Bonjour! I'm a 22 years old French girl.
It's the first time I'm doing a long term mission far from where I live. I'm so happy to be part of this organization. I came here to get new skills at work, learn about life and myself.
Hi! I come from France. I love cold countries and after discovering Canada the ice of Iceland seemed to me a good choice.
I'm here as a data management officer. I will help the organization to collect data during the beach cleaning. Knowing what kind of waste we collect is precious information to raise awareness and make things change!
Hi! I am Guillermo from Spain. I'm here as environmental education officer. I studied a degree on environmental science, because of that I want to share my knowledge on the incredible place that is Iceland and collaborate to make the world a better place.
Hi! I am Chloé from the south of France. I want to dedicate my future jobs to the environment. Therefore, I am looking forward to increasing my environmental skills, discover nature, eco-friendly people. I will take advantage of this experience to build my professional project while enjoying the landscape and friends.
Hi! My name is Susan, I'm a 22 years old Dutchie!
I'm very excited to finally get my first long term abroad experience (and that in Iceland wow!) and to apply my knowledge in practice doing environmental activities with Worldwide Friends. Looking forward to the upcoming months !
Hi, my name is Dalai, an 18 old guy from Germany.
I came here to spend my energy on environmentally based projects and because I love Iceland. Furthermore, I am looking forward to meeting new people, gaining new perspectives and also growing personally.
Hola! My name is Marina (24) and I come from the west of Catalonia. I came to Iceland to experience other ways of living than working and studying.
Acting for having my best life while doing the best for the others. I am ready to see what I can offer and what Iceland can offer me :)
Hello! I'm 28 years old men coming from Spain. I had 3 main reasons to come here; first, I want to collaborate with environmental causes and try to find if this is for what I want to use in my lifetime. Second, because I loved Iceland and needed a way to experiment this country. Also because I want to use this experience to learn more about myself and grow as a person.
Hello, I'm a 20 years old girl from Germany.
Last year I spent almost 3 months with Worldwide Friends. I chose that project because I was interested in sustainability and environmental protection and also wanted to meet people from all over the world.
Hi, I'm Olivia, 27 years old. I'm a placement officer of the organization for the next months. I come from France and I love to travel, I've been in a lot of European countries but Iceland has always been a dream of mine. I'm looking forward to meeting people and share amazing experiences together.
Hey! I'm Justine, I'm 25 years old and I'm French. It's my second experience in Iceland, but I can't be bored by this country! I work in food industry and I love to eat... Make sense no ? I'm the typical cliché of the French girl, I love cheese and wine. Croissants are my favorite breakfast and I eat frog legs. I love sharing meals with people so be ready to eat French food!
Hello! I’m Martta from Finland. I stayed for two weeks in Solheimar and really enjoyed my stay in there. I got to do a lot of different kinds of work there, for example working in green houses and in the forest. The people in the community were super friendly and nice. We even went to see a local play together. I didn’t understand a word of Icelandic but the experience was amazing :)
In our free time we hanged out with other volunteers at the house where we live and also arranged some activities, for example swimming, hiking and aurora hunting. The nature around Solheimar is just wau: mountains everywhere. I will definitely come back one day! :)
My name is Rina. I’m a university student and came to the Sólheimar to join volunteer. I had a wonderful time there. The most impressive working is Sunna. It was first time for me to pick and pack the tomatoes, but I enjoyed them. I’m happy to have been able to help you out.
I could see aurora many times. It was so beautiful and I was blown away by aurora. It because a memory that I will never forget for the rest of my life. I think that I’ve learned and experienced so much in Iceland on this volunteer. I would like to work as a volunteer again. Moreover people who live there are so kind. I’m not good at English but they always helped me. They also helped me to cook dinner, wash dishes and so on. I really appreciate that. Thank you for everything!
Hey :) I’m Jette, 21 years old and from Germany. I stayed in Sólheimar for 2 weeks. If I knew before my arrival how amazing this place, the job, the people and everything else is, I would have stayed longer. The people in the village are very kind and friendly. Working at the greenhouse was a lot of fun and working in forestry was also very joyful. Besides working spending time with the other volunteers was awesome too. We had game nights, we hiked, went to the pool, watched a bunch of auroras and had a lot of great conversations. I‘m very thankful for this journey and this trip will always have a place in my heart. See you as soon as possible :)
I’m Nanaho. I’m from Nagoya, Japan. I’m 20. I did volunteer work such as picking tomatoes and growing trees. It feels good to do something good for the environment, and it made me want to grow some plants myself.
