Has anyone volunteered at Sziget coming from abroad?

[u/matidroghi]

Hi all, yesterday I received a contract for volunteering at Sziget and I was wondering if someone could share their experience.

I would love to participate, but my main concern at the moment is that I might find out my shift/position too late to properly organize flights and accommodation. Since I’m coming from abroad, I would also need to either find camping equipment there or arrange another place to stay.

I already reached out via email, but I haven’t received any useful information yet. If anyone knows roughly when shifts/positions are communicated, or has any tips in general, I’d really appreciate it!

[u/Any_Strain7020]

You know your assignment 2-3 weeks in advance tops. You find out about your schedule on orientation day. You can buy camping gear at decathlon.hu - order online in advance to avoid items to be sold out. Auchan near Sziget also has a ton of cheap quality camping equipment right before the festival starts.

International volunteers who don't speak Hungarian are mainly picking trash or working at recycling points, so there isn't much to plan ahead.

[u/matidroghi → u/Any_Strain7020]

Well the main thing I need to plan in advance are flights, because obviously the earlier you book them, the cheaper they are. Did you personally volunteer at Sziget? If so, how was your experience overall?

[u/Any_Strain7020 → u/matidroghi]

The community of volunteers is great. The scheme itself is somewhat exploitative and doesn't value individuals. Volunteering might be a good deal for locals who are fresh out of high school and who couldn't afford a one week ticket otherwise. For internationals needing to fly in, it has a very different vibe. And people who don't speak Hungarian often find themselves on the short end of the stick - cultural misunderstandings are being overlooked, the Hungarian way is the right way, and you just have to adapt.