All Things Iceland

Najmo Fiyasko’s story of growing up in Somalia and her escape from being a child bride there caught my attention when I saw her on the cover of a newspaper in Iceland. I was shocked to learn that she had been through so much at such a young age. I still have the newspaper that featured her because I just knew that one day I would interview her. The funny thing is that one fateful day she friended me on Facebook and we eventually started to chat. I was elated when she agreed to be interviewed because I wanted as many people as possible to hear about what she has overcome and the inspiration she is today. Here are some of the questions I asked Najmo Fiyasko during the interview: You went through so much at such a young age while living in Somalia. Can you share about what you had to endure and why you eventually fled to Iceland? What was your experience like when you arrived in Iceland?  What was it like adjusting to life here? How was it for you to learn the language? Were there any customs or foods that were strange or shocking to you? You’re doing such amazing work on your social media platforms by raising awareness about female genital mutilation, and rights for women and girls. Your content is in Somali and you have gained quite a large following. What is the reaction from Somali’s when you talk about these topics? Where to follow and support Najmo Fiyasko and her nonprofit women’s media organisation Check out the Mid Show website to learn more and donate Follow on the Mid Show on Facebook  Subscribe to the the Mid Show on YouTube  Follow the Mid Show on Instagram Share this post Share on facebook Facebook Share on twitter Twitter Share on pinterest Pinterest Join the All Things Iceland Patreon Community Some of you might be aware that one of my goals for the podcast is to travel around Iceland more to interview different people in each region. In July, I set up the All Things Iceland community on Patreon. It’s a membership platform that was founded in 2013. It allows for creators like me to provide exclusive content to listeners like you in exchange for a monthly subscription. Each month I am doing Ask Me Anything videos, Live Chats, and Folklore Friday each week. Sometimes I do updates about my life in Iceland. I do not share this content on any other channel. The support from my patrons on the All Things Iceland community on Patreon will help to evolve All Things Iceland. There are several membership tiers to choose from and each tier has a variety of benefits. If you would like to join the community, go to patreon.com/allthingsiceland. I look forward to having you join. Let’s Be Social. Here is where you can connect with me. Instagram Youtube Facebook Þakka þér kærlega fyrir að hlusta (og að lesa) og sjáumst fljótlega. Thank you kindly for listening (and reading) and see you soon!

Reykjavík and the rest of Iceland has gained a reputation for having many rainy days. While I’m an advocate for going out and dressing well no matter the weather, sometimes it is better to stay inside. Well, if you have to be indoors why not make it fun? The five interactive places I talk about in this episode are so much fun that they will make you forget all about the weather. An Experience Like No Other in Reykjavík I’m excited to have FlyOver Iceland as the sponsor of this podcast episode and video. I remember experiencing this interactive ride back when it first opened and I was blown away. As explained in the podcast episode, there are three distinct parts to the experience. First, you enter a Viking longhouse and hear an Icelandic storyteller explain about Vikings and settlers that came to the country. Next, you go into the Well of Time. In this room, an Icelandic troll uses their magical powers to show you visually and through music about the history of Iceland and its people. Last but not least, is the simulated flying experience. After strapping in, you feel like you’re flying over some of the remote parts of the country. It’s an incredible experience because there is wind, mist, and the seats are moving like we are in an airplane. Everyone I know who has been there, including my mother, has raved about it. I highly recommend this incredibly fun activity in Reykjavík. Subscribe to the All Things Iceland Newsletter Don’t miss out on announcements of special content for those planning a trip to Iceland. Click Here 5 Rainy Day Activities To Do in Reykjavík FlyOver Iceland– 3 parts of the experience – Viking Longhouse, The Well of Time and the ride itsel Whales of Iceland – 23 life sized and handmade replicas of whales Maritime Museum – (Sjóminjasafnið ) -Fish and Folk, Dutch Merchant Shipwreck in the 1700s and Óðinn coastguard ship, which fought in the Cod Wars. Aurora Reykjavík – Northern Lights Center folklore about the northern lights from different cultures, how the northern lights work – the science behind them, a comfy theater where you can watch northern lights footage. Valdís Ice cream https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Vsy0xeVKgw Share This Post Share on facebook Facebook Share on twitter Twitter Share on pinterest Pinterest Random fact of the episode According to the website Reykjavík ClimaTemps.com, there are, On average there are 213 days per year with more than 0.1 mm (0.004 in) of rainfall (precipitation) or 17.8 days with a quantity of rain, sleet, snow etc. per month. Reykjavík ClimaTemps Word of the episode Rigning – rain Let’s Be Social. Here is where we can connect. Instagram Youtube Facebook Þakka þér kærlega fyrir að hlusta (og að lesa) og sjáumst fljótlega. Thank you kindly for listening (and reading) and see you soon!

While it might seem a little morbid to talk about how Iceland can kill you, the intention of this podcast episode and blog post is to spread awareness. Icelandic nature is absolutely gorgeous but there are plenty of dangerous situations that can be life threatening. In this episode, I’m sharing seven ways that can lead to death here. I include some examples of people who have unfortunately perished. Please remember to check safetravel.is before heading out on an adventure in Iceland. This site has updates about weather warnings, road closures and more. Join My Newsletter Subscribe to the All Things Iceland Newsletter Don’t miss out on announcements of special content for those planning a trip to Iceland. Click Here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ESUKvNhorgM 7 Ways Iceland Can Kill You Volcanos – stepping on the lava or getting too close to when there are a dangerous amount of gases in the air Bad weather – wind or snow storms Dying of exposure Stepping into a boiling hot mud pool Falling off a cliff of a mountain or waterfall for a picture or a curious look Sneaker waves on Icelandic beaches Stopping in the middle of the road to take photos. How to Pack for Icelandic Weather in Any Season Regardless of the season, Icelandic weather can vary. It’s common to experience what feels like different seasons within the same day. Most people that visit Iceland are not familiar with how to properly layer their clothes. That is why I created a free Ultimate Packing Checklist for Iceland. It breaks down all of the essential items you need for winter and summer. I also included non-essential items that can be helpful if you have room to pack them and outfit ideas if you plan to go out to dinner or party in Reykjavík. Share this post Share on facebook Facebook Share on twitter Twitter Share on pinterest Pinterest Random Fact of the Episode The Icelandic Search & Rescue teams are voluntary organizations. I go into more detail about them in the episode and how they raise money to keep in operation so they can save lives. Icelandic Word of the Episode hætta – danger Join the All Things Iceland Patreon Community Some of you might be aware that one of my goals for the podcast is to travel around Iceland more to interview different people in each region. In July, I set up the All Things Iceland community on Patreon. It’s a membership platform that was founded in 2013. It allows for creators like me to provide exclusive content to listeners like you in exchange for a monthly subscription. Each month I am doing Ask Me Anything videos, Live Chats, and Folklore Friday each week. Sometimes I do updates about my life in Iceland. I do not share this content on any other channel. The support from my patrons on the All Things Iceland community on Patreon will help to evolve All Things Iceland. There are several membership tiers to choose from and each tier has a variety of benefits. If you would like to join the community, go to patreon.com/allthingsiceland. I look forward to having you join. Let’s Be Social. Here is where you can connect with me. Instagram Youtube Facebook Þakka þér kærlega fyrir að hlusta (og að lesa) og sjáumst fljótlega. Thank you kindly for listening (and reading) and see you soon!

Whether it‘s your first or fifth time visit Iceland, I think you will find my what I share about the Reykjanes Peninsula in this podcast episode to be quite exciting. This peninsula is a UNESCO Global GeoPark. Free Itinerary for the Reykjanes Peninsula Free Itinerary for the Reykjanes Peninsula Grab my free itinerary for the Reykjanes Peninsula. It gives you all the names and links of places and activities that I experienced on my adventure in this amazing place. Click Here According to the unesco.org wesbite, UNESCO Global GeoParks, …are single, unified geographical areas where sites and landscapes of international geological significance are managed with a holistic concept of protection, education and sustainable development.” unesco.org I’ve had the pleasure of exploring different parts of the Reykjanes Peninsula and I even did a podcast episode about this place years ago. The difference between that episode and this one is that I recently did a three-day trip exploring this amazing place. In fact, I partnered with Visit Reykjanes for this podcast episode to bring you an amazing guide to how you can enjoy this  area that I feel is the most underrated in the country. It still surprises me that so many people visit the iconic Blue Lagoon, the current erupting volcano, and come through Kelflavík international airport, which are all on the peninsula. However, they have no idea about all the amazing natural wonders, food, accommodations and activities that are right under their noses. While it is a shame, I will admit that it is nice to visit all of these places without many people being there. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nsiJ0rhY_g4 Day One of Our Reykjanes Peninsula Adventure Day one was a bit of a beast in that we packed in a lot of activities. If you end up watching the video for this, you will see some drastically different weather on day one. There were parts of the peninsula where it was raining and other parts where it was blue skies and dry. It was a bizarre weather day, but we used it to our advantage. Well, to the best of our abilities. Seltún Geothermal Area Hot Spring Snorkleing at Kleifarvatn Lake Dinner at Café Bryggjan Lighthouse Inn Accommodations Hvaleneskirkja Church The Bridge Between Continents Stampar Craters Reykjanesviti Lighthouse & Karlinn Rock Gunnuhver Hot Springs Day Two on The Reykjanes Peninsula Reykjanes Sea Kayaking in Vogar Hjá Höllu Restaurant Foraging for seaweed with Eydís Mary Jónsdóttir 4×4 Adventures Hotel Berg Day Three on the Reykjanes Peninsula Breakfast at Hotel Berg Rokksafn – The Rock and Roll Museum The Blue Lagoon Hérastubbur Bakery Hot Stuff WWII Memorial Random Fact of the Episode During the episode, I talk about a kind of funny and unfortunate event that happened to me on the last day of this adventure in the parking lot of the Rock and Roll Museum. Icelandic Word of the Episode Vanmeta – underestimate Share this post Share on facebook Facebook Share on twitter Twitter Share on pinterest Pinterest Let’s be social! Here is where you can connect with me. Instagram Youtube Facebook

It’s so hard to believe that I am celebrating 5 years of living and traveling in Iceland this month. June is special to me because a lot of major events in my life have happened during this month. Some I have control over, such as moving to Iceland in 2016, getting married, and starting the podcast three years ago, so I’m celebrating those anniversaries too. One thing that I don’t think I had any control over is that I was born in June. This is a kind of random fact but I was supposed to be born on May 16th but my mom said I was not ready to come and I ended up being born a month later on June 16th. Maybe I had more control over that than I thought. Anyway, as you can see there is a lot to celebrate this month Join My Newsletter Subscribe to the All Things Iceland Newsletter Don’t miss out on the announcement of special content for those planning a trip to Iceland. Subscribe here Five years feels special to me because I’ve been fortunate enough to learn, travel and grow as a person in Iceland throughout this time. I’ve met some amazing people, gone to gorgeous places and had the opportunity to share some of them with all of you, whether it’s on the All Things Iceland podcast, YouTube channel, Instagram or Facebook. The funny thing is that I have so much that I haven’t been able to share because there is not enough time in the day to put all the content. Living and traveling in Iceland for the last 5 years, podcasting for the last three years and running a Youtube channel about Iceland, I’ve amassed a lot of knowledge about this amazing place. While it would be great to share all of what I’ve learned, it would take a very long time to do that. So, I’ve chosen 10 things I’ve learned in the last 5 years to share. Random side note, here is the Farm Life Iceland video, where I followed Pálína around on her family’s sheep farm. Now let’s jump into the 10 things that I’ve learned after living in Iceland for the last 5 years. No place looks and feels the same even after visiting it multiple times My perception of Iceland has changed a lot The taste of black liquorice has started to grow on me. Please don’t tell my husband. As much as I have traveled here, I’m constantly finding new places to see, new foods to try and amazing people to meet The diversity of people is amazing. Icelandic is still challenging and I continue to learn Being plant based/vegan is amazingly easy here. Budgeting has became so much more necessary after living here. After moving, I’ve grown a lot as an adult, a partner to Gunnar and as a creative person. I see the word differently now after living here. Random Fact of the episode I only started hiking when I came to Iceland. In the podcast, I talk about my first hiking experience in the country with Icelandic mountaineers, which was intense. Icelandic word of the episode umbreytast – transformation Share this post Share on facebook Facebook Share on twitter Twitter Share on pinterest Pinterest Þakka þér kærlega fyrir að hlusta (og að lesa) og sjáumst fljótlega. Thank you kindly for listening (and reading) and see you soon! Let’s be social! Here is where you can connect with me. Instagram Youtube Facebook

This episode is all about the Icelandic geothermal bathing culture in Iceland. Many of you might be aware that Icelanders love to soak in a hot tub no matter the weather. However, you might not be aware of some of the history, modern day culture and etiquette involved with this tradition. Before I jumped into it, I’m excited to announce that this episode is sponsored by the new Sky Lagoon geothermal spa in Reykjavík. I have to point out that I only like to promote places or things that I have personally gone to or used and can vouch for the experience. I will share some insight a little later in the episode about the Sky Lagoon because I was blown away by this new geothermal spa. A Little History About Icelander’s Geothermal Bathing Culture Bathing in a geothermal pool in Iceland is a national pastime, and the origins of this activity dates back to the settlement times. When farmers from Norway came to Iceland, they found that there was an abundance of hot water coming out of the earth in different areas of the country. Washing clothes and soaking in natural Icelandic geothermal pools were two of the most common uses. The heat and steam from the geothermal water were also used to make delicious Icelandic bread called rúgbrauð. Iceland’s harsh weather takes a toll on the skin and those with skin conditions found that soaking in the warm water seemed to alleviate some symptoms. Because the water from geothermal sources is often rich with minerals, it can provide healing properties for those that immerse in it. Iceland’s Most Famous & Historical Man Made Geothermal Bathing Pool Snorri Sturluson, a revered Icelandic historian, poet and politician, had a man made geothermal bathing pool in Reykholt back in the 13th century. It is aptly named Snorralaug, which translates to Snorri’s pool and is fed hot water by the nearby hot spring Skrifla.. What’s even more interesting is that Snorri had a tunnel built that went from his house straight to the pool so he could be sheltered to and from his beloved geothermal bathing pool. I visited this location in the summer of 2020 and the pool is beautiful. Unfortunately, it’s not possible to bathe in it today because the hot water that fills the pool can sometimes be scolding hot. While Snorralaug was once thought to be used only by Snorri, it appears that this pool was mentioned in the Landnáma, or book of settlement, back in the 10th century. Of course, it was not called Snorralaug back then but the pool in the book of settlements was in the same location. Modern Day Icelandic Bathing Culture While it is still possible and quite fun to bathe in natural geothermal hot springs out in Icelandic nature, the majority of Icelanders opt for local pools and spas. These facilities provide a comfortable place to change, lockers to store your things securely, showers to clean off, and a relaxing place to gather. Many of these places still use geothermal energy but it’s a major upgrade from what their ancestors used. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7LceJtnzj_0&t=12s Sky Lagoon Iceland – Incorporating Icelandic Geothermal Bathing Culture & the Modern Spa Experience And this is what brings me to talk more about our sponsor for this episode, which is the new gorgeous Sky Lagoon in Reykjavík. I had the amazing opportunity to check out the Sky Lagoon the weekend it opened. If I recall correctly, it opened on Friday, April 30th and we went on Sunday, May 2nd. What’s nice is that it is only about a 10 minute drive from the downtown area. This new geothermal spa in Iceland is unique because they have incorporated Icelandic culture and history into the experience.I was blown away by how beautiful the facilities are and how thoughtful the architects were when they designed the place. For starters, the outside of the building was made using Icelandic turf, which is essentially dirt and grass. That is how Icelanders made their homes for centuries after running out of wood due to cutting down trees. Sky Lagoon’s 7 Ritual Steps to Relaxation & Well Being in Iceland The Sky Lagoon has 7 ritual steps to relaxation and well-being. I posted a video of my experience of going through each step and will embed it in the show notes so you can check it out. The place is absolutely gorgeous and is home to the largest sauna in the country. In addition, they have an infinity pool with views of the ocean, the current volcanic eruption and the house of the President of Iceland. How cool is that?! I could go on and on about this place because I was that impressed. Gunnar and I plan to go back in the very near future. I have a link to the Sky Lagoon in the show notes of this episode on allthingsiceland.com and I highly recommend keeping this place on your list of must-dos when planning your trip for Iceland. The Rules and Etiquette of Bathing in Geothermal Pools in Iceland One thing to understand before coming to Iceland is that there are rules for bathing here. If you don’t follow th

I’ve been learning Icelandic for quite some time but I’ve not felt very confident when it comes to speaking. To boost my confidence, my Icelandic husband and I agreed to spend the month of March in 2021 speaking in Icelandic. We tried this experiment for the first time last July but it was quite difficult. Even though we had an idea of how it could go, we each had reservations about it because it can be emotionally draining to not be able to express yourself. While this time around was much different than the first time, there were still challenges. I think the biggest change for me this month was how much I was able to remember on the spot when I started to speak. Repetition is super helpful when learning a language and Icelandic is no different. We talk all about the challenges for both of us in this episode of the podcast. I hope you find it interesting and helpful. The audio is taken from the video that I posted below on the All Things Iceland YouTube channel. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YYQHrlqgtyE The questions that Gunnar and I answered about speaking Icelandic for a month What were our feelings about the experiment going into it? What was most challenging during this 31 day challenge? Did you/us notice any improvement in Jewells’ Icelandic during the challenge? What does Jewells need to improve? Do you plan to keep speaking Icelandic to each other? What is the plan going forward? Two Facebook groups that are helpful if you want to learn Icelandic and want community support. Practice and Learn Icelandic Icelandic Learners – Læra íslensku While Icelandic is difficult for many that are learning it, just know that it is possible to do it. I think pushing through your fear about speaking is a key aspect to any language learning journey. As I work on that, I will continue to share how it’s going for me and any other Icelandic language learning resources that I think will be helpful. Share this post Share on facebook Facebook Share on twitter Twitter Share on pinterest Pinterest Join the All Things Iceland Patreon Community Some of you might be aware that one of my goals for the podcast is to travel around Iceland more to interview different people in each region. In July, I set up the All Things Iceland community on Patreon. It’s a membership platform that was founded in 2013. It allows for creators like me to provide exclusive content to listeners like you in exchange for a monthly subscription. Each month I am doing Ask Me Anything videos, Live Chats, and Folklore Friday each week. Sometimes I do updates about my life in Iceland. I do not share this content on any other channel. The support from my patrons on the All Things Iceland community on Patreon will help to evolve All Things Iceland. There are several membership tiers to choose from and each tier has a variety of benefits. If you would like to join the community, go to patreon.com/allthingsiceland. I look forward to having you join. Let’s be social! Here is where you can connect with me. Instagram Youtube Facebook Þakka þér kærlega fyrir að hlusta (og að lesa) og sjáumst fljótlega Thank you kindly for listening (and reading) and see you soon!

