Kathryn Nagel
Entry 17: June 23, 2008
Independent Travel Weekend (Heimaey)
This past weekend, I had a great time on my independent travel weekend with three of my friends. We visited Heimaey, which is about three hours away from our home base, Skalholt. It was a nice opportunity to take a weekend off and visit another beautiful part of Iceland. After two weeks of planning, we finalized our plan and spent both Friday and Saturday night in a guest house in Heimaey. I’m really glad that I was able to visit this place because it was fun to travel in a small group and venture out of my “comfort zone” even more.
On Friday, Brittany, Sara, Virginia Claire and I departed Skalholt and arrived in the town of Selfoss. Selfoss is the nearest and most populated town and about thirty miles from Skalholt. We arrived at the gas station and bought our bus ticket to another bus that would take us straight to the ferry to Heimaey. Once we arrived at the ferry base, we bought our tickets and boarded with all of our stuff for a three hour ride. The ferry ride was somewhat long but we were all very happy to land in Heimaey. The walk to the guest house was quite short and we walked around the town for a while. It was neat to note how Heimaey is primarily a port town. There was lots of activity in the harbor and even some shops and restaurants that were open in the town. We all visited the Natural History Museum and Aquarium and learned more about the fish, birds and animals in Iceland. After walking around more, we went out to a grand pizza dinner at the local restaurant, “Pizza 67”. This was a great way to end the day together and indulge in Hawaiian pizza too!
The next morning, we woke up and decided to walk the area of Heimaey once again. We noticed that there was a golf course that was a few blocks away from our guest house. That was one of the first golf courses that I had seen in Iceland so I made sure to some pictures for my dad and granddad. We had a terrific lunch at a local bakery and even treated ourselves to a wonderful pastry. It was really neat to see the local community members of Heimaey especially the young families. I saw so many adorable children and again the presence and value of family here in Iceland. My favorite part of the day was when our group met with one of the priests from Heimaey. Our Skalholt Rector, Kristinn, is friends with the Heimaey pastor, Kristiann. He allotted about two hours of his spare time and gave us one incredible tour of the town. He showed us many beautiful and scenic places in Heimaey as well as the two volcanoes. In addition to the neat tour, he even showed us where the killer whale, Keiko, swam back in 1998 when he visited Iceland. (Keiko was in the “Free Willy” movies). We all had a wonderful time touring Heimaey in Pastor Kristiann’s Honda Odyssey van!
After our incredible tour, we did a little more shopping and visited the Folklore Museum. I would also like to add that Virginia Claire bought a fair share of woolen items from one of the stores and actually got a discount from the manager. J Although it was quite small, I enjoyed seeing more of the Heimaey history that plays an important role in the port trade here in Iceland. Later on, we went out to dinner at “Café Maria” and all enjoyed another great meal, scenic views, and walked around a bit more. On early Sunday morning, we headed back to Skalholt and arrived back around 3:00 p.m. after a three-hour ferry trip and two hour-bus drive. I’m glad that I had this opportunity for independent travel and proud of all three of my group members with all working together in organizing the trip!
Entry 16: June 17, 2008
Independence Day Festival
This afternoon, there were seven members of our group that decided to travel to the town of Floeurer for their small celebration festival. It was a neat opportunity to venture out of Skalholt and learn more about Icelandic culture in a more remote and small community. It was also a privilege to be present in such an important time in Iceland’s history. I really enjoyed going with a few group members and Dr. Novak because I think it added to my incredible study abroad experience so far.
In the book called “Insight Guides: Iceland”, there was a specific chapter in reference to history of Iceland. I learned about the importance of Independence Day and how significant it was to the people of Iceland. According to “Insight Guides: Iceland”, Iceland “becomes a republic on June 17.” (pg. 25) In addition from breaking from Denmark, Iceland also became a “founding member of NATO” in 1949. (pg. 25) I recognized the same type of patriotism from the Fourth of July in the USA to today in Iceland. While driving into the town of Floeurer, I noticed many Icelandic flags posted everywhere and many people wearing blue and red. I feel like their patriotism is very similar in the sense to the US because they take a lot of pride in their country, history and people.
