to a Norwegian "folk high school", ... carving out the frame for our new lives.
Last year, I picked up my role as founder of an IT-consultancy business again: Kapernikov (http://www.kapernikov.com). After all, I'm an engineer in computer science and I can't deny that part of me completely. It seems like I am finally getting to a healthy balance between this work (both hands-on IT and developing our team and business) and time for myself and other interests.
Until 2012, I worked on a regular base as a teambuilding trainer and as a group guide for outdoor-camps (for children as well as adults). Time being limited, I gave up these activities.
WHY DO I WANT TO WORK-AWAY?
I am always close to an overdose of mental and office work. When working away, I want to get my hands dirty.
After years investment of energy, time and money in my "own" project (Sint-Jansberg), I want to contribute to the success of other places that make the world more beautiful.
Inspiration is the second reason: While working-away, I want to have new experiences and gain insights on what aspects I feel are important for my life further on. Something sustainable, in a different way than the traditional 9-to-5 job, mortgage and TV-evenings. I want to learn from you, from the other people around, from the experiences.
And I want to give back our labour, knowledge and maybe some wisdom, who knows wink
I have experience with working-away both as a volunteer (some months on farms in New Zealand a few years ago) and as a host (Sint-Jansberg).
I enjoy very much diving into a new environment (I feel at home very easily) and adapting myself to this new situation, habits, rhythm.
CHARACTER TRAITS
Dependable
Fast learner
Social
WHAT I REALLY LIKE BEING INVOLVED WITH
This is not an exhaustive list. At all. I am open for about anything, as long as the larger part of it is outside.
So this list just shows my preferences:
Working OUTSIDE!!!
Working with nature
Working with farming in general. I like animals, too, maybe even slightly better than veggies.
Working with people:
*️️️️ Contact with the guests (e.g. in a touristic environment)
*️️️️ Assisting or guiding a group
WHAT I EXPECT FROM A HOST AND THE VOLUNTEERING ENVIRONMENT
*️️️️ Please let me work in team. Two people are a team. Working individually for a week is not. (Even though this would be exceptionally ok for me).
*️️️️ I become very happy when I can merge into a warm, welcoming, established home. I am very discrete and respect your privacy. Please let me in to get to know your everyday life. In return, I promise contribute to the positive atmosphere in your family/community. And to be discrete and respect your privacy.
*️️️️ Openness. I am not attached to any religion, spiritual thought, political view, ... I don't see strange, weird people or habits, as everyone is unique and so everyone is weird in their way. As you are here on workaway, I trust you have this openness, too grin
As for the physical environment: I hope nature is green in and around your place. Some nearby water for some skinny dipping would be an absolute bonus grin
SPARE TIME? MY HOBBIES
violin, piano
volley ball
mountain hiking, canoeing, horseback riding
enjoying a good conversation or a book in the shade of a tree under your sunny sky
LINKS
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/janfrederik
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/janfrederik
Kapernikov: http://www.kapernikov.com
Outdoorschool: http://www.outdoorschool.be

Preferred location

I will travel specifically for the project where I will volunteer. So the destination is not fixed yet grin
One requirement is the weather: it should be comfortably warm and preferably sunny during my month of travel (February - March).

Skills

I am practical and fast working with my hands. However, I don't have much experience with specific skills like building, carpentry, piping, electricity, specific knowledge about plant care and agriculture, ...
However, I'm an extremely fast learner: show me once what to do and I will pick it up in a blitz. And nowadays, the internet is a fantastic source of knowledge, too (remember: computers are my friends). So I'm not at all afraid of tasks that I didn't do before.
I am an extremely skilled IT-person. I do some graphic work as well. And administration and bookkeeping have been my second nature. However, that is not what I want to do as a volunteer. Computers and office-work are a job for me.
I am a dedicated, friendly and efficient host for guests. Serving people (e.g. café, restaurant, hostel, camping).
I love working with people as a group too, even on long trips. Guiding camps, mountain trips, canoeing excursions, ...
I master following languages:
Dutch (mother tongue)
English
French
Norwegian
Swedish
Basic German
And there is always room for more grin

Additional info

I am not a smoker, I have a drivers license, I am not a vegetarian and I have no allergies.

Flexitarian: I prefer vegetarian food, but eat meat if that is what is served.

Type of work I want to do

  • animal care
  • computer help
  • eco projects
  • farming
  • gardening
  • hostel support
  • house sitting
  • internet support
  • language practice
  • maintenance tasks
  • pet sitting
  • teaching projects
  • tourist support

Where I want to volunteer

Asia

Maldives

Africa

Madagascar, Mauritius, South Africa

Caribbean

Anguilla, Antigua & Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Cuba, Dominica, ... 14 moreDominican Republic, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Jamaica, Martinique, Montserrat, Netherlands Antilles, Puerto Rico, Saint Vincent & the Grenadines, St Kitts & Nevis, St Lucia, Trinidad & Tobago, Turks and Caicos Islands, US Virgin Islands

South America

Falkland Islands, French Guiana, Suriname

Oceania

Australia, Cook Islands, Fiji, French Polynesia, Guam, Marshall Islands, Nauru, New Caledonia, New Zealand, ... 8 moreNorfolk Island, Northern Mariana Islands, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu

Central America

Belize, Costa Rica, Panama

Travel dates

More photos about me

Mountains are my second home
Teaching kids outdoor survival skills
Norway
Holiday in Crete with my boyfriend