Chris Burkard is an award-winning photographer, filmmaker and adventurer that loves Iceland. He has shared epic photographs and films that showcases Icelandic landscape and natural phenomenon. Some of his films about Iceland includes “Under an Arctic Sky” and “A Line in Sand“. Chris Burkard’s love for this country is contagious and he has experienced this place in such unique ways, such as surfing under the northern lights and cycling across Iceland from east to west. Along with talking about his adventures, Chris also shares so many great pointers in this interview for travelers who plan to visit Iceland. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Db0CfLjTcso Questions I Asked Chris Burkard You’ve been to Iceland many times. I think it’s over 40 times. What initially inspired you to visit the country? Do you have a favorite part of the country and/or food that you enjoyed while here? In the film you directed called “Under An Arctic Sky”, you and a team of other awesome surfers, some of them Icelandic, travel to the West Fjords during the winter, which can be an incredibly difficult journey because of the weather, to find waves to surf. I’m just wondering if there was ever a time during this journey where you were afraid for your life?  How did you cope with being exposed to those harsh conditions over and over? Also, what kind of equipment were you using to shoot with that can still function well even when the weather was awful? The surfing under the northern lights part of the video is just epic and it even looks like the waves are just as majestic as the lights in the sky. Was this shot what you were ultimately after on this trip or was it just an added bonus to the adventure? You and a team of experienced cyclists decided to ride your bikes unsupported across Iceland over an eleven day period in August of 2020. What was the absolute best part of the trip and the most challenging part? Do you have any plans to come back to Iceland and capture more epic photographs and videos?  What is your favorite Icelandic word or phrase? What advice do you have for people that want to visit Iceland? Questions for Chris Burkard From My Patrons Shirl, a member of the All Things Iceland Patreon Community asks, “What photographers have influenced & inspired you?” Liz from the All Things Iceland Patreon Community asks,  “Were there any days where you were sure the day was a bust and then got an amazing shot? If more than one, which stands out?” Share this post Share on facebook Facebook Share on pinterest Pinterest Share on twitter Twitter Join the All Things Iceland Patreon Community Some of you might be aware that one of my goals for the podcast is to travel around Iceland more to interview different people in each region. In July, I set up the All Things Iceland community on Patreon. It’s a membership platform that was founded in 2013. It allows for creators like me to provide exclusive content to listeners like you in exchange for a monthly subscription. Each month I am doing Ask Me Anything videos, Live Chats, and Folklore Friday each week. Sometimes I do updates about my life in Iceland. I do not share this content on any other channel. The support from my patrons on the All Things Iceland community on Patreon will help to evolve All Things Iceland. There are several membership tiers to choose from and each tier has a variety of benefits. If you would like to join the community, go to patreon.com/allthingsiceland. I look forward to having you join. Let’s be social! Here is where you connect with me. Instagram Youtube Facebook Þakka þér kærlega fyrir að hlusta (og að lesa) og sjáumst fljótlega Thank you kindly for listening (and reading) and see you soon!

The fissure eruption in Iceland that so many people have been anticipating happened last night on the Reykjanes Peninsula near Fagradalsfjall and is called Geldingadalsgos. In this video I specifically go over all the updates about the eruption so far. This includes when the eruption started, what authorities are saying about the ash expected, gas emission, lava flow, safety for those in the surrounding area, how long this might go on. I also teach you how to say the name of the eruption, and give some insight on how people are reacting here. I have a link to the live stream of the eruption in the description box and the news articles I am referencing. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qT4LhCYiBX8 What has happened since the eruption in Iceland When the eruption at around 9:40 PM on March 19th, 2021, it was reported that there were hundred-meter tall fountains of lava but those are no longer visible There is little to no ash production. I know many were concerned about that because of what happened in 2010. When I interviewed Ari Trausti Gudmundsson, a geologist in Iceland about this he said that the reason that little to no ash is expected is because the predicted eruption would happen in an area where there isn’t a large source of water. Also, there is minimal gas emissions. If you are near the eruption, like literally next to it and in the path of the wind, you would be in danger. However, the neighboring towns like Grindavik are fine. The night of eruption, authorities did tell people in Þórlakshöfn, which is a nearby town to shut their windows and turn off their radiators just in the case the wind pushed gas toward them. The images and videos of the volcanic eruption are from the Icelandic newspaper RÚV (ruv.is) A Little & Beautiful Eruption I think it is very telling that the Civil Protection agency is calling this a “little and beautiful eruption” So safety wise, we are all safe and that is expected to continue but technically it could change but like I said, that doesn’t seem likely “It is on the scale of one to two kilometres, not much longer than that, the lava flows and fissure They think that the lava will not flow over a very wide area and will probably just get thicker Because the eruption is small many Icelanders are calling it a cute or poor little thing. We’ve all been glued to the news and it is so fascinating to see At first authorities have asked people to stay away but later on they gave advice about how to safely access the eruption by foot. On the night of the eruption, there was a stream of cars heading toward the eruption. And I saw some people on the live stream waving to the camera. While this specific area is closed off, the rest of the Reykjanes Peninsula is open. Authorities are still monitoring the area because another fissure could open up. Also, Ari Trausti said in our interview that this could be the beginning of more volcanic activity, but for now that has not happening. Share this post Share on facebook Facebook Share on twitter Twitter Share on pinterest Pinterest Join the All Things Patreon Community Some of you might be aware that one of my goals for the podcast is to travel around Iceland more to interview different people in each region. In July, I set up the All Things Iceland community on Patreon. It’s a membership platform that was founded in 2013. It allows for creators like me to provide exclusive content to listeners like you in exchange for a monthly subscription. Each month I am doing Ask Me Anything videos, Live Chats, and Folklore Friday each week. Sometimes I do updates about my life in Iceland. I do not share this content on any other channel. The support from my patrons on the All Things Iceland community on Patreon will help to evolve All Things Iceland. There are several membership tiers to choose from and each tier has a variety of benefits. If you would like to join the community, go to patreon.com/allthingsiceland. I look forward to having you join. Let’s Be Social! Here is where you can connect with me. Instagram Youtube Facebook Þakka þér kærlega fyrir að hlusta (og að lesa) og sjáumst fljótlega Thank you kindly for listening (and reading) and see you soon!

Ari Trausti Guðmundsson is a well-known Icelandic geologist, broadcaster, author, journalist, documentarian, lecturer, mountaineer and member of Icelandic Parliament. I had the pleasure of interviewing him for the podcast about the thousands of earthquakes and possible volcanic eruption. He answered as many questions of my subscribers and followers that he could and I’m so gratfeful for that. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sqYFwZlbr6o&t=98s Topics Discussed with the Icelandic Geologist Ari Trausti Guðmundsson Current predictions based on data Movement of magma in the Reykjanes Peninsula How is the lava flow predicted? How accurate are the predictions Possible Gas released from the eruption The Scale of this possible eruptions vs other eruptions in Iceland What type of equipment is used to measure volcanoes? Are interferograms used for measurement? Could an eruption happen somewhere else in Iceland? Iceland is being ripped apart Could an eruption in Iceland impact electricity and hot water? Are earthquakes in other parts of the world connected to the ones in Iceland? Meaning of swarms of earthquakes vs a Big earthquake Why tremors happen? Would you be disappointed if an eruption doesn’t happen? How do Icelanders deal with air pollution from volcanic eruptions? The global impact of a large volcanic eruption in Iceland Is Iceland overdue for a volcanic eruption? Popular misconceptions about volcanoes Does the weather/climate impact volcano eruptions and vice versa Has living in a place with possible eruptions affected your outlook on life? What is your favorite Icelandic word or phrase? What to do if the volcano does erupt on Reykjanes Peninsula? Share this Post Share on facebook Facebook Share on twitter Twitter Share on pinterest Pinterest Join The All Things Iceland Patreon Community Some of you might be aware that one of my goals for the podcast is to travel around Iceland more to interview different people in each region. In July, I set up the All Things Iceland community on Patreon. It’s a membership platform that was founded in 2013. It allows for creators like me to provide exclusive content to listeners like you in exchange for a monthly subscription. Each month I am doing Ask Me Anything videos, Live Chats, and Folklore Friday each week. Sometimes I do updates about my life in Iceland. I do not share this content on any other channel. The support from my patrons on the All Things Iceland community on Patreon will help to evolve All Things Iceland. There are several membership tiers to choose from and each tier has a variety of benefits. If you would like to join the community, go to patreon.com/allthingsiceland. I look forward to having you join. Let’s be social! Here’s where you can connect with me: Instagram Youtube Facebook Þakka þér kærlega fyrir að hlusta (og að lesa) og sjáumst fljótlega Thank you kindly for listening (and reading) and see you soon!

Over the last week and a half, the south of Iceland has experienced tens of thousands of earthquakes and experts told us to brace for a possible volcanic eruption. All eyes are still on Reykjanes Peninsula, the place where all the action might go down. Mainstream media in other countries have picked up the story, which has resulted in people reaching out to me to know if I am safe and to hear what life is like in Iceland as we wait to see if a volcano will go off. During this episode, I’m sharing how I feel about the situation, if we are in any danger in Iceland, what experts are saying and more. I am not an expert in Geology or Volcanology, but I hope to have one of them on soon to talk about the situation, especially if the threat of a volcano erupting continues. In a previous episode, I interviewed Helga Kristín, a geologist and volcano expert. She shared why Iceland is so unique from a geological standpoint. If you haven’t heard that interview, I recommend checking it out. When Did the Earthquakes in Iceland Begin? On Wednesday, February 24th is when we started to feel earthquakes in the south. That day we experienced an earthquake that was the magnitude of 5.7. I remember this clearly because I took a short video of it and posted it in my Instagram stories. From that day on, we started to feel earthquakes consistently but not very many of them at once. Because I live in Mosfellsbær, which is about a 15 minute drive from downtown Reykjavík, I don’t feel the earthquakes as strongly as those in the city and definitely not as strongly as people living on the Reykjanes Peninsula. It was only early this week that the frequency of earthquakes increased.  When many thousands of them started happening in a very short period of time and there was magma build up, experts started to predict that we could have a volcanic eruption. One prediction was that it could happen within a few hours. However, that didn’t happen. The seismic activity has died down but that doesn’t mean this over. Right now we are just waiting to see what else the earth communicates to us. About the Reykjanes Peninsula For most people, their best reference regarding the Reykjanes Peninsula is that the iconic Blue Lagoon spa is located there. Keflavík International airport is also located on this peninsula. It’s about a 40 to 50 minute drive from the airport to Reykavík. The fascinating thing to me is that this peninsula is so underrated. The diverse landscape and nature is insanely beautiful there. You can find black sand beaches, an area that looks like the highlands, geothermal hot springs and so much more. I feel like it is almost hidden in plain sight because hundreds of thousands of visitors to Iceland arrive at the airport and/or visit the Blue Lagoon and then skip the rest of the peninsula. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y7pKW629KRw How are people feeling? Are people living in Iceland safe? The feelings of people in Iceland are mixed. Some are feeling very anxious because of the earthquakes and others are feeling excited about the prospect of an eruption. Of course, there are probably some people who don’t care at all. It’s important to know that Icelandic buildings have been made to withstand large earthquakes, so that is something we don’t need to worry about. I’m in the group of people that are excited about all of this. Geological experts and other authorities have made it clear that we are not in any danger and they are doing their best to keep us all informed. Because of that, I feel comfortable being excited about possibly experiencing my first volcanic eruption. 5 Possible Scenarios if the Volcano Were to Erupt Below are the possible scenarios that have been outlined by experts. It is an excerpt from an Iceland Review article: The seismic unrest will die down in the next few days or weeks. If the seismic unrest will pick up, culminating in an earthquake up to M6 originating close to Fagradalsfjall. The seismic unrest will pick up, culminating in an earthquake up to M6.5 originating close to Brennisteinsfjöll. The magma intrusion continues close to Fagradalsfjall but the activity dies down and the magma solidifies. The magma intrusion continues, culminating in a fissure eruption and lava flow that will likely not threaten inhabited areas. The fifth scenario essentially means a volcanic eruption. However, scientists predict that even a medium-sized lava flow would not impact people because it would not reach inhabited areas.  Here you can see a live stream of the area where the earthquakes are coming from and the volcano might erupt. What if people need to evacuate because of a volcanic eruption in Iceland? The authorities have evacuation plans for major catastrophic events, such as a big eruption. For the most part, the instructions change depending on the region and circumstances of the event. Here is a great article from The Reykjavík Grapevine about evacuation plans that the Icelandic government has set up. Random Fa

María Thelma Smáradóttir is a talented actor in Iceland. During this interview, she gives some insight on what it was like growing up in Iceland with Icelandic and Thai heritage. She was the first person of Asian descent to graduate from the Icelandic Academy of Arts in Drama. It was fascinating to hear how she had to navigate this mixed heritage and it has been like for her as a working actor in the theater and film industry here. I think it’s fantastic that she had a one woman show called “Welcome Home”, which was a spoken word performance of her mother’s immigrant story from Thailand. The most epic thing is that her first feature film was her starring alongside Mads Mikkelsen in the movie, “Arctic”. How awesome is that?! As you can probably tell from many of my other interviews, I love to have different people from all walks of life in Iceland to tell their stories. I am grateful and honored that María Thelma was open to sharing hers. Questions I Asked María Thelma during the Interview: You are born and raised in Iceland, and you have a mix of Thai and Icelandic heritage. Can you talk about what it was like growing up in a Thai and Icelandic household? Was your mom speaking Thai to you and your siblings and your dad speaking Icelandic? You are the first person of Asian descent to graduate from the Icelandic Academy of Arts in drama. Did you always want to be an actor when you were growing up? Have you visited Thailand? If so, what was that like for you? During your final year of the Icelandic Academy of the Arts, you chose to do a spoken word play called “Welcome Home”, which was performed at the National Theater of Iceland. Can you explain what the play was about and the inspiration behind it? How was the play received in Iceland? What did your mother think of it? What has being an actor been like for you? Have you found that you get many roles or has it been a  struggle? In 2018, you starred alongside Mads Mikkelsen in “Arctic”, which was your first feature film. What was that experience like? How was it working with such a big name in the industry? Do you think the film industry in Iceland is changing to showcase more diversity in the country? Meaning, are they showing more Icelandic actors that have mixed heritage as Icelanders and not foreign nationals or visitors? Or is this something that still needs to be improved? What advice do you have for people who want to act, whether it is on screen or on a stage in a theater? What is your favourite Icelandic word or phrase? Join the All Things Iceland Patreon Community Some of you might be aware that one of my goals for the podcast is to travel around Iceland more to interview different people in each region. In July, I set up the All Things Iceland community on Patreon. It’s a membership platform that was founded in 2013. It allows for creators like me to provide exclusive content to listeners like you in exchange for a monthly subscription. Each month I am doing Ask Me Anything videos, Live Chats, and Folklore Friday each week. Sometimes I do updates about my life in Iceland. I do not share this content on any other channel. The support from my patrons on the All Things Iceland community on Patreon will help to evolve All Things Iceland. There are several membership tiers to choose from and each tier has a variety of benefits. If you would like to join the community, go to patreon.com/allthingsiceland. I look forward to having you join. Let’s be social! Here is where you can connect with me: Instagram Facebook YouTube Twitter Þakka þér kærlega fyrir að hlusta (og að lesa) og sjáumst fljótlega Thank you kindly for listening (and reading) and see you soon!

I know that Black History Month is a US tradition, I still want to dedicate the month of February to telling the stories of Black and mixed race people in the country. If you are curious about some awesome Icelandic Black history, I suggest watching my video about Hans Jonatan, Iceland’s first black citizen and listening to the podcast episode I did with the Icelandic author of the book about Hans Jonatan, Gisli Pálsson. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=40chlDBLKwU To kick that off this month of sharing Black and mixed race stories here, I’m sharing my interview with Innocentia Fiati “Mama Ghana” Friðgeirsson. She is lovingly called Mama Ghana and she is an absolute ball of sunshine. Her happiness is infectious and she has such amazing energy. She has been here for almost two decades and has been spreading her sunshine wherever she goes. Before jumping into the interview, I want to share the winners of the Icelandic book giveaway. First, thank you to everyone that entered. I choose the winners at random and here they are: Rodolfo won The Story of the Blue Planet Kate won LoveStar Kristi won On Time and Water Join the All Things Iceland Patreon Community Some of you might be aware that one of my goals for the podcast is to travel around Iceland more to interview different people in each region. In July, I set up the All Things Iceland community on Patreon. It’s a membership platform that was founded in 2013. It allows for creators like me to provide exclusive content to listeners like you in exchange for a monthly subscription. Each month I am doing Ask Me Anything videos, Live Chats, and Folklore Friday each week. Sometimes I do updates about my life in Iceland. I do not share this content on any other channel. The support from my patrons on the All Things Iceland community on Patreon will help to evolve All Things Iceland. There are several membership tiers to choose from and each tier has a variety of benefits. If you would like to join the community, go to patreon.com/allthingsiceland. I look forward to having you join. Let’s be social! Here is where you can connect with me: Instagram Facebook YouTube Twitter Þakka þér kærlega fyrir að hlusta (og að lesa) og sjáumst fljótlega Thank you kindly for listening (and reading) and see you soon!

