P2 Buchholz/Kiev/Roedekro

Our Odyssey

Around noon, on Friday the 11th of August, the Danish Vikings began their journey. At this point they did not yet know how long they would take to reach their destination. Their first stop was supposed to be in Northern Germany. There, they could spend a relaxing night to meet up with the German Vikings the next morning. With two small buses and a Volvo we then headed towards Ukraine. Everyone was prepared for a long trip with enough food. Everyone knew that the trip would be quite long still. We started our journey and were on our way. During the trip, we had a first opportunity of getting to know one another. In the centre of Poland, we then decided to camp at a rest stop.

In order to be at the Ukrainian border early in the morning, we for up at 5:00 already. The camp was packed, and our journey toward Ukraine continued. Then, at the EU border, we had to wait for 7 hours. We spend the waiting time getting to know the participants in the other cars, and playing card games. Already while waiting it was possible to hear our stomachs, as all our food had been used up, and there was no opportunity for getting food near the border.

We are waiting in a queue to pass the border.

At 20:00 in the evening, German/Danish time, we finally made it. We are in Ukraine. Only about 450km to our camp ground. So we calculated with about 5 hours. But we forgot, we are in Ukraine. It took the whole night, until 8:00 in the morning to reach our camp grounds. At this point the Danes were about 70 hours on the road, the German participants about 46 hours.

At the camp ground we were most welcomed by the Ukrainians bearing water melons and honey melons. Then we put up our tents, and we could wind down from our odyssey.

Working again

Our weekend with sailing and rowing is over and a new week is beginning. Our morning starts with a great breakfast, and some warm-up games, in order to really wake up, but also just for fun – and then we start the work. We continue working on the boat, paint the houses and finish the camp fire site. Collaboration is fun, and work that is fun is easier and more successful.

The participants started and interesting game that will continue to the end of the project. Everyone wrote down two wishes, which were then randomly given out, so each participant got two wishes he or she should fulfill. There are many creative ideas. One boy, for example, wished for a trip to Australia. Well, let us see if we can make him feel like Australia, without leaving the camp. We can do this!

We decided to try specialities from the three countries of the participants. At first, the Ukrainians. They cooked a soup called “Borscht”, as they eat a lot of soup at home. While we eat the Ukrainian food, it starts to rain. We enjoy the hot soup and listen to the raindrops falling on our tent.

The rain contributes new notes for our evening melody. As it is raining and we can not sit at the campfire, we all meet in the bog tent, play, laugh, and tell one another interesting stories. We mostly talk in German, but here and there, you can hear Ukrainian and English. Learning new words in new languages has become common for us. After this beautiful and comfortable gathering, we all go to bed, tired, but very happy. The song of the rain makes it especially beautiful.

Two days of sailing like true vikings

Time flies. It seems like yesterday that we reunited, but we are rapidly approaching half-time on this project. The first week will end in a glorious fashion, as we will row and sail with a viking boat. Early in the morning, we arrive in Buchholz. Quiet, silence, sea, birds, and a sky with beautiful clouds. A perfect start of the day, bringing so much beauty. Then we start in the big viking boat. The weather is perfect, but unfortunately wihtout wind, and we accordingly have to row all the way. Well, this enables one to feel the mood of those on the boat. The water is fabulous. The lake is fascinating, slowly one becomes freer, free of thoughts and somehow calmer. We take a break from rowing in Ratzeburg, eating yummy ice cream, and walking through town and past Ratzeburg Cathedral. We then row back to Buchholz, where everything is already prepared for our barbecue. The evening at the lake is very beautiful. We barbecue, and eat in the open, then we sit down at the campfire, listen to interesting stories of our main viking Haiko, we sing and enhoy the light of the full moon, mirrored in the lake. This evening we don’t get to bed early, even though we are all tired. The reason is Florian – it is his birthday soon. Once the clock strikes twelve, and his new life-year commences, we congratulate him, and then get to back. Tomorrow, a new day, with new experiences, awaits us.

Due to a lack of wind, we had to row the route from Buchholz to Ratzeburg.

The girls enjoy their leisure time on the market square in Ratzeburg.

In the evening, Max was our master of the barbecue, and prepared our meal.

Before we went to bed, we sat at the campfire, waiting for our birthday boy to get one year older.

