Altana’s Project

Hi. My name is Altana. I’m from Kalmykia, Russia. I’ve taken part in the 2022-2023 ESC volunteering project in Denmark. 

My ESC project

I’ve spent a year volunteering at the Kalø Økologisk Landbrugsskole farm. My work included both plant and animal work which was very insightful. It was a privilege to experience the entire agricultural cycle accompanied by real professionals passionate about their mission. Everything I’ve learned throughout this year has influenced the way I look at food production and its connection to the environment. The project gave me a lot of ideas about what I would like to do in the future both professionally and as an individual. I’m very grateful that I got to gain both practical and theoretical knowledge about agriculture and animal husbandry. 

This project was not only about learning new skills for me. I was lucky enough to make many good friends at work and outside of work as well. Since the farm is part of the organic agricultural school, I had a chance to socialise with many like-minded people. I am beyond grateful that I had a chance to build meaningful connections with truly beautiful people. 

My solidarity project 

For my solidarity project, I wanted to introduce the international community around me to my culture. I decided to make dinner for my friends and colleagues because I believe food is one of the easiest ways to learn about a new culture. I am Kalmyk so I made a traditional Kalmyk dish called beregi, which is essentially dumplings cooked in boiling water. Growing up in Kalmykia, Russian dishes like bliny were also a big part of my family’s diet. That’s why I made some bliny too. As we were sitting down and enjoying the food together, I told my friends and colleagues about Kalmyk culture and traditions. Everyone really enjoyed the food and thanked me for introducing them to a culture they knew nothing about before.