Hi! My name is Paulina and I am VANT’s new volunteer from Germany. 🙂
I arrived here on the second of October ’21 and I am going to stay at least until the end of May ’22.
I will continue this blog started by Clara with the experiences I make in the following months I will spend at the Viljandi Open Youth Centre. It is supposed to become a “volunteers’ legacy”, continued by every future volunteer that will work at Viljandi Avatud Noortetuba.
But who am I??
That’s a very deep question. 😉
To stay at the surface, I grew up in a small town in the far west of Germany, very close to the border of ther Netherlands. When I finished Highschool (Gymnasium), I wanted to move away and do something related to culture or art, so I did a cultural voluntary year at a cinema in the upper east part of Germany.
My initial plan after that was to study at university or start training for a job, but when I came across VANT as a European Solidarity Corps (voluntary service) project, it really felt like the right thing to do.
I enjoy art, all kinds of painting and drawing, playing the guitar or piano and shooting and editing videos. I hope I can contribute some of those skills and interests to the everyday-life of Viljandi Avatud Noortetuba!
My goals here are to realise my own projects and workshops at VANT, learn Estonian, travel around the country and make new friends and experiences.
Feel free to ask any questions!
I will soon publish a post about my already-over first two (almost three!) month at the youthcentre (and artschool, on arrival training and much, much more).
Celebration of a volunteer’s birthday in a bar and camp in a tent / 92. suur jooks ümber Viljandi järve and concert in Tääksi
As it was the birthday of a German volunteer, I was invited to join him at our Estonian teacher place where there were other German people. We spent time all together, ate outside and then we went in a bar. We came back to our teacher place, camped there and spend the night in a tent
On the next day, with some colleagues we participated in a event which consisted to run around the lake of Viljandi (12 km) For more information about this event you can go on the following link : https://viljandijarvejooks.ee/en/homepage
After running around the lake, I joined again the German’s volunteers and we ended the day by going to a concert in Tääksi with our Estonian teacher too.
Hiking in Karula National Park (Rebasemõisa) with a German volunteer and visit of Valga-Vaka city
I joined a German volunteer in Valga which is a city in the boarder with Latvia and hiked in Karula National Park.
So lucky we were because the weather was not so good but finally we didn’t walk under the rain.
Also to return back to my friend place, we thought we had to do hitch hiking because we didn’t see the last bus which supposed arrive but it was 15 minutes late.
The next day the volunteer showed me the city of Valga in Estonian side but we also crossed the boarder and went in Latvia.
To finish my time here, we runned through the city to catch my last bus for Viljandi and arrived 3 minutes before the departure.
Hiking and swimming in a swamp in Sooma National Park with a German volunteer, my Estonian teacher, her husband and a Austrian girl
With a German volunteer again, we drove to Sooma National Park , swam in a swamp and walked in the nature, accompanied by our Estonian teacher, her husband and a girl from Austria.
Then, with the volunteer we decided to make a fire and to spend the night in a forest hut.
The next day I had to take the only bus of the day to come back to Viljandi but this bus never came. Luckily some local people brought me to another bus station to catch another bus.
As on a Friday it was holiday (Independance Day of Estonia), I went to Riga with some friends. I really wanted to go there before I leave Estonia. I am absolutely not disappointed! It’s a very beautiful city and we had a lot of fun.
I went there with a friend from Viljandi and by whom I spent the nights until the end of my stay. We took a bus until Valga and from there we got on a train for Riga.
Then, we joined some friends, I got to know and met new people, discover the city with local people too and went to bars.
Viljandi Hansapäevad
Every summer Hanseatic Days take place in Viljandi to commemorate the city’s golden age, when membership of the Hanseatic League brought wealth and ambitious ideas to its people.
For one weekend Viljandi old town and downtown become one big market and festival place where traders and crafters offer their best goods, food trucks sell their best street food and you can enjoy diverse culture programme.
My coordinator came to visit me in Viljandi to exchange together about my project in the Youth Center but also to talk about things I had to fill in before the end of my volunteering here.