Upon arriving, our group found the rector from Skalholt (Kristinn) after he had made his speech to a group of Icelanders. We heard from Dr. Novak that Kristinn’s speech went well and all of us are looking forward to attending a reception at his home later on this evening. Again, this is another example of the kind hospitality that has been extended to our group. I am really excited to head over to Kristinn’s tonight for the reception and continue to celebrate the Independence Day of Iceland. I think it has been really interesting to watch and learn from a different country’s national holiday. It’s always an experience to take part in something that is different from what you are used to doing.
My favorite part of the afternoon was watching a small competition between some of the local children. There were a few running races going on when we arrived at the Independence Day celebration. After that, there was a large group of people huddled around an obstacle course. I would guess that six different teams were present to race in a some what “Soap Box Derby” type competition. Many of the different little cars had Icelandic flags on them and almost three children per car. I enjoyed watching all of the excitement between all the different kids and how much it reminded me of the Soap Box Derby that my brother participated in when he was a Cub Scout. Later on, Dr. Novak was kind enough to let us all get an ice cream and/or soda before heading back to Skalholt. It was an awesome day and glad to celebrate the significance of Iceland’s Independence Day!
Entry 15: June 17, 2008
Host Family Visit
Last evening, Brittany and I paired up together and headed out to our first meeting with our host family. It was a great opportunity to meet another family that is outside of the Skalholt community. Little did we know, the mother of our host family actually works at Skalholt when they need a substitute or extra help during a busy week. After an early dinner at five, we grabbed our jackets and were ready to meet our host family! It was about a 20 minute drive and the rector at Skalholt’s wife was kind enough to drive us out there. Brittany and I were a little nervous before we arrived because we did not know what to expect from this family and had no idea where they lived.
Upon arriving, Kristinn’s wife drove us down a long road and dropped us off at a large farm. We were met by the husband and head farmer at a farm called Reyholt. Our host father did not speak a lot of English and accompanied us into the barn. Twenty minutes later, we met our host family’s son and he is also a student in college at the local town of Selfoss. He is majoring in math and carpentry and works construction jobs in Selfoss. In addition to his job at the barn and with the construction company, he also sings in his chorus at school. He is 20 years old and Brittany and I enjoyed getting to know him.
About an hour later, we met the rest of our host family. Our host mother was kind enough to feed us dinner even though we had already eaten at Skalholt. It made me think again of how much pride that Icelanders take in extending their hospitality to their family, friends and even new people. I felt extremely welcome in their home and they were nothing but hospitable toward Brittany and I. We had a great dinner of mushroom soup, rice pudding, bread, cheese, vegetables and even a little piece of chocolate cake. The mother was really excited to get to know us and asked us many questions in Icelandic while her son translated it into English. We even showed our host family where our houses were thanks to the Google Earth program. They were amazed that we went to a women’s college but there was a larger university (NC State University) that was right down the street.
Overall, I am very grateful and happy with my successful host visit. They were so kind to Brittany and me and I look forward to seeing them next week. It was nice to reach out of my “comfort zone” yet again and get to know even more kind and welcoming Icelandic people. This host family visit has been one of many experiences here in Iceland that has been positive and beneficial to my study abroad experience. I was also very glad that Brittany and I were paired together because we both contributed to our positive experience and getting to know our family. We work very well together and enjoy each other’s company!Entry 14: June 16, 2008
Significance of Families
This past weekend, our group had an incredible opportunity to venture out from Skalholt on a glacier excursion. I had a great time on the trip and found that I got to know more people in the group better. In my past summaries and reflections, I have primarily focused on the places or people that I have encountered. After being in Iceland for two weeks, my observations have reinforced the significance of families and hospitality here. Our English/History portion of the class has strongly discussed the importance of families in the sagas and other readings. Outside of the sagas, I have personally observed the bond between family groups and their friends as well as their hard work and dedication to their homes and relationships.