I don’t usually do housework because I live with my parents, so it was a good experience to cook, wash the dishes, and do the laundry myself. It was my first time living abroad for two weeks, so I was nervous at first, but the people around me were kind and I had a great time. I will never forget seeing the beautiful Aurora. I want to be able to speak English better and be able to have a lot of conversations in English. Thank you for the wonderful weeks !
ハ ロ means Hello in Japanese! I'm Ichika, I'm 19 years old. It was difficult to work and interact with people from outside my own country, but on the other hand, it was that work that allowed me to connect with everyone! I realized that it is important to make more effort to interact with everyone because I cannot speak English well. I think this attitude is important no matter where I go. I make new friends from all over the world. It has been a pleasure doing this volunteer project and meet everyone. Thanks to all the people I worked with!
I want to introduce you Iceland, the beauty of the landscape and things that will make you fall in love with this country. The winter in Iceland is a magical experience and it's also the perfect time to explore an ice cave, a glacier, frozen waterfalls or even the chance to see the Northern lights! Iceland has its own unique charm, is an adventure on its own.
Winter vacations in Iceland have become increasingly popular in recent years, but many tourist attractions are still less crowded during the colder months. It is still a bit quieter than the summer though. You will find crowds at the more popular attractions, but you can have some places mostly to yourself.
According to the traditional Norse calendar, winter in Iceland begins at the end of October. Winter and summer are the only seasons on this calendar, both of them last 26 weeks. Average temperatures in Reykjavík can drop to about -10 °C, with a high of almost 10 °C. In the North of Iceland, it’s usually a bit colder in winter and a bit warmer in summer. While winters may not be as cold, it is important to remember Iceland is very windy. When it comes to rain or snow, be prepared for the worst, but expect the best.
It’s worth noting that some of the tourist attractions can be unavailable in the winter in Iceland because some areas are closed due to winter conditions. Other areas might be partially closed due to slippery conditions, such as some of the viewpoints at Gullfoss and the hiking trails above Skogafoss. Always be prepared for changeable weather and pay attention to the weather forecast and road conditions.
" If you don't like the weather just wait 5 minutes "
At the end of October, when winter officially begins, the sun rises is around 09:30 and sets at 17:30. So, there are roughly 8:30 hours of daylight. Then, the days start to become shorter quickly, with December as the darkest month. Until the end of December, days are getting shorter every day.
The sunrise and sunset times for the winter solstice are 11:20 and 15:00 respectively. The shortest day barely lasts four hours, and if it's cloudy, it's dark the entire time. But Iceland is always gorgeous in the middle of winter, with lights and Christmas decorations everywhere!
After that, on December 21st, the days start to get longer. Also, January usually feels much lighter due to the additional six minutes of daylight each day. In March is the tipping point, after which Icelandic days begin to lengthen more than those of the rest of Europe.
When summer comes, Iceland has the opposite experience it does in winter with 22 hours of sunlight in a single day. These summer sunlight hours also lead up to what is called the “Midnight sun” Iceland season from May to August, where the sun sets right before midnight but the light persists until after midnight.
Þorrablót and the month of Þorri 25 January-23 February
In pre-Christian times Icelanders would celebrate Þorri with a great mid-winter feast named Þorrablót, in honour of the Nordic god of thunder, Þór. The tradition was lost soon after Icelanders converted to Christianity. Some of the dishes served on Þorri is fermented shark, scorched sheep-heads, sour, whey-pickled ram's testicles, and jellied meat of lamb.
5 March
The Icelandic tradition holds the custom to eat soup made from lentils and vegetables accompanied with salted meat, a dish called “saltkjöt og baunir” in Icelandic. As this is the last day before Lent, people would use the opportunity and eat their fill, many to the brink of bursting, hence the name.
Wednesday) 6 March
4 March
Young children will often create colourful wands with which they’ll smack their parent’s bottom while crying “bolla, bolla, bolla!” (“bun, bun, bun”). The parent is then expected to reward the child with a bun.
