Tag: weekly

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Iceland: Week 6

This is the first week where I wasn’t sure if I’d have time to write an update. It’s 9pm on a Sunday and I’ve been doing school work for the last 12 hours. Whew! Grad school is no joke. Of course the last week has been more than just starting some classes. It’s an entirely new field, with different assumptions of pre-existing knowledge, and a structure that might be typical but differs from what I’ve experienced before. It’s been a lot, but good, and I’m sure that as things keep rolling it’ll quickly become familiar.

One small snag is that I had to swap one of my courses. My program requires either ASK105F Iceland in the International System or ASK103F Iceland‘s Foreign Relations and while I didn’t have a strong preference I chose the former because the scope seemed broader. But when the class started we found out there was a scheduling error, and its actually longer than the published timetable, which means it conflicts with one of my other classes. So I switched to ASK103F, which actually smooths out my week a bit, making my heavier 2-class days Monday/Thursday instead of Wed/Thursday.

One of the things I was curious about is whether or not I’d be an outlier in this program, given my age and background. That question was answered immediately when I met the person sitting in front of me during my first class. He’s 8 years older than me, with a background in air traffic control, and is currently a member of the Icelandic Parliament! Can you imagine a US congressperson finding themselves on a foreign affairs committee and enrolling in a graduate program to brush up on their knowledge?

The photo above is an Icelandic keyboard, and while it looks familiar the changes to accommodate Þ, Ð, Æ, Ö, and some accent marks make it impossible for me touch type with confidence. I have to use this keyboard to print from the campus computer lab because the printers won’t connect to a laptop. Entering my username and password for the first took a few minutes. The @ symbol that is paired with the Q requires pressing the AltGr button to the right of the spacebar. And when my fingers reach for the left shift key they naturally land on the combined less-than/greater-than key, providing a nice row of >>>>>>>>>>s in the middle of your password. Some of these shifts are subtle enough to make you question your sanity, like pairing & with the number 6 instead of 7.

A visual comparison of the differences between the US and Icelandic keyboards.

Yesterday was an hugely packed day in Reykjavík. In the morning was the marathon, and all the additional races of various lesser lengths, snaking their way through the city. By noon, events had kicked off for Culture Night, with over 400 events across the city from free museums openings, to craft markets, to live music everywhere. I had a loose schedule of things I wanted to see, but also just wandered around, stumbling into strange and delightful happenings.

Perhaps the most low-key event is Waffles and Coffee, a two-hour period where the city supplies the ingredients and materials to the host and people open up their homes to serve the eponymous items. It fosters these casual gatherings throughout the neighborhood — strangers and friends in backyards and living rooms, sharing a snack.

A Waffles and Coffee sign, welcoming people to come inside
Marathon runnings in front of Esja
The 3K fun-run had a bubble machine near the end
Battle of the Bands at Harpa
A sizable portion of the country gathered for a concert on the hill

Noted & Done

  • Had dinner with an old friend and her family before they headed out to explore Iceland on their vacation, which was really nice.
  • Went to the National Library for the first time, which will be a good place to study.
  • Saw Desperate Mortal at Space Odyssey.
  • Saw Frítt Fall at Nordic House.
  • Went to the Friday Open Lab at the Intelligent Instruments Lab.
  • Iceland stopped sending packages worth over $100 to the USA, along with many other countries, due to lack of clarity around import rules.
  • <rant>You know how every elevator in the USA has a “close door” button but it never does anything when you press it. Apparently this placebo button is meant to comply with the Americans With Disabilities Act, although I question that explanation since the timing of the door automatically closing is what would matter for someone with a cane or a wheelchair. Is it because Americans are so insensitive they would close the door manually in someone’s face? Also, why have a fake button — just leave it out, or put in a blank! </rant> Annnnnnyway, the elevator in my apartment here has a functioning “close door” button and it is glorious! I press my floor number, and then the close button, and I’m off.
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Iceland: Week 4

More than half of last week was spent outside, hiking in the Highlands between Landmannalaugar and Thórsmörk on the Laugavegur trail. I’ve had my eye on this trek for a long time, and it lived up to all my expectations. I went with a guided group, 16 of us in total, and hiked 40 miles over 4 days, traversing 6,000 feet of elevation gain across wildly different landscapes. It was often cold, windy, and rainy, but with fabulous views, otherworldly scenes, and a chance to have my morning coffee at the foot of a glacier — an excellent mix of Type 1 and Type 2 fun.