Saturday

On Saturday morning, weleave our small camp in Buchholz, and get on the boat. The weather supports us, it is perfect for sailing. The wind is blowing and we are sailing on the blue lake. We sind and look into the infinity of the sky. Some moments, we feel like true vikings on the open sea. Freedom, friendship, and the way, the way on the water. All day we spend on and at the lake. In the evening our project leader prepared a surprise for us. As we worked well during the week, the participants got a bonus: A nice dinner at a reastaurant. As we are planning to return, it starts to rain. Only late in the evening, we arrive home. Our camp location has already become a home for us, where we meet all, like a family, in the evening. We look with satisfaction at the photos that were made, and we remember the most interesting and funny shared experiences, we talk with each other, and we play a bit.

Unfortunately there was a lot of rowing today as well, as the wind was not strong enough.

We are close to the pier in Ratzeburg, and looking forward to our leisure time.

We have sailed for two days, spent them on the water. But it seems, that we spent a whole small life together, and we all came still closer together.

One day in Hedeby

Our Sunday starts at 9:00 o’clock. After two days sailing we were very existed, but happy and ready for new adventures! Today we had to go to the Viking’s museum near the site of Hedeby “Haithabu”. It was once the oldest cities in Denmark, but now it’s Germany. We learned a lot about Viking’s life and traditions and it was very interesting to see their daily life in reality. Haiko gave us a tour at the museum and told us interesting stories and facts about Vikings. One of the most important things in Vikings’ life was the connection to the water, because of the trade network. The harbor of Hedeby is at the coastline of the “Schlei”. At the end of our visit we felt like real Vikings, who were sailing all their life and had a lot of adventures. Before we have left the city, we all enjoyed ice-cream.

We are waiting in front of the viking museum.

3rd post

The third day of our camp began with a chilly breeze in the morning and a few clouds on the sky. Wearing warm clothes, participants started the day with a cup of tea or coffee, enjoying in the same time a rich breakfast. Energizers were carried to refresh and wake up the youth workers.
Then, they were divided in three groups, depending of the work area. First group was continuing the work at the Viking ship, while the other two groups were gardening and painting. At noon, hungry participants enjoyed their lunch while talking about the day. Later on, they were laying in the sun, having some leisure time.
The camp fire was ending the day, gathering all the participants in one place. They shared experiences from the day, playing in the same time some fun games.

Typish “party” in the garden

Looking for the berries

Cake from the berries for everyone

The first time

Monday the 15th of august is a special day for us. Participants from Germany, Denmark and Ukraine arrived in the small village of Süsel were the camp take place at “Tannehöhe”, the venue for our work camp. Being the arrival day, they met each other and had some trust-building activites. In the same time, they were introduced to the house rules and got a general overview of the schedule for the next two weeks. In the evening, they set up a fire camp and they gathered together to share personal stories and to play the guitar. It was a wonderful experience and everybody was happy.

The next morning, the sun was rising and the participants woke up one by one. Sipping some coffee, participants were enjoying a good German breakfast and they set up for the day. They were divided in different groups, having various tasks. For instance, one of the groups started working at the ship, while others began painting the outside of a few houses, working on a fireplace and a beach-volleyball field. After the work a few of us enjoyed a sailing trip with a Viking-boat.

After the work a few of us enjoyed a sailing trip on a Viking-boat.

This is the tent where we are eating breakfast and dinner.

The first days

Monday the 15th of august is a special day for us. Participants from Germany, Denmark and Ukraine arrived in the small village of Süsel were the camp take place at
“Tannenhöhe”, the venue for our work camp. Being the arrival day, they met each other and had some trust-building activites. In the same time, they were introduced to the house rules and got a general overview of the schedule for the next two weeks.In the evening, they set up a fire camp and they gathered together to share personal stories and to play the guitar. It was a wonderful experience and everybody was happy.

Time to say goodbye

Our Viking time gave us thousands of memorable moments, which will bring us joy for times to come. We learned, played, travelled, sailed and had a lot of fun! The collaboration, our time together brought us lots of joy. Our happy smiles are the proof. Now the project has come to its end. With the shooting stars our wishes travelled to space. One of these was for us to meet again, to laugh together once again, to learn with fun and to enjoy every single day. We are certain that the end of the project is also a beginning: For something good in our life and for meeting another time.

We meet at the final campfire. Soon, we will hear the guitar, we sing, the fire sings with us, the eternal sky looks down on us. Everyone smiles and remembers the beautiful days. We are happy.