From this past weekend, there were two family groups that stuck out in my mind. The first was the lodge manager, Laila. She extended a great deal of hospitality to our group in the sense of where we stayed the two nights at Snaefell. Her family was extremely kind to us whether it was in the situation of room accommodations, breakfast or travel advice and planning. Laila’s children, Jacob and Sarah, were two precious children that also lived at the lodging-type complex. This lodging even had a turf type roof and made me think of “Lord of the Rings” scenery each time I left the building. Laila’s husband was an Icelander but did not speak much English but he was still helpful to Dr. Novak with the directions. I noticed that the children were very obedient to their parents as well as how they did not need a lot of things or excess in their life. Even though they are very far from the nearest town, they were happy with what they had. I think in our society today, families sometimes lose sight of what’s really important and what they really need. With Laila’s family, it made me recognize more the significance of what’s necessary and it’s not always material things that make you happy. Laila’s children were perfectly content with running and playing outside instead of playing on their Wii for countless hours.
In addition to Laila’s family, we were finally able to meet Dr. Novak’s precious sheep! Earlier this year, Dr. Novak purchased two sheep, Layla and Igloo. This was influenced by his trip to Iceland last summer and how much he enjoyed the sheep that he saw. After hearing about them for about six months, I was able to personally meet these two adorable sheep. The owner and farmer was a woman named Visa. She was extremely hospitable to the group and had already prepared waffles, cake and coffee for us after herding the sheep into the barn. While in her home, I noticed that it was quite small but decorated with lots of family pictures. She lives with her father in small little house directly near the barn.
Entry 12: June 12, 2008
Erthingur Brynioffsoon Lecture
This afternoon, our group had the opportunity to meet Erthingur Brynioffsson and learn more about the importance of sagas in Icelandic culture. Mr. Brynioffsson is a teacher and historian and is quite knowledgeable in the area of past Icelandic culture. He teaches in the local town of Selfoss to a group of almost 1,000 students. I was impressed to hear about how he just created a course at his university and his favorite class to teach is the “History of Rock and Roll.” This man was hilarious!
Later on in the lecture, he introduced our group to the Icelandic genealogy online family database. This system allows people to trace their roots on the internet all the way to their ancestors. I was amazed when he revealed to us that he is related to Melkorka. We had just finished learning about her in class and find it incredible that he is related to one of the founding families in Iceland. Melkorka was a Celtic woman and Irish king’s daughter who was sold as a slave and started her later teenager years in Iceland. Mr. Brynioffson emphasized the importance of these Celtic (from Ireland, Scotland and the British Isles) women and Norwegian men were the races that generally started the population in Iceland. In relation to Melkorka, she was a princess around the time of 910 AD and Brynioffson is around 52 years old and can trace his roots all the way back to the 900s. He is also related to Snorri Sturlsson who lived from 1179 to 1123 AD. Sturlsson is known for writing to the Edda (Icelandic prose) and his overall impact to the beginning of the Icelandic government.
In addition to his two “claim to fame” relatives, Brynioffsson’s great grandfather owned three fourths of the land here at Skalholt and Helka. His great-grandfather was a rich sheep farmer but lost the majority of his land after having many children and dealing with family inheritance issues. He also emphasized the importance of the status of the Vikings and the truths and myths of the sagas. According to Brynioffsson, it is important to note that “sagas were about farmers going away from Norway to Iceland and not about great, big castles.” He introduced Vikings as “pirates” that were often on the sea for two to three weeks at a time. Interestingly enough, they did not drink water on their voyages but ale because it stayed fresh longer. On his slideshow, he added a comic strip that said “They’re actually quite good company, once you overcome the language barrier.”
Overall, I am very grateful that Brynioffsoon shared part of his story with our group and knowledge on the basis and history of Icelandic sagas. It is always a treat to meet someone that is related to both Snorri Sturlusson and Melkorka!Entry 11: June 9, 2008
Thorir Olafsson
I was very impressed with Thorir Olafsson’s visit to Skalholt and his overall knowledge on the education system in Iceland. Olafsson has been the Minister of Education, Science, and Culture for the last eight years. His contribution to the education system has included his specialization in K-12 education and position as a principal. He mentioned that he enjoyed his job because of his interest in children and his co-workers. Olafsson takes pride in knowing all of the principals that he is associated with as well as knowing them on a first name basis. I was impressed how education is a growing and has become a general interest of the people here in Iceland. He emphasized the importance of how education is “one of the foundations of their society.”
