Eszter in Iceland

Exploring breathtaking nature and learning about how to protect it

After graduating, I was a bit lost and didn’t really know where I should continue. During my studies, we heard a lot about ESC volunteering, and in my friend group many people had already taken part in it or were about to, so it seemed like the perfect decision to look for something where I could experience what it’s like to live abroad with strangers, in a place I had never been before, and challenge myself in a completely new way. That’s how I ended up in Iceland. I got everything — and more — than I wished for.

It was a quick and random choice; I never thought I would get the chance to visit Iceland and live there for six months. It felt like a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and I was lucky enough to live that dream.

I was there from March until September and lived in three different places, worked with more than a hundred people, made memories that changed the way I see life, let incredibly kind people close to my heart, fought with Iceland’s hectic weather, and reconnected with nature.

I worked for an environmental association that runs several camps all over Iceland. In each camp, we carried out different activities to help and give back to nature, such as tree planting, land restoration through fertilizing, beach cleaning, and waste sorting. After living in a city and in a materialistic world, it felt liberating to go back to the roots and spend every day in nature, working with my own two hands.

As a camp leader, besides the environmental work, my responsibilities included hosting short-term volunteers, creating schedules for daily work and household chores, and organizing workshops about sustainability and team-building activities together with three or four other camp leaders. The groups changed almost every two weeks — with some exceptions — and the participants came from all over the world. Sometimes it got overwhelming because constantly living with 25+ people from different cultures could bring challenges, but it also led to many new friendships, knowledge, and memories.

I learned a lot about Iceland’s breathtaking nature — the good and bad sides of the volcanic fields, how it’s possible to grow forests despite the chaotic weather, how powerful the ocean currents are, and why so much garbage ends up on the island’s shores. I gained knowledge about sustainability, learned how to cook and bake bread for 25+ people, developed my problem-solving skills, and tested my limits.

Throughout those six months, I was able to visit some of the most beautiful places the country has to offer — from the most touristy spots to the smallest hidden gems. I went on incredible hikes on volcanoes, saw animals in their natural habitats, admired breathtaking waterfalls and stayed up longer to see the northern lights. I learned to appreciate the beauty and power of Iceland, and it found a place in my heart that I will never be able to let go of. I’ll be grateful for the rest of my life to this country that welcomed me as if I were home, gave me wonderful friendships, showed me how much human solidarity matters, and gave me the chance to feel close to nature again. I hope that one day I can return to see how far the environmental work has come and to revisit the places that shaped me and gifted me with so many memories.