From Northern Lights to Monday Meetings – Life as a Volunteer at Fjället - Ariane
I am writing my first clumsy words to share my experience as a long term volunteer in Kooperativet Fjallet. My name is Ariane and I am from France. Those last five months I started working with youth and discovering the joys and sorrows going along with it. A lot of patience, some moments of frustrations but true rewards of pure joy and emotions. Sitting in a room with this very foreign language is like a constant rumor surrounding oneself. Unfortunately, the process to get access to the holy grail - SFI - (Swedish for immigrant) is a long and strenuous road. Recently, I got notified of my first ever class on the 2nd of february and I cannot wait for human interaction type of class. Dear textbook, I am forever indebted to you but it is time our path separate…
So far a lot of things have happened and time is flying by. One murder mystery activity planned with my covolunteer, my first ever time seeing the northern lights, a bunch of days looking desperately for the sun to brush my face, some moments staring at the snow, my first ever christmas abroad, a dozen kanelbullar, hundred of games of ping-pong, one viva sound festival, around ten girls nights and dinners, a handful of deep sighs, a great deal of laughter, a zest of "please take of your skor", one dinner with my colleagues, 170 pages of translation, a ton of youth names, some that I still do not know and many many many long monday staff meetings…
January has been a very busy month and felt like a week. It started off oddly, when I got stuck in the city of Sundsvall in Norrland for one week because of a snow storm. I know it sounds like a Christmas romantic movie plot but believe me it had nothing to do with it. However I discovered the city, its museum and its small french community (with a very good bakery). Back to Goteborg, I baked some "galette des rois" ( some kind of french pie that you make for epiphany) for the kids of the youth center. After that, the planning days with all the staff of Fjallet were held from January 13th to January 14th. We had the opportunity to evaluate the past year and have a general vision of the one to come but also continue to build the team as a unit. The exchanges with my colleagues showed me how much everyone cares and reflects about the same issues, which motivated me to continue doing my best. It keeps my reflection about working with youth growing and changing. After those two intense days, I had a playful week-end in the snow with some snow-ball fights and pulka on the stairs covered in snow and ice. Consequences of my actions : a bruise the size of my fist on my thigh…ouch. My breath was soon taken away by my first ever northern lights observation. As the month went by, I went to Stockholm for a violin concerto and returned almost immediately to go volunteer in the Gothenburg film festival. This event is the biggest film festival of Scandinavia and I am really excited to take part in it. As I am writing those words, January is about to end and February is arriving with hopefully a set of new adventures.
Take care,
I am writing my first clumsy words to share my experience as a long term volunteer in Kooperativet Fjallet. My name is Ariane and I am from France. Those last five months I started working with youth and discovering the joys and sorrows going along with it. A lot of patience, some moments of frustrations but true rewards of pure joy and emotions. Sitting in a room with this very foreign language is like a constant rumor surrounding oneself. Unfortunately, the process to get access to the holy grail - SFI - (Swedish for immigrant) is a long and strenuous road. Recently, I got notified of my first ever class on the 2nd of february and I cannot wait for human interaction type of class. Dear textbook, I am forever indebted to you but it is time our path separate…
So far a lot of things have happened and time is flying by. One murder mystery activity planned with my covolunteer, my first ever time seeing the northern lights, a bunch of days looking desperately for the sun to brush my face, some moments staring at the snow, my first ever christmas abroad, a dozen kanelbullar, hundred of games of ping-pong, one viva sound festival, around ten girls nights and dinners, a handful of deep sighs, a great deal of laughter, a zest of "please take of your skor", one dinner with my colleagues, 170 pages of translation, a ton of youth names, some that I still do not know and many many many long monday staff meetings…
January has been a very busy month and felt like a week. It started off oddly, when I got stuck in the city of Sundsvall in Norrland for one week because of a snow storm. I know it sounds like a Christmas romantic movie plot but believe me it had nothing to do with it. However I discovered the city, its museum and its small french community (with a very good bakery). Back to Goteborg, I baked some "galette des rois" ( some kind of french pie that you make for epiphany) for the kids of the youth center. After that, the planning days with all the staff of Fjallet were held from January 13th to January 14th. We had the opportunity to evaluate the past year and have a general vision of the one to come but also continue to build the team as a unit. The exchanges with my colleagues showed me how much everyone cares and reflects about the same issues, which motivated me to continue doing my best. It keeps my reflection about working with youth growing and changing. After those two intense days, I had a playful week-end in the snow with some snow-ball fights and pulka on the stairs covered in snow and ice. Consequences of my actions : a bruise the size of my fist on my thigh…ouch. My breath was soon taken away by my first ever northern lights observation. As the month went by, I went to Stockholm for a violin concerto and returned almost immediately to go volunteer in the Gothenburg film festival. This event is the biggest film festival of Scandinavia and I am really excited to take part in it. As I am writing those words, January is about to end and February is arriving with hopefully a set of new adventures.
Take care,