Lauryn, Vanessa and Jessica are currently training to become chemical-technical assistants and have therefore specifically chosen the project 'Collect Herbs and Make Tea in Bile Karpaty' from our Czech partner organization INEX. Here, the three of them describe what they experienced as volunteers in the Czech Republic in August 2022 and what the camp had to do with the training:
"When we came across the call for volunteers for the Workcamp “Collecting herbs and making tea in the White Carpathians”, we immediately decided to participate in this project.
The Czech Republic is a great country and as prospective chemical-technical assistants we wanted to carry out the work camp in the form of project work as part of our training.
We arrived aiming to learn about the uses of herbs in tea making but were surprised at how much more we were given. What raised this Workcamp from our expectations was that, in addition to tea production, the focus was primarily on the Moravian culture and the people of Nová Lhota. From the very first day we were received with great hospitality and involved in the exciting happenings in the village.
What were our main tasks?
We worked from Monday to Friday, 6 hours a day. On the one hand, we worked at different stations in the tea factory, where we operated machines, sifted tea and folded the tea boxes and stuck labels on them, for example. Part of our job was also helping with the preparations for festivals in Nová Lhota, such as the Summer Festival or the European Evening, which was celebrated as part of the EU program "Europe for Citizens". What was particularly great is that we were then able to celebrate the festival together with the people from Nová Lhota, which made for many unforgettable memories. We always had fun and got to meet a lot of new people.
Another part of the Workcamp was also to take care of public places such as the Nová Lhota eco center and we spent an additional 3 days in Salaš Travičná where we got to know the simple life on a farm. All in all, the tasks assigned to the volunteers were varied and we were able to be flexible in terms of time and expertise.
How was the food and accommodation?
We stayed in a large, light yellow house with a garden that was formerly a rectory which has been converted into a guest house for visitors. It was a beautiful building and fully equipped inside with everything needed for cooking or living.
We took turns cooking within the group, so we could try many interesting dishes from other countries. There was also a nearby supermarket where you could buy ingredients for cooking. We even got some pocket money. In addition to the pocket money, we were able to buy all the food ingredients necessary for group consumption under the name of the mayor.
The people from the neighborhood also took good care of us, personally bringing us vegetables from their own garden and their home-cooked meals to enjoy. So we lacked for nothing and everyone was more than generous.
What did we do in our free time?
Since we only had two weeks in Nová Lhota, the camp leaders and the local people made sure that we could make the most of the time. The dynamic within the group was great and we all got along very well, so we did things together on the weekends and after work.
Some evenings we visited Nová Lhota's pub and met new people, or we organized game nights and karaoke nights at the accommodation. At the weekends we went on city trips to Velehrad and Uherské Hradiště or went hiking in the beautiful forests of the White Carpathians.
Through this Workcamp we not only got new perspectives, more openness and a better ability to improvise and communicate, but we also made memories and acquaintances that we will never forget.
We are impressed by our experience and can recommend everyone to take the step themselves and take part in an international Workcamp. Without the joint effort of IBG, ESC*, the local community and the mayor of Nová Lhota, this experience would not have been possible and we would like to thank everyone for the great time."
(Lauryn, Vanessa and Jessica, volunteers)
*Note from the IBG team: ESC stands for European Solidarity Corps. You can apply for volunteer teams or longer volunteer assignments in other European countries via the European Solidarity Corps. Find more information on the program here.