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#Gained courage, reduced fear of English, increased interest in the environment #Experience in environmental volunteering, diverse friends #Awe and a sense of accomplishment from Iceland's nature
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The connections I made in Iceland were truly special. They were curious about each other''s stories but never judgmental. While respecting their own boundaries, they were generous in caring for and cherishing one another. Experiencing such pure goodwill was truly precious. Protecting the great outdoors with my own hands! Environmental conservation volunteer work in Iceland Lee Yeong-seo''s gapper review |
# Hello! With a love for nature, I had a strong interest in environmental volunteering.
Hello! I am a woman in my early twenties currently attending university.
I can usually handle everyday conversations in English without difficulty, but I''ve always had a desire to learn more.
My love of nature made me want to try environmental volunteering and live in nature to fully enjoy its beauty. So I gathered the courage to apply.In the processI also grew more eager to meet people from diverse cultures and hear their stories. It''s truly appealing to see people from different backgrounds come together to work toward a single goal.
* Lee Yeong-seo, who loves nature, had a deep interest in environmental volunteering and set off to Iceland, the mysterious land of the aurora, to experience her preferred country and activities!Want a customized project that''s perfect for you? We highly recommend one-on-one consulting with a gap year specialist!
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# I decided not to hesitate and to actively challenge myself where my heart led.
Through my gap year I set five new goals.
First, I decided to have the courage to try anything.I wanted to avoid overthinking and just take on challenges that appealed to me.
Second, I resolved to have many conversations with a variety of people.Meeting people with diverse stories and cultures is always fascinating!
Third, I decided to reduce my fear of English.I wanted to build confidence by speaking English a little every day.
Fourth, I decided to experience the sea and natural environments more often. I wanted to experience walks listening to the waves and moments of gazing at the blue sea firsthand.
Finally, I wanted to feel proud by cleaning the sea.By making the sea cleaner with small efforts, the sense of accomplishment felt during that process would probably be inexpressibly precious!
# In a short time, I think we shared genuine love and received great healing.
The connections I made in Iceland were truly special.
They were curious about each other''s stories but never judgmental. While maintaining their own boundaries, they were generous in caring for and cherishing one another. Experiences of such pure goodwill were truly precious.
Thanks to that, my sociability improved a lot and I no longer felt awkward. Although it was a short time,I think I was greatly healed by experiencing genuine love shared among each other.All 25 people I spent time with became precious connections to me. In particular, the friends I became close with were E from France, P from the United States, and J and H from Korea. These friends have promised to come visit Korea next September!I''m really grateful and find it fascinating that the encounters in Iceland turned into such meaningful connections.
# I felt I should consistently pay attention to nature and environmental issues.
I learned a lot from my experience in Iceland.
I participated in activities with a mindset of ''just try everything.'' Unexpectedly joyful memories were created in activities I hadn''t expected. Also, my fear of English decreased a lot. I didn''t need as high a level of English as I thought, and as long as there was a willingness to communicate, we could communicate sufficiently.
And!Through volunteering, I directly experienced the reality of the sea..In particular, I realized that fishing-related waste being discarded into the sea is really serious. The problem of marine litter was severe, and I also felt firsthand that sorting trash is not that easy. Through this experience, I learned the lesson that I should continue to pay attention to nature and environmental issues in the future.
Additionally,I really loved the sense of freedom I felt in Iceland''s wide plains.I became certain that I dislike the stifling atmosphere caused by tall buildings in Korea. In Iceland, buildings aren''t tall and the mountains aren''t high; small hills were usually the only things that blocked the view.Thanks to that, I was able to fully enjoy a feeling of expanded sight, and that relaxed pace in nature seemed to heal my heart.
# Iceland volunteer work — this is my daily routine here!
My Iceland gap year was!
On weekdays, after breakfast, I participate from 9 o''clock in one of beach cleaning, warehouse organizing, or other chores.
Around 1 o''clock I return to the accommodation and, after lunch, take part again in one of the tasks mentioned above, then return for dinner. After that, free time is given; you can rest as you wish, walk around, or hang out with others at the accommodation. Volunteers take turns preparing food for the whole group for lunch and dinner — for example, it means you might have to cook for 25 people once or twice yourself haha!!!
