VOLUNTEERS
Three German volunteers at SYHA Youth Hostels explain how their roles are opening up a new world of amazing experiences
ADVENTURES OF A LIFETIME
HOW TO BECOME A VOLUNTEER...
At SYHA Hostelling Scotland, we have volunteer hostel assistant vacancies from time to time. We also have a number of Youth Hostels which are managed by volunteers during the season, including Raasay, Tomintoul and Broadmeadows. Tere are also opportunities from time to time for volunteers to carry out projects within hostels, which could include decorating, gardening and minor maintenance work. Details will be posted on our website as projects are confirmed. Applications for season 2012 are now closed. But if you are interested in volunteering with us, please contact
volunteers@syha.org.uk to request a registration form.
Sophia would recommend Oban Youth Hostel to anyone
M
OBAN YOUTH HOSTEL - SOPHIA
y name is Sophia and I come from a village near Hanover. I’m 18 years old and have just finished school.
I didn’t want to study at university immediately after school, so I took a break and came to Scotland. I wanted to face challenges like the foreign language and gather new experiences to evolve my personality. I’m not doing this for money. I’m doing it for the adventure. But why SYHA? My organisation in Germany (sfd Kassel) suggested it and I chose it because of all the travelling. It’s a good chance to see the whole of Scotland. I’ve been in Scotland since the end of
August 2011. For the first four months I stayed in Oban Youth Hostel. After that, I was
72 SCOTTISH HOSTELLER 2012
“I WANTED TO FACE CHALLENGES AND NEW EXPERIENCES... I’M DOING IT FOR THE ADVENTURE”
a few months in Glasgow Youth Hostel and for the rest of my volunteer year I will stay in Crainlarich Youth Hostel. Oban is a great Youth Hostel. It is like a small hotel and I love the seaside. I can recommend it to everyone. My English, I think, is already better, but sometimes it is still hard to understand some of the accents. At the moment I’m the “girl for everything”.
I clean rooms, make breakfast and help with dinner, do the laundry and so on. I’m also at the reception. Tat’s my favourite part, because I have more contact with the guests and more responsibility. On off-days I travel a lot, hitchhike through
Scotland, visit the other German volunteers in their Youth Hostels, visit one of the castles or take a ferry to one of the islands. Again and again, I’m fascinated by the beauty of the countryside. I would have regretted it if I hadn’t come to Scotland.
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