Celebration of my birthdaywith my co-workers
Youthpass
Final report
Meeting a Syrian family
There is a refugee family who arrived in Estonia few weeks ago and which is coming from Syria.
They have lived 4 years in Germany, so they can speak the language. Because I am the only one among my colleagues who speak German, I had as task to meet and show them the city. We walked about one hour, we went to Viljandi lake, to the castle ruins and we even entered in the Youth Center to show them where I work and what they can do here. My aim was to help and introduce them in the local community.
To thank you me for the time I spent with them, they invited me for a coffee at their place.
Personal and final meeting of the project with the leader of the Center
As it was my last month in Estonia, at the end of August I had a meeting with my leader to make a balance sheet of end of project, to talk about what I have learnt, what I have achieved and what should the host organisation improve for the future.
Introduction of French culture to some students
Preparation of the episode 3 of the podcast
Record of theepisode 3
What did I learn this month?
Handcraft
As you already know, for the youth’s camp I had to prepare some handcraft’s activities. Before I had to prepare some of them to show to the youngsters the result of the object. So I learnt to make some new handcraft adapted of the age and to teach them how to do it by explaining in the most simple way possible.
Work with children
Thanks to the youth’s camp which took place from 2nde to 6th of August, I discovered a new work and learnt how to work with children aged from 10 to 12 years despite the language barrier. Since I was on holiday during one month, I hadn’t the possibility to learn Estonian and I hadn’t heard so much about the language. So it was difficult to understand and to be focus all the time but I could deal with that and I even received some nice feedback from the participants. Also it was a great opportunity for me to practice and try again my Estonian.
To play baby foot
Almost every day I spent time with the youngsters by playing baby foot with them during their free time.
I am not use to play this game, so I have learnt more about this and found with the time how to manipulate the footballers to aim well but also the referee to avoid the opponent’s side scoring a goal.
Redaction of a travel book
It was the first time for me that I wrote my own experience through a travel book. Although I learnt this when I studied, I was not use to do it in my daily life. So I made some researches on Internet and tried to use my previous knowledges.
It was a lot of work, I spent a long time to the redaction of this book but I am just very proud about myself and the outcome.
To swimm in a swamp
With one volunteer who worked in Sooma National Park, we drove there and swam in a swamp. I didn’t know that it was possible to swimm in a swamp. When the volunteer told me that I could bring my swimsuit, I ask him : “But where do you want to swimm in the park?”. He answered me “we can swimm in a swamp. :)”. I was a little bit surprise and luckily we had good weather, so I tried for my first time to swimm there. The water was very cold but I was happy to try a new experience.
To light a fire in the forest
With the same volunteer with whom I spent time in Sooma National Park and on the same day, at the evening we spent a night in a forest hut. So it was the good occasion to light a fire. As he knew that I never lighted a fire and that I really would like to learn that, he taught me how to do that by helping him. Now I know the process to do it, I just need to practice.
The Independence Day of Estonia
On 20 August 1991, during the attempted coup in Moscow by the hardline Communist Party members, the Soviet 76th Guards Air Assault Division arrived in Tallinn. Volunteers organized protection of Toompea and the television broadcast tower. The Popular Front of Estonia organized a rally in Freedom Square which called for the independence of Estonia. On the same day, late in the evening at 23:02, the Supreme Council of Estonia, along with the leadership of the Estonian Committee agreed on “the independence of the Estonian state and the establishment of the Constitutional Assembly”, thus proclaiming the restoration of Estonian independence.
Since the restoration of Estonian independence in 1991, a new tradition of parades by the Estonia Defence Forces has been established, with the first parade held in Tallinn in 1993 marking the diamond jubilee year since the events of 1918. The parade, the reception and a concert that precedes the reception are broadcast live on television. This coverage includes a speech by the President.
Estonian independence day is unique among world independence days as it is traditionally celebrated one day after the set date.
Adaption of a new environment
At the middle of the month, I had to move from the dormitory and couldn’t stay longer there because news students arrived into my room and will stay for all the school year. So I asked a friend if I could move and spend time at his place for 2 weeks and he accepted my demand.