Olafsson introduced many concepts of the educational system and answered a fair amount of questions asked by my fellow group members. I was interested to learn more about the significance of the primary and secondary school systems in Iceland. Olafsson mentioned that there are 316,000 people in Iceland and it is a relatively young culture. He enjoys his country’s history because it is easy to explain how “clear cut” and “exact” it is. He also talked about how Iceland finally became an independent nation from Denmark in 1944.
It was apparent that Olafsson really enjoys his job and the daily, weekly, and yearly challenges that come along with it. I am glad that Iceland has someone so dedicated to the achievement and future of the youth in the aspect of education. I look forward to the next few speakers that represent Iceland so well!
Katie Nagel
Entry 10: June 8, 2008
“Axel’s Church”
Earlier last week, Dr. Novak informed our group that we would be visiting Axel’s church and over to his home for tea afterwards. Axel has truly extended the “hand of friendship” since our stay began in Iceland. Our group met him the first week we arrived because there was a conference of priests also here at Skalholt. Yesterday, we visited his church, which is probably one of the most beautiful and peaceful places that I have ever seen.
The church is very simple in its decorations but holds many sentimental objects. There are six glass widows at the front of the church that represent the importance of the days of the week. The reason for there not being seven is because the seventh day of the week should be spent in church. I was amazed with all of the comparisons that Axel made in reference to his church. The colors of the church are predominantly green, red and yellow. The columns that hold up the church were mainly red and green. He mentioned that the green is the significance of “growing with Christ.” There are also seven open parts of the pews in the front of the church that represent the seven lines of the Lord’s Prayer. Axel mentioned that many of the children use this as a guide to learning the Lord’s Prayer in Icelandic. I found this to be interesting in relation to how they teach the children here. Axel emphasized the importance of his job to the community that he lives in. He is not only responsible for the Sunday service but of the confirmation classes and giving back to the elderly.
Out of all the people that I have met in Iceland, Axel is one that I will remember for his strong dedication to his faith, family, friends, church, and commitment to teaching others about Icelandic history.Entry 9: June 8, 2008
“The Culture House”
My last and third museum visit of our day in Reykjavik was to the Culture House directly downtown. After a few wrong turns and miscommunications, Brittany, VC, Sara, and I made it to the museum safely. (On a side note, it is nice to know now that the Culture House is also another name of a bar in Iceland.) We made it to the Culture House just in time to visit the two exhibits on display.
Dr. Grathwohl and Dr. Novak were kind enough to show us a brief tour on the Saga exhibit, which included the original Edda by Snorri and a few other publications. These publications were almost 900-1,000 years old and still in decent order and the handwriting/calligraphy was really impressive. Dr. Grathwohl also elaborated on the overall process of putting together each individual publication from the pages, ink, and to how long the process took. I learned a lot from this specific lecture and found it to be very interesting especially since we had just finished studying two different sagas and the gods, Odin, Thor, and Freiya.
Next, our group went up to the fourth floor where there was an exhibit on this volcanic eruption, Surtsey. This eruption started in 1963 and lasted almost four years up until 1967. I was impressed with all the information and video footage that was on this incredible moment in history. According to Dr. Novak, this eruption took place during the same time near JFK’s death, Cuba missile bombings, and other Cold War warnings and incidents. In respect to the science portion, there were even several birds on display that were found after the eruption and taken in for scientific research. Dr. Grathwohl also pointed out a geographic map that was related to Surtsey and even how the geographer had drawn out the entire diagram with his own hands. Basically, I am glad that we all finally found the museum and were able to visit these two interesting and educational exhibits!
