SEEDLING MAGAZINE Issue 2 Winter 2021

S E E D L I N G M A G A Z I N E ISSUE 02 WINTER 2021

THE SECRET DIARY OF A SEEDS PLOGGER

Short story about Samerd and Remas lost and found in the whiteness

Audiovisual Connecting People to watch and listen

WHAT PLOGGING IS ABOUT

Norðurljós Mystery of the northern lights

Gen Z

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speaking of generations

Volunteering for Iceland Who we are: SEEDS Iceland is an Icelandic non-governmental, non-profit volunteer organisation designed to promote intercultural understanding, environmental protection and awareness through work on environmental, social and cultural projects within Iceland.

SEEDS main activities relate to the promotion of environmental protection and awareness, intercultural understanding and peace, through the work on social, cultural and environmental projects in Iceland.

SEEDS’ goals: SEEDS enables volunteers to get to know Iceland from a different perspective, to meet the locals and have an insight into Icelandic culture, learn new skills, gain international understanding, make new friends all over the world, and give something back to the environment; thus, the mutual rewards for the volunteers, communities and ecosystems are massive.

We aim to empower, inform and expand the horizons of people of all ages, cultures, and backgrounds, to become aware of the world in which we live and to take an active role in its future development. SEEDS provides opportunities to live, learn, understand and experience, while sharing and cooperating with others from different cultures and backgrounds.

Our web: www.seeds.is Our Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/seedsiceland

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Norðurljós

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Short story about Samerd and Remas

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Generation Z

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The secret diary of a SEEDS plogger

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Kitchen Corner - VEGAN Mousse au Chocolat

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Audiovisual Connecting People

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Yearbook - SEEDS Team Winter 2021/22

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Horoscopes

Dear Readers, We were the ones who chose to spend the winter months in Iceland.

“Bold decision” we were told.

The shortest day during this period lasted only 4h12min. The sun rose, remaining low in the sky and soon set afterwards. Looking at the sky you would never know which direction it was facing.

But paradoxically this time was full of light and inspiration. Dark moments gave space to imagination, the slightest glimmer could be visible in all its spectrum, dancing flames of candles brightened rooms with a soft glow and the aurora lit up the sky…

In this cosy atmosphere bonds between people grew stronger and hope filled the air. Hope and gratitude that we could spend more time together. Time that wouldn’t be called “dark and dreary” by any means.

So again we are offering you some insight into our world.

With the first signs of spring noticeable through the window, enjoy your moments with SEEDLING. Kasia

MANY THANKS TO THE SEEDLING TEAM, CONTRIBUTING AUTHORS & PHOTOGRAPHERS:

Alex Kassapis from Greece Beatrice Spinato from Italy Cherry Law from Hong Kong Clare Nedin from Wales Karol Slovík from Slovakia Kasia Święch from Poland Lennia Gallati from Switzerland Luís Lopes from Portugal

NORÐURLJÓS Mystery and wonder shroud the northern lights, otherwise known as the aurora borealis. Mesmerising, stunning, otherworldly are just a few words used to describe the experience of watching this spectacular phenomenon. Yet, many don’t know what they are.

Before science could explain the source of the dancing lights in the sky, different peoples told many stories about their origins. Some Native American groups reportedly believed the aurora represented the spirits of the dead. The brighter they shone, the happier the deceased was said to be. In Finnish, the word for northern lights, “Revontulet,” translates as “Firefox.” Thus, the Sami people of Finnish Lapland thought that the lights resulted from the Firefox running across the snow so quickly that his tail threw sparks into the sky. The Northern Lights feature prominently in Norse mythology as well. One legend suggests that the lights were reflections or glow from the shields and armor of the Valkyrie, female warriors who handpicked warriors from the dead that fought in the doomsday battle known as Ragnarök.

Surprisingly, it was Galileo Galilee who witnessed the northern lights in 1621 and coined the phrase aurora borealis (aurora for goddess of the dawn, borealis for the Greek god of the north wind), but he thought it was caused by sunlight reflecting off the Earth’s atmosphere. It wasn’t until 1908 that the Norwegian Kristian Birkeland proposed the first accurate theory – and amazingly, this was only proven in 1967 when a US satellite recorded strange disturbances each time it passed over the poles.

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To make it easier aurora is similar many business si neon gas within signs give off the principle but at a Jupiter, Uranus, well.

So, we now know ticles reacting w colors? What giv ticles cause oxyg color but sometim might also have Earth’s atmosphe Oxygen gives off gen causes blue o

r to explain, we can say that what happens in an r to what happens in the neon lights we see on igns. Electricity is used to excite the atoms in the the glass tubes of a neon sign. That’s why these eir brilliant colors. The aurora works on the same much grander scale and not only on planet Earth!

Neptune, and Saturn all experience auroras as

w that the aurora is caused by charged solar parwith the earth’s atmosphere. But what about the ves the aurora its shine? Well, the collision of pargen and nitrogen to glow. Most aurora is green in mes you’ll see a hint of pink and strong displays red, violet and white colors. Different gases in ere give off different colors when they are excited. ff the green color of the aurora, for example. Nitroor red colors.