It was such a pleasant surprise to have Áslaug Arna Sigurbjörnsdóttir, the Minister of Justice in Iceland, as my guest this week. She leads quite a busy life as a Parliamentarian and Minister, and it was great she was able to find time to chat. During the interview, Áslaug Arna shares the positives and negatives of being in this position of power at such a young age and as a woman. Some of the other topics we talk about are the events that led up to her becoming the Minister of Justice, gender based discrimination in the workplace (including within Parliament), about refugees seeking asylum in Iceland, and more. I gained so much insight into Iceland through this episode and I’m excited to share this interview with you. GIVEAWAY – Enter to Win One of Andri Snær’s Books!! I’m giving away three of Andri Snær’s books, which are below. On Time & Water LoveStar The Story of the Blue Planet To enter win one of the books, all you have to do is leave a positive review for the All Things Iceland podcast (you can use this link to easily do it), take a screenshot of your review, and send that screenshot to me in an email at jewells(at)fromforeigntofamiliar(dot)com. If you have already left a review for the podcast, please just send me a screenshot of that review. The Questions I asked Áslaug Arna During the Interview Can you talk a bit about your experience in the police force? It seems that you started out being involved in your party, Sjálfstæðisflokkurinn (Independence party), quite young. Did you always know that you wanted to be a politician? Were you inspired or influenced by your father, who is a supreme court lawyer in Iceland, to study law? When appointed, you became the second youngest minister in Icelandic history and the youngest female minister. Do you feel like people assume you are too young for the job and/or inexperienced? Back in 2017, you were on Kastljós talking about gender based discrimination in the work place. You shared that you had received unwanted sexual comments. Rather, you received it for having sexual relations with men in your party. Do you feel that gender based discrimination is still a problem in Parliament and in other workplaces in Iceland? I remember just around the time you were appointed, there was a scandal going on with the National Police Commissioner. What was it like just starting this job and already having this national scandal to deal with? How do you deal with so much public criticism or scrutiny when you have made a decision about something that many don’t agree with? What do you do to relieve the inevitable stress that comes along with your job? – Recently, you proposed a bill that would abolish the naming committee in Iceland. Why do you want to get rid of this committee? – Aslaug Arna on opening the country up so more foreigners can live and work here Can you explain, without going into detail about individual refugee cases, what makes it difficult for the Icelandic government to allow these people to stay in the country? What advice do you have for people that want to get involved in politics? What is your favorite Icelandic word or phrase? Join The All Things Iceland Patreon Community Some of you might be aware that one of my goals for the podcast is to travel around Iceland more to interview different people in each region. In July, I set up the All Things Iceland community on Patreon. It’s a membership platform that was founded in 2013. It allows for creators like me to provide exclusive content to listeners like you in exchange for a monthly subscription. Each month I am doing Ask Me Anything videos, Live Chats, and Folklore Friday each week. Sometimes I do updates about my life in Iceland. I do not share this content on any other channel. The support from my patrons on the All Things Iceland community on Patreon will help to evolve All Things Iceland. There are several membership tiers to choose from and each tier has a variety of benefits. If you would like to join the community, go to patreon.com/allthingsiceland. I look forward to having you join. Let’s be social! Here is where you can connect with me: Instagram Facebook YouTube Twitter Þakka þér kærlega fyrir að hlusta (og að lesa) og sjáumst fljótlega Thank you kindly for listening (and reading) and see you soon!

Gógó Starr is an Icelandic drag queen that is well known in the country. Gógó made history by being the first ever drag queen fjallkonan, or woman of the mountains, which is a symbol of the Icelandic nation and a very important part of the celebrations of Iceland’s independence. The celebration of the independence of the nation happens every June 17th. Aldís Amah, who I interviewed a while back on the podcast, was the first woman of color fjallkonan in 2019. It’s a huge honor to be fjallkonan and Gógó Starr had this role in 2018. In addition to that, Gógó co-founded Drag Súgur in 2015 after winning the annual Icelandic drag contest.  The drag show became so popular that it was turned into a monthly event at Gaukurinn that is open to all adults who want to attend. Hopefully, when COVID is over, the show will resume. I especially love that the show is all about inclusivity. Gógó Starr goes into more about how inclusive it is during the interview. It was an absolute blast to do this interview. Video Interview with Gógó Starr https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tOR8cVBksY4 Questions Asked Gógó Starr during the Interview Drag queens, and kings and drag shows are so common  in Iceland now, but what was it like when you were growing up here? Were Icelanders open to these type of performances and performers? When did you realize that performing in drag is something you wanted to try? When did the drag scene in Iceland really take off? After you won the annual Icelandic Drag contest, you co-founded Drag-Súgur, a monthly drag show and variety night held at Gaukurinn in 2015. What was your motivation behind started this show? How was Drag-súgur received in Iceland when you first started it? In 2018, you were the fjallkonan, or the Lady of the Mountain, which is the traditional living symbol of Iceland featured every Independence Day on June 17th. What did You’re a full-time entertainer, producer and performer in Iceland. Did you ever imagine when you first started doing drag, that you would be doing it full-time? I love that Drag-súgur is all about inclusivity. Can you talk about who some of the “drag royalties” that perform? Pride in Reykjavík is becoming such a big celebration each year. Can you share what you like about Pride here and why you think people should come and check it out? What is your favorite Icelandic word or phrase? GIVEAWAY – Enter to Win One of Andri Snær’s Books!! I’m giving away three of Andri Snær’s books, which are below. On Time & Water LoveStar The Story of the Blue Planet To enter win one of the books, all you have to do is leave a positive review for the All Things Iceland podcast (you can use this link to easily do it), take a screenshot of your review, and send that screenshot to me in an email at jewells(at)fromforeigntofamiliar(dot)com. If you have already left a review for the podcast, please just send me a screenshot of that review. Join the All Things Iceland Patreon Community Some of you might be aware that one of my goals for the podcast is to travel around Iceland more to interview different people in each region. In July, I set up the All Things Iceland community on Patreon. It’s a membership platform that was founded in 2013. It allows for creators like me to provide exclusive content to listeners like you in exchange for a monthly subscription. Each month I am doing Ask Me Anything videos, Live Chats, and Folklore Friday each week. Sometimes I do updates about my life in Iceland. I do not share this content on any other channel. The support from my patrons on the All Things Iceland community on Patreon will help to evolve All Things Iceland. There are several membership tiers to choose from and each tier has a variety of benefits. If you would like to join the community, go to patreon.com/allthingsiceland. I look forward to having you join. Let’s be social! Here is where you can connect with me: Instagram Facebook YouTube Twitter Þakka þér kærlega fyrir að hlusta (og að lesa) og sjáumst fljótlega Thank you kindly for listening (and reading) and see you soon!

Claudia Ashanie Wilson is a human rights lawyer and activist who moved from her home country Jamaica to Iceland in 2001. When Claudia came to Iceland she didn’t speak Icelandic nor had she previous been to law school. Through a lot of hard work, she became fluent in Icelandic. She received her Masters Degree in 2014 in international law from the Reykjavík University. Claudia passed the Icelandic bar examinations to become a district court attorney in Iceland. By passing the bar, she became the first non-European person to do that in Iceland. Since her move to Iceland, Claudia has been very active in human rights initiatives both by in governmental and non-governmental organizations. She has served as Vice President for the Women of Multicultural Ethnicity Network (W.O.M.E.N.) in Iceland, Social Activities Coordinator for asylum seekers on behalf of the Red Cross, and was appointed by the Ministry of Welfare to the Welfare Watch of Iceland. She currently sits on the board of representatives for SOS Children’s Villages in Iceland, the boards of Amnesty International, Iceland Chapter and the Icelandic Equality Fund. Claudia recently became a partner at the law firm Réttur Aðalsteinsson & Partners, where she has worked since 2013. She is also a guest lecturer at United Nations University Gender Equality Studies and Training Programme (UNU-GEST), the School of Business and at the University of Iceland as well as the School of Law at University of Iceland and Reykjavík University. Questions I Asked Claudia During the Interview Where are you originally from and how did you end up in Iceland? What was it like adjusting to life here? Iceland is quite different from Jamaica. Did you have any culture shock? Was it a difficult adjustment? What was it like learning Icelandic? What inspired you to study law here?  Did you have any idea that you would be making history just by graduating from law school in Iceland? Recently, you made partner at your law firm Réttur. Congratulations again! What kind of human rights cases do you take on? Did you experience any discrimination or racism when you first came or even in present times? You have been named one of Iceland’s most influential women in the 2020 issue of “June 19 Magazine”. Congrats! Representation is such an important part of people feeling empowered anywhere they live. Do you feel like Iceland is understanding that and is trying to showcase the diverse, amazing people, like yourself, that live here? You are involved with different organizations here, such as the Iceland Chapter of Amnesty International, W.O.M.E.N. and others. Why is it important for you to be involved with these organizations? What is your favorite Icelandic word or phrase? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rz_icvGq2IM GIVEAWAY – Enter to Win One of Andri Snær’s Books!! I’m giving away three of Andri Snær’s books, which are below. On Time & Water LoveStar The Story of the Blue Planet To enter win one of the books, all you have to do is leave a positive review for the All Things Iceland podcast (you can use this link to easily do it), take a screenshot of your review, and send that screenshot to me in an email at jewells(at)fromforeigntofamiliar(dot)com. If you have already left a review for the podcast, please just send me a screenshot of that review. Join the All Things Iceland Patreon Community Some of you might be aware that one of my goals for the podcast is to travel around Iceland more to interview different people in each region. In July, I set up the All Things Iceland community on Patreon. It’s a membership platform that was founded in 2013. It allows for creators like me to provide exclusive content to listeners like you in exchange for a monthly subscription. Each month I am doing Ask Me Anything videos, Live Chats, and Folklore Friday each week. Sometimes I do updates about my life in Iceland. I do not share this content on any other channel. The support from my patrons on the All Things Iceland community on Patreon will help to evolve All Things Iceland. There are several membership tiers to choose from and each tier has a variety of benefits. If you would like to join the community, go to patreon.com/allthingsiceland. I look forward to having you join. Let’s be social! Here is where you can connect with me: Instagram Facebook YouTube Twitter Þakka þér kærlega fyrir að hlusta (og að lesa) og sjáumst fljótlega Thank you kindly for listening (and reading) and see you soon!

To kick off the new year, I’m sharing my interview with Andri Snær Magnason, an award-winning author,  environmental activist and director. He has been fighting to protect Iceland’s beautiful nature. Andri Snær was on the show early on and it is great to have him back because so much has happened in his life since we last spoke. I recommend checking out part 1 and part 2 of those interviews. One viral moment was when he and some others had a funeral for Okjökull. Ok mountain used to be a glacier but due to climate change the ice has melted from it and it has lost its glacier status. Andri Snær wrote a letter to the future that was printed on a plaque and placed on OK. He also recently did a TEDTalk on Sólheimajökull glacier and released a new book titled “On Time & Water”. This book has not yet been released in the United States.  Just to give you a bit about the book, It’s “Taking a path to climate science through ancient myths about sacred cows, stories of ancestors and relatives and interviews with the Dalai Lama, Magnason allows himself to be both personal and scientific. The result is an absorbing mixture of travel, history, science and philosophy.” I am a big fan of his book “LoveStar”, a science fiction novel that takes place in Iceland. I wouldn’t call myself a science fiction nerd but I do enjoy a story that mixes science, humor and just the right amount of absurd. Similar to Kurt Vonnegut, Andri Snær does a great job of adding off those elements into the book. I highly recommend it. GIVEAWAY – Enter to Win One of Andri Snær’s Books!! I’m giving away three of Andri Snær’s books, which are below. On Time & Water LoveStar The Story of the Blue Planet To enter win one of the books, all you have to do is leave a positive review for the All Things Iceland podcast (you can use this link to easily do it), take a screenshot of your review, and send that screenshot to me in an email at jewells(at)fromforeigntofamiliar(dot)com. If you have already left a review for the podcast, please just send me a screenshot of that review. Members of the All Things Iceland Patreon Community get an additional entry to win. To join that community, check out this link. Watch This Interview about Protecting Iceland’s Beautiful Nature on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oVIspPxpF5k Join the All Things Iceland Patreon Community Some of you might be aware that one of my goals for the podcast is to travel around Iceland more to interview different people in each region. In July, I set up the All Things Iceland community on Patreon. It’s a membership platform that was founded in 2013. It allows for creators like me to provide exclusive content to listeners like you in exchange for a monthly subscription. Each month I am doing Ask Me Anything videos, Live Chats, and Folklore Friday each week. Sometimes I do updates about my life in Iceland. I do not share this content on any other channel. The support from my patrons on the All Things Iceland community on Patreon will help to evolve All Things Iceland. There are several membership tiers to choose from and each tier has a variety of benefits. If you would like to join the community, go to patreon.com/allthingsiceland. I look forward to having you join. Let’s be social! Here is where you can connect with me: Instagram Facebook YouTube Twitter Þakka þér kærlega fyrir að hlusta (og að lesa) og sjáumst fljótlega Thank you kindly for listening (and reading) and see you soon!

The Icelandic Christmas season is so much fun. Well, it’s normally a lot of fun but we are doing the best to enjoy it even though COVID is keeping many of us from our loved ones. While I have done an episode about Icelandic Christmas way back in the day of the podcast, I wanted to share with you the full breakdown of this time from the point of view of an Icelander. My lovely friend Íris Stefanía joined me for this episode to share her modern take on Icelandic Christmas traditions.  We filmed this at her place and a link to the video on the All Things Iceland YouTube channel will be available in the show notes of this episode. During our chat we go over what is happening in Iceland from the start of advent until the last day of Christmas here, which is January 6th. I love that Íris still does some traditional things with her family but has also found ways to mix in her own style and add a modern touch. We had a lot of fun eating piparköku (gingerbread) and laufabrauð, drinking malt og appelsín (a popular mix that is available only during holidays here), and eating mondlugrautinn, which is a rice porridge. Why that is done will be explained during our chat.  Icelandic Christmas & New Year Traditions Video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x2myOZ_sYqo The 13 Icelandic Yule Lads Stekkjastaur (Sheep-Cote Clod): He tries to suckle female sheep in farmer’s sheds Giljagaur (Gully Gawk): He steals foam from buckets of cow milk Stúfur (Stubby): He’s short and steals food from frying pans Þvörusleikir (Spoon Licker): He licks spoons Pottaskefill (Pot Scraper or Pot Licke)r: He steals unwashed pots and licks them clean Askasleikir (Bowl Licker): He steals bowls of food from under the bed (back in the old days, Icelanders used to sometimes store bowls of food there – convenient for midnight snacking?) Hurðaskellir (Door Slammer): He stomps around and slams doors, keeping everyone awake Skyrgámur (Skyr Gobbler): He eats up all the Icelandic yogurt (skyr) Bjúgnakrækir (Sausage Swiper): He loves stolen sausages Gluggagægir (Window Peeper): He likes to creep outside windows and sometimes steal the stuff he sees inside Gáttaþefur (Door Sniffer): He has a huge nose and an insatiable appetite for stolen baked goods Ketkrókur (Meat Hook): He snatches up any meat left out, especially smoked lamb Kertasníkir (Candle Stealer): He steals candles, which used to be sought-after items in Iceland Join the All Things Iceland Patreon Community Some of you might be aware that one of my goals for the podcast is to travel around Iceland more to interview different people in each region. In July, I set up the All Things Iceland community on Patreon. It’s a membership platform that was founded in 2013. It allows for creators like me to provide exclusive content to listeners like you in exchange for a monthly subscription. Each month I am doing Ask Me Anything videos, Live Chats, and Folklore Friday each week. Sometimes I do updates about my life in Iceland. I do not share this content on any other channel. The support from my patrons on the All Things Iceland community on Patreon will help to evolve All Things Iceland. There are several membership tiers to choose from and each tier has a variety of benefits. If you would like to join the community, go to patreon.com/allthingsiceland. I look forward to having you join. Rate & Review the All Things Iceland Podcast Click here to rate and review the All Things Iceland podcast. Let’s be social! Here is where you can connect with me: Instagram Facebook YouTube Twitter Þakka þér kærlega fyrir að hlusta (og að lesa) og sjáumst fljótlega Thank you kindly for listening (and reading) and see you soon!

Because I’m very much in the holiday spirit, I’m dedicating the next two episodes, this one included, to Christmas related content in Iceland. Today, I have a special guest that has been on the show before, and that is Ólafur S.K. Þórvaldz, also known as Óli the brewmaster at Ægir Brugghús. Icelandic Christmas beer has quickly become an important part of the holiday season for brewers in Iceland and for those who enjoy drinking the beers, such as myself. Because of this, I thought it would be fun to have Óli pick his top 5 favorite Icelandic Christmas beers from craft breweries for this episode. To be fair, he picked four beers and was nice enough to let me include my favorite one. Full disclaimer, my favorite is not from a craft brewery by Icelandic standards but as Óli points out in this episode, all of the breweries in Iceland would be considered craft breweries if you compare it to the U.S. or other countries with much larger consumption. We did this Icelandic Christmas Beer tasting virtually. We’re both tasting the beers and talking about what they tasted like to each of us. We also talk about the growing trend of Christmas beers in Iceland, give some travel advice and more. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gu99ZHJmyH4 The Icelandic Christmas Beers we Taste Tested During the Interview 1. Jóli Bæjó by Mói Ölgerðafélag 2. Ekkert Sérstaklega Jólaleg Jól by Ægir Brugghús 3. Ris a la Sour by Smiðjan Brugghús 4. Grýla by Ölverk 5. Egils Malt Jólabjór by Ölgerðin If you like to try beers, I definitely recommend coming to Iceland during the Christmas season. The amount of variety on offer is quite a lot for such a small country. Rate & Review the All Things Iceland Podcast Click here to rate and review the All Things Iceland podcast. Join the All Things Iceland Patreon Community Some of you might be aware that one of my goals for the podcast is to travel around Iceland more to interview different people in each region. In July, I set up the All Things Iceland community on Patreon. It’s a membership platform that was founded in 2013. It allows for creators like me to provide exclusive content to listeners like you in exchange for a monthly subscription. Each month I am doing Ask Me Anything videos, Live Chats, and Folklore Friday each week. Sometimes I do updates about my life in Iceland. I do not share this content on any other channel. The support from my patrons on the All Things Iceland community on Patreon will help to evolve All Things Iceland. There are several membership tiers to choose from and each tier has a variety of benefits. If you would like to join the community, go to patreon.com/allthingsiceland. I look forward to having you join. Let’s be social! Here is where you can connect with me: Instagram Facebook YouTube Twitter Þakka þér kærlega fyrir að hlusta (og að lesa) og sjáumst fljótlega Thank you kindly for listening (and reading) and see you soon!

