Grettir the strong - Viking festivities

WORK & STUDY/PROJECT: SEEDS volunteers will be mainly engaged in the events connected to a festival devoted to one of the heroes of the Icelandic sagas, Grettir the strong!

We will be involved in preparing, participating and then taking down the festival. The area will be prepared to fit the festival, Vikings tents will be set up and a wooden playground for kids built.

Areas for bow shooting and tests of strength will be arranged. We will also help around with games for the children, competitions and courses related to the Viking culture. After the festival we will help to deconstruct the Viking tents and get the area in its former shape.

Apart from taking part in these activities, we will get to know the place and the history of the area and we can participate in the various courses and seminars held by the hosts during our free time.

Other tasks we may perform during the camp will be cleaning the area, making and maintaining walking paths and assisting in different tasks that might come up during the festival, therefore a great flexibility and open-minded is needed from the group of participants.

ACCOMMODATION: We will stay in a sleeping-bag accommodation with mattresses on the floor, in a local school, with access to living room area, kitchen and bathrooms. Please bring your own sleeping bag.

Food ingredients will be provided and a kitchen will be available, we will share the duties of preparing and cooking meals. Facilities to wash your clothes are in the area.

LOCATION: The project is located in the North West of the country, on the foot of the Western Fjords peninsula, where one of the most famous Icelandic sagas took place. This area is rich in history, here the Viking battled for power and justice. Today it is a more peaceful place, with few farms, small towns and villages, rich on beautiful basalt cliffs and hot springs.

The land is rich of geothermal water and it is used to heat up houses in the surrounding towns. Salmon rivers and fishing lakes are in the area so it is a popular destination for many travellers.

Hvammstangi is the largest town in the area; its main economic activities are fisheries, a variety of services for the surrounding area while tourism is blooming. The museum of Trade and the Icelandic Seal Centre are there, offering educational and art exhibitions all year round.

Iceland was badly hit with the current financial crisis, which did affect the life for foreign visitors in a positive way, making Iceland a much cheaper country to visit, the local currency greatly lost value, many goods and services cost (in EUR) just a half comparing to the year 2007.

LANGUAGE: English will be the language of the camp; high proficiency is not required.

STUDY THEME: This workcamp has an educational/awareness-rising approach to environmental, nature-protection and sustainable development topics. Apart from the leader, we will have an environmental messenger, a person dedicated to organising and developing fun, interactive and educational activities within the project.

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

EXTRAS: Participation fee EUR 150,- (Euros).

Volunteers applying for this project should have a motivation for working outdoors. We will be taken for an excursion for Seal watching, for a midnight boat trip and will have access to geothermal swimming pools in the area. Hikes in the surroundings will also be available. In the free time we can participate in courses and seminars held by the hosts, a great chance to get in touch with one of the greatest Icelandic sagas, Grettissaga, through work and play.

AGE: 18+