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DOWN TO SCIENCE

Our sun is 93 million miles away. But its effects extend far beyo face. Great storms on the sun send gusts of charged solar partic space. If Earth is in the path of the particle stream, our planet’s m atmosphere react. Also, on the surface of the Sun, the superheated highly explosive. During these solar eruptions or solar flares, ho into space which then travels towards the Earth. This is called so

The Earth is constantly immersed in solar wind, b to cause the emission of light in the sky. In period see rays and curtains as well as the majestic coro rays radiating from one central location overhead a specific shape with any special features, this is w a faint hue similar to sunset and is most likely to b exposures, not often by the naked human eye.

But solar activity isn’t regular. Dis form having no regulation. This n traordinary to witness! The aurora They’re usually visible above a lat south (the ‘southern lights’ are call of approximately 64 degrees north lights.

However, being in I not visible all year day. It all depends o mean the aurora is generate auroras tha

The visib etary not a for e catio

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ond its visible surcles hurtling across magnetic field and d gas molecules are ot plasma is blown olar wind.

but it must reach a certain strength ds of higher solar activity, we can ona aurora, which is a corona of d. When the lights do not take on what we call a diffuse aurora. It is be detected by cameras with long

splays vary in intensity and duration, shape and natural phenomenon is hard to predict, yet exa only appears near the Earth’s magnetic poles. titude of 60 degrees north and below 60 degrees led the aurora australis). Iceland sits at a latitude h, making it the perfect place to see the northern

Iceland does not guarantee that you will see the lights. They are round and even in winter, they do not necessarily appear every on the solar wind and a little bit of luck! Low solar activity can only visible for a few minutes, whereas high solar activity can at last all night.

Kp-Index provides a valuable estimate of where the northern lights might be ble. It derived from the German “Planetarishe Kennziffer” meaning “Plany Index” - a measure of geomagnetic activity in the Earth’s atmosphere. It’s an exact science as other factors come into play (cloud cover and daylight example) but roughly speaking, the Kp forecast provides a reasonable indion as to where the aurora borealis might appear.

The Kp-Index ranges from 0 to 9 representing geomagnetic activity on an increasing scale. When it reaches Kp5, activity is said to have reached storm level and is also measured using the Geomagnetic G-scale from G1 (minor) to G5 (extreme).

Using this scale, it is easy to determine what kp number you need to have a chance of seeing the auroras where you are. So, look at the map and check which line and which corresponding kp number is on top or just above your location. Remember this number, it will never change (at least for the next 20 years).

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MAGAZINE

WHAT PEOPLE BELIEVE(D) 1. A baby conceived under the northern lights will be beautiful and lucky In Chinese and Japanese cultures, it is still believed that a child conceived under the northern lights will be blessed with good fortunes – and good looks.

With solar activity near its peak, Tromsø, in Norway, has seen a surge in Japanese tourists.

2. The northern lights ease the pain of childbirth In old Icelandic folklore, it was also believed that the northern lights would ease the pain of childbirth. Just don’t look at them before giving birth. Icelanders also believed that pregnant women looking at the aurora would have cross-eyed children.

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3. If they tu

On the few occasion lights has been seen rope, it was normall and terrifying sight m an omen of war and Just weeks before th broke out, dramatic were seen in Scotl

urn red, run

ns when the northern n in the south of Euly red. This very rare made people see it as d bloodshed to come. he French revolution c red northern lights land and England.

4. Don’t whistle at the northern lights The biggest mistake you can commit while viewing the northern lights is to wave, sing or whistle at them. Alerted to your presence, the spirits of the lights will come down and take you away.

Clap your hands and you’ll be safe.

Having said that, North American Indians often whistled at the northern lights to encourage them to come closer so they could whisper messages that would then be taken back to the dead.

5. Time to go fishing People in northern Sweden believed that the northern lights were created by huge shoals of herring in the northern seas and that a spectacular showing meant bountiful catches were in the offing.

Beatrice

SHORT STORY AB OUT SAMERD AND REMAS

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hite. Like a plain canvas. That’s the color of the beginning of this story.

Because this story happened on a very snowy day. It looked like a milky sky had spilled all over the land. Thousands of clouds.

White, gray, even black, all running down.

Covered by a snow herd of clouds – sheep left the empty field behind.

Well, almost empty.

A couple of silhouettes appeared. One steady and the other one slowly walking to meet it.

Both were alone but together. Both looking for something hidden beneath the snow cover.

The art of losing isn’t hard to master Remas, a white wolf wasn't strange to the darkness. With his white fur and black cross-like mark between the eyes, you could hardly see him in the winter snow. Only a few saw Remas know he had lost all his teeth and even less of them know what caused his state. The legend says that a long time ago the devil himself once took the form of a wolf to harm. To do so, he tried to bite off the Creator's left hand but as soon as his teeth touched the hand, they all shattered like glass. White shards covered with his blood fell all over the land and on the place where they hit the ground, holes burned and the blood kept flowing. When the great Creator saw it, he didn't kill the wolf. He looked at him and marked him between the eyes. Gave him a gift - immortality. So, from that moment the wolf without teeth will wander around the land in eternal misery, crying every night over his sins to do no more harm to anyone.