Öskudagur marks the first day of Lent in Western Christianity. The Icelandic tradition is : Young women would try and pin little bags filled with ashes onto the back of the boy they fancied without the subject of their infatuation noticing. Young men would try and do the same, but with pouches filled with pebbles. In later years Öskudagur has to some extent become more like Halloween.
Bolludagur (Bun day)1.
In Iceland there is 360,000 locals and each year their welcome over 2 millions visitors. With so many tourists, it’s important to tread lightly as you explore the island. This means extra care and planning is required to ensure you travel sustainably in Iceland. Take all your rubbish with you, check parking in advance. Always make sure you stick to designated tracks (when driving and hiking) as the flora in Iceland is delicate and can easily be damaged. Developing an infrastructure that can cope with the new visitors while maintaining the untouched feeling of one of the world’s most unique landscapes has been a major challenge for Iceland.
Think
Iceland is an expensive country. If you planning carefully it can help to reduce costs. Also the water is really good, so take a water bottle with you that you can fill up regularly.
COFFEE IN A CAFE
Kr 580 ($4.45 / £3.35 / €3.95)
LOCAL BEER (HALF LITRE)
Kr 1,200 ($9.20 / £6.90 / €8.15)
INEXPENSIVE RESTAURANT MEAL
Kr 2,500 ($19.15 / £14.50 / €16.90)
Our top Iceland travel tip when it comes to packing is to prepare for a few different scenarios you can expect throughout your vacation. For the cold : pack layers, layers, layers, fleece, waterproof jacket. For the rain : Make sure you have decent waterproof hiking boots, raincoats and waterproof covers for your backpack and camera. Don't forget to bring your swimsuit, swimming in the natural thermal pools is a fantastic thing to do.
Iceland is a road trip destination like no other, a stunningly beautiful place with unusual geological wonders dotted all over the island. When driving, stick to the appropriate road. Know which roads are accessible in the type of vehicle you're driving. Beyond Iceland's main ring road (Route 1), there are gravel roads stretching to most communities until you reach the F-roads, bumpy tracks only passable by 4WD.Never drive off-road. It’s illegal and incredibly damaging to the fragile environment. Even with a 4WD, stick to marked roads.
Icelanders are a generally openminded with a dry but vibrant sense of humor. The benefit of getting to know the locals is that they know the country. This is a fragile landscape so it’s good to get advice from people who understand its quirks. They are also broad in their curiosities, it seems like half of Icelanders are in a band or making some sort of art or craft. After chatting to a few you’ll discover that everyone seems to have written a book, played in a band or achieved some other kind of artistic greatness.
Remember the basics of responsible travel: don’t litter, reduce your footprint, leave places better than you found them and protect wild animals and natural flora. This applies to popular sights like the Golden Circle as well as the wild interior where it’s just you, the glaciers and volcanoes. Check out Nature.is for tips on sustainable travel in Iceland.
A walk in Iceland always takes a particular character. Its nature gives itself to heart to surprise us: fields of lava, deserts of ashes, inescapable glaciers, sand swept by the winds... And the climate, far from being an ally, confuses by its instability: it is not rare to see the 4 seasons in the same day!
In other words, you will rarely be able to afford random walks across the country. First, because it can be dangerous and, second, because nature is so fragile that you could disturb its balance.
As for the hikes, rest assured that there is something for every type of calf. From small walks to big ones (Skaftafell, Hveravellir, Landmannalaugar...) often marked and traced, from one hour to several days.
Reykjadalur Hot Springs is one of the most beautifully set natural hot springs in Iceland. Surrounded by mountains and steaming vents, the temperature ranges from 36°C – 40°C. The thermal springs are located 3 kilometres from the parking area, so you also get to enjoy a hike up to the valley. It should take around 1 hour to reach the bathing spot.
Glymur : Iceland’s tallest waterfall (198m) to the parking lot you will begin the 5.5km hike with some of the best views. The trail crosses into a lava cave, through a river and up along a canyon. Once you reach the top, you have the option to continue up to Hvalfell to increase the hike to a 10km loop.
Skogafoss : Is one of the largest waterfalls in Iceland (25m wide, 60m tall) and also one of the most popular. Spend some time climbing the stairs to the left of the falls where you can reach the top for a different perspective.