Katie Nagel
Entry 8: June 8, 2008
The Settlement Exhibition Museum
In addition to visiting the Saga Museum, our group had the opportunity to visit the “Settlement Exhibition Museum” this afternoon. (On a side note, I think that Dr. Fountain would have really enjoyed this exhibit.) I am glad that I went ahead and read the first few pages in the Karlsson book because it provided me with a sufficient amount of background information before I visited the exhibit. The exhibit primarily focused on the first portion of early Icelandic history and settlement. As mentioned in class, the oldest written sources of Icelanders were two major books: the Book of the Icelanders (Islendingabok) and the Book of Settlements (Landnamabok). Although, the exhibit mentioned that the Book of the Icelanders is reliable since it was written by Arni Porgilsson the Learned.
Early on in the exhibit, I learned a significant amount of information on how the beginning civilization of Iceland was very self-sufficient. In early Reykjavik, there was a comparison that “no one would ever go hungry.” It provided a major emphasis on how Icelanders were people that primarily lived off of their land. They used animals for food, protection, clothing as well as building and carpentry. There were main tools on exhibit such as early iron nails, knives, axes, fish hook, and arrow heads. I also found it very incredible that the same ground that the museum is located is where the first early Icelandic civilization was. The other fact that I found to be relevant to the course was the information on peat. It made me think of the “Bog Man” article and how peat was also used for fuel among the early Icelanders. Another interesting fact that I noted was how the Icelandic constitution was developed in the early 12th century. The Icelandic history continues to amaze me and look forward to learning more in the next three weeks.
Katie Nagel
Entry 7: June 8, 2008
The Saga Museum
After arriving in Reykjavik today, our first destination was to visit the Saga Museum which is directly located in the famous building called the Perlan. I was most impressed when Dr. Novak made a comment about how it was a public building and anyone could use it. This can be directly applied to how a yoga class was exercising just when our group had arrived. It was hilarious! They were just sitting in the middle of the first floor of the museum floor doing ab work-outs. (Impressive!) According to my Lonely Planet guide book, the Saga Museum is where “Icelandic history is brought to life by eerie silicon models and a soundtrack of thudding axes and hair-raising screams” (pg. 75). This description serves to be an accurate representation of this description because there were many mannequins and plenty of Halloween-type soundtrack music in the background.
Overall, I found the Saga Museum to be very educational and it had a reasonable “flow” to it. I think that it is a place that any decent age can visit because it can be applied to both audio and visual learners. I found it to be beneficial for me because I excel the most with visual and audio learning. The tour had almost 17 different schemes where it represented the beginning of Iceland to the time period of the 1300s. There were even names that I recognized from when Kristinn gave us the church tour at Skalholt last week. I even saw Dr. Novak’s favorite Icelander, Snorri Sturluson, towards the end of the exhibit. According to the exhibit, Sturluson was a writer and had a special talent for his interest in finance and politics. We have also studied his important impact to ancient literature and even his influence as a crucial chieftain. Overall, I’m glad that we visited this museum and enjoyed the overall scheme of the exhibit!
Katie Nagel
Entry 6: June 7, 2008
Waterfall Gulfoss
After visiting the incredible geyser yesterday, our group visited yet another spectacular representation of Iceland’s beauty. We were fortunate enough not having to drive far at all to reach this incredible sight. By far, this was an awesome place that was full again of tourists and people from all sorts of countries were visiting. There were even a few tourists that apparently were not ready for the intense windy and wet weather. I even saw one older man in jeans and a sweater while I was bundled up in a jacket, rain pants, a hat, and boots.
I was glad that we had the opportunity to visit this incredible place. I took lots of pictures and examined all the different parts of the waterfall. There were many areas where the water was rapidly flowing and other parts were it was rocky and slippery. It was neat to be able to walk all the way up to the mid portion of the waterfall and also be able to look down. It reminded me a little bit of my study abroad trip to Costa Rica last summer in respect to two large waterfalls that we visited. Although, the weather in Costa Rica was not as misty and rainy as it was at the Iceland waterfall. Last summer, the rainy season in Costa Rica did not even compare to the intensity of the rain and wind near the waterfall yesterday. The scenery around me also served as reminder of how much Iceland makes me think of “Lord of the Rings.” At least once a day, I often think about different scenes from the books or movies that can be directly applied to my daily landscapes here at Skalholt and Iceland in general.