I had the absolute pleasure of chatting with Birta Abiba Þórhallsdóttir, who was crowned Miss Universe Iceland in 2019. Normally, I don’t follow beauty pageants, regardless of if it is in the US or Iceland, but Birta’s story really stuck out to me. I read an article about her experience with racism in Iceland. She’s an Icelander that has mixed heritage. She was born and raised in the town that I live in, Mosfellsbær. I was surprised to hear that she experienced physical and verbal abuse as a kid just because of her skin color. She will go into more detail during the interview, but it breaks my heart to know that she did many things to try to change her appearance, such as her skin color and hair, because she wanted to fit in. Her journey to self-love was a tough one but she preserved. I think it is absolutely amazing that she ended up becoming Miss Universe Iceland because she is able to show the world that Icelanders can also be People of Color with beautiful curly afros. Here is the link to the novel “The Bluest Eye” by Toni Morrison, which I referenced in the interview. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QTXWM98D_7c Questions I Asked Birta Abiba Þórhallsdóttir You were born and raised in Mósfellsbær. What was it like for you growing up here? Did you encounter any issues because you looked different than the other kids? You’ve talked about how learning to love yourself took a long time. What kind of things did you do to help you get to a place of loving who you are and what you look like even though you are surrounded by images and people that don’t look like you? Were you doing pageants as a child? If not, what made you decide to get involved in competing for the Miss Iceland title? Was the Miss Iceland competition like? Did you feel accepted into that world, even though this was your first time competing? I think it is amazing that you won Miss Iceland on your 20th birthday! How did your life change after winning? What was the reaction in the country when you won Miss Iceland? It’s amazing that you went from being bullied for being different as a child to representing Iceland on the world stage in Miss Universe. What was the experience like of competing in that pageant with all of these other women from around the world? I’ve read that you have already written a full length novel and that you want to be an international author. What kind of things do you like to write about? Do you have a book in the works? What is your favorite Icelandic word or phrase? Join the All Things Iceland Patreon Community Some of you might be aware that one of my goals for the podcast is to travel around Iceland more to interview different people in each region. In July, I set up the All Things Iceland community on Patreon. Patreon is a membership platform that was founded in 2013. It allows for creators like me to provide exclusive content to listeners like you in exchange for a monthly subscription. Each month I am doing Ask Me Anything videos, Live Chats, and Folklore Friday each week. Sometimes I do updates about my life in Iceland. I do not share this content on any other channel. The support from my patrons on the All Things Iceland community on Patreon will help to evolve All Things Iceland. There are several membership tiers to choose from and each tier has a variety of benefits. If you would like to join the community, go to patreon.com/allthingsiceland. I look forward to having you join. Let’s be social! Here is where you can connect with me: Instagram Facebook YouTube Twitter Þakka þér kærlega fyrir að hlusta (og að lesa) og sjáumst fljótlega Thank you kindly for listening (and reading) and see you soon!

Back in December of 2018, Bára Halldórsdóttir outed herself as the whistleblower of the Klaustur Bar Scandal. During this podcast episode, I sit down with Bára to talk about how the scandal unfolded and how it has affected her life. This scandal involved politicians saying horrible things while drinking together in Klaustur bar. Bára happened to be in that same bar and recorded a lot of what these Icelandic politicians were saying. Bára is a whistleblower, artist, and disability activist. Along with the Klaustur scandal, we talk about a range of fascinating topics. During the interview, Bára shares why it was important for her to record this conversation and share it with the country. Because she has a chronic illness, the stress brought on by the scandal has deeply impacted her health. The whole conversation was fascinating and eye-opening for me. I think scandals like this one provide insight into the country that is not often seen or heard unless you live here and engage with people about the topic. Also, I’m glad that Bára was interested in sharing her experience as a whistle blower and disabled person in Iceland because those identities are seemingly at odds. Questions I asked Bára about the Klaustur Scandal & Her Life Take us back to that day in  November 2018. What was going through your mind when you heard these MPs in Klaustur bar making such awful comments? Were you afraid that they would notice you recording? What was the reaction around the country when the recording was shared? Had you considered not revealing that it was you that recorded it and staying anonymous? When it was revealed that it was you that had recorded them, you were thrust into the public eye. It must have been quite hard adjusting to that seeing pictures of yourself all over the news, people weighing in their own opinions about recording the MPs and whatnot. How did you deal with all of that? At one point, four of the MPs were threatening to sue you for violating their right to privacy. That must have been really stressful and tough considering that you have a chronic disease.  Can you share a bit about the chronic disease you have and the effects this incident has had on your life? You’re an activist and artist. How are you blending your activism and art together to bring awareness about people who don’t have the same physical abilities as many others? What has the reception in Iceland been like to you bringing awareness to lack of understanding that people with different physical abilities are not always being considered at different facilities? Or that they are ignored all together? What is your favorite Icelandic word or phrase? Connect with Bára on Social Media Facebook Instagram Attend the Book launch for “The Viking Immigrants: Icelandic North Americans” In Friday, December 4th, I’m hosting a free virtual book launch for “The Viking Immigrants: Icelandic North Americans” by LK Bertram. The book examines the multi-sensory side of Icelanders that migrated to North America between 1870 and 1914. I’ve been reading the book and even though it is historical text, LK writes it in a way that is entertaining. The book examines the past through rare photographs, interviews, artefacts, and early recipes. By revealing the hidden histories behind everyday traditions, The Viking Immigrants maps the transformation of Icelandic North American culture over a century and a half. Win A Copy of the Book and Vínarterta The guest of honor at the book launch is the First Lady of Iceland, Eliza Reid. You will be able to hear her speak with LK Bertram and will be able to submit questions for them. The other added bonus is that attendees to the book launch on December 4th at 12:00 PM EST will be entered to win a copy of the book and a vínarterta. There will be several copies given away, so there is a good chance of winning one. Here is the link to register. You Can Still Buy an All Things Iceland Box For the Holidays Looking for a great gift for yourself or a loved one this holiday season? The All Things Iceland box has a a variety of goodies that will give you a delicious taste of Iceland. Buy one here. Use the code “allthingsiceland” for free shipping. The code is valid until December 15th, 2020. Let’s be social! Here is where you can connect with me: Instagram Facebook YouTube Twitter Þakka þér kærlega fyrir að hlusta (og að lesa) og sjáumst fljótlega Thank you kindly for listening (and reading) and see you soon!

This might be a short episode but it is very special because I have two big announcements! As you can tell from the title of the episode, one of the announcements is that I’m giving away a handmade Icelandic sweater. The other is that Gunnar, my husband, and I have partnered up with the Reykjavík Grapevine to create an All Things Iceland box full of Icelandic goodies. The Grapevine is hosting the box on their site. I have made a video on my YouTube channel explaining all the awesomeness in the box and how you can get free shipping from Iceland to anywhere in the world. Which if you don’t know, shipping from Iceland can be quite expensive. By using my special code, you save a lot. Gunnar and I both chose different things to put in the box. In the video we talk about why we each choose these specific things. Altogether there are nine things in the box, which I think gives it some great variety. I know that many of you wished you could have come to Iceland this year, so we wanted to bring a bit of Iceland to you this holiday season. How to Win an Icelandic Sweater https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7H3T88foVOk I felt like it was important to announce this now just so you have enough time to get the box for the holiday season. Just note that there are limited edition items in the box that are specific to winter and the upcoming holidays. Also, if you win the sweater, you can choose to get one for yourself or a loved one, which is another awesome gift. Buy the All Things Iceland box. The video also has the details about how you can enter to win the handmade Icelandic sweater. The added bonus is that I am also giving away a signed copy of “The Little Book of The Icelanders” by Alda Sigmundsdóttir. I was fortunate to interview her early on when I started this podcast. Her book gives you a great insight into Icelandic habits. So, one person will win a sweater and one person will win a signed copy of the book. Of course, if you follow All  Things Iceland on YouTube, it will definitely be there. Join All Things Iceland on Patreon Lastly, the members of the All Things Iceland Patreon community got early access to the video and how to enter to win an Icelandic sweater. I shared it with them yesterday and I made the video public today. So, in addition to the content that is put on that platform, which is not posted anywhere else, every membership tier gets early access to giveaways, special discounts and promotions. If you have been considering becoming a member or are just hearing about this membership now, just know that there are many benefits to being part of that community. Click here to join me on Patreon. Let’s be social! Here is where you can connect with me: Instagram Facebook YouTube Twitter Þakka þér kærlega fyrir að hlusta (og að lesa) og sjáumst fljótlega Thank you kindly for listening (and reading) and see you soon!

Gunnar Freyr, a talented Icelandic photographer and videographer, makes a living traveling around Iceland, and sometimes Greenland. On Instagram he is known as Icelandic_explorer and has over 360,000 followers. His images and videos capture the Icelandic landscape in such a mesmerizing way. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y7Rn59vlPHQ&t=3807s During the chat, Gunnar Freyr shares how he left a very stressful office job and made a career as a creator. In addition, he talks about places he recommends for first timers to the country, advice he had for people that also want to be content creators, and gives tips on how to capture the northern lights with your smartphone or camera. It was quite fun to chat with him and I hope you enjoy this interview. Questions I asked Gunnar Freyr What was the journey like for you to become a full-time creator traveling around Iceland taking amazing photos and videos? Even though you’re Icelandic, Icelandic, I’m wondering if there is any other reason you decided to focus on Iceland as the place you mostly take photos and videos of? What kind of challenges have you faced while out in Iceland doing your work? Can you share one of your epic adventure stories? What are your favorite places in Iceland to visit? What things do you recommend for first time visitors to Iceland to do? Many people want to get great photos and videos of Icelandic nature, especially the northern lights. What tips and gear suggestions do you have for those people? Is there a place in Iceland you haven’t been to yet that you really want to visit? What is your favorite Icelandic word or phrase? If you are enjoying the All Things Iceland podcast, please leave a review on whatever platform you are listening to it on, if you haven’t already. I love sharing my passion for Iceland and your review can help another person to find the show and learn more about this awesome country. Join Me on Patreon Some of you might be aware that one of my goals for the podcast is to travel around Iceland more to interview different people in each region. In July, I set up the All Things Iceland community on Patreon. Patreon is a membership platform that was founded in 2013. It allows for creators like me to provide exclusive content to listeners like you in exchange for a monthly subscription. Each month I am doing Ask Me Anything videos, Live Chats, and Folklore Friday each week. Sometimes I do updates about my life in Iceland. I do not share this content on any other channel. The support from my patrons on the All Things Iceland community on Patreon will help to evolve All Things Iceland. There are several membership tiers to choose from and each tier has a variety of benefits. If you would like to join the community, go to patreon.com/allthingsiceland. I look forward to having you join. Let’s be social! Here is where you can connect with me: Instagram Facebook YouTube Twitter Þakka þér kærlega fyrir að hlusta (og að lesa) og sjáumst fljótlega Thank you kindly for listening (and reading) and see you soon!

Nichole Leigh Mosty is an American that moved to Iceland in 1999. During our chat, we talk about the challenges she faced when she first moved and her experience being the first woman of foreign origin to be the speaker in Icelandic Parliament. Nichole shares a lot of insights and definitely does not hold back about what she has experienced, especially when it comes to finding a job when she first arrived and learning the language.  Nichole is very active in helping women of foreign origin. She is the chairperson and board member of W.O.M.E.N, which is an acronym form Women of Multicultural Ethnicity Network in Iceland. This association helps to support women if foreign origin, which is amazing. There will be a link to the organization in the show notes if you want to read more about it. Video Interview with Nichole https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AMdxpIDgvSY&t=179s Question I Asked Nichole During the Interview You came to Iceland back in 1999. Can you share a bit about where you are from and what brought you to Iceland? Do you have any culture shock when you moved? Were there any Icelandic foods that really stuck out to you or habits of Icelander’s that were surprising to you? You’re fluent in Icelandic and I’m curious to know about your path to get there? Did you take classes or use some other methods of learning? Was it difficult to learn? What tips do you have for people who want to learn the language? You have worked quite a lot on projects that help women of foreign origin. Specifically, you have set up swimming courses, the Icelandic village and you are currently the Board member and Chairperson of W.O.M.E.N. (Women Of Multicultural Ethnicity Network in Iceland). As a woman of foreign origin in Iceland, can you share some of the challenges that this group faces? I saw an article in DV back in July of 2019 where you point out racism in an online advertisement for jobs at the national hospital, Landspitali. Can you talk about what that ad and why you felt it was important to speak out about it? On a wider scale, what are some of the challenges that people of foreign origin in Iceland (as a whole) face? It’s amazing that you are the first 1st generation immigrant to be elected to hold the office of Parliamentarian in Iceland and the first woman of foreign origin to ever sit as speaker in Althingi. How was it for you being a member of Parliament? What did you enjoy and what was challenging for you? What is your favorite Icelandic word or phrase? Join the All Things Iceland Community on Patreon I’d like to give a shout out to Danielle, Melton, Mark, Betty, Noa, Paul, Julia and Oliver. They are all members of the Ásgarður tier in the All Things Iceland patreon community. Members of that tier get a shout out in the podcast each month. They also take part in Live Chat groups with me each month, Ask Me Anything and other benefits. There are four tiers of membership. If you would like to help support the evolution of All Things Iceland and get access to awesome content only available on Patreon, you can join at patreon.com/allthingsiceland. Let’s be social! Here is where you can connect with me: Instagram Facebook YouTube Twitter Þakka þér kærlega fyrir að hlusta (og að lesa) og sjáumst fljótlega Thank you kindly for listening (and reading) and see you soon!

Elisa is originally from the Netherlands. After falling in love with Iceland during a vacation many years ago, she decided to quit her career in media in her home country and move to the land of fire and ice. Elisa initially planned to stay for a few months. During that time she intended to travel around and work as a horse riding guide. Well, a few months turned into years and she hasn’t looked back. During her time here, she has become a photographer, specifically of the majestic Icelandic horse. She has been posting beautiful photos of the horses she works with on Instagram. Her account is @elisa_in_Iceland. Funny enough, that is how I came in contact with her. Ways That Iceland Have Changed Elisa’s Life Even more awesome is that we finally had the chance to meet this summer. We took Icelandic B2 together, which is an intermediate course for the language. In addition to Elisa taking awesome photos and learning the language, she is an avid knitter and is a member of an Icelandic church choir.  During the interview, we talk about how much Iceland has changed her life, the differences between living in the Netherlands and Iceland, and so much more. We had such a blast chatting and I hope you enjoy this interview. Join the All Things Iceland Community on Patreon Some of you might be aware that one of my goals for the podcast is to travel around Iceland more to interview different people in each region. In July, I set up the All Things Iceland community on Patreon. Patreon is a membership platform that was founded in 2013. It allows for creators like me to provide exclusive content to listeners like you in exchange for a monthly subscription. Each month I am doing Ask Me Anything videos, Live Chats, and Folklore Friday each week. Sometimes I do updates about my life in Iceland. I do not share this content on any other channel. The support from my patrons on the All Things Iceland community on Patreon will help to evolve All Things Iceland. There are several membership tiers to choose from and each tier has a variety of benefits. If you would like to join the community, go to patreon.com/allthingsiceland. I look forward to having you join. Let’s be social! Here is where you can connect with me: Instagram Facebook YouTube Twitter Þakka þér kærlega fyrir að hlusta (og að lesa) og sjáumst fljótlega Thank you kindly for listening (and reading) and see you soon!

Halla Ólafsdóttir, a young Icelander, shares with me why she feels that people in her generation are moving away from the Reykjavík area in favor of the countryside. Halla has a BA degree in Icelandic language and creative writing at the University of Iceland. At the Free University of Berlin, she received an MA in Visual and Media Anthropology. Halla moved back to Iceland in 2014. Even though she was born and raised in Reykjavík, she chose to move to Ísafjörður in 2015.  While there, she’s been working for news and other programs of RÚV, the National broadcasting service, in the Westfjords. It was fascinating for me to hear what she felt is driving a young Icelander, like herself, to more remote places of the country. It certainly was not what I was expecting to hear as a trend in Iceland. However, after this discussion and living in Ísafjörður for three weeks, I can see why a young Icelander would gravitate towards the countryside. I hope you enjoy this interview. All Things Iceland Won an Award! It is with awe and gratitude that I share that tonight I was presented with an Equal Rights Award from the town of Mosfellsbær. This award is for the work I’ve been doing on the All Things Iceland podcast and YouTube channel to share the experiences of different foreign nationals and Icelanders in this country. It’s an honor for me to share those stories and to shine a light on the diversity in this country. I’m so grateful that the town I live in sees the value in that work. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for this award and helping to lift up diverse voices in our community. Join the All Things Iceland Community on Patreon Some of you might be aware that one of my goals for the podcast is to travel around Iceland more to interview different people in each region. In July, I set up the All Things Iceland community on Patreon. Patreon is a membership platform that was founded in 2013. It allows for creators like me to provide exclusive content to listeners like you in exchange for a monthly subscription. I would like to give a shout out to Julia. She is one of the newest members of the Ásgarður tier in the All Things Iceland community on Patreon. Julia and the other members in the community are helping to support the evolution of All Things Iceland and I greatly appreciate it. Each month I am doing Ask Me Anything videos, Live Chats, and Folklore Friday each week. Sometimes I do updates about my life in Iceland. I do not share this content on any other channel. The support from my patrons on the All Things Iceland community on Patreon will help to evolve All Things Iceland. There are several membership tiers to choose from and each tier has a variety of benefits. If you would like to join the community, go to patreon.com/allthingsiceland. I look forward to having you join. Let’s be social! Here is where you can connect with me: Instagram Facebook YouTube Twitter Þakka þér kærlega fyrir að hlusta (og að lesa) og sjáumst fljótlega Thank you kindly for listening (and reading) and see you soon!