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But there is another story. About the big fire that destroyed everything in its way. After that fire, nothing grew back as before. As trees were burning and smoke covered the unavoidable sun, all spirits of the forest were trying to escape, to save themselves. But not all of them were fast enough. No help was on the way.

Only one wolf saw the disaster. Without hesitation, he ran in and out of the woods, and each time he was carrying different helpless creatures. The wolf's black fur burned to his skin and his teeth fell out one by one as he was saving everything he could. Some say it was his tears that put out the fire, others say it was his blood. Needless to say, many lives were turned into the ash of memory, but many of them were saved by this wolf. Everything changed after that fire. No tree ever grew back and the forest was gone forever. Only the wolf's fur grew back but white as the wolf become the last living spirit of this forest. The sad wolf kept pushing his face into the ash to wear a memory of those that he couldn’t save.

Yet, Remas followed the voice of his hunger, which led him here. Straight to Samerd, a little black lamb that lived in the darkness and like many times before, lost her way. Those two belong to no one, with no way to go. A hungry wolf and a blind lamb in shaking winter.

The distance was getting shorter. Last meeting.

Predator and prey, the story with a clear end for outlanders. But this day was not as clear as the past. In this winter all the ways were covered, and all the footsteps disappeared in the snow. In summer waves wash the footsteps on the black sand, the muddy footsteps dry and crumble. Everything was gone - the pack of Remas, the herd of Samerd.

The art of losing isn’t hard to master and the wolf and the lamb master it well.

The last story remains untold. The one with stars. It was stars that fell into Samerds’s eyes and left her blind. At that time, stars used to fall into the eyes of those whose hearts were broken.

To dry their tears, to seal their wounds. It wasn’t a natural law. It was an empathy. The miracle from space that can’t be explain.

Many would say that it was God's blessing, that Samerd was there. As they used to say when they come across blind sheep. It was believed that being blind was a blessing. This legend was told for centuries before it was forgotten. A herd of sheep was called to God's garden during winter, so they could graze on his land. To get there, all the sheep had to do was to follow God's voice through the forest. To obey and fulfill God's will, all of them closed their eyes and followed his voice. At the beginning their faith was strong, but the deeper they went into the forest, the sheep barely heard anything, it almost seemed that they would get lost. In fear of wandering off the sheep opened their eyes and chased the light to the end of the dark woods. Not listening to God's voice, they all ran straight to the big fire where they burned. All except one. The last blind sheep. Only she was grazing grass in God’s paradise. She endowed with great offspring and brought benefited its shepherd in the form of the warmest wool. Back in the old days, this story was told on long nights by campfires, and lots of shepherds blinded their herd believing this would bring them a blessing.

But Remas, a wolf without teeth saw something else. When they finally meet, those blank eyes were watching him. And from that darkness, a spark fell down to his paws. Only those who were burned by the fire of pain can understand.

Only they will understand what was following.

Because at that moment, something unusual happened, in fact, it was almost magical.

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Samerd for the first time saw light and it sounded so familiar. Like a heartbeat with the rhythm of her own heart. Like an old song, she used to sing. Not knowing any of those stories she was the only one that saw the wolf. Not a monster nor an angel. His soul and empty space inside him, which he thought was no man’s land. The voice of his hunger subsides for the sound of her silence. And the lamb found a strange comfort in his quiet company.

The peace didn’t feel so wrong. Heartbeats together and footsteps disappear under the same snow. Both walk around and walk together. Not chasing her eyes or his teeth. Away from nightmares that could bite him, away from colorful dreams that could lie to her. Through frozen land, through burnt land. Both together looking for a way to start.

White. Black. These stories seem not to have lots of colors and this peculiar one does not involve monsters that you need to be afraid of. No dangers, no harm, no blessings, no curses. Only deep scars in innocent hearts. Hearts that feel so (too) small to love someone once more.

There were more white days and snowy storms on their way. Days that remember Remas’s hunts and nights that were bitten by his lost teeth. His greetings to the full moon and his running through the forest. Days that watched Samerds’s dreams flying higher than the sky and cold nights warmed by her dark wool. Her singing with the herd and her sights into souls.

Those days lead them here and led them further.

Many stories have been told and like those lost stories at the end, Remas and Samerd were losing something every night. But in the light of the new day, they find themself on the new path of hope.

The art of losing isn’t hard to master.

Because they lost themself, but they found themselves, and somehow, that was enough.

Karol

GENERAT What differentiates us humans? Is it our age or our characteristics that define us?