Dettifoss, Selfoss, and Hafragilsfoss : Hike the short loop connecting Dettifoss (Europe’s most powerful waterfall) and Selfoss. And for an extended hike start at Hafragilsfoss then Dettifoss, and Selfoss (12 km each direction).
Visit Hornvík Bay and the Hornbjarg cliffs in Iceland’s most remote nature reserve. On this two-day trek, you’ll traverse the untouched parts of the Westfjords which only pristine wilderness. This area can only be reached on foot or by boat. Arctic foxes, birds, seals, and plants live and grow there in peace and harmony.
Is a glacier in the south of the Icelandic highlands. It is the country's fourth largest ice cap, covering nearly 600 square kilometres, and its highest peak is almost 1500 meters tall. It is most well-known for sitting atop the volcano Katla. Typically, glacier-walk gear includes crampons, helmets, and ice axes. Not all of this equipment might be necessary, but for safety reasons, it’s highly recommended.
The hiking trail between Landmannalaugar and Þórsmörk is one of the most popular hiking trails in Iceland. National Geographic listed it as one of the most beautiful trails in the world. Landmannalaugar is the start of the Laugavegur hike, which takes 2-4 days. It is 55 km long (34 mi) and is famous for its wide variety of landscapes.
EVERYONE WANTS TO LIVE ON TOP OF THE MOUNTAIN, BUT ALL THE HAPPINESS AND FULFILLMENT COMES WHEN YOU CLIMB
I C E L A N D I C A R T I S A N S
Tíra is a design company based in Iceland. Established in 2008 its focus on designing and manufacturing accessories which mix high reflective thread and Icelandic wool.
These reflective accessories are made from Icelandic wool and recycled rubber. The company's goal is to increase visibility and safety. This is in part inspired by the long, dark Icelandic winters.
The flowers, straps, necklaces, loops, tails, bands and reflectors are the other different products of the brand.
They are hand crafted right there in Alice’s shop in Hafnarfjordur, a town on the western edge of Reykjavik.
The company is run by Icelandic/Canadian artist and designer Alice Olivia Clarke and Icelandic architect Kári Eiríksson.
The lopi is a hand-knitted wool sweater that helps fight against the cold and humidity, while being light and soft.
The quality wool of the lopi comes from Icelandic sheep, a very old and endogenous breed to the island. The wool of these sheep is naturally adapted to the extreme cold thanks to its exceptionally long fleece.
Originally, the colors of the sweater respected the natural colors of Icelandic sheep: white, gray, light and dark brown and black.
For the Icelanders, the lopi is much more than a simple clothes. Indeed, it is the emblem of a nature with an extreme climate and the witness of a period when knitting made the whole economy of the country turn.
The lopi is recognized among all sweaters for the perfection of its knitting. Enjoy the meticulous details and the use of natural colors, those of the Icelandic sheep's fleece.
In the Worldwide Friends association we have different camps with distinctive projects, one of the main activities of the volunteers is to collect waste on Icelandic beaches. Some of them start to create object.
The first creation is a backpack made from plastic and wire for the straps.
You can use this bag for vegetables or fruits without using plastic bags. W F C R E A T I O N S
This creation is an handbag made from fishing net, they are hard to recycle so it's always a good idea to create a new object and reuse this waste.
This last creation is made from fishing net abandoned in the Icelandic ocean and collected on the sand by volunteers. This can be used for candles, but also for flowers and anything else you want.
By Maja, from Solheimar
Ingredients :
- 580 g white Flour
- 1 Tablespoon of Sugar
- 2 Teaspoons of Salt
- 9 g of dried Yeast
- 390 ml of warm water
Recipe :
1. Mix the following ingredients in a big bowl:
- White Flour
- Tablespoon of Sugar
- Teaspoons of Salt
- Dried Yeast
2. Ad warm water (important) and knead everything until a homogeneous dough is formed. It is normal that this is quite sticky.
3. Cover the bowl and let it rest for one hour at a warm place.
4. Knead the dough again with flour on your hands and on the surface of the kitchen for about three minutes.
5. Place the bread dough on a baking sheet covered with baking paper. If desired, the bread can now be brushed with water and sprinkled with grains or sesame seeds.
6. Cover it again and let it rest for another hour at a warm place.
7. Bake it for 15min on 220 degree and another 35min on 180 degree.
