UNA Magazine october 2015

UNA

Special edition October 2015

The new camp leaders Flo, 23, France „I guess, there is a kind of spirit in volunteering“

Flo recently finished his degrees in Spanish and English. In order to become an interpreter, he needs to speak those languages fluently, though.

That’s also why he is not directly continuing to do his master. Additionally, he is attracted to the idea of volunteering. To him it is very useful for discovering a new culture and for meeting different people from all over the world while doing some work. It is not the same as working during the summer just to get money, the experience counts. He already spent a year in Spain and loved it. He met people from Latin America, Russia, China and Europe, for example, and he would like to experience something similar again. Fortunately, a friend of his works at an organization in Brussels which offers all kinds of projects abroad. She was also the one that told him to go to Iceland - and he just listened to her. With her help it was quite easy for him to get the position and everything went pretty quickly. Never having volunteered before, Flo is very curious what volunteering can bring to him. He is just going to let it happen...

Carla, 25, Spain „Iceland is a good country because it's so far away from all the other countries. Isolated..“

After a friend had been here for six month two years ago and had a great experience, Carla also liked the idea of going to Iceland and volunteer. She finds Iceland appealing because it is so isolated from all the other countries. She wanted to be a camp leader because it would enable her to live in Iceland with its beautiful nature and to meet people from different cultures. She likes to live with people and to be around them. She just finished her studies to becoming a flight attendant and she will try to get a job in the business after her volunteering experience in Iceland.

Dianne, 21, Malta

„Sometimes it’s difficult to work in other cultures and I like that because it’s challenging. I want to be considerous towards everybody“

Iceland chose Dianne, not the other way around. When she was looking for a project in-between her bachelor and master, the organization was currently looking for people in this position. She had studied about Iceland before, found it very interesting, and always wanted to go but this was the first opportunity that came up. She took it and now she’s here. She is looking forward to the adventure (since she finds all this quite adventurous), the new experiences, and also to meeting new people. Moreover, Dianne wants to get to be organized and take responsibility for others. She likes to take care of people.

Angelica, 24, Greece „The interaction with people from different cultures is one of the main reasons for why I travel.“

by Lore-Marie

Angelica first heard about Worldwide Friends from a friend, who was involved in the organization with an Erasmus+ program.

She stopped studying in order to travel as much as she could and she loves to get to know people from different cultures. Volunteering seems like the best way to meet many different people and it’s also a cheap way to travel, which is what she prefers.

So she took the advice from her friend and applied. It seemed convenient, because she already knew something about the organization. Iceland was therefore a rather random choice. Angelica was indeed planning on going north, but not necessarily that far north.

She is most excited about having a good time and maybe learning more about herself and the people around. For now, she doesn’t consider to stop traveling in order to study.

IMAGINE PEACE TOWER

“Imagine the world in peace” Some people say that the first thing you have to see is the northern lights, the second one is The Imagine Tower.

The Tower was first turned on by John Lenon’s wife, Yoko Ono, on October 9th 2007.( John Lenon’s 67th birthday ) To remember John Lenon ,it is also a symbol that they are pursuing the concept of peace in the world which will go on forever.

Luckily, October 9th is John Lenon’s birthday. On this day ,every year the tower will be lit ,and until 8th of December, the day that John died. And the words “IMAGINE PEACE” are inscribed on the wall in 24 different languages.

Although it was raining a lot and only 6 degrees that night, I think those who love John Lenon ,who love Yoko Ono, who love world peace, they were all on this island.

Today I saw everyone waiting in line in the wind, in the rain, just to accompany Yoko lighting tower, with the song “IMAGINE” , wrote by John Lenon. “Trying to believe that the world will be peace one day.” this belief is so touching.

Will there be peace in the world one day?

Imagine the world in peace.

by Olivia photo from internet

by Lore Marie

The Iceland Airwaves Festival is a big annual music festival in the center of Reykjavik.

It always happens in early November from Wednesday to Sunday. This year it will be from November 4th to 8th. The festival is known for its intimacy and its party spirit. It focuses on new Icelandic as well as international music.

The first show took place in an airplane hanger in 1999 and the main sponsors are the airline Icelandair and the City of Reykjavik.

Artist such as Sigur Ros, Of Monsters And Men, Björk, Asgeir, BOY, Half Moon Run, Metronomy and The Kills have played here before and among this year’s musicians are Soley, Aurora and FM Belfast.

This year, Iceland airwaves and Urban Nation Berlin created a series of street art called “Wall Poetry” for the festival. The purpose is to see a lot of creativity from all over the world. The idea comes from Yosha Young, who works for Urban Nation. She thinks that “it’s amazing what and how much we learn from one another and a country when actually immersing into the culture for a full two weeks.” (…)

You can really feel the creative and energetic atmosphere when seeing the Wall Poetry in the streets of Reykjavik.

Fortunately, WF is offering a Work camp for the festival, during which the volunteers will prepare the venues before and after the concerts and help with the festival security. They will be working in shifts. Additionally, the volunteers will help Reykjavik’s environmental department to maintain the green areas.

