Annika

Annika is from Germany and came to Camphill Village Kimberton Hills in August 2023. She lives in Martin’s House with 11 people, a cat and 9 chickens. As she nears the end of her first year here, she has decided to stay for another year.

When asked about her time here so far, she replied, “It has been amazing! I love it here.  In the beginning I was insecure and didn’t know exactly how things worked. I asked a lot of questions and after a few weeks I knew so much more about how things work here.  I like that people are giving me more responsibilities now.  I’m more confident and able to make decisions. It really was learning by doing.  There was a lot of support and everyone was helpful.”

Annika and Sue making wreaths

I’m in Mosaics, Woodshop, Fiber Arts, and the Bakery workshops. I’m in Martin’s House for house workshop and I’m also in Franklin House on Sundays.  I really like mosaics and Judith, but I like them all.  I love being creative and working with the villagers.  We like to chat together.  In my free time, I’m often doing creative stuff.  I also love the Bakery crew!  They’re so funny and they like to tell jokes.”

The thing that surprised Annika most was, “I was surprised how really respectful everyone is here. Everyone is treated with respect and dignity and we’re all doing meaningful work.  People are nice to each other and treat each other with kindness.”

She shared this about volunteering, “Next to having great work, I made so many amazing friends along the way. The people here are just so welcoming and open hearted, it creates a great feeling of community.” 

Annika, DiDi and Sonja at Franklin House

Annika shared her favorite time in the community. “My most memorable moment was celebrating Christmas here. The pure joy of spending time together with my house (which is my second family) was so amazing. We played games, sang songs, exchanged gifts and ate great food. All the excitement and a feeling of belonging together was very special to me. ”

Some advice she offers new volunteers is, “Enjoy every moment and push through the difficult times because it’s worth it.  It’s nice to help others see their potential and assist with small things that are so important to them.”

“The biggest thing I‘ve learned so far is gaining so many social skills. I was 18 when I arrived and inexperienced with working in a social environment. I‘ve become much more confident during my time here. I’m able to do meaningful work with the villagers, while also having beautiful conversations and having the skills to resolve conflicts in a way that still treats people with respect and dignity. 

I just love it here. The feeling of community is great. You can ask for help and so many people offer help.” Annika’s future plans include going to college for Social Work in Germany. She likes the diversity found in social work. She’d also like to have a home and family one day.” 

For new volunteers Annika also added, “I would offer the following advice: to enjoy every little moment of your volunteering and keep a happy mindset, because it is so worth it in the end. Seeing people be happy because of your own happiness is such a wonderful experience.”