Every summer, 150 young volunteers gather in the villages and towns of the Czech border region to help local inhabitants. They put their hands to work in the barns, houses and gardens. In their leisure, without any financial reward.
One of the volunteers is Kristýna Špaňhelová from the Czech payroll Accace team. Her enthusiasm is so catchy that we decided to support the annual SummerJob with a financial donation.
Why does Kristýna change her comfortable chair in an air-conditioned office for a week of hard work in the countryside? Read more in the following interview.
You are a regular participant of SummerJob. How did you get to it and why did you decide to spend your vacation in this way?
The first organizers of SummerJob were the older siblings of my friends and a bunch around them, so it was „natural“ to attend the event, at least out of curiosity. It caught me a lot, because the feeling of helping other people by a non-violent way of working together, is priceless. I turn my head off, I get tired of a completely different way than looking into the computer.
Are you participating every year?
I attend every year from the third year of SummerJob. This year we organize the 10th year of the project, so for me it is the eighth participation in the series.
What is the usual day at SummerJob?
We start with a common breakfast, where we reveal the motto of the day. This allows us as a large group of 150 participants to be on a similar wave. Then we divide into jobs – who goes where, in what group, who takes the car, what happens (splitting wood, painting the house, anything needed). We work until 4 or 5 pm, dinner follows. In the evening, we invite participants and local residents to our cultural program, which could be a concert, theater performance, guest for discussion or we organize a football match and dance.
What do you like most about the whole event?
The fact that a diverse bunch of the people from all over the Czech Republic and Slovakia gets very fast on the same wave, goes to help, does not want anything for it and still can be happy for a week. It sounds like a kitsch, but it’s a fact. And for me it is even better feeling since I´ve been in the organization team and I can help the participants come to a ready place, where they don’t have to deal with anything at all and the only thing that can upset them is when they have to wait for too foamy beer in the bar J
Would you recommend participation to other colleagues?
Definitely yes. I find it important to stop and help others once in a while. At SummerJob you can do it easily, while meeting new people and enjoying evening cultural programs.
For more information on the event, how to apply or support, visit SummerJob website.
