Sandra Meglić travelled to Norway in June, where she will stay for one year. She revealed why, what does she do and some other interesting things to the readers of Globetrotter.
You went to Norway for a year as a volunteer. How did you find out about this possibility and how did you apply?
Many factors encouraged my application. I was already helping
HI Slovenia with being an admin of their
Instagram account, writing articles so I got a hint how everything works and so I also got regular e-mails about the opportunities they offer and so on. After I went on an Erasmus+ seminar, which was made possible by HI Slovenia, I became interested in EVS projects. So one day I got an e-mail with a description of the 1-year project in Norway. Usually I wouldn’t be interested but since I recently found out that EVS is including so many work fields, I checked things out because I was curious. I was surprised by how amazing this project sounded to me and that the timing is perfect so I tried out my luck.
Why did you even decide to apply?
I decided to apply because the project has “me” written all over it. It connected my interests with experience and because I was planning to write my last exam right in this time, I needed some time away from all the stress and I needed a change in my life.
Can you tell us more about the project?
2017 is the year of
sustainable tourism so
HI Norway searched for long-term volunteers for the third time in a row. They “hired” me and a graphic designer from Spain and we’re supposed to take care of Hostelling International promotion with some hint of environmentalism and “green” way of travelling. The main goal is keeping the social media alive, attract guests and followers, take care for their good mood and good atmosphere outside and inside the hostel.
What are your main tasks, what do you do?
Both me and my colleague are very flexible and our tasks depend on what we can do. I like to write, photograph, I try to be creative. I take care of the blog, the look of the website, Instagram, Facebook. I prepare maps for tourists, promotional videos, interviews with guests, employees and volunteers and I plan to improve my piano skills and make a concert for guests. In September, I will move this tasks from Oslo to Bergen, to the other side of the country. There’s plenty of work.
Did you experience culture shock? Which difference between Slovenia and Norway would you point out?
I visited Norway before for a short amount of time so a lot of things were familiar to me, but they’re still fascinating. I don’t have enough time to point out all of them. One of the things that surprises you is the country’s standard. You know that you’re going to an expensive country, but 9 Euros for a beer still hurts your wallet. The other thing is the “climate” shock – the length of the day is very different from Slovenia. The sun sets at about 11 o’clock at night and even after midnight you can see the sunset behind the lake. 22 degrees Celsius is a very warm day for Norwegians, the park fills with people who sunbathe in the swimsuits.
What did you like the most so far?
I like the hostel’s atmosphere. There’re a lot of volunteers here in the summer who keep the hostel working so there are always new ideas and activities, I also met a lot of people. I also like the way of work and that my supervisors support my ideas. And that my schedule is really diverse, the whole idea of EVS and really good opportunities and benefits that I get from this programme.
Is there something you don’t like?
There’re not many things I don’t like. One of them is probably that I’m used to different food, especially good lunches, so I get home-meal-sickness sometimes. Luckily the hostel where I’m staying encourages that the volunteers cook something from leftovers and the food is not being wasted. I would also like a single room but that’s also a different and new experience for me.
You started to write a blog, can you tell us something more?
Of course! Besides the blog I write for
Hostelling International Norway, which is aimed for those who are interested in tourist activities in the country, I also have my own blog where I describe my opinion things that fascinate me and how my volunteering experience develops. I also add photos for a more interesting look. I wish to encourage someone else to decide to volunteer, because the knowledge and the new contacts you gain are priceless. You can find me on:
http://evsnorway.blogspot.si/.
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