Volunteers' stories
My time at Baikal WaveStephanie Ward
I've known for a while now, (a year), that I was going to write about my time at Baikal Wave and that somehow I was going to have to sort through the sparkling collection of memories and experiences to pick the brightest diamonds to share with you in this spring sunlight. So, with this inspiring task I shall begin. In many ways, being a volunteer encourages a person to learn how to share their own glow with new people. I have found that being greeted with warmth, enthusiasm and smiles really encourages a person to come out of her self and be open to a thousand new possibilities and friendships. I arrived in Irkutsk through the European Voluntary Service youth program. This meant that from the outset there were goals to be achieved and tasks to be fulfilled. These goals in the main being based on international partnership and support, a fostering of connections, and the exchange of ex-perience and ideas. The project and being a volunteer in general, enables both parties to gain from the experience in many ways. The goals set can be realized in many guises and is a real joy and a positive challenge. I think many volunteers come to the wave and they wish very much to help in whichever way possible. This will involve many different types of work; general paper-based work in the office - translations for a variety of areas - grant applications, news for the website, internationally supported campaigns, petitions and other work linked to the info-centre. There are opportunities to work in different spheres - Baikal Wave is a very active organisation with many diverse, ongoing and high profile projects in the region. I have been very involved in the process of incorporating a method of helping the organisation itself become more sustainable, this is aided by the Natural Step for Business method. My work involved an analysis of the organisation's resource use - from rubbish produced, water and energy used, the food we eat together at lunchtimes, in order to help the whole organisation ascertain where on the road to sustainability they lie in the present moment, and what steps are to be made now and in the future to accomplish this aim. Apart from work, the possibilities for adventure are huge. Eastern Siberia is a beautiful and immense place; every season has its specialties. Having been here and seeing, smelling and eating a little of what each season has to offer, I can say that the beginning of spring, and my first trip to Baikal was really awesome. We were walking over the lake late on in March and suddenly heard and felt an almighty crack resonate throughout our bodies and through what could have seemed like still-sleeping deep waters. Not so! Very much awake and in the mood to shake some people's sense of safety! It was as if the bass speaker in a club was loudly producing a deep dark sound ever so often. Breathtaking stuff, almost made me fall over. Spring is a very welcome season here, so much snow and for such a long time! The winter is very beautiful indeed and it seems that the Siberian people can have fun in pretty much all weather conditions. I have never seen so many variations on the modest sledge; so many different ways to move very quickly across, along, up, down and over ice and snow. Inspiring stuff, (especially for a gal from southern England, where things are neither very cold nor very warm.) The feasting on and collecting of berries, mushrooms, pine nuts and sun-flower seeds in the late summer and early autumn months gives one a great excuse to dance and play in the forests and meet the pixies and elves along the way. Then there is of course summer…hot, hot, hot! Baikal sparkling, the heat waves hovering over the dusty tracks of Olkhon Island, and the thought in your head that you are in Siberia; the total wonder at how different and lovely is the place that may have previously conjured up images of endless barren and snowy fields. Come and experience it for yourself, meet the lovely people of Baikal Wave who strive with energy and humour to stimulate environmentalism in this region, and to keep Baikal the wonder that it is. |
Looking for partnersSTORIES Iwona Frydryzhak and Anastazja Golaj, Poland APPLICATION FORM |
