This is the blog for our internship in Nice from 27^th of June to the 3^rd of July 2011.

Arriving at the airport of the beautiful city of Nice, we were looking forward to a week of educational seminars and exciting activities. The objective was to learn about environment issues and how we can make a difference. Assisted by local volunteers, we would explore these issues throughout the week.

Monday the 27^th of June

The first day of activities was primarily centered around the Heritage Workshop. At the nature park of Nice, we were shown how to build a road and a wall respectively. We were divided into two groups, each one with its own focus. While the first group worked on preserving a main trail through the park, the second group was to restore a wall, which function is to keep the water from running down the mountainside so olive trees were able to grow.

The second activity of the day was centered around the product of the trees in question, as we were honored with an invitation to a ceremony, where the oil made from the trees in the park were given to a charity organization, which in this case focused on helping young single mothers.

VOIR L'ALBUM PHOTOS

The good things: We learned to appreciate how much hard work goes into preservation of nature (and we learned to do something useful: a very alien experience for most of us). Being present at the ceremony we came to understand the purpose of the work we were taught at the beginning of the day (and the buffet was great).

The not so good things: Being Scandinavian we aren’t used to work in the burning sun. A lot of us found it hard to work once the sun reached its zenith and the heat really kicked in. Also it wasn’t very nice to be at the ceremony in our work clothes, sweaty and dirty.

Tuesday the 28^th of June 

The second day of activities started out at the Environment House of Nice, where the ceremony had been the day before. Here we got a lecture on how the mass production of food effects the environment and what we as consumers can do to support food products produced with care for the sustainability of the earth’s resources. To exemplify this we were shown how to make ecological nut crème (otherwise known as “Nutella”, or “noede krem” in Danish). After this we went to Phoenix Park, the botanical garden of Nice. Here we saw plants and animals from all over the world.

The good things: We obtained a lot of knowledge regarding our influence on the environment as consumers and learned to make damn good chocolate spread (and had a lot of fun in the process). Furthermore we had a great time at the Phoenix Park, where we got to see a lot of exotic plants.

The not so good things: As we were divided into two large groups when we made the chocolate spread, and due to the scarcity of kitchen equipment, it wasn’t possible for all to really participate.