As mentioned in my Lonely Planet guide book, this specific waterfall was “donated to the nation in 1975 and has been preserved as a nature reserve ever since” (pg. 120-121). Again, this waterfall is another representation of how Iceland is a country of full natural beauty.
Katie Nagel
Entry 5: June 6, 2008
Strokkur Geyser
Earlier today, our group had the opportunity to visit a famous geyser called the Strokkur Geyser. Luckily, we had the advantage of not having to travel very far to see this incredible place. Once we arrived, I was amazed with how many tourists were also at the site especially since it is a ways past the capital. I also did not realize how large of a space that the geyser occupied and the total amount of geysers would occupy the entire area. I am so glad that I was able to visit this interesting place of nature!
The geysers were one neat and natural place that occupies Iceland. I was impressed with all of the tourists visiting and how I had never visited a place like this before! According to my Lonely Planet guidebook, geysers are “formed when geothermally heated water becomes trapped in narrow fissures” (pg. 120). I had studied about these geysers in science class before but it was amazing to actually be able to stand so close to it! It was quite the experience to stand so close to the geyser when it exploded. I was grateful for Dr. Novak and his extra hand on taking a picture of the two Brittanys and I with our before and after reactions of the geyser explosion. Another favorite moment from this afternoon was when two German children were playing around the geyser in their rain boots. It was a definite Kodak moment!
There were many geysers, both big and small, spread throughout the entire area. I even saw two chefs at the beginning of the time at the geysers possibly frying eggs on one of the boiling hot spots. I continue to be amazed by the crazy tasks that these Icelanders tend to! Also, there was a tall geyser where when it exploded there was lots of sulfur-like steam. VC and Brittany Forlidas enjoyed pretending to be part of the overall fog effect. It was hilarious! I am so grateful that our group had such a fun day among the natural beauty of Iceland!
Katie Nagel
Entry 4: June 6, 2008
Skalholt History Tour with Kristinn
On Wednesday, our group had the opportunity to go on a tour of the Skalholt Church with our incredible rector, Kristinn. This one and a half tour was one of the most interesting historic tours that I have ever been on. As always, Kristinn introduced every portion of the church at a reasonable pace and I enjoyed how much information he knew.
According to my Lonely Planet guidebook, this church at Skalholt has been “one of two bishoprics (the other was Holar in the north) that ruled Iceland’s souls from the 11th to 18th centuries” (pg. 122). I find this to be incredible that this church has been on the same site and grounds for more than one thousand years.
Entry 4: June 3, 2008
Skaholt community
The community that we will spend the next four weeks in is the small but warm and close knit area called Skaholt. Skaholt is comprised by the main dormitory quarters and this is where many of the workers and Meredith College students and faculty stay. The rector, Kristin, lives in a house directly near the dormitory area and he oversees all of the operations especially in relation to our one month stay. It seems to me that he is the coordinator with Dr. Novak to organize anything from meals, laundry, and trips to town and the upcoming adventure to the geysers. He serves to be a helpful and kind member of Skaholt that has nothing but assisted us with our transition to Iceland. The bishop lives in another house which is also close to our dormitory area. As mentioned before, the bishop even translated one of his services into English for a few portions so many of our group members could understand what he was discussing during the service.
We live in a dormitory which reminds me of a retreat center that we would visit in high school. The church is within walking distance from the dormitory area. The kitchen, dining and living room, and classroom area is also connected in a rambler style way. It’s nice to have everything all in one place especially with the dining room having many people eat at the same time. I enjoy eating family style at my summer camp at home and believe that it has also been very effective in meeting new Icelanders and members of the Skaholt community. There is even a priest visiting from the United States that has been staying in Skaholt. He has been very friendly and welcoming to our group. It’s also a treat to have a flat screen television in the living room area and many of our group members were able to watch “Boston Legal” with Dr. Novak the other night!
