Varun Ramkumar was a complete novice when he signed up with Pan Outventures and took 24 outdoor enthusiasts to the Faroe Islands – a trip he will never forget. Now he is a tour leader and a member of the steering committee.
There can be many challenges if you want to meet new people and experience the world when you are of a different ethnic origin than Danish, homosexual and in the middle of a corona time.
But Varun Ramkumar happened to meet a couple of members from Pan Outventures at a bar in the spring of 2020. And when he heard about their planned trip to the Faroe Islands – which he had always wanted to visit – he laced up his shoes for an introductory trip to Møn in May.
When he returned home, he signed up for the Faroe Islands trip that same evening.
"It can be a bit difficult to "fit in" with the Danes when you're a foreigner. And I only became aware that Outventures existed when I met the two members. But I was just so well received, and when we were in the Faroe Islands they all looked after me, even though I was behind and delayed the group. I don't know what I would have done if Outventures didn't exist," says Varun Ramkumar.
Third largest in Pan – with room for everyone
Varun Ramkumar came to Denmark from India in 2008 as a student and has completed a master's degree here in Copenhagen.
In May 2020, he went on a trial trip to Møn with Outventures, and a year later he was elected as a steering committee member and acting tour leader. For Varun Ramkumar, it means something very special to help create a good club environment where everyone feels welcome:
"Many in Pan Outventures have traveled a lot, so they understand foreigners better. That's why we are, for example, good at speaking English to each other and not just Danish, because it's easiest. That's why everyone is also good at welcoming new members. We focus on talking to people other than those you know, so that cliques don't form. We create alternative routes for those who have an injury or can't walk that far. And now we have also decided to organize more social events outside of our many trips," explains Varun Ramkumar.
There are approximately 127 members in Pan Outventures now, making the association the second largest department in Pan Idræt. The association has grown quite a bit over the last few years, and Varun Ramkumar believes that this is because the trips are so well planned and the atmosphere is so welcoming:
"We welcome people to the Facebook group when they sign up! And we make sure to make our trips attractive and easy to navigate. At the same time, the membership fee is quite low, and we hold information meetings and have good communication. People are ambitious, but also very down to earth, and I personally am very, very happy with Outventures," concludes Varun Ramkumar.
During the summer, the association doesn't do many joint trips, but there are still 12 of them who go to Slovenia to hike, stay in holiday cabins, ride MTB and try canyoning. In the autumn, a program of trips to Austria, Lapland and Georgia awaits.
Read much more about Outventures here
