As a GoEco representative, I recently had the opportunity to visit one of our programs! My volunteer trip to the Nordic Greenhouse Gardening project in beautiful Iceland was remarkable and I was able to see first-hand how our volunteers make a difference.
We began our exciting week with a sightseeing tour of the “Golden Circle”, which included some fantastic natural wonders such as the Gullfoss Waterfalls, active geysers, a trek through the tectonic plates, and a view of some wondrous lava fields.
The project site is located on the same grounds as the health clinic, surrounded by gorgeous foliage, mountains and brooks. The volunteer work can entail anything from planting, weeding, raising the plants to ensure proper growth, harvesting, cleaning the premises, and packaging the produce.
Digging my hands into the earth was a great feeling! Icelanders have a great respect for nature and so much of that is inherent in the volunteer work. The vegetables and fruits grown in the greenhouses are used at the health clinic’s kitchen, so the tomato you picked in the morning, might be served dinner time, giving you a great sense of satisfaction and an understanding of what “farm to table” really means. We worked for three hours in the morning with a coffee break in between. Then we took a nice lunch break and after that worked for another two hours. The project coordinators were well-organized and fun. We listened to music while working in the greenhouses.
The living quarters are decently comfortable with everything you need on hand. The rooms are single occupancy with ample closet space, a desk, and a sink and mirror in the room. The kitchenette, which is a shared space, had all the basic necessities. There’s a comfortable living room where we gathered each evening for culture night. Volunteer’s spoke about their country of origin and the various customs, adding to the cosmopolitan vibe and cultural understanding that volunteering abroad offers.
Now for some luxurious benefits at the project.
I did not expect the food to be so delicious! Volunteers enjoy the same well balanced and tasty meals that the clinic’s occupants are served. While we did eat in a separate room, we had full access to the buffet and drinks served on premises.
Another added benefit is that volunteers have access to the health clinic’s thermal pools and sauna at specific hours of the day.
This project is a true gem and I highly recommend it both for its contributive work, as well as the magnificent locale.
