Oddmund Reisæter Haugen, from Dale, Norway. Volunteer in Spain.

Project: Rural and youth development 2004-ES-13
E-mail:

Placement: I am a volunteer in a region called Solsona in the very centre of Catalonia , Spain .
E-mail: orh_mund82@hotmail.com

Why are you a volunteer?

I am a volunteer because I was influenced by a unknown number of volunteers during a period of 4 years in my village. And also I really found the idea of living in another country for 3-12 months very appealing. And of course the fact that I have a travellers mind with urges to explore the world in any and every way possible is also helping the decision to become a a volunteer

Why did you choose Spain?

My EVS country, Spain, was chosen because I always wanted to learn Spanish. And I thought the best way to learn Spanish, was to live Spanish. Of course there was something that I should have been more aware of; because although they speak Spanish here in Catalonia as well, Catalan is their language, and Catalan is their mind. But nonetheless, the experience of living in the Iberian Peninsula learning about their way of life and culture, I considered to be very interesting.

What do you do?

In my project, which is called youth and rural development, I have been participating in restoring a rural house which acts as a centre for the organization. I have been introduced to the landscape and have gained knowledge about it in order to be prepared for tasks in my project. I have been a leader in a summer camp for children and two international work camps. And I have been working with the office part of the organization to see what and how they do things.

 

What is bad about being a volunteer?

In general, I think the worst thing is making your friends feel bad because you are travelling and experiencing. In my case, I have been in a organization with a short history and during my time here there has been a lot of changes. The task for the volunteer therefore is to be able to adapt himself to the new world that he has been put in, respecting and accepting. This can be hard from time to time.

Three typical Spanish things?

( I will have to speak for the part of Spain that I have been working in): donkey stickers on every car, bread with tomato and gesticulation.

What was your first phrase?

"Puedes.....no sé, aquí, no sé que voy a hacer aquí" ("Can you....I don't know, here, I don't know what I am going to do here".)

Your best Spanish experience?

Meeting all those nationalities in the international work camp.

Your favorite local food?

Butifara, and the tomato sauce from the grandmother of Fidel.

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

Find a way to do them all.

 

 

 

 

The most important phrases in your job:

"Please shut up, people are sleeping."
"What do we do now?" (?Qué hacemos ahora?)
"Is this how you wanted it?" (?Lo quieres como así?)