Maybe it’s a bit of both. We differentiate society by putting people in so called generations. As of now, we are speaking of six different generations:

As I am a proud representative of generation Z, this article is going to be all a and early 2000 we are all digital nomads. Laptops, smartphones and tablets were them anymore. We use our digital helpers in every aspect of our lives, including text messages to communicate, my generation has found an easier way: we either se (Graphicws Interchange Format). There is a well know saying that a picture can “ with our use of digital devices is the ability to multitask. We could be studyin are watching TV, we are also on our phone texting someone. And for some reason, o That unfortunately also means that our attention span is quite short and it’s ha

TION Z Silent generation: 1928 to 1945 Baby Boomers: 1946 to 1964 Generation X: 1965 to 1980 Millennials: 1981 to 1996 Generation Z: 1996 to 2005 Generation Alpha: 2005 to present

about us and the characteristics that define our generation. Born in the nineties already around for the better part of our childhood, thus we cannot live without navigation, translation, leisure and careers. In comparison to Millenials who use end a voice memo, use abbreviations or just simply choose a fitting sticker or gif “say more than a thousand words” and we’ve taken this quite literally. What comes ng, while at the same time listening to music or watching a TV series. Or while we our brain is still able to focus on what is important and shut the other noise out. ard for us to focus on one thing for a longer period of time.

Another thing that unites us is our tendency to be complete introverts. We’d ra schedule a doctor's appointment. The same goes for speaking up about a wrong ord sonally feel this is a fear of confrontation with people. This is something we least, the vast majority of us. However, we are very well able to forget about t leads me to the next point.

One distinctive ace up our sleeve is how we use social media to our advantage. S of view. We’d be able to start a global movement in a matter of hours with one terests are the things that happen around us. During our lifetimes this applies normalisation of sexuality and identity apart from heterosexual and cisgender*. believe in, we stand for, we speak up, we protest, we fight back. There is a Bla there. A protest about pro choice when it comes to abortion, you got it we are generation is much more open-minded and very often represents the opinions I ju 18

ather spend an eternity writing an email instead of making a quick phone call to der or telling the person serving you that we didn’t like the meal we had. I pere manage to do quite well on The Internet, but do not master it in real life. At this tendency of ours when it comes to standing up for what we believe in, which

“[Gen Z] is a force to be reckoned with. We are strategic, we are organised. Make sure you’re listening to the voice of young people because we are not just the future, we are the present and we need, and will, get a seat at the table where decisions are made.” – Chelsea Miller *the gender someone identifies with that matches their sex at birth

Social media has already become a playground for expressing our political point e single video upload. And what has a great impact on our character and our ins to the fight for gender equality, as well as against racism and the fight for Those are the fights we are fighting, the goals we want to achieve. For what we ack Lives Matter protest, we are there. There is the yearly pride parade, we are there. Of course, not everyone stands for those values, but I dare say that our ust addressed.

LENNIA 19

THE SECRET DIARY OF A SEEDS PLOGGER* *PLOGGING (N.) – PICKING UP LITTER WHILE JOGGING PRELUDE COVID19 HAS HIT SEEDS. NO CAMP NEXT WEEK. I WILL SUGGEST DOING A PLOGGING WEEK. AN ACTIVE WEEK. THANK YOU FOR THE DAY! DAY 1 (MEATLESS) MONDAY. PLOGGING DAY 1. FOUND A RANDOM TRASH BAG! WE LEFT BREAD AT THE GRAND MOSQUE OF ICELAND AND THEN PLOGGED ALONG TO ESKIHLIÐ STREET! A LOT OF PLASTIC GARBAGE NEAR BUSHES AND TREES, PROBABLY BECAUSE OF THE WIND. TWO BELTS WHICH WE WASHED AND CAN PROBABLY REUSE. THANKSSSS. DAY 2 (TRASHLESS) TUESDAY. PLOGGING DAY 2. 2ND CONSECUTIVE DAY THAT WE FIND A RANDOM TRASH BAG! WE SPOTTED CLOTHES AND SHOES WHICH WE COLLECTED AND WASHED AND TOMORROW WE WILL PUT THEM IN THE RED CROSS CONTAINER. THE BELTS HAVE DRIED. CHERRY GOT ONE, AND I GOT THE OTHER ONE. THANK YOU!!

DAY 3 MORNING ENTRY (WASTELESS) WEDNESDAY. 3RD CONSECUTIVE DAY THAT WE FIND A RANDOM TRASH BAG! IS GOD SPONSORING US? WE FOUND SOME CANS WHICH WE TOOK HOME AND THEN TO THE RECYCLING PLANT FOR SOME MOOONEY. LOTS OF PLASTIC TRASH BETWEEN THE PATH AND THE HIGHWAY, STUCK BETWEEN THE TREES. SANITARY TOWELS. CHOCOLATE WRAPPERS. CRISPS. WE FOUND A YOGA MAT WHICH WE CLEANED AND WE ARE NOW USING! CLOTHES AND SHOES DONATED. I REALLY LIKE THAT WE REUSE, RECYCLE AND NOT JUST THROW AWAY WHAT WE FIND. THANK YOU AND THANK YOU CHERRY. NIGHT ENTRY PLOGGING HAS BECOME AN OBSESSION. I CAN’T WAIT TO GO AGAIN. THE SHEER THOUGHT OF A NEW DISCOVERY PROVIDES PURE EXCITEMENT. AND THE THOUGHT OF ALLOCATING THINGS. WE HAVE OUR PLOGGING ECONOMY HERE. I WONDER IF CHERRY ENJOYS IT AS MUCH. I LOVE THE BELT. CAN’T WAIT TO TRY THE YOGA MAT. WHY DO WE FIND SO MANY CLOTHES? THANK YOU!

