My New Home!

It's a dream come true! I have already fallen in love with Groningen. People told me it was nice, but I cannot believe what a pleasant and lively little city I am going to live in for the next year. It seems like the perfect place to be a student and I am already looking forward to starting school in September.

For those of you who might not know much about Groningen, it's an old hanseatic city in the northeast of Holland and has a population of about 200,000. The city is very young with a student population of 40,000. The weather is unpredictable - one minute it's raining and the next sunny. Bikes have taken over the city - cars are actually not allowed in the downtown area. Groningen has been named the most biker friendly city - bikes definitely have the right of way. I read that 2/3 of the population use the bike as the main source of transportation. Biking can be a little stressful here, but I think I'm already getting the hang of it. Cozy cafes and pubs are everywhere you look. Impressive markets fill the city center like the famous fish market which I visited today (too bad I still don't like fish). I also feel like a midget - the Dutch are the tallest in the world, especially here in the north.

My journey here was really smooth although I was a bit tired after waking up at 3:30am. I was kindly greeted at the airport in Amsterdam by Lydia and her younger brother (I am subleasing Lydia's room while she is studying in Copenhagen). We drove to Groningen together which is a two hour drive (really far according to Dutch standards). Lydia helped me out so much! She moved out, I moved in, we saw a bit of the city, and ended the great day at a Mexican restaurant (I was so scared I would not have Mexican food for a year...ha). I could not have imagined a better first day thanks to Lydia and her brother. Dank je wel!

I am living with three Dutch girls, but none of them are currently home. It's pretty quiet but the days are busy and full of fun practical matters like my visa, bank account, etc. Nevertheless, things have been going rather well. I quickly learned that you can make friends fast if you speak Dutch here. It's been really fun surprising people here with the language. I have actually not heard any English throughout the city which is a bit strange after hearing a lot of English in Reykjavik, but it's kind of refreshing when learning a language. The people have been so friendly as well which I did not necessarily expect. People are eager to help you even if you don't ask for it and they just see you with a confused face and holding a map.

All in all, I think Groningen and I are going to get along just fine this year.



Lydia and her brother teaching me the proper way to double ride - I need some practice

My new school - Rijksuniversiteit Groningen (RuG)

Home sweet home

Goodbye Iceland:(

My last weekend in Iceland was slightly depressing. After saying goodbye to both of my roommates, I had a lot of time to think about what an amazing month it indeed was. Yes, Iceland is a breathtaking country, but it was the relationships made in Iceland which gave me such a bittersweet feeling. I expected to go to Iceland and for some reason be alone in the middle of the north Atlantic. However, that was the opposite of my life in Reykjavik. The goodbyes were not easy but I have a feeling that many of our paths will cross again. I am so fortunate to have had the experience I did, and hope that I some day can return to Iceland to relax in its serene surroundings and visit a few friends.

View from my room - going to miss that

Beach bums - going to miss them

Class reception

Last dance in Reykjavik with Nicky and Jón

Liza and Nicky parting ways at 6am...SAD!

in good company...

This past week I met Ólöf, a good friend of Tali's (friend from Minneapolis). It's been really fun and a bit surreal meeting the friends and family of my own friends from home. I am far from home but still feel really connected to my life their too. Ólöf and I have a lot in common and it's been really enjoyable to hang out with her - Thank you Tali!

She completely spoiled Liza, Heidi, and I with a fabulous dinner Wednesday night. For dessert we grilled bananas stuffed with chocolate. Why did I not think of that sooner!

Picture of friends including roommate Thorny (far right). Liza and I definitely lucked out when it comes to housing. Not only is the apartment and its location amazing, but Thorny is my new hero!

Class Trip

Last weekend, we took a trip to the south of Iceland. Above is a picture of the most beautiful waterfall I have ever seen.


I even had the chance to walk behind the waterfall which was a surreal experience. There was mist everywhere and I left feeling totally refreshed.

Yummy...

You've not been to Iceland until you've tried the fermented shark also known as rotten shark. It's eaten with a shot of the local brennivin. We took a break from class to try the traditional dish. The smell was enough to make me vomit on command. I survived but probably will never have it again. For dessert we had sheep's head. I'm still having nightmares about the texture.

Weekend Getaway

I am currently sitting out on my balcony updating this blog when really I should be studying for a test tomorrow...the weather is great and night is still young. I actually could write a book about this past weekend but instead I thought that a few words and extra pictures tell more.

Just to update a few of you, I met an Icelandic girl in Minneapolis named Maren back in January. Sadly she is still in Minneapolis:( but her younger sister Stebba who is about my age is living in Reykjavik:) I spent the last weekend with her and her family. Although no one, and I mean no one, can replace Maren, they really welcomed me into their home as if I was part of the family.

Friday night, Stebba and I drove to their home in Akureyri which is located in the northern part of Iceland (about a 4.5 hour drive away). We stayed in Akureyri for one night and then headed to a cabin outside of Egilsstaðir the following day which is 3 hours east of Akureyri. We picked up more family and headed to the cabin which the family rented for the weekend (it also included specific rivers that we could fish on). The weekend was filled with great company, relaxation, fishing, amazing food, board games, and peace.

On the way we stopped at Goðafoss - a waterfall which got its name from the year 1000 when Iceland converted to Christianity.

Stebba, Edda (Maren's older sister), and I. I hate to say it but we lost the fishing competition.

Simon (Sölvi's friend), Sölvi (Maren's brother), and Vignir (Maren's dad)

My big catch of the day - I tried to make my family proud. I have never fished in such a beautiful and peaceful place before.

On the way home we stopped to take a dip. Yes, we went swimming under those rocks in some caves. It was really creepy. Basically I screamed a lot, got dunked by Stebba, and thought Sölvi was an animal.

Picture of me holding Snæfriður (Maren's niece - sorry if I spelled that one wrong), with Hildur (Maren's mom). There are beautiful horses everywhere.

Namafjall - high-temperature geothermal area with a lot of fumaroles and mud pots. It slightly resembled the bog of eternal stench if you ask me. It looked like mars but smelled horrible!

What was also really striking about the weekend was the strong connection I felt to the nature. I saw and felt something different that I have not experienced before. Silence was also a consistent thought throughout the weekend. I sometimes just need it whether silence means a linguistic barrier, peace while fishing, silence during a drive, or silence during a morning hike. Another thought was Maren. I learned a lot about her this weekend - in fact I feel like we really bonded. The funny thing is, she has no idea! The world truly feels small once again. I wanted to cry when I left yesterday. Parting with your own family can of course be very sad at times, but it is refreshing to know you will see them again. Yesterday, that was not a certainty. I just hope that even if I cannot welcome Stebba and her family into my home someday, I just hope I can somehow give someone out there a similar feeling that I had the entire weekend.

Takk fyrir!

The Pool Scene

Ever since I arrived, Icelanders have been talking about the swimming pools. They have quite a name here in Reykjavik so I finally decided to try one. The pool scene is very unique to this city and they stay open all year. People of all ages hang out at the outdoor pools - many with their young children and families, some to just talk politics in the hot tubs, others to really get a work out, and some (like me) people watching, listening to Icelandic, making friends with old guys in the hot tubs, and staring at movie stars in speedos. The whole experience was really relaxing and I have already gone back since my first visit. I do not even like swimming but I truly enjoyed myself both times and left totally relaxed.

After a refreshing swimming pool experience yesterday, I tried Icelandic ice cream for the first time which has also been recommended many times. Everyone told me to be sure and order the old ice cream instead of the new. It was delicious!...and very unique. I had a dish of the old ice cream with chocolate sauce and coconut. Yummy!