On weekends everyone has free time and we usually only have dinner together. (*There isn''t a set routine like on weekdays, and people generally eat freely in the accommodation''s kitchen.)
On weekends you can hitchhike to visit other places, take bus number 57 to travel, or just rest at the accommodation. If you go out on weekends you''ll use krona more than you think, so it''s a good idea to prepare coin krona in advance. At the airport you can buy things in euros and ask to receive the change in krona.
Writing up my life in Iceland like this, I feel that thanks to the fulfilling and varied activities, my life became richer :)
On the first day of arrival and the last day of the volunteer program, you''ll spend time in Reykjavík, The Bookstore BandI highly recommend a pub called "The Bookstore Band"! The band performs here from 8 to 11, and it''s truly a treat for the ears. If possible, I recommend going during happy hour to enjoy cheap draft beer. Hallgrímskirkja is of course a must-visit, and there are various parades, so it''s good to check them out before you leave the country.
On weekends I hiked to a waterfall near the accommodation; there is a river right behind the place, so if you want you can dip yourself in there. Also, I recommend it if you want to see a variety of natural environments such as volcanoes and waterfalls. This unique experience made my time in Iceland even more meaningful!
# My tips for preparing a gap year volunteering in Iceland!
Before leaving for Iceland I booked the most important thing—the plane ticket—reserved the bus into the city after arriving at the Iceland airport, and also looked up how to use Reykjavik''s public transportation in advance. Usually activities are done in groups so there wasn''t much to prepare, but I''ll share items that may be necessary for gappers going to Iceland for volunteering while doing intermittent volunteer work! The need for these can vary by person, so please take this as a reference :)
1. Clothing
It''s good to wear thermal underwear, cotton short-sleeve T-shirts, a hoodie, a work jacket, and thermal or fleece-lined hiking pants.
Since you''ll be moving a lot when working, dress in layers so you can easily take things off.
When you go out to work you''ll be very active and get warm, so wear layers you can remove.
Hiking socks are essential, and it''s good to have dedicated work gloves.
Waterproof shoes and protective overpants sold on AliExpress are useful to bring.
2. Language
There are more foreigners than Koreans, so many people speak English well. Therefore, it''s good to practice English beforehand. However, if you''re sociable you can communicate using body language. Especially if your English listening is weak, you might have difficulty understanding announcements, so becoming friendly with another Korean who speaks good English can be a good way to cope.
3. Other items to prepare
It''s good to bring about 3–4 packets of instant ramen and around 12 cup noodles.
Be sure to bring a tumbler. Icelandic tap water is so clean that you can drink it, so don''t buy water—use your tumbler.
It''s also good to bring indoor slippers. I cleaned my three-striped slippers and brought them!
Be sure to install WhatsApp in Korea and verify it before you go.
There are no hair dryers, so it''s good to bring one.
Communal tableware is mainly used, but if you''re sensitive, bring your own utensils (cutlery and a plate).
Bringing an easy-to-understand board game is good for socializing with people.
4. Things to buy at the local supermarket
When you arrive in Reykjavík on the first day, be sure to buy various snacks and things that can serve as meal substitutes. I bought a week''s worth of whole wheat bread.
Chocolate is somewhat pricey, but it''s very tasty so I definitely recommend buying it!
# My Iceland volunteer gap year!
Experience ★★★★★
: It was an opportunity not only to support the environment and volunteer spirit but also to casually interact with people.
Learning ★★★★
: I was deeply made aware of the reality of plastic. I also learned a lot about film and music.
Environment ★★★
: The cleanliness isn''t perfect. Since it''s located in the countryside, public transportation was a bit inconvenient. Other than that, the bedding was clean and fine.
Safety ★★★★
: There were more insects than expected (in summer), and a lot of heavy, large trash. The beaches are unmanaged so you sometimes can''t see your footing. However, it''s not very dangerous and the leaders are always looking out.
Leisure ★★★★
: You are required to work six hours a day on weekdays, but conversely everything else is free. It''s hard to go sightseeing by public transport, but there''s plenty to see around the accommodation and I enjoyed socializing with people there.
Lee Young-seowho attended the Iceland environmental volunteer projectWant more information?!
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