A couple of weeks ago, the bike sharing system in Tartu was relaunched and just in time - the city is quite small and there are many bike roads leading to wonderful spots not too far outside of the city limits.
This is just to say that sharing is caring, and just as you can use the bike-sharing system in some places, you should approach any other thing that you want to do this summer in the same way. Even though some services are not as well developed as the bike one is, there is still so much help you can get from people you don't even know (yet)!
For example, you can check if your neighborhood is going to have any community events such as a home café day, garage sales or talgud (collective works, in case you want to know more, have a look at the blog post Teeme ära! Kuidas vabatahtlik töö inimesi maailma koristamiseks kokku toob - Let's Do It! How volunteering brings people together to clean the world).
But it doesn't all have to be about events or buying anything! You should always check if your neighborhood has a Facebook page or group, where people swap and give things away. You can also check if your university student organizations or your host organization has any community groups which you could join. This is a great way to not only borrow a volleyball, but also make new connections and friends.
Let us know if you have already tried any of the above, and if you have any success stories, feel free to share!
Ingrid, OLS Community Manager – Estonian