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DAY 4

VABLE. THANK Y, ANOTHER BAG… UNBELIE WARDS THE DA R HE OT AN .

AY SD UR (SNOWY) TH THE PATH TO RESSING FURTHER DOWN S SEPYOU GOD. WE ARE PROG ERE IS A PATCH OF TREE TH E ER WH TIC AS PL CH NORDIC HOUSE. SO MU AND WIND. COLD FINGERS OW SN .

AY HW HIG E TH ARATING THE PATH FROM NDS UNDER THE SNOW. THE LITTER PICKS ARE HA Y WE HAD BECAUSE WE DIPPED OUR E BAG WAS SOOOO HEAV TH .

WN DO US OW SL EY THE DAY HELPFUL BUT TH END. THANK YOUUU FOR E TH IN N RU D AN S OP TO MAKE A FEW ST !

AND THANK YOU CHERRY DAY 5

DAY OF G. THIS MARKS OUR FINAL BA NO 5.

Y DA G GIN OG RENT (FINAL) FRIDAY. PL OUTDOORS, IN SUCH DIFFE E TIM G DIN EN SP CE NI OTBALL COURTS PLOGGING. IT HAS BEEN Y. PLOGGED BY SOME FO DOG, HECTOR, DA Y ER EV S ON ITI ND CO WEATHER DOG. THE MEONE WALKING THEIR MASCOT. A AND MADE A FRIEND. SO ULD BE OUR PLOGGING CO HE .

LE TT BO TIC NO AS OFFERED US A PL RECYCLING, MORE TRASH. RE MO , TIC AS PL RE MO .

D WATCH EMILY TRUE RETRIEVER HAHA TO EAT LENTIL CURRY AN G IN GO .

EK WE A AT WH CLOTHES. D THANK YOU CHERRY! IN PARIS. THANK YOU AN EPILOGUE

(LIKE UNDARY FOR CHEMICALS BO Y AR ET AN PL E TH IS I READ TODAY THAT D. CHEMICAL POLLUTION SE OS CR EN BE LY NT CE T. MY FAMILY, PLASTIC) HAS VERY RE WHICH WE ARE DEPENDEN ON MS TE YS OS EC E TH MS. G THREATENIN ALES AND OTHER LIFEFOR WH P, EE SH H, FIS , LF SE MY FRIENDS, MY TH WALL* *NOW BREAKING THE FOUR BEAUSOCIABLE, SO CLEAN, SO SO .

OG PL TO IS IT ITY LOTS TO CLEAN SO… WHAT A FUN ACTIV T! TRY IT NOW. THERE´S OU GO E. IBL VIS DE MA “YOU SUCK” TIFUL. LOVE N´T FORGET TO SCREAM DO D AN E. NC RIE PE EX RY OWN AND LOTS TO TIC POLLUTER ON OUR VE AS PL ST GE BIG E GL SIN E RY. JOIN TO COCA COLA, TH G OUR PART WITH CHER IN DO E AR WE .

EM TH PLANET. LETS STOP US. THE END

WANNA

READ MORE? HTTPS : ICAL- //WWW.THE GUARD POLLU I T SCIEN TISTS ION-HAS-P AN.COM/ENV ASSED -SAFE IRONMENT/ 2 -LIMI T-FOR 022/JAN/1 8 -HUMA NITY- /CHEMSAY21

ALEX

KITCHEN C

O R N E R

Only Three Ingredients If you kicked off the year with Veganuary and wondering what to make for desserts to impress your friends and family, here’s an easy recipe that is also zero-waste! Being vegan doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice your favorite dessert. In fact, a vegan diet not only has a significant positive impact on the environment and our dear animal friends, but I also find vegan cooking a very inspiring culinary experience because you can be creative and experiment with different food ingredients as substitutes.

In this recipe, we are using aquafaba, which is the leftover liquid from canned chickpeas, to replace the traditional egg whites and heavy cream, so this vegan version is also lower in calories and fat.

SERVES

4:

Vegan

CAN OF A M O R RF BA) L WATE AKA AQUAFA M 0 5 1 • EA ( R CHICKP G SUGA N I C I SP OLATE • 1 TB C O H C RK ED GAN DA NUT FLAVOR E V G 0 • 12 A COCO E) (I USED ON

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Mouss

e

Steps: 1. Break the chocolate into small pieces and melt them in a microwave. Once melted, set aside to cool down.