That’s means I had to adapt me again of a new atmosphere, environment and to change a little my living habits.
Conclusion
This was the last chapter of the work I did in the Youth Center because my project is unfortunatly finish.
What I can say is that during this year in Estonia I have learnt a lot of things, especially about the culture of the country and the work at the Youth Center.
I would like to thank you very much my colleagues to gave me the opportunity to work with them and to gave me the chance to accomplish some activities/projects by myself.
Thank you to people who followed my adventures here in Estonia and for the feedbacks I received about my voluntary.
Viljandi and Estonia in general has became my second home country. I will never forget all the people I met there and the pleasant moments I spent during 10 months. Estonia in my heart for always
The folk music festival that takes place in Viljandi Castle Hills and city centre every July is the ultimate expression of the unique way of thinking that started spreading in the beginning of the 1990s. It values tradition, heritage and local identity and tries to adapt the spiritual values that people have developed over hundreds and thousands of years to the contemporary way of life. The aim of all of it is to keep the estonian traditions alive, strengthen their national character and invigorate the musical mother tongue. The youthful and happy festival guests are cheerful and caring towards their surroundings and themselves, and open to the opportunities of falling in love and delving deep into something. That’s the spirit of the festival! Viljandi Folk Music Festival has become one of the largest of its kind in the Baltic and Nordic countries.
The XXVIII Viljandi Folk Music Festival took place on July 22. – 25. 2021. The theme of the festival was “In Harmony”.
Due to the pandemic, this year the festival allowed 5000 visitors a day.
Usually over 25,000 people attend the concerts every year, but many more just come to take part in the festivities. As such, it is the largest annual music festival in Estonia, and one of the largest folk music festivals in Europe.
This year single concert tickets were not able to sell.
People didn’t need to test before coming to festival, neither vaccines certificate was not asked.
For indoor concerts (inside Estonian Traditional Music Center and St. Paul’s Church), people had to buy additional ticket for every concert, which costed 2€.
Working as volunteer
I worked in the field maintenance. My task was to looking after the concert and public areas at the festival and pick up the litter after each concert finishes. I worked with another volunteer from Estonia.
The advantages to be volunteer
Entrance at the festival
As a team member I got a festival team pass and I was able to attend the concerts in my free time. I also got +1 as well I could give to one of my friends.
Catering
The meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner) were included. This year team catering has been provided by a canteen of Viljandi Gymnasium.
To receive our portions, we had to wear with us our name card we received on a meeting, to approve our right to get a meal. The card was checked electronically at the entrance of the building.
Accommodation
The staff offered to the volunteers a space to sleep in Viljandi Leisure School.
Preparation of the festival
Our team met together on Wednesday 21.07, the day before the festival at the big hall of Pärimusmuusika Ait. That is where we got all the important informations, my goody bag with inside my namecard, the contract, a t-shirt, 2 wristbands (one for me and the other for a friend).
First of all, the managers of volunteers (Silja and Kirsika) presented us the organisation of the festival and gave us important informations. Then, we had a speech of Ando Kiviberg which founded Viljandi folk music festival.
All the presentation was in Estonian because I was the only foreigner. So another volunteer decided to come to me and to translate me everything in English.
After that, one of the manager showed us (to my team) the local where we could find some stuffs and what we could use.
After the preparation
To finish the day, I hung out in the evening with the volunteer who translated me the speech and met some of his Estonian friends. We walked in the city, accompanied some girls to swimm in Paala lake and went to a concert in Romaan bar for couple of hours.
In the application, you find the classicals sections like who are you (name, work, etc.), if you already have been volunteer for this festival, your work experiences, why you would like to be volunteer, if you need an accommodation during the festival, food regime, your availabilities, etc.
Then, once you applied, you receive a confirmation email. The answer to be able to be volunteer was given by email few days (2 weeks) before the festival begun.
The staff selected me, putted me in a team, choosed the field where I worked with the details of the tasks I had to do and the information about the festival. Afterwards, I had to let him know if I was interested about that position.
