The time I have spent as a volunteer here in Thessaloniki so far has been one of the most fulfilling and multi-faceted experiences of my life. Now, I got the opportunity to talk to Konstantinos Dimou, who has recently returned from Iceland where he spent 6 months being a camp leader in an ESC project. Of course, such an adventure almost 4000 kilometres from home has its ups and downs, its challenges and its unforgettable moments. But can you fit 6 months worth of memories into a 10-question interview?
Let‘s give it a try…
1) Why did you choose to go to Iceland in the first place?
When I was a small kid, my father used to read me bedtime stories taken from Greek mythology and ancient history. One of the most striking ones that impressed me was the voyage of Greek explorer Pytheas, who, presumably, during his travels to the North, even reached Iceland. Specifically, in his writings he reports that he reached a place where the sun never sets. Sounds familiar, doesn’t it? It seems like his descriptions of the Secret Thule were accurate to a certain degree. As a result, I always wanted to visit the “edge of the ancient world” due to its exotic characteristics and otherworldly reputation, and boy, it did not disappoint! The lunar landscapes, the glacier, the waterfalls, are all aspects of a nature that to this day remains raw, wild, and untamed to the human eye. Last but not least, one of my favourite artists, movie director and videogame designer Hideo Kojima, based his latest creation, “Death Stranding” (2019), on the Icelandic landscapes (e.g. the Black Beach), featuring music from a small indie band called “Low Roar”, also based in Iceland.
2) You‘ve been involved in a lot of different activities, ranging from cleaning landscapes to organizing cultural nights and more. Which one was your favourite and why?
The main reason I decided to join this environmental project in particular was the beach-cleaning activities we organized around the island, especially around the area of Bru, as well as sorting the accumulated trash afterwards to get them ready for processing at the nearby recycling centers. However, my favourite activities by far were the self-organized ones: campfire (Kumbaya) gatherings, BBQs, dine outs, spontaneous hikes, quiz nights, game nights (ranging from Tabletops to Werewolves & Villagers and Ping Pong), movie nights, even homemade escape rooms!
3) Is there something you regret not bringing with you in your suitcase?
After April, in Iceland there’s perpetual sunlight 24/7 up until August. Therefore, bring a) your aviator sunglasses Macron style, for suuure b) your sunscreen c) your beauty- and eye mask alongside you. You can thank me later (if ever).
4) Did you experience any sort of “culture shock”, and if yes, what caused it?
Let me provide you with some context first: around Iceland, there are numerous hot springs, as well as public pools. However, in order to be granted access, first you will have to take a shower in a common shower room…butt-naked. This is being done for decontamination purposes, as they want to keep the water coming from natural sources clean from bacteria.
Apart from this, Icelanders managed to maintain a high-trust, homogeneous society. They do not even have to lock their doors and cars, something that may seem alien to us coming from the Balkans or from the Mediterranean.
5) What were the biggest challenges for you and how did you overcome them?
First of all, we had to adhere to a mostly vegan diet, whilst also accommodating other volunteers with specific preferences and allergies. As you realize, cooking for a large number of people, while keeping all of this in mind was challenging, to say the least. Thankfully, every now and then we threw in the occasional BBQ to lifts our hearts, our spirits and our… *ahem* forks.
The other issue we came across was the constant last minute changes in our timetable because of bad planning, management and unforeseen circumstances. The weather, in particular, did us no favours. The Icelanders rather have a saying about it: “Give it 5 minutes, it will change again!”
6) Do you have a favourite Icelandic tradition you experienced/ took part in?
A local music festival in Isafjordur, in the Westfjords: They started the festival with some soft-spoken folk songs, but as the day progressed, they ended it properly with some certified hard rock bangers!
In addition, did you know that the majority of Icelandic people (60-65%) believe in folklore creatures, such as mermaid men, floating orbs, elves and trolls living under bridges or getting out of the sea? Neither did I!
7) How are you different now from the person who left for Iceland back then?
I learned one or two things about myself: cooking is not my strongest suit, and baking the bread for the next day can be burdensome at times. Other than that, try not to stress out about the details, everything will go well eventually, think like an Icelander, do like an Icelander (which sometimes means to do nothing at all, LOL).
8) Is there one specific unforgettable moment standing out to you?
The summer solstice. June 20th. We went river rafting. It…was…AWESOME and pretty dangerous at the same time, might I say. Do not try this at home, kids, not without a certified guide. Thankfully, all went well at the end of the day. Other than that, in case you ever visit Iceland, I urge you to go and visit THE most-visited museum in Iceland, which is the Phallological museum in downtown Reykjavik. I can guarantee you will laugh the whole way through it due to how absurd it is.
9) Which song do you connect your experience with?
“Bad Bitch in Reykjavik!”(2024) by ClubDub now lives rent-free in my brain.
10) What would you say to young people considering to participate in an ESC experience?
Go for it. Do not overthink it and just do it. Life is an adventure or rather a game and while you are young, you should seize every minute of it and live it to the fullest. Dare to step out of your comfort zone and experience a new culture, try new things that you normally would not do, see what fits and what not. The sky really is the limit or to quote Robin Williams in “Dead Poet’s Society”:
Carpe Diem! (Seize the Day!).