Feedback of participants

„What memories do you take home with you? What did you like about the project?“, – these are questions our camp participants answered. Everyone said there was lots of fun.The German participants learned something about Ukraine, and even learned a bit of the language. The Ukrainian participants had never been to Denmark, and were happy to get an idea of the country. Everyone was motivated to improve their language skills and to learn more about the other countries.

What else did the boys and girls say?

Max:

I liked everything a lot! Working together on the boat was fun! I will remember, how we sang and played with the Ukrainian participants. But I especially liked the game, where we had to fulfill each others wishes. It was so great to see the joy when the wishes were fulfilled and how thankful people were! It was also interesting to learn so much new about the history of the Vikings: The kind of life, which was really hard back then, their everyday life, and their way to build ships. I would like to take part in this project once again!

Sasha

The two weeks were full of wonderful events. It was a time for turning off. For living in the here and now. To enjoy and value every moment, together with people who make you comfortable around them. Projects like these let you spirits fly. No words, just emotions.

The Midtsönderjyllands museum

On Friday a group of youths go to the museum, a second one stays at the camp. On this day, there is a creative market for handicrafts, and everyone can participate.

The Midtsönderjyllands museum is a dream come true for those interested in history, archaeology, and geology. You can see the skeletons of dinosaurs and whales. The spot where the museum is located is also where some of the bones of the ancient animals have been found, all of them now at the museum. The youths also had the opportunity to be archaeologists themselves for a day, and search for the remains of the animals in the area. A few shells and beautiful stones have been found!

And the people at the creative market? Lena, our participants, tells us: “A man with a grey beard, which is braided at the end. Experienced, strong and dirty hands, and a hint of wisdom in the eyes, that is what the blacksmith looked like. He helped the others in their work, and he did it with love for the work. With his help, one of our participants forged a knife, in just a few minutes. Me and Sascha were very impressed and went on. A few tents further on, there is a leather workshop. We make some funny bracelets. We walk on. At the very end of the tentground, there is a Native American tipi. We are not sure if we should enter. But there are children sitting around, and invite us in. Beautiful and colourful artefacts are hanging everywhere. Mandala and dream catcher, create a beautiful picture, like in a movie. We listen to the man talking. He shows us the principles of this ancient art. We make a cross with the threads. This is like a kind of meditation. A medicine for the eyes and for the soul. This is another memorable day.”

Only one last day of the project remains, then it is time to pack the luggage, and get back home. We are a little bit sad, but everybody understand that they will return with a full backpack, full with memories and bright moments.

At night, the idea is hatched to sleep outside – under the sky. Not everyone is excited, but some of us are really into the idea. The night is warm, the fire is our light, and it feels good to doze off in the fresh air. But suddenly, in the middle of the night, there is a thunderstorm. There is lightning and thunder, everyone rushes in laughter to the tent, then the rain starts. We will never forget this night!

Personalities

Work and Zoo and Anthems

The work on the ship continues. Half of the project is already over, and everybody tries to enjoy every moment, and nobody wants to think that this project is going to end.

In the afternoon there is free time. Some stay at the camp, some go to the beach. One group goes to a nearby forest, where it is possible to see animals in the wild. The forest is big and quiet, the wind is blowing through the leaves and it is a beautiful experience to walk through a forest on such a hot day. Suddenly the boys and girls stop, as very closeby a group of deer walks by. Everyone is standing still, so the animals won’t notice us and we all have the opportunity to look at their beauty.

In the evening, the wish-fulfillment game continues. Christian, for example, wanted to go to Canada. At dinner time, suddenly the anthem of this country is heard, a beautiful girls serves him a beer in the national colours and in the background, on the projector, the hockey game Canada versus Germany can be seen. Our participant Sergey wishes for all to hug him, which is what we do, all of us at the same time.

The youths also sing for each other, the German particpants fulfill a wish by singing the Ukrainian anthem, and they do it really well! Through this a beautiful and warm athmosphere of enjoyment, kindness and happyness develops.

This is Heiko, the “main Viking” of the project, who is willing to tell the interesting stories for one thousand and one night.

Personalities

This is Veronika, which is like the sun of the team, not just for hear hair colour, but also as she is bringing joy to everyone with her smile.

This is Christian, who always tells us interesting things about Knivsberg.