This project requires a lot of people...

こんにちは !

On the 17th of August, Kadri and I took the train from Tartu to Tapa. There we joined a group of international volunteers - a class of Hungarian students, and a few of their teachers, as well as a few other volunteers from Italy, France, Japan and Taiwan through the EstYes program. They had been working (along with a few Estonian volunteers) since the 11th on mire restoration. 

Some drainage systems have been put in place, slowly destroying the swamps. It is therefore important to build some dams to prevent the flow of water leaving the area. They dug the ground in the swamp, building blocks which they used to create dams. It's a very physical work, the wet dirt is heavy, and you have to walk a long time before reaching the working camp, and it's easy to get stuck in the wet ground (or even to fall in the swamp, which would be deadly).

... and this is hard work for everyone!

The volunteers also had the opportunity to visit Estonia, and relax in saunas. When Kadri and I joined them, we ate a tasty dinner cooked by a caterer, and the group started singing in Hungarian. Songs were also sung in French, Japanese, Taiwanese and Italian. A ceremony was given as it was the last evening for many of the volunteers. 

The next day, the EstYes volunteers, Kadri and I went to work in another mire. We came back to the town hall where all the volunteers slept, having some well-deserved rest. 

Day after that we visited Tartu, as well as the surroundings. We went back to the house, played a fun game called "the man who spoke snakish" (one of us had no luck at all that night).

We packed, drove the volunteers to Tapa, where they took a train to Tallinn, and returned to Tartu on the 20th of August.

Everybody quickly got along very well




Arriverderci!