This week, I share the fun chat I had with Mugison, a talented Icelandic artist that has been making waves on a local and global scale. We talked about the time he spent living in Africa as a child, musicians that inspire him, the impact of Icelandic nature on his music, his epic music festival Aldrei Fór Ég Suður (I never went South), and so much more. Why I was in the Westfjords During my time in the Westfjords, I had the opportunity to interview some fascinating people in the area. My main reason for going to Ísafjörður was to take an intense three week Icelandic course at the University Center of the Westfjords. I’m planning to share a full review of that experience on the All Things Iceland Patreon, so keep a look out for that. Of course, I couldn’t go to the Westfjords and not get some interviews for the podcast. I was fortunate that Mugison lives in Súðavík and was open to chatting with me. It was such a blast to chat with him, and I felt like I was talking to one of my friends. I hope you enjoy this interview and the others from that area that I will be sharing in the near future. Questions I Asked Mugison During the Interview You were born in Reykjavík and your family moved to Ísafjörður until you were the age of six but after that your family left Iceland to live in Cape Verde in West Africa. Can you talk a bit about why your family moved there and what was life like for you? What was it like coming back to Iceland after living abroad at such a young age? At what time in your life did you start to become interested in music? Did something happen that immediately attracted you to being a musician or did it kind of gradually enter into your life? What musicians in Iceland and abroad have impacted you and inspired you as an artist? Where do you look for inspiration to create your music? What advice do you have budding musical artists in Iceland? How has your musical style evolved over time? You’ve done collaborations with several artists, including the iconic Icelandic singer Bubbi Morthens. Do you have any dream collaborations that you would like to do? Back in 2004, you and your father started a music festival called Aldrei fór ég Suður here in Ísafjörður. Can you explain a little bit about the festival and what makes it unique? Your name is Örn but you go by Mugison, why that name? As you’ve grown in popularity here and abroad, how has it been adjusting to being known? If you go to Reykjavík or abroad and walk around, do people try to stop you for pictures? What is your favorite Icelandic word or phrase? Join the All Things Iceland Community on Patreon Some of you might be aware that one of my goals for the podcast is to travel around Iceland more to interview different people in each region. In July, I set up the All Things Iceland community on Patreon. Patreon is a membership platform that was founded in 2013. It allows for creators like me to provide exclusive content to listeners like you in exchange for a monthly subscription. Each month I am doing Ask Me Anything videos, Live Chats, and Folklore Friday each week. Sometimes I do updates about my life in Iceland. I do not share this content on any other channel. The support from my patrons on the All Things Iceland community on Patreon will help to evolve All Things Iceland. There are several membership tiers to choose from and each tier has a variety of benefits. I would like to give a special shout out to Betty, Noa, Paul, Danielle, Melton, and Mark. They are members of the Ásgarður tier, which is the Land of the Gods in Norse Mythology. Members of that tier get a special shout out on the podcast each month. There are also Live group chats with me and a special gift that was made in Iceland sent to them from me each year. If you would like to join the community, go to patreon.com/allthingsiceland. I look forward to having you join. Let’s be social! Here is where you can connect with me: Instagram Facebook YouTube Twitter Þakka þér kærlega fyrir að hlusta (og að lesa) og sjáumst fljótlega Thank you kindly for listening (and reading) and see you soon!

Tyler Wacker embarked on an incredible cycling journey from California to Ísafjörður in the Westfjords. For those of you who don’t follow me on Instagram, I am currently in Ísafjörður taking Icelandic courses. Coincidentally, Tyler is at the same school, even though he is studying something completely different than me. After working in the transportation engineering industry for six years and feeling unfulfilled with his work, Tyler decided it was time to set off on a bicycle tour around the perimeter of the United States starting and ending in San Francisco, where he was currently living.  The goals he had set for the journey were to assess where his life was and figure out how best to use his hands to address the climate crisis. Having mentally and physically prepared through a variety of endurance sports over the past few years, his new lifestyle came almost naturally until COVID forced him to pause his tour. After sheltering in place for ten weeks, he set off on his bike again but had revised his plan after he learned he had been accepted into the University Centre of the Westfjords in Isafjordur. He would now bike from Texas to Minneapolis and then to Boston to catch a flight to Keflavik and bike six days through Iceland to his new home. During the interview, we dive into Tyler’s experience cycling in the U.S. and in Iceland, some of the challenges that he faced, the positive experience he had, and more. You can find Tyler on Instagram at @tjwack. Questions I Asked Tyler Wacker During the Interview Can you share the events that led to you to do this epic journey? Had you been to Iceland before? Had you been to the Westfjords before cycling here? What was it like pre-COVID traveling in the United States? Do you encounter any difficulties when cycling in the US because of COVID? What was it like when you arrived in Iceland? What has your cycling journey been like here? We’ve been encountering a second outbreak here. How has your experience here, regarding COVID, been different than in the U.S.? How did it feel when you finally arrived in Ísafjörður? What are your studying and how is school so far? I read that your planning to due to the Boston Marathon being cancelled that people who registered for it can run it wherever they are. You’re planning to do it in the Westfjords. Have you mapped out where you plan to run? What’s your favorite Icelandic word or phrase? Join All Things Iceland on Patreon If you’re not familiar with Patreon, it is a membership platform that allows creators like me to provide exclusive content to listeners like you. To learn more and join the community, check it out here. Let’s be social! Here is where you can connect with me: Instagram Facebook YouTube Twitter Þakka þér kærlega fyrir að hlusta (og að lesa) og sjáumst fljótlega Thank you kindly for listening (and reading) and see you soon!

Satu Rämö was born and raised in Finland, but has been living in Iceland for almost 20 years. She shares a lot about her life in Iceland with Finnish people and she has a huge following in Finland. I think it is safe to say that she is the official Finn in Iceland, as well as a creative entrepreneur, author and social media nerd. I met Satu through her husband Björgvin. He and I used to work at the same company. One day I was talking about the trials and tribulations of learning Icelandic and Björgvin said that his wife had gone through it and I should read her book, which is titled “My Journey to Iceland: 10 Crazy years and I am still here”. It was so interesting to learn about her life, the different cultural adjustments, how she met her husband and so much more. During the interview we talked about a variety of topics. Of course one of the questions had to do with the differences she has noticed between Iceland and Finland. To connect with Satu on Instagram, her account is @satu_ramo. Questions I Asked Satu Rämö During the Interview You’re from Finland and I’m just curious about what brought you to Iceland? Your book, which is titled, “My Journey to Iceland: 10 Crazy years and I am still here”, which was published in 2016, gives a good timeline of your journey here. One story that stuck out to me is when you met some Icelanders who were on vacation. It was during the economic boom in Iceland, so Icelanders were spending money like crazy. What was it like to be in the country before the economic meltdown? What are some surprising cultural differences that you observed between Finnish and Icelandic people when you started living here? Finnish, like Icelandic, is considered a difficult language to learn. What was it like learning Icelandic here? Do you have any advice for people that are learning the language or who want to learn it? You have a large following in Finland. What is the perception of Iceland in Finland? And vice versa, what do Icelandic people think of Finnish people? You and your family moved from downtown Reykjavík to Ísafjörður in the Westfjords last year. What inspired you to make that move and what is life like for you in a smaller town? What is your favorite Icelandic word or phrase? Join All Things Iceland on Patreon If you’re not familiar with Patreon, it is a membership platform that allows creators like me to provide exclusive content to listeners like you. To learn more and join the community, check it out here. Let’s be social! Here is where you can connect with me: Instagram Facebook YouTube Twitter Þakka þér kærlega fyrir að hlusta (og að lesa) og sjáumst fljótlega Thank you kindly for listening (and reading) and see you soon!

During this week’s episode, I spoke with LK Bertram about the very large emigration of Icelanders to Canada in the 1800s.  LK Bertram is the author of The Viking Immigrants: Icelandic North Americans, and is an associate professor in the Department of History at the University of Toronto. Born and raised in Winnipeg, she also has family roots in Öxnadalur and is the proud parent of twin 3-year olds. For some fab intel on Icelandic North American culture, history, and life, check out her instagram @thevikingimmigrants. Because LK lives in Canada, we did a virtual interview. It was such a blast to chat with her. The insight she shared about the Icelandic settlement in North America was beyond fascinating. I look forward to reading her book to learn more. The Questions I asked LK Bertram during the Interview Can you give us a little background about you? You are grew up in Canada but have Icelandic roots. Until I looked into it, I wasn’t aware of the pretty big migration of Icelanders to Canada. Can you talk a bit about why they migrated? Did Icelanders face any prejudice or difficulties as immigrants? How is it for Icelanders living there in present day? You wrote a book called The Viking Immigrants. What inspired you to write it? Have Icelandic immigrant traditions had any impact on Canada or North America? Who are some of your favorite historical figures who are Icelandic immigrants to Canada? Did you grow up learning Icelandic? On your Instagram page, you posted about the significance of supernatural beliefs to Icelandic immigrants and especially women in Winnipeg. Can you talk a little about what that was so important? Have you visited Iceland, if so how did that feel? Were you seeing similar cultural traditions as in Canada?  What is your favorite Icelandic word or phrase? Join All Things Iceland on Patreon If you’re not familiar with Patreon, it is a membership platform that allows creators like me to provide exclusive content to listeners like you. To learn more and join the community, check it out here. Let’s be social! Here is where you can connect with me: Instagram Facebook YouTube Twitter Þakka þér kærlega fyrir að hlusta (og að lesa) og sjáumst fljótlega Thank you kindly for listening (and reading) and see you soon!

This week I chatted with Icelandic Geology expert Helga Kristín Torfadóttir. She is currently pursuing her PhD in volcanology and petrology, with a focus on structures of magma chambers. Additionally, she is a glacier guide, a model and drives really big cars. What an awesome combination! I came across Helga on Instagram, where her handle is @geology_with_helga and I was instantly stunned by her awesome photos, especially the one of her in a space suit, and her informative posts. I think she uses the platform well to make geology fun. I’ve learned a lot about geology in Iceland. There have been times when I have also just watched her videos even when I wasn’t necessarily understanding everything but her passion for the topic made it interesting to watch. Plus, she is out in nature often, so you are getting to tag along with an expert as she is explaining how certain landscapes have been formed. I’m excited for the time when a volcano erupts here because she’ll be onsite giving us all the details. If you are on Instagram, I highly recommend following her. Questions I Asked Helga about Icelandic Geology & More What made you interested in studying Geology and volcanology? Can you share some background information on the geology in Iceland and what makes it unique? You are PhD candidate, what is the focus of your research and dissertation? During your research and field study, have you ever found something that unexpected or surprising to you? For people that are interested in seeing some of the country’s spectacular geology, where do you recommend that they visit? Do you have a favorite place or places in Iceland that you like to go?  There have been many earthquakes and magma build up happening around different volcanoes around the country. While I know it is impossible to know when there will be another eruption, do you think one will happen soon? If so, which one or ones do you think are most likely to erupt? You have an awesome Instagram account called Geology with Helga, where you teach about geology. You have awesome photos of you in an astronaut suit, which is awesome. I’m just curious about what the story is behind the astronaut suit?  Also, what inspired you to start an Instagram page about geology? I saw in your Instagram stories that you recently trekked the famous Laugavegur trail with your boyfriend and adorable dog Móberg. I think the first or second night was quite intense because it became so cold where you were camping. Overall, it was a ton of fun to learn about the landscape as you were hiking. Is that something that you are normally thinking and talking about when you go on trips like that? What is your favorite Icelandic word or phrase? Join All Things Iceland on Patreon Before I jump into the interview, I would like to give a shout out to Melton and Mark. They recently became members of the Ásgarður tier in the All Things Iceland community on Patreon. Each month, members in that tier get a shout-out on the podcast. They also get to take part in Live Group Chats with me and so much more.  Additionally, I have started doing Folklore Friday on Patreon, which means that I share a fascinating Icelandic folklore story each week. That content is available to all patrons in the community. If you want to join, check out patreon.com/allthingsiceland I hope you enjoyed this episode of All Things Iceland. Make sure to share this interview if you found it interesting and leave a 5-star review. Let’s be social! Here is where you can connect with me: Instagram Facebook YouTube Twitter Þakka þér kærlega fyrir að hlusta (og að lesa) og sjáumst fljótlega Thank you kindly for listening (and reading) and see you soon!

This week I had the pleasure of chatting with James McDaniel about Horticulture in Iceland. For anyone that is not familiar with that word, horticulture is the art or practice of garden cultivation and management. Ever since learning about greenhouses in Iceland and just about different plants growing here in general, I have been looking forward to the day when I can talk to someone about this on the show. Background About James McDaniel James is a horticulturist that is focused on geothermal horticulture, sustainable production in extreme climates, and emerging technologies for food production. Currently, he is at the Agricultural University of Iceland (AUI) working with fertilizer experiments for an Icelandic startup named Atmonia. The goal is to develop new environmentally friendly methods for fertilizer production. Just as a side note, the Agricultural University of Iceland is where we recorded the interview. Some of James’ past work includes organic agriculture consumer trends research in Beijing, sustainable gardening for small markets in the United States, seed germination techniques using Martian regolith simulants, test trials of geothermal runoff from residential apartments for local food production in Iceland, as well as LED grow-light trials for the Innovation Center of Iceland. Random Fact About James Another fascinating fact about James is that he studied Mandarin Chinese for many years and worked as translator/interpreter for the language. During the interview we get into how he ended up in Iceland, the work he has been doing and more. Additionally, James showed me the space that he uses to grow plants for his research projects. With his permission, I captured a short video of that space and some of the plants there. I recently shared a short clip of the space with the members of the All Things community on Patreon. You can connect with James via Instagram. Questions I asked James McDaniel During the Interview Can you give us a little background about you. Where are you from and what made you interested in studying horticulture? Why come to Iceland to study it? How long have you been here? What are you focusing your studies on while in school here? What is the horticulture industry like in Iceland? Do you see yourself working here in this industry? When you came to Iceland, was there anything about the culture that was unfamiliar or surprising to you? What has it been like adjusting to life here? I saw on your Instagram bio that you speak Mandarin, which is cool and kind of random. Do you also speak Icelandic? What is your favorite Icelandic word or phrase? Join the All Things Iceland Patreon Community I learned a lot talking to James and I hope you enjoy this interview. Before we jump into it, I want to give a shout-out to Danielle, she is in the Ásgarður tier in the All Things Iceland community on Patreon. Patrons in that tier get a shout out once a month on the podcast. That is just one of many benefits. If you’re not familiar with Patreon, in short it is a membership platform that allows creators like me to provide exclusive content to listeners like you. Such as the behind the scenes video I shot of the work James is currently doing. To learn more and join the community, check it out here. Let’s be social! Here is where you can connect with me: Instagram Facebook YouTube Twitter Þakka þér kærlega fyrir að hlusta (og að lesa) og sjáumst fljótlega Thank you kindly for listening (and reading) and see you soon!

June 2020  marked the 4th year of me living in Iceland and the 2nd year anniversary of the podcast. I think that with all that is going on in the world right now, I found myself reflecting on how much has changed for the podcast and in my personal life since moving to Iceland in 2016. During this episode, I plan to share some of my favorite moments during interviews this year, some of the places in Iceland that have a special place in my heart, an update about the podcast and a big announcement. Favorite Moments during interviews in 2020 Starting out with some of my favorite moments while out on interviews, one of the most memorable is when I met Kári Stefánsson, which is episode 50. Kári is the CEO and founder of deCode genetics, which is, in their words “ a global leader in analyzing and understanding the human genome. Using our unique expertise and population resources, deCODE has discovered key genetic risk factors for dozens of common diseases ranging from cardiovascular disease to cancer.” Kári Stefánsson – Episode 50 Kári is known for being very direct and can come off as abrasive. I wouldn’t be surprised if people consider him to be a curmudgeon. I knew before meeting him that he is very opinionated and could potentially not be very nice. Regardless, I was willing to take that chance because he is a fascinating person who has accomplished some extraordinary things in his life. After arriving to deCode for the interview, I was given a pass to enter the parts of the building that are locked off to the general public. When I arrived at his office, he was in the middle of a meeting with one of his colleagues. They stopped talking when I entered and I immediately thought, “holy crap”, I just walked in on a meeting and he is going to think I am so rude. Thankfully that wasn’t the case. However, a moment or so after he introduced me to his colleague, he said something to me that totally caught me off guard. Before our meeting, I had offered to send him  the questions I intended to ask him. This has been requested by people in the past, so I thought it would be fine to offer that to be going forward in the event that they want to think a little bit about what they want to say beforehand.  Confrontation with Kári Well, he flat out told me that it is a stupid idea to send questions to people before the interview because they will rehearse their answers and it would mess up the interview. I immediately said to him that it has worked out just fine so far. He quickly replied that I think it has been working out so far but I don’t really know. My rebuttal was that “Well, people keep listening to the podcast, so I must be doing something right.” At that he just stopped talking about it and said we should just get started. All of this was before I hit record. My first thought was damn, this is going to be a difficult interview and I might have to scrap it. While he did start out a bit stiff, I was able to crack a few jokes and he loosened up. It ended up being a great interview and I was so grateful that it turned out well. After recording, we continued to talk about when he was living and working in Chicago. I was incredibly sweaty when I left that interview because I was constantly on guard. It might be strange that I find this to be one of my favorite moments but I think I find this one interesting because it was a challenge I had to overcome. Most of the people I interview are very different from Kári. I don’t often encounter personalities like him. It kind of felt like he was testing my boundaries and I held my own. I was proud of that. I was also happy to be able to connect with him and understand that he isn’t that difficult but he has some personality traits that can make it hard to connect with him. Mike Dell – Episode 61 Another memorable episode for me was #61 with Mike Dell. He served on the NATO Base in Iceland during the 90s. Gaining insight into that time was so cool. I had been wondering about what it was like to be in Iceland on the base as an American during that time. This interview kind of just fell in my lap. I talk about how I met Mike virtually during the episode. I was literally just trying to get help with making sure my podcast was set up correctly for the change I made from having the website fromforeigntofamiliar.com to now having allthingiceland.com. When I mentioned that I live in Iceland and that is what my show is about, his voice changed immediately. He was so excited to tell me that he lived here for a year and how much he loved it. It surprises me that he hasn’t been back since then. I hope he makes it back in the near future. Hearing the joy in his tone as he spoke about Iceland before and during the interview is what makes this so memorable for me. When he lived here, it was way before most knew about how awesome this country is and I was glad to hear how much being here impacted his life. It is true that Iceland has a beautiful effect on many people.

