Icelandic traditions & culture in Reykjavík

WORK & STUDY/PROJECT: SEEDS volunteers in this project will be part of voluntary service combined with non-formal learning activities bringing to the participants knowledge and practical skills on few different Icelandic traditions in the fields of language, gastronomy, folk culture and handcrafts.

SEEDS coordinators (enthusiastic Icelanders) will have prepared lessons on few different issues as:

- Language: Basics of the Icelandic language, its history and basic conversation

- Gastronomy: Cooking lessons on how to prepare some typical Icelandic dishes.

- Folk culture: Guests speakers and excursion on folk tales and "hidden people"

- Handcrafts: Icelandic knitting, how to make your own huts, gloves, scarves & "lopapeysur"

SEEDS coordinators will conduct the lessons and take the volunteers to places related to the topics. The language lessons will be interactive, sometimes in a class room or during the working hours. SEEDS will provide ingredients for the cooking, while materials for the knitting lessons (eg. wool, knitting needles) will be bought by the volunteers themselves according to taste and items to knit.

Volunteers' additional work with the city of Reykjavík; will be focused on trying to keep the city and its public areas lively, attractive, interesting and charming for locals and guests. Tasks may involve painting to cover graffiti tags, tiding up public spaces and face-lifting the city after the winter.

Additional work may be done at the new SEEDS volunteers' base. Volunteers will be assisting and giving contributions to the future development of SEEDS activities.

This project combines different tasks in Reykjavík and its surroundings ensuring diversity and various experiences for participating volunteers.

ACCOMMODATION: SEEDS volunteers will stay in a fully equipped house in Reykjavík; sleeping in shared rooms. Please bring your own sleeping bag. Volunteers will receive food and be in charge of the different cooking and cleaning activities.

Equipped kitchen and washing machine are available. Do not forget some traditional/typical food from your home country for the international evening.

LOCATION: Reykjavík is the capital of Iceland, often called "the nightlife capital of the north". But there is more to Reykjavík than pubs and clubs. Reykjavík also gathers the most interesting of Icelandic culture. It is an incubator of new ideas and styles which often indicates new global trends. It is an International city with a lively Cosmopolitan cultural scene. The world's northernmost capital bridges the Atlantic, between Europe and North America. Reykjavík is spread across a peninsula with a panoramic view of the mountains and the Atlantic Ocean on almost all sides.

The population of the city is over 200,000 including the metropolitan area, so two thirds of Iceland's inhabitants live here. Reykjavík is a dynamic, modern city which lives in harmony with beautiful nature, using renewable energy sources - geothermal power and glacial rivers.

March is the last month when you can see, with a piece of good luck, the Northern lights (Aurora Borealis) in Iceland. In the area closer than 100 Km from Reykjavík, there are several spectacular waterfalls, geysers, impressive coastline and the well-known geothermal Blue Lagoon spa to visit.

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

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

EXTRAS / SPECIAL REMARKS: Participation fee EUR 130. SEEDS will provide volunteers with passes to access free of charge the city's seven geothermal swimming pools and thermal-water beach.

Tours and excursions will be arranged for SEEDS volunteers at discount fares.