On 14th of July all volunteers had a pre-meeting on Zoom to prepare the festival in the best way as possible.
The fields of work as volunteer
More than 200 volunteers help to make the Viljandi Folk Music Festival happen every year. It is a pretty big percent of the team, considering that the size of the whole team is right over 400 people. Volunteers are needed to sell tickets, souvenirs, merch and records, for field maintenance, to work in the construction team, in the information tent, in the luggage hold and to attend the needs of the audience in the halls of Traditional Music Center and in Aida café. Stage managers, band hosts, couriers, IT-support, drivers, guards of the Sleepdom, photographers and secretaries of the festival headquarters are volunteers as well.
The festival shop was located on the Kirsimäe side of the Pärimusmuusika Ait. There, you could find the programme of the festival, buy some t-shirts, CD and some souvenirs about the folk music festival.
Festival’s Market
In Tallinna Street, close to Vabaduse Square, there was a little market where you could find some handcrafts, clothes, local food like fishes, cheeses but also jewels. Because it was outside the festival area, everybody was able to go there.
Food
In addition to Estonian and international cuisine, the Food Yard offered Street Food and a selection of fresh and healthy snacks – strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, pickles, cheese, bakery and fish products, raw foods, etc. Vegan and vegetarian options was available.
Photos gallery and videos
Zetod
Zetod
Zetod
Zetod
Trad.Attack!
Duo Ruut
Metsatöll ja Riffarrica
Metsatöll ja Riffarrica
Metsatöll ja Riffarrica
Metsatöll ja Riffarrica
Metsatöll ja Riffarrica
Puulup
Folk Afterparty
Folk Afterparty
Festival’s market
Festival’s market
View above Viljandi’s lake
Traditional dancing on the beach
Photos took by : myself (Clara) and my friends Animesh, Frederike, Jai, Nis, Olya and Ryan.
My favorites bands
In general, I really appreciated the groups who performed in the evening because the concerts were more energetics, the atmosphere was better than in the day and the people had more fun.
So if I had to make a short list of my favorites bands, then I would said:
Zetod
Metsatöll ja Riffarrica
Trad Attack
Noëp
Conclusion
My impression about this festival
“It was just incredible !!! I don’t have the words to describe my feelings and happiness about this huge event. I can just said that it was the best festival I could attend in my life until now. The atmosphere and the people I met were extremely nice.
I live in Viljandi since 9 months now, and usually I don’t meet so much people I know on the streets. During this time, it was impressive how much people I knew I met in the city. So the festival is the place of friends meetings but I also got to know new persons.
First of all, the day before the festival and after my meeting with the volunteers, I saw my Estonian teacher on the street and discussed with her. I also met her during the following days at the festival. She let me knew that 2 Germans guys I know thanks to her, should come to the festival too. The next day I met one of them spontaneously to a concert. Since, we exchanged to spend the nexts days together.
Then, I accommodated 4 volunteers (one girl from Spain, 2 from Germany and one from Russia) in my room who live in Maarja Küla and came with a van to the festival. I didn’t know them before. I only posted on a Facebook group “Volunteers in Estonia” that I could offer some spaces in my room to spend the nights during the festival period. One volunteer reacted, sent me a message and we exchanged our WhatsApp to talk more about the organisation. Finally she came with his flatmates and we went to some concerts together.
After that, one Italian foreign I met on my road trip in Kuressaare in Estonian island (Saaremaa) at the end of June, wrote to me to tell me that she is in Viljandi with her partner. Unfortunatly they couldn’t attend the festival because the tickets were sold out, but I joined them in a coffee for few minutes. It was really nice to meet them again because this persons are very kind.
Afterwards, the next day when I went for the lunch, I met an Indian friend I already met 2 times on my trip. He let me knew in advance that he will come. A strange but nice thing happened on the same day and at the same moment. 2 foreigners (a Brezilian guy and his Korean partner) I got to know in Kuressaare with the Italian foreigners, joined us. I didn’t knew that, so it was like a kind of nice surprise. We spent some time all together in the festival with my American friend too who lives in Viljandi.