“Think of the craziest party you’ve ever been to and multiple it by ten and continue like that for five days straight and you’ve some idea what went on.”

“At Airwaves you can always be sure that there is something very different right around the corner.”

(Emmet Mullaney, 24 November 2014, louder than war) “It’s hard to imagine the effect a festival might have when it takes over an entire city – the population of which is actually less than the number of Glastonbury tickets sold in 27 minutes last year.”

(The Quietus, Karl Smith, 28.11.14) “The local bands seem doubly excited: They all seem to be playing at least two or three times over the course of the weekend, both at the official festival shows and at “off-venue” and unadvertised gigs all over town.” (pitchfork, Douglas Wolk, 23.10.07)

photos from internet

Wavy curtain in the night, Aurora.

A night full of stars is definitely beautiful. But night only with moon and stars is not enough in Iceland. When Aurora fills the lack of light in Iceland, finally perfect Icelandic night apears.

Aurora, named after ‘dawn’ in Latin, is from Eos in Greek mythology. It appears at between 60 and 80 degrees latitude and the size of Aurora oval always depends on the activity of the sun.

Briefly, it is massive discharge phenomenon which occurs when the particles from the sun fly to interact with the earth’s magnetic field.

As Aurora is marvelous, there are lots of superstitious stories about Aurora. Ancient peoples of Alaska, Canada, and Greenland believe that the Aurora is the fire of torches lighting the way to heaven for the spirits of the dead. The beautiful pink rays, which sometimes appear, are thought to be the color of bloodshed in the struggles between the spirits. The myths of Aurora also exist in Asia. In Japan, an entry in the ancient Nihon Shoki “Chronicles of Japan” is an epical monument of Japanese literature, a cycle of myths and historical legends written in 720A.D, that is thought to refer to the Aurora. And in China, the dark red Aurora was considered to be an omen of ill fortune.

Every night, lots of people peep into night sky expecting beautiful Aurora. Many people come to Iceland for the Aurora as Iceland is a sacred place for it. Colorful lights stretching across the dark sky make people experience profound and mysterious feelings. It is difficult to find the expression to explain the feeling like swelling in the fantastic decorations, Aurora. This is why lots of people are still eager for Aurora.

TIPS FOR AURORA: √ Aurora is stronger in the winter. √ Check the weather everyday.

The website is http://en.vedur.is/weather/forecasts/Aurora/. √ Find a place without lights.

by Yejin

The Most Unexpected of Places Consistently rated in the top 3 happiest nations on Earth, usually behind Costa Rica and Denmark, while here I thought about the question - why are Icelanders so happy? Why does this half-glaciated, North Atlantic rock with three months of perpetual darkness per year and no McDonald’s produce some of the World’s happiest people?

It is also worth noting, strangely, that Iceland has a rather high suicide rate, 35th in the World according to the World Health Organisation. Could it be that Iceland is an all or nothing nation, total happiness or complete sadness? Or is it that Iceland is happy because the unhappy people commit suicide and aren’t taken into account?

Somehow this doesn’t ring true…

Walking the streets of Reykjavik, Iceland’s diminutive capital, the happiness of this nation doesn’t seem to make much sense, not from the outside at least.

“patio opens when the temperature exceeds a steaming 5c”

It’s rainy and damp a lot of the time (which reminded me of home!), with heaps of graffiti like you’d find in most other cities around the world. Although the pinched, busy faces could be those of commuters anywhere, the warmth of tone when you actually start speaking is unique. You have to look closer, delve deeper, get under the skin of this nation, and the more you do the more you see.

People laugh more in conversation, and the rich, lyrical sounds of Icelandic are more commonly turned to comedy and chuckles than in any other country. You also start to notice the city’s little quirks and throwaway lines, like a street painted like a rainbow (for no reason other than to defy the dark clouds above), or the words ‘Free Beer Tomorrow’ standing proud on a plaque behind a bar. The happiness of this country is down to the comedy of the non-obvious.

Asking Icelanders themselves about their nation’s happiness provided an inside opinion. Some said it was down to the environment, ‘the beautiful landscape’ as one shopkeeper put it. They’re always the first to joke about it, signs like ‘patio opens when the temperature exceeds a steaming 5c’ are common. But certainly, Icelanders take a great amount of pride in their nation’s natural grace, as any of us would if we lived there. There also seems to be more of a reliance on nature here, as well as a connection to it. Their water is heated by the ground beneath their feet, their power is drawn from the land’s geothermal activity, and its oceans provide many of their meals. But as is obvious from the recent volcanic eruptions, and Iceland’s climate, this nature is to be feared and respected also. Perhaps the contentedness comes from this harmony, union, and respect for the nature that surrounds them.

´´even in the bustling heart of Reykjavik the air is fresh and

Another factor that Icelanders themselves highlighted was cleanliness.

