I can honestly say that the time I have spent in Tálknafjörður and Bíldudalur in the last 2 weeks, has been one of the most interesting and satisfying things I have ever done (as I have spent 2 years living abroad, travelled extensively and have done a number of other volunteer camps in the past, this is perhaps saying something).

 

Just being in Tálknafjörður and Bíldudalur, in such beautiful surroundings, and with all the local amenities and activities available has been fantastic. There is so much to do and see, I could spend weeks here and I am very sorry to leave tomorrow.

 

In spite of the short time here, I feel that my group and I (7 volunteers from France, United Kingdom and the US) have seen so much thanks to the great efforts made by the locals to make us feel welcome. They have made every effort to show us the beauty of the local surroundings and to enjoy all the things that they love about their towns and the area. They have taken us into their homes as friends and I hope this will not be the last time I see them.

 

Spending so much time with the locals has also allowed us to learn much about their way of life, about Iceland and about the issues faced here, and, of course, to sample some of the fantastic local food. For me this has been one of the most interesting aspects of my two weeks here.

 

During our time here we enjoyed the Seaman’s Festival in both Bíldudalur and Tálknafjörður. We saw presentations on life and work on the boats, played lots of sea themed games, saw some live music from local bands, and even took part in a boat race against the locals… which we lost!

 

In addition to all of this, I have also felt that the work we have done here, which has included activities such as cleaning the beaches and rivers, and planting thousands of trees, clearing an old broken down house, and preparing hiking paths to improve tourism in the area, was greatly appreciated in the town. I feel we have made a big difference, and the locals have shown us that they appreciate our efforts.

 

It is these things, which I feel have made our stay here so enjoyable, and I am sure that I could recommend this experience to anyone with an interest in people, in the planet, and in expanding their knowledge of different places and cultures.

 

Camp leader - Edward Williams