Later in the day, my Indian friend told me that some of his friends I met in the capital city of Saaremaa too, should come to the folk music festival. So I met them too and spent some moments whith them.
Finally, some of my flatmates took also part of the festival.
Concerning the concerts, the artists have been amazing, wonderful, especially in the evening (Trad.Attack!, Noëp, Zetod, Metsatöll, 3-4, etc.).
To conclude, for the last concert I finished to crying of happiness, I laughed so much and for stupied things that we could pretend that I was drunk but I hadn’t drink alcohol that day. I was just drunking of hapiness.”
Participation of the last day’s training of the project “plastic is not fantastic”/ Hiking trail around the lake Pühajärv and swimming
Pühajärv is the largest lake in Otepää. The lake is 3,5 km long and deepest point is 8,5 m, the beach line is 16,4 km long and the area is 292,6 ha. Nature around Otepää on a whole is under protection of Otepää Nature Park.
There are lot of springs on the lakeside and the most famous of them is Armuallikas (Love Spring) in Poslovitsa bight. There are 5 island in the lake Pühajärve: Sõsarsaared (Sister islands) in northern part, Kloostrisaar (Monastery island) in the middle and Suur Lepassaar (Big Alder island) and väike Lepassaar (Small Alder island) in the south.
There are numerous folktales and legends connected with the lake. The lake has come into being from the tears of the mourning mother, who was grieving for her five sons. They all died in a war and their burial mounds have formed present islands in the lake. Other tale sais, that in ancient times there have been lot of oak groves in the area. One of them was holy grove. There was no lake then yet. Once it came as a big loud cloud and stopped in the sky just above holy grove. People looked at it and said: “It is humming in the sky as our holy grove on the ground.” Immediately after that lake poured down the sky beside the holy grove. Lake was named Pühajärve (Holy Lake).
Welcomed and visit of my parents all the weekend in Viljandi / Hiking trip in Alatskivi and swimming in the lake
After such a long time (almost 8 months), I spent all my weekend with my parents I could show them where I live and work, we walked around Viljandi lake, Paalalinna lake and in Peetrimõisa district. I booked the hostel for them where I also spent the night with them. It was really cool to not check the phone during 2/3 days and just to enjoy all the moments with them.
Alatskivi is a small borough in Peipsiääre Parish Tartu County. The village has around 390 population with 128 square kilometers land.
There you can admire the main sight : the gothic style castle of a local manor.
The snow-white Neo-Gothic castle in the heart of Alatskivi was designed and constructed (1880-1885) by Arved Georg von Nolcken, the landlord of Alaskivi estate, as a home for his family. The stylish entrance and marvellous turrets show the clear similarity to a part of the Balmoral Castle in Scotland. Since 1919 the building has been used for different purposes by various institutions. In 2011 the completely restored castle was opened to the public. Today the visitors of the castle can admire the fascinating interior and learn about the history of the building and living in it.
At the castle starts also a hiking trail which has a distance of 4,5km and go around the lake Lossijärv. There you can see varied terrain and have beautiful views.
Walk along Anne Canal in Tartu / Participation of the extreme sport’s event in our youth center
Anne Canal is a artificial lake situated a little bit outside the town of Tartu. The area of the lake is 9.4 ha. In one side of this canal there is also a beach, on the left bank of the River Emajõgi. That part has swings, ladders and a slide; there is also a fenced swimming area for children.
To go to my covid vaccine appointment in Tartu, I walked from the downtown core, along the Anne Canal and almost walked around the lake. It allowed me to discover this part of the city that I did not know at all. It certainly took me an hour’s walk but I had time since I had arrived well in advance in the city.
On the way back, I was so tired with the vaccine that I decided to take a taxi (Bolt) which brought me back to the bus station.
Then, I meet briefly a French volunteer from Pau and therefore more or less from the same region as me. 🙂 He studied tourism, like me once again.
