Join my family for an urban-rural experience near Frankfurt, the heart of Germany

Details

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  Description

  It would be nice to have one or two helpers who want to help me and my parents with community cooking and improving our gardens and old-style small farmhouses.
  
  My US-American parents were both teachers and have been traveling Europe and Germany since 1969. They are full of interesting stories and can give you many tips on what to explore - me as well.
  
  I am an American woman (50), who grew up in rural Germany with five siblings and different animals we had for fun on a small farm. Now my parents have no animals anymore after 30 years. In 2006 I moved to beautiful Wiesbaden, Germany (zip code 65193 ) near Frankfurt´s International Airport). My father (almost 80) still works at a youth center in Wiesbaden, which means he drives 85 km one-way almost every day between my parents' three houses they own, including a guest house (for you) and close to my shared apartment and garden allotment in a typical German garden club with almost 100 gardens, only members can enter and I always need a little help.
  
  At my parent's place in Königsau where I spend several days per month my parents (77, 80), two brothers live (31, 49), my youngest sister (35) with husband (47), and two daughters (4, 12) plus their lovely dog a Border Collie live. Their dog Erie will love to explore the beautiful area with you at the second largest woods with fresh air and water.
  
  Königsau (zip code: 55606, Germany) with 70 inhabitants is near Frankfurt-Hahn, a small airport 25 km away, where you can reach many other European countries with the flight company "Ryanair" or Flixbus, long-distance busses. My parents bought three small former farmhouses in the past ten years in Königsau (König: king), which are partly up to 300 years old. Only 15 km away is a lovely open-air museum in Bad Sobernheim where you can see how people lived in the old days and try very affordable meals and cake, the way it was made in the good old days. Half a minute walk from their guest house is the bus stop that takes you to the next train station. Great area for hiking and exploring the countryside of West Germany, which is close to two important rivers with the highest concentration of castles worldwide - the Rhine and Mosel rivers.
  
  We would love to restore an old baking house and use it like in the old days when the woman of the village got together once a week to bake bread for their families. The property and baking house are next to a beautiful creek with a little waterfall, you can climb and jump in.
  
  Wiesbaden, my hometown where my Dad still works and drives back and forth to and from his property with a guest house for you is an unbelievably beautiful, historical city with 26 hot springs at the Rhine River with many castles.
  Wiesbaden is about 40 km from Frankfurt if you like to explore a rather modern German city.
  
  So, your stay could be a combination of switching between urban and rural life.
  
  This summer I want to get more space ready to host more Workawayers in my parent's guest house, right next to a beautiful waterfall, and get my and my parent's gardens improved for more garden parties, like my father's 80th birthday party he wants to celebrate the whole first weekend in July 2024. I like organizing eco-friendly vegan cooking events and prefer vegetables from local farmers. You would be chopping many vegetables I get from local farmers and helping prepare meals and organize dinner parties with me. In the rural area where my parents live everyone eats meat, but there is a kitchen for yourself in the guest house. Just let us know, what you need.
  
  I like cooking very sustainable, and I try to teach different generations how to use vegetables that do not look perfect, and that farmers have problems selling. I like doing things together and like doing my best to help you organize exploring the area on your own if you like. There is so much to explore here like music festivals, beautiful nature, historic buildings, and many nice people to meet who almost all speak English.

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  Types of help and learning opportunities

  Charity Work

  Help with Eco Projects

  Elderly Companionship

  Gardening

  DIY and building projects

  Creating/ Cooking family meals

  Help around the house

  General Maintenance

  Help with Computers/ Internet
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  Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

  Travelers will get to know a nice rural area of western Germany where my parents live and one of Germany's most beautiful cities, in the middle of Germany called Wiesbaden where I live. From Wiesbaden, you can easily reach many castles along the Rhine River, the city of Mainz and Frankfurt.
  