 I had the pleasure to speak with Kristín Loftsdóttir, a Professor of Anthropology at the University of Iceland. Her research has focused on migration, whiteness, gender, racism, Nordic exceptionalism, postcolonialism and crisis, basing on work in Iceland, Niger and Belgium. Published Work by Kristín Loftsdóttir is currently leading the project Creating Europe through Racialized Mobility (CERM) that received a grant from the Icelandic Center of Research and has actively participated in various other international collaborations and projects.  Loftsdóttir’s most recent publication is the monograph Crisis and Coloniality at Europe’s Margins: Creating Exotic Iceland (Routledge, 2019). Her co-edited books include Messy Europe: Crisis, Race and Nation State in a Postcolonial World (Berhahn, 2018) and Whiteness and Postcolonialism in the Nordic Region (Farnham: Ashgate, 2012). Loftsdóttir’s research has also been published in journals such as Ethnos, European Journal for Women’s Studies, Social Anthropology, and Identities and Social Identities. How I found Kristín’s work? As I had mentioned in my last episode, I found one of Kristín’s publications via a Google search when I was trying to find out more about white supremacy in Iceland. After reaching out to Kristín about setting up an interview, she sent me some more of her published articles for me to read before we met. I gobbled up these articles because I was learning so much about history in Iceland that I was completely unaware of. I wouldn’t be surprised if many Icelanders feel the same after listening to Kristín. During our talk we hit on a lot of different aspects of the concept of whiteness, Nordic Exceptionalism, and racism in Iceland. I learned a lot during this interview and I hope you do too.  Before you listen to our talk, I encourage you to go into this with an open mind and heart. Racism is a sensitive topic and it does make people uncomfortable. If you find that you are uncomfortable, let yourself sit with that and ask yourself why. It is not easy to explore those feelings but you might gain more insight about yourself if you do. Questions I Asked Kristín Loftdóttir’s About Racism, Whiteness & Nordic Exceptionalism in Iceland Can you share a bit about your background and what made you interested in becoming an anthropologist? What made you gravitate toward researching and writing about racism, the concept of witness and Nordic Exceptionalism in Iceland? How has your work been received by Icelanders and those outside of Iceland? In your publication titled, “The Exotic North: Gender, Nation Branding, and Postcolonialism in Iceland”, you write about how Iceland historically has taken a gendered approach to advertise the nation and has also tried to distinguish themselves from other former colonies. The words “exotic”, “authentic”, “pristine”, have been associated with Iceland, which plays on   Can you talk a bit about the approach that has been taken? I think one of the most interesting things I learned while reading your publications is about Icelanders pushing to be seen as part of the nations that are “masculine, white and civilized” and not associated with other former colonies that have been looked down on as savages and uncivilized. Can you talk about what role that played in Iceland’s fight for independence and what impact it might be having on how Icelanders today view themselves in comparison to other countries? The book the “Ten Little Negro Boys”, which displays little Black boys who are drawn as racist caricatures and features them being brutally killed, was published in Iceland in 1922. When it was set to be republished in 2007, a hot debate erupted about whether it was racist or not. What were your thoughts about this situation as you saw how some Icelanders were defending it while some others were in agreement that it should not be republished? As multiculturalism in Iceland increases, talks about the effect on Icelandic culture come up. Do you think that some of the concerns have to do with how the view of Iceland by the outside world might shift to a less than favorable one because Iceland’s “whiteness” is changing?  After George Floyd’s murder by a police officer in the U.S., there was a gathering in Reykjavík to show solidarity with Black Americans and to condemn his brutal killing. I’ve seen people who live in Iceland come out to talk about their experiences of racism or discrimination here. I know it is pretty early on but have you been noticing any reactions to these stories or any self reflection happening by “white” Icelanders when they hear these stories? The idea that since Iceland had nothing to do with colonialism and is therefore exempt from the legacy of racism, which in essence makes the country innocent, is something that really stuck out to me in your publication, “ Belonging and the Icelandic others: Situating Icelandic Identity in a Postcolonial Context.” All the while, med

This week’s episode is focused on giving you some insight into my experience as a Black American female expat in Iceland. Along with that, I share how Iceland has responded to the gruesome killing of George Floyd by a police officer in the United States. As one might expect, everything that is happening right now in the United States is deeply personal for me. My Experience As A Black American Female Whether I like it or not, how I am perceived in the world, starts off with my skin color. I have encountered various types of discrimination. Being the descendant of people that were first kidnapped and enslaved, then systematically oppressed is a burden that is hard to explain.  I often tell people that one of the unexpected positives of moving to Iceland is not feeling that weight of systemic racism. Yes, people in Iceland see my darker skin and sometimes stare a little longer than what is comfortable. However, the history of systemic racism toward Black people doesn’t exist in this country. It is not to say that there isn’t racism or white supremacy here. But it is vastly different from the overt, menacing racism in the United States. I don’t feel like having darker skin is automatically a strike against me here. I’ve been to many parts of the country and have met countless Icelanders who have been friendly, helpful and quite curious about my background. https://youtu.be/SebHO0flQiY Feeling Safe in Iceland Is everyone’s experience with darker skin the same as mine here? Absolutely not. However, so many of the Black Americans who have moved to Iceland have one thing in common – we feel safe. We. Feel. Safe. Knowing this has allowed for me to blossom in ways that I can’t fully articulate. This podcast was started not just because I like this culture, history, language and nature, but also because of my interactions with Icelandic people.  My husband’s family, who are of course my family, welcomed me with open arms. Before coming to Iceland for my first visit, my mother and grandmother were afraid for me. In the United States, you can meet a White person that is kind to you, but their family might not be welcoming. In fact, they might even be downright racist. Both my mom and grandmother grew up in the Rochester, New York area. They learned the hard way that no matter how nice, well spoken and well dressed you are, some White people will hate you and let you know it. They didn’t want that for me.  My mother and grandmother assumed that in Iceland, a land full of White people, I would for sure experience racism overtly. While they were happy that this didn’t happen to me, they were still a bit skeptical until they experienced the country for themselves. My grandmother, who is now 90 years old, still talks about how amazing it was to come to our wedding in 2017 and meet Gunnar’s family and friends.  Feeling safe and allowing myself to blossom after moving here in 2016 has been a blessing and a curse for me. Living in Iceland: A Mix of Guilt & Joy When I’d see videos online of another Black person brutalized,  I felt guilt for having the opportunity to live in a country where I am treated like a human being. Black and other People of Color in the United States are not afforded that basic right. It is not unusual for me to feel scared for my family, friends and people I may never meet who live in the U.S., because they are constantly on guard. They are afraid of being the victim of police brutality, attacked by White supremacists or being treated differently when they are just trying to go about their lives. I feel sadness knowing that for hundreds of years we have been fighting to have the right to be treated equally. Instead, we have constantly been met with hate and violence purely because our skin is darker. I’ve cried more times than I can count throughout my life because of the cruelty that Black People have faced. I constantly have to suppress feelings like this just so I can get through the day. It’s exhausting. Yet, my feelings pale in comparison to the families that have directly lost people to murder or mass incarcerations. Hard Truths About the United States’ Treatment of Black People For me, George Floyd’s murder was not a surprise. I grew up learning about slavery, Jim Crow laws, lynchings, mass incarceration of Black men, and seeing videos of unarmed Black people being killed by police officers or White vigilantes. For many people around the world, especially in Iceland, George Floyd’s murder was the first time they were seeing such horrific treatment of a human being. Later they would also learn that this was not a one off event.   Along with feeling like it was absolutely disgraceful and inhumane, there was also a lot of confusion at first for people here. Questions like, “How is it possible that the U.S. society functions this way?”, “Why are Black men specifically targeted?” or people admitting that they knew there had been slavery but they

Lydia and Jonas are fellow U.S. expats in Iceland that host their own podcast called “The Raisin at the Hot Dog’s End”. Lydia is a writer and artist, and Jonas is a writer and translator. As you listen to the chat we had in my living room, you’ll get to hear the stories of how each of them ended up in Iceland. While we did talk about a variety of topics, I feel like the exchange we had about racism within the Icelandic society, which is more covert, is important and insightful. It is amazing to me how much is bubbling to the surface here and all around the world after the murder of George Floyd. I plan to share my personal experience and thoughts about what is happening here in the next episode, but what Lydia and Jonas share shines a light on issues that deserve more attention in this country. If you are interested in listening to their podcast, check it out here and connect with them on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. Questions I asked Lydia and Jonas: Tell us about when each of you moved to Iceland and why When you moved, was there anything about the culture that shocked you or just felt really unfamiliar? Have Icelanders been welcoming to you? Overall, how has it been adjusting to life here for you and your families? Is there anything you miss from the U.S.A? What inspired you to start your podcast “The Raisin at the hotdog’s end”? Obviously, a lot has been going on in the U.S., regarding the uprisings against systemic racism. How does it feel being an American here seeing this unfold in the U.S. and around the world? How do you feel about the gathering in Iceland to show solidarity with Black Americans? Do you feel at home here and that you want to stay in Iceland for the foreseeable future? What is your favorite Icelandic word or phrase? If you are enjoying this podcast, you can show your support by leaving a 5-star review of it on Apple podcasts, Google podcasts, or any platform you listen to it on that allows reviews. Also, please share this episode with anyone that you think will find it helpful and/or interesting. Let’s be social! Here is where you can connect with me: Instagram Facebook YouTube Twitter Þakka þér kærlega fyrir að hlusta (og að lesa) og sjáumst fljótlega Thank you kindly for listening (and reading) and see you soon!

This week’s episode is an update that details how Iceland has successfully flattened the COVID-19 curve. On April 1st, I published a podcast episode that detailed the steps Iceland took after authorities found out about the virus in late December. I walked you through all of the restrictions put in place, but the timeline for those updates ended in mid-March. If you haven’t already,  I recommend checking that out. Keep Up With Icelandic News  This episode is a continuation of that timeline and will provide insight on what has been happening in the country up until present day. I am recording this on May 27th, so keep in mind that any major news regarding the virus that happened after that date will be shared on my Instagram account @allthingsiceland. In fact, I do a weekly round-up of the news each Sunday in my stories, so join me there to keep up on interesting news happening within the country. If you prefer Facebook, you can follow along there as well. Just look for All Things Iceland or click the link in my show notes to be taken directly to my page.  Not surprisingly, a lot has happened in Iceland from mid-March to May regarding COVID-19. I find it interesting to look back on it and share it with you. Hopefully, you find it interesting too.  I’ve set this up in chronological order, and will provide an overview starting from where I left off in my previous Coronavirus podcast episode. If you want to read any of the articles that I referenced as I did research for this episode, check out the show notes below. Ok, let’s jump into it.  It was obvious that the cases of COVID-19 in Iceland were continuing to rise. Up until mid-March, travelers from all over were allowed to enter the country without going into quarantine. However, residents of Iceland coming from high risk countries, like China or Italy, were mandated to be in quarantine for 14-days. The argument behind this is that travelers don’t normally come into close contact with locals, so the risk of infection is low. I found that to be bizarre and didn’t agree with it because visitors would need to go to the same markets as residents, especially since restaurants had been shut down due to the ban on gatherings. Also, if a visitor were to fall ill, they would definitely come in contact with residents.  First COVID-19 Death in Iceland Was a Tourist Well, on March 17th, an Australian man in his 30s (36 years old) died while visiting North Iceland. Even though his symptoms were not typical of a person with COVD-19, he tested positive for the virus and so did his wife. It was sad and unfortunate that this happened. One consequence was that twenty two people who worked at the Húsavík health clinic that came in contact with him, had to be put in quarantine. The clinic had to scale back its operations after this because of being short staffed. This was the first Coronavirus related death in the country. I think it is worth mentioning that the response from Icelanders was really sweet. A Facebook group was started to send condolences from Iceland to the widow of the Australian man. Travel Ban to Iceland for Non-EEA & EFTA Citizens Within a day or so, it was announced that the European Union (EU) was imposing a 30-day travel ban on non-essential travel on countries outside of its union and certain partner countries. This was done to control the spread of the virus. Even though Iceland is not a part of the EU, it is an EFTA country. EFTA stands for European Free Trade Association. EFTA citizens and residents of the UK were exempt from the non-essential travel ban. Initially, Iceland did not seem interested in taking part in the travel ban but they eventually took part in it. What made the travel ban different in Iceland, as opposed to the EU’s ban, is that it included countries that were not part of EEA (European Economic Area) & EFTA. Basically, Iceland was still open to travelers from certain countries in Europe. On a personal note, I wasn’t a fan of this because those travelers did not have to go into quarantine. However, there had been an announcement that residents of Iceland entering the country, regardless if they had been in a high risk country or not, would have to go into quarantine for 14 days. It is worth mentioning that at this point in time Iceland had up to 250 confirmed cases of the COVID-19 virus and more than 2,000 people were in quarantine. Infections in Iceland Increasing at an Alarming Rate One fact that sent shockwaves through the country is that mid-March is when we started to see sharp increases in confirmed cases. From March 17th until the 31st, the average amount of confirmed cases a day was about 67. The highest number of confirmed cases was 106 on March 24th. It still stands as the highest number for one day. For a country of about 360,000 people, those are quite high numbers of COVID-19. There are two main reasons for these numbers. One is that testing was being done vigorously at Landspitali Na

I know this seems like a really random topic but I have been fascinated by this story ever since I learned about Björn Pétursson (Axlar-Björn) some months ago. The Iceland we know of today has been ranked as one the most peaceful countries in the world since the Global Peace Index was launched 13 years ago. However, this country definitely has had some gruesome murders in its past. Many of those murders were linked to disputes, such as those in some of the Sagas. Björn was an exception. It is important to point out that even though Björn Pétursson was a real person that was a convicted serial killer, the many sources that recount his life and murders sometimes conflict. They are also considered to have some elements of folklore weaved in, so just keep that in mind as I go through this episode. Warning about the content – not suitable for young children or those who feel uneasy hearing about the details of a gruesome murder. Was Axlar-Björn Destined to be a Serial Killer? While there are many reasons why a person might become a serial killer, it seems that Björn was destined to be so before he was even born. Björn’s parents, Pétur and Sigríður, lived on the stunning Snæfellnes peninsula back in the 16th century. His father worked as a ploughman for a Ormur, a man who owned the farm Knörr. Pétur and Sigríður already had two children before Sigríður became pregnant with Björn. During her pregnancy, she had nightmares and craved the test of human blood. I’ve never been pregnant but I think it is safe to assume that craving human blood is not normal. What is even more interesting about this story is that her husband Pétur wanted to appease his wife so he offered her to drink his blood to satisfy her craving. While that did do the trick, Sigríður was getting a very uneasy feeling. At some point she confessed to a female farmhand that she believes that the child she is carrying will be some kind of monster. Björn was born in 1555 and he seemed like a pretty normal kid. At the age of four, his parents sent him to live with Ormur. Pétur and Ormur were good friends and because Ormur had a lot of money and influence, it seemed like a good opportunity for Björn to live with him. During those times it was common practice to have your child fostered by wealthier people because it can be difficult for a less fortunate family to feed and take care of all of their children. Björn adjusted to his new home and even became buddies with Guðmundur, Ormur’s son. A Dream that Changed His Life Forever It wasn’t until Björn was a teenager that the monster inside of him started to bubble to the surface. Like some teens, he developed a bad temper and was quite closed off. However, a turning point for him is when he missed mass one Sunday and fell asleep. During his dream, a man offered him a plate with pieces of raw meat. Without hesitation, he scarfed down the meat pieces. He only became nauseous after the eighteenth bite! This mysterious man in his dream then told him to go Mount Axlarhyrna because there Björn will find an instrument waiting for him. The man added that this instrument will serve him well in the years to come. At his first opportunity, Björn went to the top of the mountain and there he found an ax. Not long after this, a young boy who worked as a farmhand at Knörr, the same farm in which Björn was born, disappeared. Years later, Björn confessed to killing the boy with the axe and burying him in a big pile of manure. Björn would go on to use the ax to kill many of his victims, who were mostly travellers or farmhands looking for work. Protection from a Wealthy Friend Ormur, the wealthy farmer, eventually passed away and left everything to his son Guðmundur. Guðmundur became even wealthier than his father and he decided to build Björn, who was pretty much his brother, a farm in an area called Öxl. Because the Icelandic language has four cases to decline words, the place Öxl, when in the genitive form, turns into Axlar. When Icelanders talk about Björn, they normally say Axlar-Björn and I will continue to use that throughout the episode. Axlar-Björn ended up marrying Þórdís and they settled into living on the farm, which had a stunning view. The beauty of the farm’s placement on Snæfellsnes Peninsula is probably what attracted travelers and farmhands to it. There was suspicion from locals that lived in the area that Axlar-Björn might be responsible for the disappearances of travelers. It was believed that in addition to killing people, Axlar-Björn and his wife were stealing the belongings of those they murdered. Horses and other valuables that they couldn’t afford kept popping up in their possession. The only thing keeping people from taking the allegations further is that Axlar-Björn was being protected by his wealthy friend Guðmundur. Axlar-Björn was Finally Brought to Justice While the sources vary on the number, it seems safe to say that he brutally murdered between 9 and 18 people before being brou

