Rongahuset

We offer accommodation in exchange for work, plus cultural exchange, meaningful tasks, a flexible schedule, and a welcoming family environment. You’ll share our everyday life and meals and help look after our home, including our B&B rooms and small café. You’ll have time to explore the nature and culture of the region, and space to slow down, learn practical hosting skills, and feel useful without pressure. I hope you’ll enjoy your stay and find purpose and connection.

As in any family with teenagers, there can be some drama, but I try to keep things calm for everyone. If you like music, we have instruments, and if you enjoy reading, we have a whole room full of books. I enjoy learning and teaching languages and picking up new skills.

PS. So far, every volunteer through Worldpackers has been wonderful. Some feedback mentions that I don’t use fixed shifts or written task lists, and that’s true! Fixed shifts wouldn’t suit me or the house. Some tasks do need to happen at predictable times, though, like turning over a room when guests leave or tidying the kitchen after each meal, so I organize work around what’s happening in the house rather than around the clock.

We’re an international family: a mother and seven children aged 14 to 38. Two of them (14 and 22) live at home full-time, and 18 lives at home during the holidays. We’re bilingual, speaking English at home and Norwegian outside the house, and we also speak some Arabic, French, and Spanish.

My 22-year-old has Down syndrome. She’s independent and has employed assistants who care for her during the day. If no one else is present for whatever reason, she shouldn’t be left alone in the house, but she doesn’t need personal care from volunteers. She loves playing card games and dancing!

We work out the weekly details together. I prefer small, regular tasks rather than letting everything pile up into a big job. You are not expected to do everything – we share the work as a household. Some weeks are busier than others, and I try to balance them with quieter weeks and extra free time.

You should help around four hours per day, five days a week, with flexibility depending on the season and household needs. It's often easier for me if you take weekdays off rather than weekends, but I'm quite flexible about timing.

I like to host more than one volunteer at a time so the work can be shared and volunteers have company. As long as we are all happy with the arrangement, I prefer long stays.

The main focus is helping with the guest rooms, general housework, and practical tasks, so that everyday life runs smoothly. The guest rooms and café are busiest in the summer, and are often quiet in winter.

You may:
- Assist with guests and guest rooms when needed; this mainly involves helping with breakfast, preparing rooms, and welcoming guests
- Help with housework, tidying, laundry, meals, and general routines
- Help in the garden, especially May–September
- Help with projects like painting, decorating, or practical repairs
- Supervise and interact with the kids as needed, mainly as a friend/family member
- Keep the fires burning and the wood boxes full in winter

Our house is in the centre of Evanger. The local shop is just a couple of minutes away, and the bus stops and railway station are 3-4 minutes from the house. All meals are included; you will share our meals and can also use the kitchen to cook for yourself if you want.

The house is large, with several bedrooms and bathrooms. Single volunteers have a private room whenever possible; otherwise, you may share with one or two others. Couples have a room of their own. You will have access to the whole house: living rooms, music room, kitchen, bathrooms, showers, washing machine, and Wi-Fi. The bedrooms and hallways can be cold in winter, as we try not to use too much electricity, although the bedrooms all have heating. We try to keep the living areas and bathrooms warm, and keeping the fires burning is important in winter.

Parking is free, and there is an EV charging station nearby.