Katie Nagel
Entry 3: June 3, 2008
Iceland in general
My first impression of Iceland when we flew in last Sunday was how bright, green and beautiful it was. Even when we were in the airport, it was very clean and all the workers were friendly and helpful. I found the drive to Skaholt to be especially “picturesque” because of the many farms, houses, mountains and overall environment that were able to view from the bus window. Once we arrived in Skaholt, I was impressed with how maintained the grounds of the community are. It seems to me that the Icelanders take a lot of pride with their appearance whether in respect to their homes, physical characteristics, or greetings. All of the staff members here have been very friendly and welcoming us with open arms and wonderful hospitality.
I learned a lot about Iceland in the past few days. I’ve noticed that the Icelanders take a major interest in their history especially in relation to their communities. In the Skaholt community, there are two grave sites dedicated to deceased members of this area. Also, Dr. Novak introduced us to a cross near our dormitory area where a bishop was murdered during the time period of the Middle Ages. (More to come on this later!) The majority of the dormitory rooms are named after important members or spouses that were part of this community. We even went walking yesterday and came across a woman that belonged to the surrounding Skaholt community. We told her that we would be studying here for almost four weeks in relation to the history and sagas of the country. She mentioned that the sagas play an important part in the culture and society of Icelanders in the past, present, and future generations. Overall, the country of Iceland is rich in history, literature, community bonds, and general hospitality.
Entry 2: June 2, 2008
First Church Service in Skaholt
Our group had the opportunity today to participate in the town’s church service. The bishop was nice to separate different parts of the service to both Icelandic and English. I really admire the Icelanders here because of their consistent hospitality to others. They have made us feel so welcome and comfortable in a different atmosphere. Mainly, I have been impressed with their willingness to provide us with the simple things like laundry, wonderful meals and overall welcoming attitudes.
My favorite part of the day was the church service. As mentioned before, the bishop was kind enough to assist us to better understanding the whole service sequence. I have been nothing but pleased with the community members of Skaholt. I understood a few portions in English and a few lines that he mentioned were related to “Jesus Loves Me” and singing the song, “You’ve got a friend in Jesus.” I found these to be my favorite parts since it was in English and how my faith plays an important role in my life. I would say that 30 people from the community were present at the church service. There was a precious choir of about 12 children that sang different songs in Icelandic during the service. In the middle of the service, there were four girls who were awarded crosses for their graduation from their school. I found this to be very sentimental and similar to confirmation or graduation at my home church. It made me better understand the importance of community that is present in Skaholt and the surrounding area.
I continue to enjoy meeting the new people that come to our residence. Last night, I spoke with a visiting priest and tried to introduce the concept of “squash” and “zucchini.” I will look forward to speaking more with the priests and learning about where they are from and such!Entry 1: May 31, 2008
“Iceland: A Place of True and Natural Beauty”
I have only been in Iceland for two and a half days but feel so blessed to be in a place that is surrounded by natural beauty. The clear horizon and beautiful scenery is a small portion of what I have enjoyed so far especially on the group hike yesterday. Although the group was quite jet-lagged, we hiked over to the area close to a few summer homes and pastures of horses. Dr. Novak mentioned yesterday that the Icelanders are very adamant in having the horses stay within their breed and never leaving Iceland. If they decide to leave Iceland, the horses are never allowed back in. I found that fact to be very interesting because of the significance of their breeding process.
Later on, we hiked up further past the church and came across “boiling mudpots.” I never thought in a million years that I would be able to stand so close to them! They are somewhat difficult to explain if you do not have a picture. I’ll try my best to explain them. The “mud pots” are boiling hot water that smells distinctly of sulfur and is extremely hot. They are surrounded by areas of green moss, rocks and manure. It is located about two miles down near the water directly past our dormitory area. On the way back, Emily M. and Brittany F. went up to the horses and petted them. The horses were beautiful and I enjoyed seeing the incredible landscape around them.
I have really enjoyed getting to know more people on the trip. It’s nice to come out of my “comfort zone” and meet people that I normally do not have classes or activities with. Overall, I feel blessed to be in a place that is full of such natural beauty and kind residents. “Bless, bless” (Good-bye in Icelandic) for now!