Cecilie Hou Thomsen with a column called “Volunteering into the depths of the unknown”
Writer bio in her own words “I would describe myself as a people person. I love interacting with new people and learning about their culture. I am currently studying in the 5th semester of a bachelor’s degree in Language and International Studies at AAU, which allows me to fully emerge into what I love: Cultural aspects and International Relations.”
Why should we engage in voluntary work? Volunteering is not just something that will affect the organization or company you’re working for or something that grants you that picture-perfect cover letter you’ve been dreaming of.
It shapes us. It defines who we are as human beings and is an effective way to boost our self-confidence. As a volunteer, you’re doing something that positively affects civil society and others in the community; more importantly, it affects you. Volunteering can also provide you a new perspective and grant you a sense of belonging to something. In other words, create a new sense of identity.
With this philosophy in mind, I decided to volunteer at the Political Festival of Europe in Mariager. Torrential rain, bad weather conditions, a small Danish rural city, and somewhat boring political debates might come off as a poorly mixed cocktail. However, in my case, these were all exciting parts of my Friday night at the end of August last month in Denmark.
Foreign politics, present conflicts, and cultural experiences were vital parts of what drove me to become a volunteer at the festival. However, it was also the need I had within me to experience something completely different from what I had ever experienced before. It was a call to meet like-minded people from across Europe and even the globe. Who themselves believe in a greater cause and hold the belief that joined in mutual interests, we are all the same. We are all human beings regardless of race, religion, sexual preferences, or ethnicity. Equal in nature.
When I signed my contract to volunteer at the festival, I had never imagined that I would end up tasting homebrewed Romanian Palinka made by a guy called Bogdan with other volunteers from across the European continent. That Friday night, I established a whole new international network of people and opportunities, much different from what I have been used to in my daily life as a Dane. Being a volunteer was a rich cultural experience that gave me both confidence in throwing myself into the depths of the unknown and a feeling of belonging to a new kind of community. The international community.
You might wonder now if language barriers and cultural differences would play a role in my experience at the festival. It did at first glance, but the secret here is to grab a glass of gin and tonic and communicate open-mindedly with the magic of the lingua franca of the English language. All Danes love a good party, and so do eastern- and southern Europeans. I discovered that, that Friday night in Mariager.
Barriers can only exist if you make them a barrier, so I told myself that no good would ever come with being closed off. All obstacles in life are something that can be overcome with the right spirit; in this case, it is not alcohol I’m referring to.
Even if you think volunteering is a waste of time, I strongly urge you to reconsider. Embrace everything there lies within being a volunteer; embrace the depths of the unknown and even the homebrewed Romanian Palinka, even though it has a horrible taste (no offense) – because you will only get a few chances in life to experience the unexpected.