2. Whisk the aquafaba using an electronic hand mixer. Add the sugar while whisking until stiff peaks form.

3. Gently fold in the melted chocolate into the fluffy mixture with a spatula. Be careful not to whisk vigorously. It is normal if the mixture deflates.

4. Put the mixture into glasses and place in the fridge overnight for the mousse to set.

au Cho

colat

5. Serve with your favorite toppings, such as shredded chocolate, coconut flakes or mixed berries. ENJOY!!!

- Cherry

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Audiovisual Connecting People Audiovisual as a way of communication Sometimes when I say to people that I’m an Audiovisual Producer, the word Audiovisual is not interpreted very well by a lot of them, probably because it is a generic word that can be applied in different contexts and in different ways.

Although it is more associated with a digital world, Audiovisual is any form of communication that combines sound and image at the same time. It can also be the result of digital processing of recording, mixing, and synchronizing images and sounds to transmit some type of emotion, message or idea.

Music & Photography…

As far as I can remember, music has been present in my life since I was a child. I started very young as a student to be a musician and even though the course has changed, I keep this love nowadays being an autodidact (self-taught) player and a good listener. The more I know, the more I want to discover. Music can make me experience things on another level. It helps me to think, concentrate, relax, be active and creative. It also helps me to be a better person, making me more sensitive, sociable and communicative. I am a music lover and with music, I never feel alone.

Photography appeared a little later in my life but I believe it came to complement a side of me that loves to communicate through images, creating memories and stories with real life. Photography can make us imagine, dream and travel for another reality. At the same time it helps us remember true moments of our lives, what we lived and how we

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felt in that time, where we were, who we lived with, things that would probably be forgotten if we wouldn’t have that single picture.

Music and Photography are two independent forms of art but when combined they can complete each other in a perfect symbiosis. Both of them are different ways to communicate or express a certain idea, emotion or feeling.

With music we communicate with words and sounds, melodies or beats, whereas with photography the communication is mainly visual, through images, colors, shapes, or textures.

I love this idea about saying something without literally saying it, the idea of transmitting a message with a subliminal meaning but being completely understandable by the listener or viewer. Music and Photography have great power in communication.

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…Connecting People (Mikla and Camps) During my time at SEEDS, I’ve had the opportunity to experience unique moments in life. Several of these moments were surrounded and improved by music and photography, making audiovisual communication one of the main ways of communicating between us.

During the volunteer camps and in the travels the participants do together, both music and photography are always present. While we cook, while we drive, while we rest, while we party, even during work time and the activities we develop together, music can be a boost for our cultural understanding.

For example, playing and singing music together or people presenting their country playing a song, listening to typical songs from our countries or just our favorite artists. The teamwork involved during certain activities such as a photoshoot or activities related to developing creative ideas, it’s really interesting to see people that don’t know each other being so committed to the same cause.

We want to share with those we live with and that’s the best part of an experience like this, share and have the possibility to get to know each other through the things they love too.

All of this sharing of new songs, new artists, new ways to see and to think, gives us the chance to create so many memories together that we will remember for life and at the same time gives us more ways to express ourselves.

As a conclusion, I want to share a comment someone made to me about Audiovisual and the connections between people.

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“I think that music and photography are very linked.

Speaking about music, I already knew it. I always thought that music can impress a memory in your mind, a memory linked to that moment. I think that this is a strong feeling that takes you back in time.

I didn’t know anything about feelings related to photography… I mean, photography freezes a moment and a memory, of course, but what I learned with you and this camp is that photography is something more, it generates memories and feelings of the moments before and after the click and this is the beauty.

When I look at the photos, I think about looks, words, laughs, and emotions that made that moment a special moment.

But the most beautiful thing is how intimate these moments are: it’s true that the beauty of music and photography is the fact that they belong to everyone because everyone can live, interpret and associate them with different feelings, but only the people in those moments can know the true meaning of them… and this is very intimate…”

Luís

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CLICK ON PHOTOS

“I slept through the night, got through to the dawn I flipped the switch and the light went on I wrote down my dream, I wrote this song It's a pretty good day so far”

MAGAZINE

“Wake me up, I'm fever dreaming And now I lose control, I'm fever dreaming Shake it out, it's just what I'm feeling And now I take control, I'm fever dreaming (I'm fever-dreaming)”

“I wanna meet a friend In a bar tonight The evening is long So long I hardly move A can in my hand A picture in my mind A voice I need to hear A laugh I need to show”

“BE HONEST AND ABOVE ALL SHARE THE BEST WHILE YOU CAN”

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CLICK ON PHOTOS MAGAZINE

“How could it all fall in one da Were we too sure of the sun?

If you need to, keep time on me If you need to, keep time on me “We are the reckless, we are the wild youth Chasing visions of our futures One day we'll reveal the truth That one will die before he gets there”

“I got a penny for my thoughts I got a dollar for my doubts I got a message for my lover I got a message for myself And don't you know I got a different point of view Diving in the deep blue sky See I found myself sitting there when I was getting high” “Trovami una via, fammi andare un po' più in alto Sfuggirò alle leggi come un fiore nell'asfalto Non ci credo, no, ma ci proverò lo stesso 29

Come un origami io mi piego e non mi spe-

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Oscar, Colombia “THE WORLD NEEDS DREAMERS AND THE WORLD NEEDS DOERS. BUT ABOVE ALL, THE WORLD NEEDS DREAMERS WHO DO.”

