I decided to go to Iceland with two friends. We chose Bakkakot, a farm in the town of Hvolsvöllur. The Bergmann family consists of the senior partners Maria and Ludvik and their three children Jon, Saga and Robert, who already has a small daughter. On the farm, the three of us girls lived in our own house, but food was served in the host family's house. From the first moment we felt very comfortable and we were immediately included in family life. Our daily work was going to the stables. In the morning and evening we herded some cows that didn't walk on their own into the milking robot. We also had to mix feed, feed the calves, cows and bulls and provide medical care to sick animals. During the day we did all the work that needed to be done, such as mucking out the horse boxes, driving the tractor, cleaning the guest house or painting the walls. My personal highlight were the five riding tours, each of which lasted a week. My job was to lead a herd of around 30 horses or ride with the 3-9 guests and cook for them. On our days off we went on trips to the beautiful sights in Iceland.
During my internship I was able to put the knowledge I learned at school into practice. I broadened my horizons and improved my English. Because we were sometimes alone on the farm, we learned to divide our work and solve problems ourselves.
Iceland is a beautiful country with very nice people and I am so glad that I had the opportunity to choose an internship abroad. That's why saying goodbye wasn't exactly easy, but we are always warmly welcomed by our “family” in Iceland.
Maria Ringdorfer 4L, December 17, 2022
