Annelies Ollieuz (Belgium)

Red Cross Nordic United World College Leirskule, Flekke, Fjaler
Email: annelies@earaction.com

Why were you a volunteer?

I graduated as a social anthropologist and wanted to work abroad, with a non governmental organisation for instance. Getting such a job was difficult though, since I didn't have any working experience. EVS offered me this possibility, without me needing any working experience.

Why did you choose Norway?

I have always been very interested in Scandinavia – I LOVE snow – and had been on a student exchange to Denmark before. I applied to a project in Sweden and one in Norway and ended up in Flekke.

What did you do?

I did lots of different things. Mainly, I worked with Leirskule (a campschool for Norwegian kids), assisted students with physical disabilities, and organised extra English classes for students with poor English at the UWC. I also organised activities for clients at the neighbouring rehabilitation centre. And I learned Norwegian.

What is bad about being a volunteer?

Not bad, but a challenge: Volunteers working at the UWC need to be quite independent, take initiative themselves, and be able to say ‘no', to avoid they work 10 hours a day.

Three typical norwegian things?

Taking off your shoes when you enter a house; go to work wearing wellingtons when it's raining; mixing raisins and salted peanuts to take as a snack on a hiking trip.

What was your first phrase in Norwegian?

Hei, eg heiter Annelies.

Your best norwegian experience?

In general, living together with people from so many different countries (about 80) at the UWC. And more specifically, getting the marks of one of the Chinese students I worked with. She virtually didn't know any English when she came to Flekke and got very good marks after her two years here. Our extra classes together had really made a difference, and that was a great feeling.

Your favorite norwegian food?

Kjøttkaker med tyttebærsyltetøy.

If you had three optional things to do, what would you do?

If I would have had money, I would have bought skis and a car, and travelled a lot more in Norway

The most important phrases in your job:

Do you understand? (to my English students); Bare legg deg ned, jeg holder deg. (to the clients I taught to swim); Disse kajakkene er utrolig stabile. (to the clients I took out in sea kayaks on the fjord).

And one more little thing: I still live in Norway … :) after arriving in 2000