So, I got the chance to become a volunteer at the "Baikalwave" for 4 months. Very soon I was integrated in the daily work. Mainly I did layout and computer stuff, because of my still lacking knowledge of Russian language. But during the time at the "Baikalwave", I was able to improve my knowledge by every day practice. I felt comfortable in the office very soon, the staff is very nice and friendly, they have patience to listen to you and to explain you something you do not understand. It is amazing to see their engagement and motivation. Furthermore the atmosphere  is comparable to other NGOs in Europe e.g., that makes it easy to adapt. Finally the group of Russian and foreign volunteers creates a funny, youthful and fresh atmosphere, which also helps you to find someone to have a drink with in the evening or to celebrate a "vetsherinka".

Very quick I realised, that there are lots of other opportunities to help, even beside layouting. In the end of April, another Finnish volunteer and me, we went together with a chief from the national park administration to do some work in the woods. It took us a whole day by "Uasik" to get there. "Uasik" is the famous Russian Jeep. We had to pass over frozen rivers and lakes and the only thing  you could see was snow and trees everywhere. When we came to the village, we realised, that there is nothing than a couple of houses, a river and forest. We had no electricity and no running water, but we had good meals all the time. Every day we worked outside, drove into the forest by snow buggy, cut some trees down and built a new path. After some days our work changed, and we built a wooden house, without any nails or iron, just out of big trees. It was amazing to notice the motivation of this man from the national park and the way he worked.

Further, there have been a lot of possibilities to participate in seminars. One time there was an American group of scientists and environmentalists visiting and I got the chance to visit with them the "Tunka National Park". There are plans to build an oil and a gas pipeline right through this region. So we have been to the local administration, to the National Park administration, to schools and to a Non Governmental Organisation against this project. That was quite interesting and I learned a lot about the difficulties in the conflict of interests of the environmental situation in Russia. Also I got to know a lot of interesting and nice scientists and activists from Russia and the USA.

Finally I wanted to do some trips around the area and so I did not miss that.

I had been several times for a weekend at Lake Baikal, either at Listvjanka, which is one hour by bus, or Sludjanka, which is three hours by local train. There you can do some wonderful hikes, and no matter what the weather is like, it is breathtakingly beautiful. In my opinion the lake is  more beautiful, the further you follow its shore north. For example the island Olchon. There you have a wide view over the lake, to the north east and to the south west and you can get a slight impression of the size of the lake. All around Baikal, you have wonderful nature and you just want to walk and hike there all the time. Further more you find signs everywhere indicating "Shamanism", which is the religion in this area. They believe in god existing in nature and when you are there, you can feel why.

Finally, there is another interesting place, which is called "Holy nose". It is a half island which is placed on the southern coast of the lake. There you can hike and if you are lucky, you can see seals and bears. If you see the latter, you will be lucky, we only saw traps.

You should not forget that Siberia is quite cold and if you go there in spring or autumn, make sure you have a good sleeping bag on hand.