There may be graffiti, but there is no litter, and even in the bustling heart of Reykjavik the air is fresh and clean. Icelandic healthcare is among the best in the world, and the tap water is crystal clear, and as hot or cold as you like. However, tap water is clean and drinkable in many other countries, and many other cities are clean and fresh. In fact, this may be quite important as the other Scandinavian countries, all famed for their clean air come in at 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 6th and 8th in the World Happiness Index. Thus, Iceland’s nature as a clean, environmentally responsible nation (much like its continental northern neighbors) leads to a sense of responsibility and happiness among its people. One of the most controversial topics in Iceland is that of aluminium smelting, something seen to be environmentally damaging. Perhaps it’s the Icelanders’ pride in their surroundings that provokes this response.

Hoever, I think the biggest factor is Iceland’s sense of community. Corruption rates here are amongst the lowest in the world, and all the year round there is a unity to their society that is hard to match elsewhere. They’re physically at the mercy of their environment far more than in other countries, as well as being reliant on it, creating a culture of mutual support and cooperation. The Icelandic language is a reminder of this insular, close knit society. It is very conservative, and has changed so little that Icelanders can read the famous 12th century sagas more easily than English speakers can read Shakespeare. It is the closest modern language to the Old Norse spoken by the Viking settlers, giving Icelanders a great sense of heritage and national identity. Just like their Viking ancestors, Icelanders today (especially those working in fishing or farming) all work together through Iceland’s harsh seasons, making them a stable, supportive and happy people.

This though, does not make Iceland an exclusive country.

Most Icelanders speak excellent English and are happy to chat with you. However, the true Icelandic happiness and community spirit is felt only after spending some time here, and getting to know the heart of its people. Much like Iceland itself, their sometime frosty exterior hides a core that is warm, welcoming, and happy.

Harry

Harpa

One of the newest additions to Reykjavik has pleased both visitors and locals. Harpa the performing arts center was started in 2007 and completed in 2011 despite the international financial meltdown in 2008. The building was designed by the Danish Icelandic artist Olafur Elisson in collaboration with Henning Larsen Architects and Batterid Arichitects. The US consulting firm Artic Consultants Inc. is responsible for the acoustics and sound insulation. The center is home to the Icelandic Symphony Orchestra.

Harpa is situated on the waterfront.

The building has 10,000 glass panes with LED lights that can color the panels. The colors can change all at once or in sections, making the structure as pretty at night as it is during the day. The building uses geothermal heating.

Harpa received an EU award for contemporary architecture in 2013. The Arkitekturmassan Award in 2012 and the World Architecture Award in 2010 for Best Public Space. The building has dark grey Icelandic floor tile and grey Icelandic concrete for the walls. There are also meeting rooms, a gift shop, restaurant, and open areas for special events equipped with power, water and computer outlets in the floor. There are 4 auditoriums and dressing rooms for performers. The largest music hall holds 1,600 people and the smallest 195.

Although Icelanders were originally concerned about the cost of Harpa, everyone we interviewed feels Harpa is good for Iceland and most have attended several events.

Erik and Lyanne

by Alice and Olivia

Worldwide friends through the eyes of a LTV

by Angelica

She believes that all this was a great opporPille is 23 years old and she comes from Estonia. She has tunity for her. Even though all of this takes a been working at the organisation for 4 months as a Placelot of energy, it also gives back a lot, and often ment Officer. Before coming here to work as a volunteer, she more than it takes. “If you “survive” this, you worked for after finishing university. The decision to leave all have the feeling you can do anything. This place this and go abroad to volunteer it was taken by her because is like a small happy world and it will be diffishe wanted a life change. Therefore we are here today talking cult to get out of it for sure.” about Worldwide friends and what this month´s taught her.

When we meet I said that I travel a lot and When we talked there was nostalgia in her eyes and a smile she told me ´´once you start you cannot stop… on her face when she was describing the months that she spent It’s difficult to get rid of the travelling bug´´. here. She says every day is like a special fruit. She empha- Pille I hope you will never stop because life is a sized that this experience has changed her a lot, made her journey and travelling makes it real! stronger, more tolerant, taught her how to read people more easily and how to resolve challenging situations.

“The fact that people from all over the world stay together in the some house and they share time together and interact with each other for so long is something magical.” In her time here she hasn´t worked only as a Placement Officer but also as a camp leader, something that she didn´t expect but at the end turned out to be a very special experience that led her into self-awareness, made her go out of her comfort zone and push herself more.

About worldwide friends

Worldwide Friends Iceland (WF) was founded in 2001 by Toti and his brother, as a non-governmental, non-profit organization promoting nature and peace-oriented activities for people interested in spending time in Iceland as volunteers. In 2003 WF host the first 6 camps with 65 participants.

Nowadays they host around 1500 people per year.

The main activities oered by WF Iceland are workcamps, exchange programs, and educational seminars. People have the opportunity as well to be long term volunteers.

The name “Worldwide friends� as they explain to me, represents bringing people from all over the world together, promoting friendship, peace and protecting the environment. They are open to people that want to contribute to the organization with new ideas.

by Angelica