Cherry, Hong Kong “LIFE IS LIKE A BOX OF PASTRIES... DID I SAY PASTRIES? I MEANT CHOCOLATES."

Lennia, Switzerland “BE A BADASS WITH A GOOD ASS”

Carolina, Portugal “ERR-EH-ERR-EH, ONOMATOPOEIA”

Alex, Greece “SUNNY PEOPLE HAPPY PEOPLE”

Karol, Slovakia “LIFE IS A PARTY AND I’M THE PIÑATA”

Kasia, Poland “LEARN TO FLY BEFORE YOU DIE”

Bruno, Italy “WHY HAVING A QUOTE WHEN YOU CAN HAVE FREE PASTRY”

Luís, Portugal “I ALWAYS WANTED TO BE SOMEBODY, BUT NOW I REALIZE I SHOULD HAVE BEEN MORE SPECIFIC.”

Karina, Romania “THE VAN IS AS STABLE AS MY MENTAL HEALTH”

Cassandre, France “LIFE’S A WAVE, CATCH IT”

Beatrice, Italy “RUINS ARE GIFTS”

HOROS MAGAZINE

♈ ARIES (RAM): MARCH 21–APRIL 19: NEW YEAR, NEW ME! BUT NO… THIS IS NOT HOW ITS WORKING. YOU DON´T NEED NEW YOU. “OLD YOU” IS GOOD ENOUGH, IT’S PERFECT. YOUR “OLD YOU” JUST LOST ITS WAY. CLEAN THAT MESS BECAUSE YOU DON’T NEED ANYTHING NEW AND SO REUSE STUFF. YOU HAVE GOT EVERYTHING YOU NEED. BE SMART, BE KIND, BE YOURSELF… OR NOT… BUT BETTER YES. ♉ TAURUS (BULL): APRIL 20–MAY 20: YOU WON´T BE LUCKY THIS TIME! BECAUSE ITS NOT ABOUT BEING LUCKY, ITS ABOUT FEELING HAPPY. DO SOMETHING FOR IT! AGAIN, VENUS WILL NOT HELP YOU WITH IT. DREAMS CAN BE LIVED ONLY WHEN YOU ARE AWAKE. (I MEAN THOSE NORMAL ONES, NOT THE ONES WITH TALKING DOLPHINS AND SMOKING MONKIES) SO DO SOMETHING GOOD FOR YOU AND OTHERS AND NATURE! ♊ GEMINI (TWINS): MAY 21–JUNE 21: ARE YOU STILL READING THIS HOROSCOPE? DIDN´T WE DISCUSS IT LAST TIME? YOU KNOW THE ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTIONS. YOU KNOW HOW TO MAKE THINGS RIGHT. DON’T BE LAZY. STAND UP, DO GOOD. TRY BEING VEGAN FOR A WEEK. CHALLENGE YOURSELF SO YOU DON’T WASTE YOUR TIME WITH THESE NOT-MAKINGSENSE LINES. ♋ CANCER (CRAB): JUNE 22–JULY 22: YOU HAVE TO CHANGE IT! IT´S THE NEW MONTH AND BY NOW YOU SHOULD SEE THAT SOMEHOW THINGS ARE NOT WORKING THE WAY YOU WANT. BUT ALSO, YOU HAVE TO REALISE THAT YOU ARE NOT HERE ALONE. OTHERS CAN HELP YOU, BUT YOU CAN HELP THEM AS WELL! START WITH SMALL STEPS. SAY HELLO TO STRANGERS, MAKE COMPLIMENTS, PICK UP TRASH ON YOUR WALK AND SEE WHERE IT WILL LEAD YOU. I MEAN WE ALL KNOW HOW IT WORKS WHEN YOU DO NOTHING… AREN’T YOU CURIOUS WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU DO SOMETHING? ♌ LEO (LION): JULY 23–AUGUST 22: REST AND TIME FOR YOURSELF IS GOOD BUT EARTH NEEDS YOU. YES, YOU! NO ONE ELSE CAN DO IT, ONLY YOU! SAVE THE DAY! THIS IS YOUR WAKE-UP CALL! YOU HAVE TREATED YOURSELF ENOUGH, NOW TREAT OTHERS BUT MOSTLY THE ENVIRONMENT. WE ALL KNOW REDUCE-REUSE-RECYCLE BUT WHAT THIS HOROSCOPE IS TELLING YOU IS – THINK! FIGURE OUT HOW TO MAKE THINGS BETTER. THINK BEFORE BUYING SOMETHING, THINK BEFORE THROWING SOMETHING. USE YOUR HEAD AND LEARN SOMETHING. THINK AND ACT! NOW! ♍ VIRGO (VIRGIN): AUGUST 23–SEPTEMBER 22: NICE TRY BUT NO. STILL NOTHING FOR YOU… JUST LIVE ECO-FRIENDLY LIFESTYLE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

