Euro - Vision / Volunteering

Eurovision time… fun time
Volunteering time.. fun time

I am feeling a little creative so I am combining the Eurovision with an email I got recently from the BTCV about their Volunteering holidays. It was a BTCV holiday that I went on to Estonia that was the inspiration for this blog. A cool holiday where I could volunteer and help and explore the world...
I am surprised that the BTCV hasn’t done something similar but o well here goes

First off in Alphabetical order

Bulgaria – Where you can help build nests near the Black Sea or help manage habitats on the Sakar Mountains Details from the BTCV here

Their Eurovision song entry called Na Inat was in the second Semi Final on Thursday, but unfortunately did not get through.



Estonia - Where you can help look after the Alam Pedja Reserve. There are plenty of photos and thoughts on this blog about this. For instance here are a few from the start of this blog. A lovely remote but friendly place. A place to escape but also to find .

Their Eurovision song Rockefeller Street was performed in the second Semi Final too and has qualified for the final so you can watch it live again ! Its quite a catchy tune.


Iceland - You can volunteer and help at Skaftafell. Another interesting volunteering holiday I have been on. At Skaftafell the feel of the Sagas of old felt alive, and also a huge big glacier to wake up to every day. Also you may experience the looooooooooooong days where the sun never really sleeps.
Some thoughts and photos are here

As for their Eurovision entry it is called Coming Home. It was written by ‘Sjonni’ who sadly died in January, his friends decided that the song should stay in the competition and it has gone through the first Semi Final and qualified for the final.



There is a lot to do in Italy! You can revive mountains (apparently), help restore a villa and help with the olive harvest. More details here

As for Eurovision it is their first entry for 14 years. It is a jazzy song which I quite like. They are straight into the final so you can enjoy it there too.


For Portugal you best be quick! One holiday doing coastal work has already been booked up and the National Park work in June is fast approaching. More details here

Their entry Luta É Alegria is a traditional collective song and means the struggle is joy. Unfortunately it didn’t get past the first semi final but you can enjoy it here


Romania was one of the choices that looked tempting to me. It is volunteering in Transylvania! Doing community work and working in meadows. Looks a great way to learn about Romania. Details here.

As for Eurovision they qualified through the second semi-final with Change.


Slovakia you can volunteer, if you are quick again as it is June, in the Tatra Mountains with research and monitoring. Details here.

Their entry was interesting as the group was called TWiiNS as the girls were identical twins which was quite strange to watch with two identical people singing at once… which you can do here , as unluckily they didn’t qualify for the final.



Other places that BTCV have had or are looking at :
Albania
BTCV
Eurovision

France
BTCV
Eurovision

Germany
BTCV
Eurovision

Finally the BTCV does do the UK , these along with other holidays (USA , Japan etc) can be found here

Of course the UK are in Eurovision and there are plenty of other countries not mentioned here.
Enjoy Eurovision and volunteering :)

Tallinn Music Week

Tallinn Music Week took place last week. This is the third year that it has taken place.

When I was in Tallinn last year I managed to see a few bands at the Rock Cafe. On that evening were an Estonian band : Groundhog Day, Latvian : Instrumenti - with panda heads and remember this song . Finally there was another Latvian band called Brainstorm. They were a Latvian entry to Eurovision one year with My Star. Anyway it was great fun and recommended to all... so anyway...

This year it was part of Tallinn Capital of Culture and a review of the week can be found here in English. Also information about Music Week (maybe its something you might want to check out next time) and a list of all the bands (which you can check now:)) can be found here.
___
Photo of Crowd in Rock Cafe in 2010

quick tour of Estonian music

a great database
of ancient Estonian folk songs (regilaul)
with sounds AND notes
http://www.folklore.ee/Kannel/index2.html

on first page there is introduction in Estonian
and with uprow links you get
to the databases of songs (laulud)
from different parts of Estonia
- Võrumaa, Lõuna(south)-Tartumaa, Muud (other).
Arhiivilindistused are soundtracks from
the archive of Estonian Literature Museum.

These are mostly the most ancient
Estonian songs called regilaulud
and sounding all the same and boring to listen.
The trick with regilaulud is
that someone who knows the words
sings first alone
and others try to guess
the last word of the line
and sing along
and so they'll not fall asleep
'cause they have all the time to pay attention
to what's going on to sing along

...

in YouTube try
Untsakad
a popular modern Estonian folk band
and Väikeste Lõõtspillide Ühing
(you probably don't have
these letters on your keyboard
but u could copypaste :))
and Justament
another good estonian band Lindpriid
another band Jäääär
yes there are 4 ä-s
and means ice edge
another band Metsatöll
actually they make quite heavy versions
of quite old Estonian songs also
another very good band is Oort
also singing regilaul
another quite heavy folk band Raud-Ants
singing regilaul too
another very good band Kiritöö
my favourite in this list :)
another Estonian band Diskreetse Mango Trio
singing regilaul too
Estonia and Mangos again? - my only comment (Ian) See I spot the important things in music :)
another good Estonian song by Kihnu Virve
another band Vägilased
also regilaul
another band Zetod
singing old Estonian songs in old Estonian language
and a very popular Estonian singing song Imeline aas
we certainly did in Palupõhja too
one popular Estonian getting-children-to-sleep-song
Mina ei taha veel magama jääda
(I do not want to fall asleep yet)
a song from popular soviet-time-children-tv-show
Tipi ja Täpi laul
another very popular soviet-time-children-tv-show-song
Äpu laul
another soviet-time-children-film-song
Vitsalaul from the film Nukitsamees
another Estonian band Meie Mees
singing some popular parties-singing-songs too
another very popular singing-song
Kui on meri hülgehall
from a soviet-time-not-children-film
Siin me oleme
and a very good estonian singer Jaan Tätte
dont find much of him on youtube

and finally, a great on-line song-book
with only texts, no sounds,
but useful when u happen
to spend a night with a bunch of Estonians
willing to sing
but not remembering the words
http://www.zzz.ee/sakala/ and the link Laulik
actually the laulik is best
for remembering the first words of a song
'cause it's usually the hardest part
of getting a song going its own way...

tour by Katrin, motivation from Pestered by and slightly edited by Ian :)
photo by Robert B

... list continued in comments ... anyone welcome to contribute :) ...