This week I am sharing the lovely chat I had with Mike Dell. He is a former U.S. Air Force officer that was stationed in Iceland during the 1990s. We talked about what it was like for him to live in Iceland as a military officer, how he was treated by Icelanders, what he enjoyed about the country and more. Similar to my last episode, I was connected with Mike in a rather unusual way.  I use the service Blubrry to host my podcast and when I made the switch from the url fromforeigntofamiliar.com to allthingsiceland.com, I had to reset up my podcast rss feed so that Apple Podcast, Google podcasts and all the rest of the places that play my show will get the new episodes that are being published on allthingsiceland.com. Well, I ran into some issues doing it myself and I reached out to Blubrry for help. Dave and Mike, both work for Blubrry in their customer service department, were extremely helpful. While I was talking to Mike Dell via Zoom he asked me about my podcast. When I told him that I talked about Iceland he was delighted to share that he had lived in Iceland while he served in the Air Force. Of course, this totally piqued my interest. It was fascinating to hear what it was like for him to be in the country as a military officer and what he thought of Iceland.  Not Sponsored by Blubrry 🙂 For the record, I am not sponsored by Blubrry and I happily pay fully for their services because they do a great job. If the show is ever sponsored by a company in the future, I will make that crystal clear. Lastly, the cool thing is that Mike is one of the hosts of Podcast Insider, which is Blubrry’s podcast and he interviewed me for their last episode. We talk about why I started the podcast, why I moved to Iceland, what equipment I use, which to be honest, I am a minimalist, but that is what works for me, and which of my own interviews I like the most. Here is a link to the Podcast Insider interview where I am featured. Questions I asked Mike Dell during our Chat: What was it like living in Iceland as part of the U.S. military? What was it like interacting with Icelanders? Were they friendly, hostile, reserved or a mix of all of those? When you did interact with Icelanders, did you notice any interesting habits that were unfamiliar to you? In a separate conversation, you mentioned that you like the Icelandic hotdog (pylsa). What about the hotdog appealed to you? Did you try any of the traditional Icelandic food? Did you travel to other parts of Iceland? Do you have a favorite place that you visited? Did you learn any Icelandic while you were here? What are your fondest memories of Iceland? I hope you enjoyed listening to this episode of the All Things Iceland podcast. If so, please make sure to leave a review on whichever platform you are listening to this show on, and share it with someone who you think will find this episode interesting. My newsletter is dedicated to sharing even more fascinating information about Iceland.  For your convenience and listening pleasure, this podcast is available on many platforms. You can listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, and pretty much any platform that plays podcasts. Let’s be social! Here is where you can connect with me: Instagram Facebook YouTube Twitter Þakka þér kærlega fyrir að hlusta (og að lesa) og sjáumst fljótlega Thank you kindly for listening (and reading) and see you soon!

I had the pleasure of sitting down with the awesome and very knowledgeable Icelandic herbalist Anna Rósa Róbertsdóttir.  She specializes in the use of Icelandic medicinal herbs and has been providing her services to people in Iceland for several decades. Before jumping into her interview, I have to mention the funny way in which Anna Rósa and I ended up becoming connected.  One day, I walked into an apótek in Iceland, called Jurtaapótek to buy some rosebud tea. As I was checking out, I saw a book about Icelandic herbs on the counter. The immediate thought that came into my head was, “Oh, I would love to interview the person that wrote this book for the podcast, because I find the topic of Icelandic herbs to be quite interesting.” So, I snapped a picture of the book, bought my tea and went about my day.  I think it was about a week or so later that Anna Rósa and I linked up. Maybe it was sheer coincidence or fate, but we both happen to have signed up for the same digital course and started messaging each other. Eventually, it dawned on me that she is the same person that wrote the book that I had snapped a picture of about a week prior. We both laughed at this and eventually we were able to set up an interview in her office. Anna Rósa was a delight to chat with and I love that her new skincare line was created to help empower refugees. During the interview, Anna Rósa and I talk about a salad dressing recipe that changed her life. She wrote a blog post about it. You can check it out here. Questions I asked Anna Rósa during the Interview: What inspired you to be a herbalist? Did you study to become a herbalist in Iceland or somewhere else? How is the herbalist profession perceived in Iceland? Are people open to it, cautious about it or critical of it? What kind of medicinal herbs can be found in Iceland? Are they wild? How do you work with the herbs to create different mixes to help people with their ailments? Your book “Icelandic herbs and their Medicinal Uses”, is like an encyclopedia of the many herbs in Iceland. Due to the herbs growing in Iceland, is the book mostly useful for people in Iceland or could it be used by those outside of the country? Your new skincare line is unique in that the proceeds from it will be used to support organizations that help refugees. Can you talk a bit about that? What is your favorite Icelandic word or phrase? Connect with Anna Rósa on Social Media Facebook Instagram I hope you enjoyed listening to this episode of the All Things Iceland podcast. If you think someone else will find this episode interesting and/useful please share it. My newsletter is dedicated to sharing even more fascinating information about Iceland.  For your convenience and listening pleasure, this podcast is available on many platforms. You can listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, and pretty much any platform that plays podcasts.  Let’s be social! Here is where you can connect with me: Instagram Facebook YouTube Twitter Þakka þér kærlega fyrir að hlusta (og að lesa) og sjáumst fljótlega Thank you kindly for listening (and reading) and see you soon!

After posting in the Away From Home: Living in Iceland Facebook group that I was looking to speak to expats in Iceland about a variety of topics, I received a decent amount of responses. One of those people included Sæþór Benjamín Randalsson. Sæþór responded by writing the following comment,  “I could talk about moving here as a gay man, or living through the 2008 crash, or the foster system, or the startup culture, or baking, or real estate.” I don’t know about you but all of those topics intrigued me, so I reached out. Honestly, I didn’t think we would actually talk about all of those things but somehow everything just flowed so nicely that we did manage to talk about all of that and more. It didn’t even feel like I was interviewing him because I was laughing, learning and being entertained by his quick wit, welcoming energy and his passion for helping people. We ended up talking for almost two hours!  The Questions I Asked Sæþór During the Interview 1. Where are you from/grow up and why did you move to Iceland? 2. Was there anything that was strange or shocking to you when you moved here? 3. What has it been like living here as a gay man? Has it changed a lot since you moved? 4. You lived through the 2008 economic crash in Iceland, which was a really intense time.  Can you talk a bit about what it was like before the crash in Iceland? How were you feeling when it finally settled in that the economy had crashed and that the current government was not able to handle the situation? 5. What was it like learning Icelandic? 6. You have a child through the foster care system here in Iceland. What is that process like? 7. What advice do you have for people that want to move to Iceland? 8. Do you feel Icelandic? Meaning, do you identify as being an Icelander even though you grew up somewhere else? 9. How do you feel about what is currently going on in the United States in regards to politics? 10. What is your favorite Icelandic word or phrase? I hope you enjoyed listening to this episode of the All Things Iceland podcast. If you think someone else will find this episode interesting and/useful please share it. My newsletter is dedicated to sharing even more fascinating information about Iceland.  For your convenience and listening pleasure, this podcast is available on many platforms. You can listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, and pretty much any platform that plays podcasts.  Let’s be social! Here is where you can connect with me: Instagram Facebook YouTube Twitter Þakka þér kærlega fyrir að hlusta (og að lesa) og sjáumst fljótlega Thank you kindly for listening (and reading) and see you soon!

It is a little hard to believe that it is almost the one year anniversary of the bankruptcy of Wow Air. This low cost Icelandic airline went bust on March 28th, 2019. On that date last year, everyone was shocked when the airline suddenly ceased to operate. During this episode, I will go over why and how the airline skyrocketed to success, what it was like during its heyday, what caused WOW Air to fail, how its bankruptcy affected the Icelandic economy, and what’s next.  Skúli Mogensen – The Founder of Wow Air To me, the most logical place to start this story is with Skúli Mogensen, the founder of WOW Air.  Born to Icelandic parents, Skúli spent much of his youth in Sweden. His dad was studying to become a physician there. He is fluent in Swedish and Icelandic. Skúli moved back to Iceland and attended high school and some college years there. He didn’t finish college because his company Oz Communications, a mobile software company, took off, so he dropped out.  According to an interview in the Financial Post, Mogensen credits his entrepreneurial drive to his education at the University of Iceland. One of his philosophy professors encouraged him to challenge everything. He is quoting as saying in the article,  Challenge the status quo, challenge the dogma and challenge whatever worked yesterday. I think today the speed of things requires you to ultimately — maybe not always challenge, but at least ask questions about whether what you are doing today will actually work tomorrow. Skúli´s Philosophy Professor Skúli Dropped Out of College to be an Entreprenuer Skúli was able to grow OZ to over 200 employees. The company sold more than 100 million copies of its messaging software to major mobile operators. Nokia ended up buying OZ communications in 2008 for an undisclosed amount. Along with starting OZ, Skúli also co-founded Íslandssimi, which is now Vodafone Iceland. Additionally, he co-founded CAOZ, a 3-D animation studio that works on production for films, commercials and games. His serial entrepreneurship made him a billionaire. After selling OZ communications, Skúli went into early retirement at the age of 40. However, he quickly grew tired of it after a couple of years. According to a Forbes article about Skúl in 2018, he said  “I was a failure at retirement. I wanted to use technology to disrupt the market and the airline industry is a good sector for that.” WOW Air was Born in 2011 Skúli was ready to go full force into starting an airline with his own money. His family, friends and investors urged him not to do it back in 2011. One thing to remember about this time is that Eyjafjallajökull volcano had erupted in 2010. Even though the ash from the eruption had disrupted air travel for people around the world, the media focus on Iceland had exposed to the world that the country was home to some of the most spectacular nature. Icelandic tourism was starting to increase around that time. However, Skúli’s idea of starting a low budget airline helped skyrocket Icelandic tourism into being one of the main industry to revive Iceland after the economic crash.  Cheap Airfare Helped to Fuel Tourism to Iceland The trans-Atlantic low cost airline started off with fares starting from $99 for basic seats and service. You could fly from some cities in the U.S. to Iceland and the rest of Europe. Those fares, along with the value of Icelandic krona being so low, made traveling to and in the country affordable for many people who wouldn’t otherwise have come here.  Within its first year, the airline transported 110,000 passengers. That number quadrupled just five years later. It’s incredible that in 2017 it had been reported that 2.8 million passengers had flown with WOW Air. I moved to Iceland in the summer of 2016. I remember thinking that it must be so cool to work for that airline. They had such great advertisements, happy looking staff and it seemed like their growth would not stop anytime soon. Skúli & WOW Air Were Flying High In 2017, they had surpassed Icelandair, their main rival, for the number of outbound Icelandic passengers and had 38% market share. Skúli was hiring talented people from around the globe because there just weren’t enough people in Iceland to fill the roles. I think the diversity in the company and the fact that people worked in teams, helped to WOW Air to set themselves apart.  By 2018, the airline had purchased 20 planes, had over 1,000 employees, and was flying to over 35 cities internationally. Incredibly the airline had been growing at a rate of 75-80 percent every year since its inception. At least that was the number reported in a Forbes article in 2018.   Trouble in Paradise From an outsider’s view, the fast growth seemed amazing but on the inside crucial mistakes were being made that would eventually lead to the company’s demise. The biggest red flag is when WOW Air reported a loss of ISK 4.8 billion ($39.3 million, at the time)

A few days ago I posted on the All Things Iceland Instagram and Facebook pages that I do plan to give a rundown of how the Coronavirus is spreading in Iceland and what the government has been doing to control it. I do not plan to give updates every few days about the virus. I think it is important to talk about it. However, I mainly created All Things Iceland to share about Icelandic culture, history, language and nature. Not to just focus on one topic. Also, I think it is nice to be able to escape the news for a while and hear about Iceland. Like many others, I am closely monitoring what is going on with the virus where I live. I want to do as much as I can to stay safe.  I still do my weekly news round-up in my Instagram stories each Sunday. You can check that out if you want to hear about what happened in Iceland the week before. As I thought about how to format this particular episode, it dawned on me that it might be helpful to give you a bit of backstory regarding when Icelandic officials made it public that they were starting to prepare for the virus coming to the country. Also, I am going to speak a little about how deeply this affects the Icelandic economy, especially the tourism industry. When Did Iceland Start to Prepare for the Coronavirus? To start off, Iceland did take note when the World Health Organization’s (or the WHO) China office started sharing reports of the virus spreading in the Eastern Chinese city Wuhan in late December and into January. Of course no one knew it would spread so quickly around the world. In late January, Iceland started to prepare for it possibly coming our way. According to Iceland Monitor, on January 27th, Þórarinn Guðnason, the Chief Epidemiologist in Iceland, recommended that Icelanders should, Cancel any unnecessary trips to areas in China affected by the coronavirus, known to cause pneumonia, coughs, fever and breathing difficulties.  This applies in particular to the Hubei province. Þórarinn Guðnason, the Chief Epidemiologist in Iceland He was also said “health care officials in Iceland are preparing for the possible spread of the virus to Iceland. “That is our approach – that this will arrive in Iceland… We try to prepare as well as possible. We prepare for the worst, hoping it won’t happen. But we assume it will arrive here.” Chinese Tourism Was on the Rise in Iceland One thing many people who live outside of Iceland may not be aware of is that Chinese tourism in the country has been on the rise over the last couple of years. Some of the tourists are groups coming directly from China and others are people who were born in China but are studying or working abroad in different places, such as in Europe. I have worked in tourism Iceland for about four years, from 2016 to present day and it was clear that even though U.S. visitors were still the highest number of tourists that it was evident that numbers were declining fast. Chinese tourists were starting to increase rapidly, especially during the Chinese New Year. According to an article published in January of this year, Iceland was expecting no less than 130,000 Chinese tourists, which would have been more than the number of Germans expected to visit, and Germans are the third numerous group behind the United States and the United Kingdom. 130,000 might not seem like a lot when you think about the fact that almost two million people visited Iceland in 2019. However, the potential for more Chinese tourists was growing exponentially. I reported in my weekly news round-up on Instagram back in November that a Chinese airline Juneyao was going to start offering direct flight service from Shanghai to Keflavík airport in March. Of course that is not happening now but that should at least give you an idea that ties between Iceland and China were strengthening. The tourism industry in Iceland is very competitive and all of the companies are fighting for market share. Many of them have been trying to capture the Chinese market because they could all see the writing on the wall. Icelanders Expected Coronavirus Infections to Come Directly From China As a person that lives here and pays a decent amount of attention to the news as well as talks to natives and expats, I can tell you that most of us assumed that Iceland wouldn’t be hit hard by this virus. It felt a world away. Also, most people thought that since this virus originally popped up in China, that it will be either Chinese visitors or Icelanders that had been in China or an already labeled “high risk” area that would bring the virus to the island. Well, to many’s surprise that is not what happened. People on the Front Lines Started to Prepare Before any cases of the virus were confirmed in Iceland, a few interesting things happened. First, which was reported on January 31st, is that some employees at Keflavík airport started wearing face masks and gloves. Ísavia, the company that operates the airport, said that they provide the masks and gloves t

I had the pleasure of interviewing Gísli Pálsson for this episode of the podcast in his office at the University of Iceland. He recently retired, but he has served as a professor and Director of Institute of Anthropology at the university. He has written several books, including “The Man Who Stole Himself”, the story about Hans Jónatan, who was the first black citizen of Iceland. To get a good overview of that story you can check out the video below that I recently published about Hans Jónatan on YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=40chlDBLKwU&t=1s To stay up to date on what I am sharing, like new podcast episodes, videos, articles and more, sign up for the All Things Iceland newsletter. During our chat, we talk about many different topics. It was fascinating to talk with him and below are some of the topics we discussed. The Questions I Asked Gísli Pálsson During The Interview 1. You were born in the Westman Islands. Were you there during the eruption of Eldfell in 1973? 2. What made you interested in studying anthropology? 3. When did you find out about he story of Hans Jonatan and why did you decided to write a book about him? 4. When you were researching for the book, did you find anything surprising or unusual? 5. Another one of your books, “Writing on Ice: The  Ethnographic Notebooks of Vilhjalmur Stefansson – an arctic explorer and pioneering anthropologist, is quite fascinating and a bit heartbreaking. How did you uncover  the story of about his secret family? 6. After the eruption of Eyjafjallajökull, you started a project called the Volcanologues. Can you explain a little bit about that project and why you did it? 7. Through you research and/collaboration with others, have you discovered other fascinating stories or information about Icelanders? 8. How do you choose what you want to research and write about? 9. What is your favorite Icelandic word or phrase? Some of the Books Mentioned During the Episode The Man Who Stole Himself Travelling Passions: Stefansson, the Arctic Explorer Writing on Ice On Time & Water I hope you enjoyed listening to this episode of the All Things Iceland podcast. If you think someone else will find this episode interesting and/useful please share it. My newsletter is dedicated to sharing even more fascinating information about Iceland.  For your convenience and listening pleasure, this podcast is available on many platforms. You can listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, and pretty much any platform that plays podcasts.  Let’s be social! Here is where you can connect with me: Instagram Facebook YouTube Twitter Þakka þér kærlega fyrir að hlusta (og að lesa) og sjáumst fljótlega Thank you kindly for listening (and reading) and see you soon!