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SCOPES ♎ LIBRA (BALANCE): SEPTEMBER 23–OCTOBER 23: EVERY PLANET AND ALL THE STARS LEAD YOU HERE. BUT WE ONLY HAVE ONE PLANET THAT MATTERS RIGHT NOW AND IT´S EARTH! DON’T LOOK FOR EXCUSES AND REASONS WHY NOT TO DO SOMETHING GOOD. FINNISH THAT UNREAD BOOK, ANSWER THOSE EMAILS. THIS IS THE MONTH OF ACTION! ♏ SCORPIUS (SCORPION): OCTOBER 24–NOVEMBER 21: TO BE HONEST I DON´T THINK YOU NEED ANY ADVICE. YOU ARE DOING JUST FINE, IF NOT DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. I BASICALLY REPEAT IT FOR EVERY SIGN HERE AND YOU ARE NO EXCEPTION. NO ONE IS. LET’S BE RESPONSIBLE FOR OURSELVES, BUT THAT’S NOTHING NEW… SO HAPPY DAY. ♐ SAGITTARIUS (ARCHER): NOVEMBER 22–DECEMBER 21: I’M SORRY TO INFORM YOU THAT BECAUSE OF COVID RESTRICTION THIS HOROSCOPE IS NOT ALLOWED TO ENCOURAGE YOU TO DO ALL THAT CRAZY SOCIAL STUFF OUTSIDE. BUT COME ON, YOU CAN DO PRETTY MUCH FROM HOME AS WELL. NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE UNLESS YOU CAN’T DO IT.

♒ AQUARIUS (WATER BEARER): JANUARY 20–FEBRUARY 18: CHANGE YOUR ATTITUDE! WINTER IS STILL HERE BUT THAT DOESN’T MEAN WE SHOULD BE COLD. BE LIKE FIRE. HAVE PASSION ABOUT EVERYTHING YOU ARE DOING. GIVE WARM HUGS AND SPARKLE WINKS. MELT THOSE SAD FACES AND BURN ANGER IN FRENCH FRIES WITH YOUR FRIENDS. SUNNY DAYS ARE ON ITS WAY SO BE YOU AS WELL. ♓ PISCES (FISH): FEBRUARY 19–MARCH 20: THIS SHOULD BE SOMETHING POSITIVE AND MOTIVATING BECAUSE YOU ARE CELEBRATING A BIRTHDAY BUT IT´S NOT THE VIBE I GET WHEN WRITING THIS ONE. BUT YOU CAN READ CAPRICORNUS, I THINK IT WILL FIT YOU AS WELL AND YES, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Secatibe runtum earum sincilla velenimus auta nobit raecus di omniet

♑ CAPRICORNUS (GOAT): DECEMBER 22–JANUARY 19: HERE WE GO AGAIN?!

THE MESS IS CLEANED UP BUT NOT FOR LONG, AM I RIGHT? DISHES, LAUNDRY, FULL BIN… IT´S A NEVER-ENDING STORY. BORING STORY. NOT EXCITING AT ALL. MAINTAINING, REPAIRING, AND CLEANING ARE JUST WORK. WORK THAT HAS TO BE DONE. DON’T BE MESSY. AND THIS INSPIRATIONAL QUOTE WILL HELP YOU WITH THE CURRENT STATE YOU ARE IN.

UPCOMING SEEDS’ CAMPS SEEDS 012. SEEDS 012. Island of Viðey 10.05 - 19.05 Viðey or “Wood Island” is the largest (1.7 km²) island in the Kollafjörður Bay, just outside Reykjavík. The island is covered by many species of plants and breeding birds. Viðey was inhabited from soon after the settlement of Iceland already in the 10th century and at the beginning of the 20th century around 100 people lived there. Today the island is uninhabited.

SEEDS 015. SEEDS 015. Forestry in the Far East of Iceland (1/2) 30.04 - 14.05 SEEDS 051. SEEDS 051. Forestry in the Far East of Iceland (2/2) 03.09 - 18.09 Hallormsstaðaskógur is the largest wooded area of the country. It extends over an area of 740 ha. The reforestation of the area has been going on since a protection law was passed in 1899. The oldest part of the woodland is accessible by good hiking trails.

SEEDS 010. SEEDS 010. Botanical Gardens in Reykjavík (1/4) 24.04 - 07.05 SEEDS 011. SEEDS 011. Botanical Gardens in Reykjavík (2/4) 08.05 - 21.05 SEEDS 043. SEEDS 043. Botanical Gardens in Reykjavík (3/4) 14.08 - 27.08 The Botanic Garden, founded in 1961 and run by the City of Reykjavík, is an outdoor collection of living plans - it conserves some 3000 plant species, which shows the enormous diversity of vegetation in the northern temperate zone. Throughout the summer it holds many events and offers guided tours. The garden is open to the public and free of charge.

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