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Join us in Dolna Oryahovitsa, 12 minutes away from Veliko Tarnovo- the medieval capital of Bulgaria to help bring a historic old house back to life. This building once served as a lively tavern, an inn during World War II, and later an administrative office during the socialist era. We’re looking for history lovers, DIY enthusiasts, artists, and adventurous volunteers to help restore this unique place and be part of its next chapter. ✨🔨
25 hours of help per week
Building & Repairing: Help with a wide range of repairs or building.
Gardening: Help grow plants and cultivate gardens
2 days off per week
Private Room: You will have a bed in a private room. In other words, a room just for you.
Breakfast: You are entitled to a free breakfast, every day of your stay.
Lunch: You are entitled to a free lunch, every day of your stay.
Dinner: You are entitled to a free dinner, every day of your stay.
Free Laundry: You can use our laundry room freely.
Use our equipped kitchen: Feel free to use our kitchen and make your own delicious food.
Fast Internet Access: High-speed internet for you to work remotely
Dedicated Workspace: Specific space for you to work remotely
Intermediate English
Between 19 and 80 years old
Welcomes solo volunteers, couples, and partners of volunteers
Flights, Travel Insurance, Internal Transportation and Visa
Who are we: A mixed couple in our late 30's who have been hosting guests since over a decade via Couchsurfing and Workaway (ask us for our profile links)
After communism fell, it was bought by a local, with a desire to restore it, however things did not go to plan.And now, we're the new stewards, restoring it to its original glory
**What we're reviving:**
A vibrant international community hub with music sessions, art jams, and affordable Bulgarian living in one of Europe's hidden gems.
- What we offer:
Your own private bedroom and bathroom, a garden that's thriving (occasionally into "small jungle" territory), and a full kitchen where we cook solo or team up depending on the day.
Food on help days — here's how it works:
Breakfast: kept simple — we almost always have eggs (veggie-friendly options too if a vegetarian) and bread, ready for you to whip up something yourself.
Lunch: very "family style," meaning sometimes it's last night's dinner reincarnated as leftovers, and sometimes we jazz it up a bit. Flexibility is the name of the game.
Dinner: we try to gather together as much as possible — some nights it's simple, other nights a bit more of a production, depending how the day treated us.
Guests usually cook twice a week too (a big batch is always appreciated — leftovers the next day are basically a gift to future-you!) while we cook the other days. You can use our supplies that are already there.
**International community:** Connect with expats from around the world
**Explore & travel:** Just 15 minutes from Veliko Tarnovo (Bulgaria's medieval capital) for local adventures; free weekends to travel across stunning Bulgaria!
Bulgaria is affordable, beautiful, and full of heart – perfect for a meaningful summer adventure!
In the summer we tray to start early to finish early. Leave by 8.30 / 9 am and return by 2 pm or 3 pm max depending on when we started. Lunch break is included in between.
We're building a friendly volunteer community to help with hands-on restoration.
**Who we're looking for (experience handy but NOT mandatory):**
- Construction/DIY pros or handy folks for window restoration, painting, repairs.
- Budding Gardeners with creative ideas
- Eager beginners not afraid to get their hands dirty!
We're happy to help our guests in pretty much every way we can — except turning into a taxi service. Sadly, pick-up and drop-off rides are one thing we just can't promise. But if we've got the time and means to lend a hand otherwise, we're absolutely your people.
Since we're all sharing one home (not just a house), we ask that you clean up after yourself, help out with the dishes, and do your part to keep the place looking like humans (not raccoons) live here.
Smoking? Take it outside to the garden — Mother Nature doesn't mind the company.
Alcohol is totally fine, and you're welcome to bring your own to enjoy. We just don't play bartender, mostly because we have no idea how you handle your drinks — so consider yourself fully in charge of your own supply and your own good decisions. After a work day Arne usually offers a chilled beer, it just hits different after work.
Your bedroom is on a different floor from ours, so you'll have plenty of privacy. The bathroom on your floor is mostly yours, though it may occasionally be shared —don't worry, we've got our own bathroom upstairs, so we won't be fighting over the mirror.
Please keep your bathroom and shared spaces tidy — future guests (and us) will thank you.
The washing machine is fair game any time — just give us a heads-up if there's room left in the load so we can sneak our clothes in too and keep things eco
Our wifi is genuinely excellent — fast enough for video calls, Netflix, and existential doomscrolling alike.
We just ask that you're respectful of shared spaces and other people's belongings — basic roommate etiquette.
And last but not least, meet Burfy, our rescue dog who rules the yard with love and mischief. Fair warning: if you're not a dog person, this probably isn't your match made in heaven.