Going with a group has distinct benefits, particularly as a solo traveler. For one, I had someone to talk to, and our guide turned out to be wonderfully low-key and happy to answer all my questions. It also meant that I only had to carry a daypack, as the company transported our other bags as well as food. We stayed in mountain huts, originally constructed in the 1970s by a hiking club, which are simple structures filled to the brim with sleeping mats and a kitchen. Lots of people stay in tents as well, and there are shared bathroom facilities for everyone. For 1,000 ISK you can buy 5 minutes of hot shower time. Overall, accommodations are basic, but having tubs of food for our group transported by vehicle meant meals could be a couple notches above backpacker food.

I have photosets on Instagram for each day (Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, Day 4), so I won’t overdo it on the photos here, but below is a brief daily overview.

Day One: Landmannalaugar

Landscapes at Landmannalaugar
Leaving the lava field at Landmannalaugar, approaching the hut and campground

The trip to Landmannalaugar from Reykjavík took about 3.5 hours, which would make it possible to do as a very long day-trip. We didn’t actually start on the Laugavegur Trail this first day, but did a four-hour hike through the colorful landscapes and lava fields of the area. It was the windiest of all the days, and threatened to downpour as it had the the day before. But the rain remained scattered, with patches of blue sky, and it was a great introduction to the trip.

We stayed in the hut in the center of the above photo, the only one on the trip with hot water on tap since this was a geothermal area. A hot spring runs in front of the hut, feeding a pool a short distance away, which felt amazing to soak in after the hike. It was my first natural hot spring in Iceland and it was fun to see how you could moderate the temperature by positioning yourself within the pool. As you moved closer to the river it got uncomfortably hot, but you could also get extra heat by digging your feet or hands into the pebble-covered ground.

A very Icelandic scene: sheep grazing with people bathing in a hot spring in the distance.

Day Two: Landmannalaugar to Álftavatn

The second day was the longest, at 15 miles, and was technically two segments of the trail as we passed by the Hrafntinnusker hut halfway through. It also had the most elevation. The day started with steamy geothermal landscapes, including steam vents and mud pots, giving way to rockier and snow-covered terrain as we passed over a mountain pass. The trail only opens in mid-June, because the snow pack is too deep before then. We were continuously going up and down, as the trail runs through numerous valleys, although some were still filled with snow that bridged across them. You have to be careful as you cross those because the snow melts from both the top (sun) and bottom (hot springs), potentially obscuring the true depth of the snow you’re walking across.

Steamy hot springs provided an otherworldly feel throughout the day.
The landscape became rockier and snowier mid-day.

The hut at Álftavatn was the best of the trip with more spacious quarters and a generously sized kitchen, beautifully situated on the edge of a lake. The multi-hour steep downhill trek to the campground wrecked havoc on our feet, but just before arrival we had our first river crossing and the freezing cold water helped to sooth the swelling. There were four river crossings in total on this hike, and I carried an extra pair of water shoes for them. They were bone chillingly cold, but a fun part of the experience as I’d never done it before.

The hut at Álftavatn.
Camping area at Álftavatn, next to the lake.

Day Three: Álftavatn to Emstrur (Botnar)

The third day saw a dramatic shift in scenery, away from the colorful geothermal hills to a stark black and green landscape. It was rockier, and much flatter than previous days. There was another river crossing less than an hour into the hike, and I think there is where I made the mistake of not fully cleaning all the tiny rocks out from between my toes after the crossing. By the end of the day I’d discovered that the smallest toe on my right foot was lacerated where it joined my foot; I think a small stone had abraded it all day as a walked. It wasn’t terrible, and better than getting a blister, but made the final day of hiking a bit uncomfortable.

River crossing
Much of the day was starkly black and green. There’s no life up there, no birds or sheep.

The siting of our final huts at Emstrur/Botnar was beautiful, situated in a valley next to a glacier, but they were also the most cramped. It was raining steadily when we arrived, which means the 21 people staying in tiny hut #2 were all huddled inside trying to dry off.

The Emstrur/Botnar huts.
Glacial view from the hut.
Packed sleeping quarters.
We had to eat in shifts in this tiny hut because there wasn’t quite enough room around the tables.

Day Four: Emstrur (Botnar) to Þórsmörk

On the final day, the trail ended at Thórsmörk, one of the only native forests in Iceland. You could observe life returning as the day progressed, with a few birds flying over canyons and ewes leading their lambs around the hills. During this segment we travelled between the Mýrdalsjökull and Eyjafjallajökull glaciers, ending in a flood plain with clear views of both. Between the biggest river crossing, feeling a bit weary, and my slightly wounded foot, I ended up relying on my hiking poles more during this segment. I used them periodically throughout the trail when I felt the need for additional stability, like going down a steep and muddy decent, but there was always a tradeoff between holding my poles or my camera.

Valley with Mýrdalsjökull galcier in the background.
These signs were found throughout the trail. Punching the letters out of metal is smart, as I doubt that a painted sign would last very long in this environment.
My group at the end of the Laugavegur trail. We were a mix of people from the USA, Canada, Switzerland, Taiwan, and Norway.