Icelandic sheep are a mix of adorable and fascinating. During the summer, you can find them roaming freely around the country. For months they are on what seems like the ultimate Icelandic summer vacation – eating, sleeping, and walking wherever they please. Before winter sets in, they are rounded up by the farmers that own them so they can be sheltered from the harsh Icelandic weather. Regardless of the season, the Icelandic sheep farmer is always at work. If you are interested in hearing a first-hand account of what life on an Icelandic sheep farm is like, I recommend checking out my interview with Pálína Axelsdóttir Njarðvík, creator of the popular Instagram account (@farmlifeiceland). Her account showcases what life on an Icelandic sheep farm life is like from her perspective. Contents Quick facts about Sheep in Iceland Icelandic sheep history & heritage When is the lambing season in Iceland? What is Réttir? Sheep farms to visit or stay on in Iceland Meat Production of Icelandic sheep Wool Production from sheep in Iceland How to buy an authentic Icelandic sweater? Does Iceland have more sheep than people? Quick Facts About Sheep in Iceland There are more sheep in Iceland than the number of people that live here The color of their fleece can be white or a range of browns, grays, and blacks Multiple births, such as twins, triplets or more, are very common in this breed because of a gene called Þoka that many Icelandic ewes possess Norwegian Spelsau and Icelandic sheep descend from the same stock Sheep in Iceland have been bred in isolation for more than a thousand years Meat production is the main reason for raising sheep in Iceland Sheep milk was once more widely consumed than cow milk in Iceland Sheep in Iceland have played an important role in the way of life in the country since the first settlers came to Iceland back in the 9th and 10th centuries. I was surprised to learn so many fascinating facts about them after talking to Pálína and doing some research.  Icelandic Sheep History & Heritage They are classified as Northern short-tailed sheep and are the largest in their group, which includes Finn, Romanov, Shetland, Spelsau and Swedish Landrac. As mentioned in the quick facts above, the Icelandic sheep descends from the same breed as the Norwegian Spelsau. While it is the case that sheep in Iceland today are pure breeds, at one time farmers did try crossbreeding with foreign breeds. However, those experiments ended because the cross breeding brought on disease. Eventually, all of the sheep that the result of cross breeding were killed, or what is known as culled. Culling is defined as reducing the population of an animal by selective slaughter. Iceland is notorious for its harsh weather and over the centuries there have been many challenging times for livestock and their farmers. Due to being bred in isolation for more than a thousand years, the Icelandic sheep has been able to thrive in these conditions. Because of that, they are considered to be efficient herbivores.  While sheep are mostly bred for meat in Iceland now, they have contributed to Icelandic society in a variety of ways over the years. Up until the 1940’s, they were the predominant milk producing animal in the country. It was far more expensive to have a cow before that time, so people consumed sheep’s milk instead.  When is the Lambing Season in Iceland? Lambing season in Iceland starts in May and lasts for about five weeks. During this month, farmers are working around the clock to monitor and assist the ewes (female sheep) who are birthing the cute lambs. Due to a gene that is named Þoka, pregnant Icelandic female sheep often give birth to multiple lambs at once. They can give birth to twins, triplets, quadruplets, quintuplets, and even sextuplets! It is quite amazing to think of that many lambs being born at once. It isn’t always that the ewes need help with birthing their lambs but it happens often enough that farmers take turns throughout the day and night to check on how everything is going.  Normally, lambs are born with their head and front legs coming out first. However, that doesn’t always happen, and that is when a farmer steps in. Helping Sheep Give Birth is Serious Business Other times help is needed if the lamb is not breathing or if it is rejected by its mother. When a lamb enters the world, it is crucial that there is a bond between mother and child within the first few minutes. If an ewe is cleaning  and drying off their lamb there is a good chance that it has accepted it. Unfortunately, it does happen that an ewe rejects a lamb and starts to ram or kick it. Pálína talks about this happening to one of her favorite sheep during the interview I did with her. Luckily, she was able to save the lamb and keep it alive by nursing it. Sometimes farmers even find another mother for a rejected lamb. Although it is rare, sometimes an ewe or lamb do not live due to complications in the birth

To get a better understanding of the Icelandic education system, I sat down with Arnór Guðmundsson for this episode of the All Things Iceland podcast. In his role as the Director of the Directorate of Education, his agency focuses on testing and producing textbooks for schools in Iceland. We discussed many things. Some of them include the different levels of education in Iceland, how the Icelandic education system compares with other countries, and some challenges the Directorate is facing. The continued decrease in literacy among Icelandic teenage boys and how the survival of the Icelandic language is threatened by English are topics most people are not aware of who live outside of the country. Arnór was helpful in giving an overview of the system. I have also included answers to frequently asked questions regarding the Icelandic education system, which are not in the podcast interview. Photo by Evelyn Paris Contents Arnór’s interview questions What is the history of the education system in Iceland? What are the levels in the Icelandic education system? Do you need to know Icelandic to study in Iceland? How many universities does Iceland have? Are there private schools in Iceland? Is education free in Iceland for international students? Questions I asked Arnór during the interview: What made you interested in working in the Directorate of Education in Iceland? How is the education system in Iceland setup? What are the different levels? I assume that technology is used quite a bit in schools here. I am just wondering how it is used in the different education levels. Is it used early on or does the introduction of  technology start at a later education level? Is it important to promote and foster creativity in schools in Iceland?  What is the difference in the standard of education between public schools vs private schools in Iceland? How does the education system in Iceland compare with other Nordic countries? When a child that doesn’t speak or understand Icelandic enters the education system, is there a process for helping them to learn the language? What are some challenges regarding the education system that the Directorate of Education is trying to tackle? I read a recent article about the reading comprehension being much poorer in Iceland than in other countries. Basically, the amount of students that did not achieve basic reading comprehension standards increased quite a bit. What do you think are some of the reasons why reading comprehensions skills among some students has deteriorated? Is there any concern about how much English is being used among teenagers in Iceland? You studied at the University of Minnesota back in the 90’s. Do you feel that your education in Iceland back then had prepared you for studying in the U.S.? Please share your impression of the education system in the United States on a university level What is your favorite Icelandic word or phrase? What is the history of the education system in Iceland? Photo by Zak Boca One of the oldest educational institutions in Iceland, Menntaskólin í Reykjavík, can be traced back to 1056! For centuries, education in Iceland has been of great importance.  However, the first national education law wasn’t passed until 1907. Later, the Compulsory Education Act of 1974 modernized the Icelandic education system. It included a mandate for providing special education services to all students with disabilities. Three former schools, Prestaskólinn, Læknaskólinn and Lagaskólinn, were combined to create the University of Iceland in 1911. The schools individually taught theology, medicine and law. Naturally, the professors in the early days of the university only taught those classes for those specific fields. Over time, the fields and expertise of the faculty have diversified. This university is the country’s oldest and largest institution for higher education. Governing Agency for Icelandic Education The Ministry of Education, Science and Culture was established in 1942 and has the jurisdiction of educational responsibility in the country. It issues the national curriculum guidelines for the educational institutions. Most schools in Iceland are public but there are a small number of private schools that have popped up. Interestingly, the Icelandic education system has been decentralized over the years. The local authorities are responsible for the primary and lower schools. While the Ministry is responsible for the upper secondary schools and higher education. About five years ago, the National Center for Educational Materials and The Education Testing Institute combined to become the Directorate of Education. As mentioned in the podcast interview above, Arnór leads that agency. What are the levels in the Icelandic education system? There are four levels of education in Iceland. They are playschool, primary school, upper secondary school, and higher education. These levels are split into compulsory and non-compulsory. Play school, up

When people think of Iceland, they have images of beautiful landscapes, sheep, the northern lights, and glaciers. Many are unaware of the scandals, corruption, and overall fascinating events show up in Iceland news stories throughout the year. If you have listened to previous episodes of this show, such as the interviews with Dóra, the former President of the City Council, Alda Sigmundsdóttir, Kári Stefánsson, Andie Fontaine, Jón Gnarr, and Andri Snær Magnasson, you will have heard about some of the corruption and drama in Iceland. I love that those episodes provide insight from the point of view of people who live in Iceland. This list is meant to be a round-up based on how Iceland news was reported by news outlets. Of course, I sprinkle in my opinion every so often. Some of the Iceland news stories on this top ten list have made international headlines. However, plenty of them only appeared in the domestic news headlines. Easily Keep Up with Iceland News Stories After I started doing a weekly news round-up in my Instagram stories (@allthingsiceland) each Sunday last year, I became even more intrigued with the news here. I feel that the news in any country gives you some insight into the culture and can help you to understand what that society considers important to talk about. Iceland is certainly no different. It became apparent to me that Iceland news stories have given me another great way to tap into what is trending here and to observe how the culture is changing. If you like hearing about Iceland news stories, I highly recommend checking out my weekly round-up on Instagram. Along with sharing the news, I give you a bit of my opinion on the story and try to make it interactive. Another option is to sign up for my free email newsletter. It features a mix of Iceland news stories, facts about the country, videos, upcoming events, tips for travelers, and other goodies. I recently decided to start this newsletter because there is so much awesome content out there. I think email is a great way of sharing it with my fellow Icelandophiles. To read more about each story that I talk about in this episode, I have included links to the original news articles. Feel free to check those out. Now, let’s jump into the 2019 Iceland news top ten list! 10. Ed Sheeran’s Concert Broke A Record in Iceland Icelanders like to play it cool if they see a celebrity walk down the street in Reykjavík. However, they seem to go bananas when a big named performer holds a concert. This is exactly what happened when it was announced that Ed Sheeran would be holding a concert during the summer of 2019. To my surprise, Icelanders were rushing to buy tickets. Like most people in the world, I know some Ed Sheeran songs, but I can’t say that I am very familiar with the majority of his music. I have a feeling that is the case for many Icelandic people. I guess the buzz around this concert was too enticing for many to pass up. Plus, Ed Sheeran is considered a “friend of Iceland ”. He has this honorary title because he wore an Icelandic national football shirt when Iceland played against Croatia in the 2018 World Cup. Some of my Icelandic friends admitted that they were only going to the concert because so many others in the country will be there. Photo by Icelandair A New Icelandic Record for Concert Attendance The concert ended up breaking a record, which made Iceland news headlines. The first concert date, Saturday August 10th, sold out almost instantly. Sena Live, the event management company putting on the concert, added a second concert day, August 11th, because of the demand. In total, about 50,000 people in Iceland attended an Ed Sheeran concert. That is about 14% of the population. On the first night alone, 30,000 people attended. This is the first time in the recorded history of Iceland that 30,0000 attended a concert in the country. Granted, not everyone that attended was Icelandic, but the majority were. I didn’t attend but I did hear that it was a good time. According to the article in the Reykjavík Grapevine, “…Ed started off with a bang. The crowd cheered. He was completely alone on stage, yet easily captivated the 30,000-strong crowd like it was an intimate bar setting.” Reykjavík Grapevine The opening acts for Ed Sheeran included Zara Larsson, James Bay and Glowie, an Icelandic artist. 9. Iceland has over 50,000 immigrants living in the country Number nine on this list of Iceland news stories, came to light in December when it was announced that Iceland now has over 50,000 people of foreign origin living in the country. As I mentioned in the previous story, that is about 14% of the population. Over the last 8 years, there has been a dramatic increase in immigrants. In 2010, the amount of immigrants was around 8% of the population. That number stayed the same through 2012. When you jump from 2012 to 2018, there is a 50% increase in the number of immigrants. In 2019, the amount was recorded at about 14%. Below is a bar gr

The Icelandic sheep farm is pretty much as old as the country because the first settlers from Norway in the 9th and 10 centuries brought sheep with them. As a native New Yorker that was completely disconnected from raw nature, such as the kind found in Iceland, I find it fascinating and difficult to imagine what it would be like to grow up and work on a farm. When I came across Pálína’s Instagram account (@farmlifeiceland), I just knew that I had to interview her for the All Things Iceland podcast. We talked about a variety of things regarding this way of life. Her perspective on life on a sheep farm in Iceland is what is most intriguing. What I especially love is that she has a unique bond with some of the sheep on the farm. On her account, she documents her relationship with them. It is touching and delightful to see her interact with them so closely. If you have ever tried to interact with an Icelandic sheep, you are probably aware that they normally keep their distance from humans. Along with showing the fun side of working and living on a sheep farm, Pálina also shows the challenging parts. Her feelings about the lamb slaughtering season is one that really stuck out to me. It was interesting to hear her talk about that in the interview. I hope you enjoy listening to this interview just as much as I enjoyed conducting it. If you are on Instagram, I recommend checking out @FarmLifeIceland.  Questions I Asked Pálína About Life on an Icelandic Sheep Farm What was it like growing up on an Icelandic sheep farm? Why did you decide to start an Instagram account about life on a sheep farm? During a previous episode, the lambing season was brought up, what’s it like during that time of the year? What is something about farm life in Iceland that would shock people who are unfamiliar with that lifetstyle? You show a lot of pictures of Sunna and Brynja, two sheep on the farm. What is your relationship with them? Have you observed any strange habits of sheep on your family’s farm? I emotionally connected to one of your Instagram posts, which talks about the most horrible time of the year for you. It happens right after Réttir. What happens during that time and why do you dislike it? Have you encountered any challenges navigating between city and farm life? What is your favorite Icelandic word or phrase? Let’s be social! Here is where you can connect with me: Instagram Facebook YouTube Twitter I hope you enjoyed listening to this interview. Make sure you are subscribed to the All Things Iceland podcast so you don’t miss new episodes. If the platform you are listening to this podcast on allows you to leave a review, please do so, if you haven’t already. Þakka þér kærlega fyrir að hlusta (og að lesa) og sjáumst fljótlega Thank you kindly for listening (and reading) and see you soon!

I had the pleasure of chatting with Eunsan Huh, the awesome creator of the popular Instagram account, @EverySingleWordinIcelandic. On her account, you will find Icelandic words that she has illustrated as icons, which is helping her and others to learn the language. She has also created a book called “Iceland in Icons: a Pictographic Travel Guide“, which I will have a link to in the show notes of this episode.  It was so much fun to chat with her about how she fell in love with Iceland, why she started to learn the language and some of the adventures she has been on around the country. The Questions I Asked Eunsan During the Interview You have a very interesting background. You were born in Korea, raised in Australia and Canada and now you have been living in NYC for more than a decade. After being exposed to so many different cultures, what made you gravitate toward Iceland? When did you decide to start learning Icelandic?  What resources are you using to learn Icelandic and what has your experience been like? What inspired you to start creating icons for Icelandic words? You have a book called “Iceland in Icons: A Pictographic Travel Guide”. Obviously, the use of icons to represent places and words in Icelandic make it unique, but what else makes your book different than other travel guides?   How many times have you visited Iceland?  Do you see yourself living here? I saw on your Instagram that you have stayed and worked on a farm while in Iceland. What was that experience like? Do you recommend that to others? What is your favorite Icelandic word or phrase? You will be speaking at Tedx Reykjavík tomorrow (October 13), which is awesome! If people want to keep up with what you are doing, where should they follow you? Let’s be social! Here is where you can connect with me: Instagram Facebook YouTube Twitter I hope you enjoyed listening to this interview. Make sure you are subscribed to the All Things Iceland podcast so you don’t miss new episodes. If the platform you are listening to this podcast on allows you to leave a review, please do so, if you haven’t already. Þakka þér kærlega fyrir að hlusta (og að lesa) og sjáumst fljótlega Thank you kindly for listening (and reading) and see you soon!

For episode fifty of the All Things Iceland podcast, I interviewed Kári Stefánsson, an Icelandic neurologist who is also the founder and CEO of deCode genetics. deCode is a biopharmaceutical company based in Reykjavík. Kári pioneered the use of, “population scale genetics to understand variation in the sequence of the human genome.” WIkipedia The discoveries from using this approach have helped with developing new drugs. Additionally, the discoveries have helped scientists to better understand cardiovascular disease, cancer, and schizophrenia, just to name a few. Additionally, the population scale approach has served as a model for other national genome projects around the world.  Kári’s Background Before founding  deCode, Kári Stefánsson served as a professor of Neurology at the University of Chicago. Later, he became the Chief of the neuropathology division at Harvard University. Since the founding of deCode, Kári has received many accolades. While I was curious to hear about his work, we spoke about his views on certain topics in Icelandic society. We also spoke about what he thought of Americans after living in the U.S. for more than 20 years, and, of course, his favorite Icelandic word or phrase. Kári shared his views on climate change, Donald Trump, and many other topics. The Video of Kári Receiving the William Allan Award in 2017 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EayPjFhNnw4 The Questions I Asked Kári Stefánsson What sparked your interest in studying genetics? Why did you start deCode Genetics and why did you choose to do it in Iceland? Throughout all of the years that you have been working on decoding human genetics, what finding(s) are you most proud of? Can you share why you chose to recreate the genome of the first Black man in Iceland. First, were some of the Icelanders surprised to find out that they are descendants of a black man? Second, can you provide some insight into why Iceland provides a unique environment to do this type of genome sequencing? Over the years you have been very vocal in the news about different issues  in Iceland. Do you think that because of your status as a highly respected scientist, that it is your responsibility to share your views on these matters or is it mostly from the point of view of a concerned citizen? In 2016, you announced that you could identify everyone in Iceland that had a high risk of getting cancer. You wanted to work with healthcare specialists to reach out to those people to alert them of the potential danger. However, there was push back. Even though, people had consented to having their genes analyzed, they had not consented to being alerted about possible health risks found in their genes. Has this situation changed at all? Meaning, have any laws changed to make this possible and/or has your opinion changed about contacting people? You mentioned to me that you live in the United States for over 20 years studying its natives. Did you find out anything fascinating and/or strange about us? What is your favorite Icelandic word or phrase? I hope you enjoyed this interview with Kári Stefánsson. Let’s be social! Here is where you can connect with me on social media platforms: Instagram Facebook YouTube Twitter I hope you enjoyed listening to this interview. Make sure you are subscribed to the All Things Iceland podcast so you don’t miss new episodes. If the platform you are listening to this podcast on allows you to leave a review, please do so, if you haven’t already. Þakka þér kærlega fyrir að hlusta (og að lesa) og sjáumst fljótlega Thank you kindly for listening (and reading) and see you soon!