  Wiesbaden where I live has 26 hot springs, no other city has so many hot springs. Wiesbaden and Mainz, two capitals of German states are divided by the famous Rhine River along with many castles. There is plenty to see here in Wiesbaden, but also in the neighbor city Mainz with its two very old cathedrals. The older cathedral has a big size for back then when it was built, 1500 years ago! The newer one is huge and over 1000 years old, right next to each other. Everything is easy to reach by food in Wiesbaden and Mainz. Frankfurt is a more modern city which has an old historic city center as well, like almost every German city.
  Wiesbaden where I live is the 2nd or 3rd richest city in Germany and you can recognise that by looking at the beautiful historic architecture.
  
  I speak English and German and don´t mind helping you improve one or the other language. My mother was a teacher and has time to help improve your English. She is very talk-active, me as well ;)

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  Help

  I always need help with general housework and small maintenance jobs we can figure out how to do together. Usually, I will be doing the same or other jobs close by. I try to explain everything clearly and answer all questions while you are doing something. So, no worries. If you like to cook and use the kitchen, there is plenty of healthy food you can cook for yourself. If not, I can cook on all days you help me, because I do not like preparing meals alone. On your days off I might not be around, so then you should be planning to cook yourself. I can offer you food vegan/vegetarian food to use when you are alone. Meals with meat I would prepare on working days if you wish. I have many vegan vegetable stews I already have prepared and canned myself for a fast healthy meal and juicy German wholewheat bread.
  
  I have many vintage clothes that need to get ironed and require small sewing work, with hand and needle or with my sewing machine.
  There is always work involved in my garden plot/allotment in Wiesbaden and the gardens of my parents in Königsau. I would be glad if you help with different tasks and enjoy working with your hands.
  
  I like having cooking or dinner parties and hosting people from all around the world :) If you know how to play an instrument and like to practice in front of a small audience, you are very welcome to do so :) My Dad´s 80th birthday celebrations are coming up during the whole FIRST weekend in July 2024. It is a wonderful way to get to know others and practice a new language. If you like to cook for me and other guests, just let me know and we will organize everything you need, I don´t have already.
  
  I am a member of a club that takes care of a nature park in Mainz-Kastel, close to my garden allotment in Wiesbaden. Once in a while, I improve things there when I can. It is very lovely and great to chill and enjoy - I have the keys. It is always open on Sundays and holidays, but I can go any day.
  
  Work is to be done during the day or in the evening, depending on when you would prefer to explore the beautiful surroundings. I tend to sleep long, my parents, too. But you could start earlier in the garden at my parent's house if you are an early riser. My father leaves work at Wiesbaden at 10.30 and drives back from there close to the main train station in Wiesbaden shortly after 8 pm. You can join him and save time getting to the Rhine Main area with many cities like Frankfurt/Wiesbaden/Darmstadt/Mainz you can explore easily from the "Hauptbahnhof Wiesbaden", or just meet me when I am not at my parent's place.
  
  You are the perfect helper if you do not mind getting dirty, can keep yourself motivated, like learning, and feel free to bring up your ideas for improvements.

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  Languages

  Languages spoken
  German: Fluent
  English: Fluent

  This host offers a language exchange
  I can help you improve your English and/or German.
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  Accommodation

  At my parent's house we or you stay in their guest house next to their two other houses. It was a small farm house in the old days and is around 200 years old. There you have a room for yourself or to share with your partner/friend/companion in a bunk or big double bed at my parents property in 55606 Königsau, Germany,

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  What else ...

  I like having travelers over from all over the world and meeting new people, just like my parents who are getting to be Workaway hosts, since it got difficult for guests to sleep at my shared apartment in Wiesbaden. If I have time to explore the area with you together, I will do so. My parents might want to drive with you to the beautiful open-air museum with a lovely Restaurant where they cook and bake, like in the old days in the countryside. Though the area is quite easy to explore on your own and we can give you lots of good advise.

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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

  50 Mbit is available.

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  Space for parking camper vans

  There is plenty of room on my parent's property where we will be doing work together if you stay longer than two weeks. They live in 55606 Königsau, Germany.

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  How many Workawayers can stay?

  More than two

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  Hours expected

  Maximum 4-5 hours a day, 5 days a week. Or 7-8 hours, 3 days a week.

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