Culture & fun in the east fjords

WORK/PROJECT: This is the first time SEEDS organises projects of this type, even though we have been working with the municipality Seyðisfjarðarkaupstaður in the past. This project is different from many others because it is based on a cultural experience and voluntary service exchange, giving participants the opportunity to experience a real Icelandic fishermen community in the East fjords.

Seyðisfjörður is a beautiful town in the north of the east coast, a welcoming town booming with creativity and rich in history. Inhabited by about 650 people the town acts as one big family, and a friendly one. Everybody is welcome to this little paradise and locals want to share the goodness with everyone.

The volunteers will help the locals to change and move the town school and library. Volunteers help with moving furniture, assist and help the community school to settle in the school building. Participants will help out with moving household items and equipment between houses, the building where the library is to be set up in the old school, take down the home economics room and put it in another house. Helping to sort and pack books, move books between houses, to a storage and into the new library, assembling shelves, help carpenters, and arrange the books, make premises ready to receive residents and students.

Some part of this project can be physically demanding but it is has varied tasks for everyone.

The volunteers will be invited to dinner by families in town, go to the swimming pool and the gym. Guided walks in the nature surrounding the town, bonfire with locals and a concert in the neighbouring fjord.

ACCOMMODATION: SEEDS volunteers will stay in the school house, in a sleeping bag accommodation, with shower facilities and kitchen. Lunch will be provided by the host on week days.

Volunteers will be sleeping on mattresses on the floor in shared rooms. Please bring your own sleeping bag. Food ingredients will be provided and volunteers will share the duties of cooking and cleaning. Please do not forget some traditional/typical food from your home country for an international evening.

LOCATION: The long, calm, deep fjord of Seydisfjordur twists and turns 17 kilometres from its mouth to the head of the fjord, where the town of the same name stands. Seydisfjordur is regarded by many as one of Iceland’s most picturesque towns, not only due to its impressive environment, but also because nowhere in Iceland has a community of old wooden buildings been preserved so well as there.

The community, like so many others in Iceland, owes its origins to foreign merchants, mainly Danes, who started trading in the fjord in the mid-19th century. But the crucial factor in the evolution of the town was the establishment of the Icelandic herring fishery by Norwegians in 1870 -1900.

What makes Seydisfjordur unique is the location. Rammed in between two high and steep mountains, Strandartindur and Bjólfur. Climbing one you not only get the view of a lifetime but could also be lucky enough to wander upon a group of reindeer.

LANGUAGE: English will be the language in the camp; basic conversational skills are needed.

TERMINAL: Closest International Airport: Keflavík/Reykjavík (KEF). Bus station: Central Reykjavík (BSÍ).

SEEDS organises the “minibus option”, a shared transport from Reykjavík to the camp and vice-versa, which apart from being cheaper and more convenient, allows volunteers to meet fellow campers and have a relaxed trip, while stopping on the way for interesting and tourist sites.

EXTRAS / SPECIAL REMARKS: Participation fee EUR 350 (Euros).  This fee is paid to SEEDS on arrival in Euros or Icelandic krónas and it includes the transportation from Reykjavík to the camp location and back (on the first and last day of the camp). We will have the chance to drive all around Iceland, about 1500 Km, where we will stop at different beautiful and impressive natural sights.

Departure time will be at 8:00 (8:00 am) in the morning of August 1 from the meeting point in Reykjavik.

The hosts will organise some free-time activities for the volunteers depending on the weather. Please bring warm clothes and outdoor wear as the weather in Iceland can be unpredictable.