Description

Hafnarfjordur is a town with population of 23.500 people. It is located 10 km away from the capital, Reykjavík. Hafnarfjordur takes its name (meaning Harbour-fjord) from the area's excellent natural harbour. The town is first named in the medieval "Book of Settlements," and the earliest reports of voyages to Hafnarfjordur date from the end of the 14th century. Today, Hafnarfjordur is one of the nation's largest fishing centres and the site of Iceland's first fish wholesalers' auction market.

Hafnarfjordur is famous for having one of Iceland's largest settlements of elves, dwarves and other mystical beings, which are usually called Hidden Folk. Centuries-old folklore has it that whole clans of such beings reside in the rocks that make up part of the towns centre. We do not doubt this at all. Though elves are visible only to those with second sight, a great many Icelanders believe in their existence. Indeed, there is much evidence to support this belief, as stories abound of instances where new roads or housing developments were under construction and strange happenings took place. Hidden Folk enjoy a certain regard, and nowhere more so than in Hafnarfjordur. There is even a Hidden Worlds tour that takes you to their home sites, stopping at places like Hellisgerdi Park and the base of the cliff Hamarinn, which is said to be home to the Royal Family of the Hidden Folk. Along the way, the guide relates ancient folk tales of the magical hidden worlds and describes how the town grew and developed in harmony with the Hidden Folk.

The Vikings settled Iceland around 874 AD and the Icelanders are very proud of those brave people who had the courage to start a life here in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. In Hafnarfjordur there is a small Viking village where the volunteer project will take place. During the annual Viking Festival modern-day Icelanders and Vikings from abroad celebrate their heritage with appropriate style. The Vikings' wild and adventurous spirit lives on today, in the people of this unique country. The event is a lot of fun; there are displays of ancient arts and crafts, and large gruff men in full Viking attire demonstrate their ancient battle skills to anyone brave enough to challenge them.

Two groups of volunteers will take part in the project. The first one from May 27 to June 23, and the second one from June 9 to June 23.

The volunteers will help with the preparation of the festival, the festival itself and after it has finished. During the festival all volunteers will receive Viking costumes to wear and perform different tasks. Different types of tasks will be performed as control at the venues, assistance to visitors, and helping the other Viking volunteers in the kitchen or serving the meals.

The festival will start on June 13th and last until June 17th. Apart from our group of Vikings, there will be around 120 more Viking volunteers coming from all around the world! A big collection of artists will be at the Festival: warriors, bowmen, wrestlers, woodcarvers, stonemasons, blacksmiths, storytellers and enchantresses, musicians and magicians. The working hours are not completely fixed and they will be flexible according to the busy and relaxed hours of the festival.

Leisure time: Excursions and free time activities will be arranged for volunteers. The volunteers will have free access to the local swimming pool.

Highlights

There is an extra fee of 120 Euro that goes to support the local host of the project.

Languages

• English

Cost in US$:

USD 290

Cost Includes:

• Food
• Housing
• Registration fees
• Written materials pre-departure

Experience Required

no

Volunteer Types

• Conservation
• Culture
• Festivals
• Historic Preservation

Typical Volunteer

Motivated to work voluntarily within an international team, tolerant, open-minded and cooperative person with adventurous spirit.

Age Range

18 and over

This Program is open to

American and Canadian Participants.

Typical Living Arrangements

• Group living

Participants Travel

Independently

Typically Participants Work

in Groups

CADIP - Canadian Alliance for Development Initiatives and Projects's Mission Statement

CADIP promotes peace, cooperation, tolerance and understanding in international, multi-ethnic, multi-cultural surroundings. The organization also promotes patterns and examples of civil activities focused on serving others, on building social ties and strengthening communities, on supporting civil society development. Aims and general objectives: * To promote volunteering as an expression of civic contribution * To strengthen the international contacts among young people * To build tolerance and understanding in multicultural and multi-ethnic surroundings *To promote multiunderstanding among youth all over the world * To facilitate the individual growth of the volunteers through the acquisition of work, life and learning skills * To work for the recognition and promotion of non-formal learning * To support the community initiatives and assist in community development.