Later in the afternoon, I took the bus for Viljandi and joined some of my colleagues at the centre and I attended an extreme sports competition as a spectator.
Permanent immigration and the mixture of origins Italians, Portuguese, Polis, Spanish, Algerians, Sub-Saharan Africa
Children’s protection day event
Girls Club : photos shooting in Viljandi
Creation of some objects of the list of handcraft’s activities for youngsters aged of 6 years and more
Transmit my passion for dance
Redaction of the article “Living abroad and especially in Estonia”
Préparation of the episode 2 of the podcast
Record of the episode 2
Team meeting to talk about the camp
Translation of the rules in Estonian of games I proposed for the youth’s camp
Participation of the youth’s camp
What did I learn this month?
Work with children
Thanks to the youth’s camp which took place from 14th to 18th of June, I discovered a new work and learnt how to work with children despite the language barrier. Although it was difficult to understand and to be focus all the time, I could deal with that and have some nice feedback from the participants. Also it was a great opportunity for me to practice my Estonian.
Handcraft
As you already know, for the youth’s camp I had to prepare some handcraft’s activities. Before I had to prepare some of them to show to the youngsters the result of the object. So I learnt to make some new handcraft adapted of the age and to learn them how to do it by explaining in the most simple way possible.
To play billiard
Almost every day before to start the activities we planned with the team, I played billard with a youngster who came often in advance to the center. So I learnt more about this game, how to hold the cue of the pool table to make it easier to fit the balls into the holes. I even won a game against that youngster.
The volunteering
To realise my second episode of the podcast, I invited Caroline who works by Estyes (my coordinating organisation) to exchange about how to be volunteer in Estonia.
Through the exchanges we had on Zoom, I learnt that it is not possible to do firstly a long-term voluntary and then a short-term project but the opposite is possible. Also I discovered that 2 months is already considered as a long-term project.
What do I plan to do for the next month?
Travel
As I already mentionned it in the previous month, at the end of the month of June, I will have one month holliday and take advantage of this time to travel around Estonia, discover more deeply the country an the culture in which I live since a long time. My road trip will last until the middle/end of July. I planned to travel far away from my city because this is something I can only do it on a long period.
Bevolunteer for/or participate to the Viljandi folk music festival
“The folk music festival that takes place in Viljandi Castle Hills and city centre every July is the ultimate expression of the unique way of thinking that started spreading in the beginning of the 1990s. It values tradition, heritage and local identity and tries to adapt the spiritual values that people have developed over hundreds and thousands of years to the contemporary way of life. The aim of all of it is to keep our traditions alive, strengthen our national character and invigorate our musical mother tongue.”
The volunteers can bring help in different fields like to sell ticket, information worker, venue attendant, service of drinks at a bar’s stand, etc. The division of volunteers into teams will be revealed in the first half of July and replies to all candidates will be sent by email.
As they will need less volunteers this year, it is possible that I will be not able to be volunteer. In that case, as I will have birthday soon, my mother proposed me to offer the pass of participation as a present.
Prepare my career
As my voluntary will finish soon, I have to prepare what I will do after that. I already have ideas of what I would like to do. The next step is to review my CV, make a list of the associations, firms, NGOs, ect to whom I will send my application, apply for jobs and so on.
I don’t forget the offer I obtained with my sending organisation about collaborate together. I have not hear about them since our last exchange which went very well, that’s why I will contact them again after or during my trip.
Clara podcast on ühe Viljandi Noortetoa prantsuse vabatahtliku projekti presentatsioon. Ta jagab oma igapäevast elu teiega, et innustada nooremat generatsiooni sarnaseid kogemusi omandama. Ta usub, et audioformaat võimaldaks tal paremini harjutada ka eesti keelt.
For more information about this event you can go on the following link : 
and to spend the night in a forest hut. 
Luckily some local people brought me to another bus station to catch another bus. 
I really wanted to go there before I leave Estonia. 
I am absolutely not disappointed! It’s a very beautiful city 
and we had a lot of fun.
lasts 4 Days
I can just said that it was the best festival I could attend in my life until now. 
. 