We didn’t stay in the hut at Thórsmörk, although they did let us relax there while waiting for the bus to arrive. There are additional trails in that area that looks great, and three huts in total. Most of the people doing the full hike were foreigners, but I was told that Thórsmörk is a place that native Icelanders regularly come to recreate. I might try to make my way back here, for a day trip or a night in a hut. But the season for the Highlands is very short: basically mid-June to mid-September.

Getting back from the hike I laid low for a couple of days, catching up on sleep, laundry, and email. But I was able to register for my classes, and getting the syllabus’ and schedule provides me with a sense of the structure that I’ll have starting August 18th. I’ll share more as things get going.

The weather in Reykjavík had been dreary all week, but yesterday in it was nearly perfect for the Pride Parade. Clear blue skies, upper 50s, and a massive celebration of diversity and equality. Perhaps the biggest difference about Pride in Iceland versus the US right now is the fact that the Prime Minister attended and spoke at the celebration.

Noted & Done

  • I’m noticing that the light is starting to change. When I moved here last month it felt like daylight when I went to bed, now it feels like dusk and I’m awake to see an actual sunset.
  • A Highland bus from TREX is bookable for a self-planned trip to Þórsmörk or Landmannalaugar. They aren’t cheap at ~$228 round-trip, but the alternative is to rent a car that can drive through deep rivers. Apparently these buses can handle up to 2 meters of water.
  • Registered for my classes at the University of Iceland.
  • Checked out Góði hirðirinn, a second-hand shop, and got some fun and random things for my apartment.
  • Went to an event billed as a SuperCollider Session at Mengi, which showcased students from the Iceland University of the Arts playing pieces they developed through a music programming course.
  • Finished reading the book The Second Mountain: The Quest for a Moral Life by David Brooks.

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Iceland: Week 1

I live in Iceland now. It feels surreal to say that, and also a relief since getting here has been a lot of planning and work. So much of my life has been upended in the last year that all I can do now is lean into even more change, to claim some newness as my own and expand the cone of possibilities far enough that it contains and reveals a new future.

I’ve been in Reykjavík for a full week, which I’ve spent figuring out how to furnish a tiny apartment, finalize my immigration, and wrap my head around how to manage daily activities from grocery shopping, to transportation, to banking. Moving to another country is almost nothing like showing up as a tourist. I walk around and explore the same as I might if I was visiting, but I store the information differently: sorting and rearranging how it will fit into my life in the coming weeks and months. There are gobs of tourists around, and even though I’m brand new I feel the need to stand apart from them, to not be perceived as a traveler, to act as the resident that the Directorate of Immigration considers me for the next year.

I’m here as a graduate student at the University of Iceland, getting a Master’s level certificate in International Affairs, focusing on the Arctic. What originally caught my eye was their micro-credential in Arctic Studies, a one-semester program that’s no longer offered to international applicants. But the first semester of the International Affairs program can be structured to largely replicate the Arctic Studies courses, and allows me to extend my studies through a whole academic year. I’ve long been fascinated by the Arctic, and it’s intertwined challenges of climate change, geopolitics, natural resources, and indigenous cultures. As a designer, I want to contribute to important problems in the world, so I’m here to learn and discover what role I might play in the complexities of the Arctic. Classes start August 18, so I still have nearly a month to settle in.

Noted & Done

  • Figured out the bus system, Strætó, which uses a digital ticketing system called Klapp. Quite good, and Google Maps has realtime bus info.
  • Took the bus to IKEA where I spent over 6 hours deciding how to furnish my new apartment. Took advantage of their electric van rentals to bring it all home.
  • Got my photo and fingerprints taken. This was the last step in my immigration process and enabled me to get a kennitala, or National ID, which is necessary for all other administrative tasks.
  • A volcano erupted and I can add a new weather event to my lived experience: volcanic haze.
  • Got an Icelandic phone number; ported my US number to Google Voice. So the old number still works, but hit me up if you want the new one.
  • Got an account on Ugla, the University of Iceland intranet where I can sign up for classes.
  • Registered for a student ID.
  • Got internet for my apartment.
  • Opened a bank account with Landsbankinn, which was interesting after having read the book Iceland’s Secret about their role in the Icelandic financial crisis.
  • Visited all the grocery stores to see what they have and how much it costs. Everything here is very expensive, so shopping around is a must.
  • Went to the local public pool, Sundhöllin, which was lovely. Multiple hot tubs, a cold plunge, sauna, steam room, etc.
  • Went to a couple of music performances and most of the record shops.
  • Met a lot of cats on the street.
  • Went to a food truck festival.
  • Walked a lot.