CLASS

12
The Reykjavík Grapevine
Issue 16 — 2015
Icelanders Politics | Bright? Some new ones
Words by Sini Koskenseppä
Photos by York Underwood
As legend has it, Iceland has served as a cold, unpredictable
haven for adventurous, outcast or outlawed Vikings
since the good ol’ 800s. Every now and again, a portion
of the population would get swept away, because of the
weather, because of a plague, because of a volcanic eruption
or, perhaps, because of a smallpox outbreak. Nevertheless,
as the legend also has it, those who remained are
the fierce and lucky ones. That’s legend for you.
These days, people from all over the world for some reason
voluntarily flock to this barren rock on the edge of the
North Atlantic—to live, study, work and find new opportunities.
WHO ARE THESE PEOPLE, AND WHY ARE
THEY HERE? This is a good question, we thought. So, we
met up with four foreign master’s students at the Reykjavík
University, all of whom at some point decided to leave
their pleasant, cosy, non-volcanic homes to try and learn
something… here.
All In For Iceland
Marvin Kißmer, 23, Germany
So, Marvin… Why Iceland?
I heard about the country for the first
time when I was sixteen years old. After
that, I looked up everything about it. I
saw this guy on television trying to learn
Icelandic in one week, so I started studying
it too, just from books. I didn’t do that
for very long—and when I came here for
the first time last year, I couldn’t believe
how different the language sounded from
what I had thought!
What else did you experience
when you first got here?
I came here to first work at a farm, took
up Icelandic again, and when my work
was done I decided I want to stay here
and study. I was lucky enough to get into
Reykjavík University because not only
can I pursue my master’s degree in a field
of my interests but can also live somewhere
I feel most at home right now.
How is your life different now
compared to Germany?
I’ve learned some new life skills here, like
driving a tractor and gathering sheep.
These are great experiences for a city kid
to acquire! Furthermore, never before
have I driven in a horrible snowstorm on
a narrow road, looking out the side windows
so as not to drive off. Other than
those circumstances, the weather is actually
perfect for me. I’d rather freeze than
be warm.
How did you feel on the plane here,
moving to Reykjavík?
Saying goodbye to family and friends for
an undetermined amount of time was
a little sad, but on the plane I got all excited.
I knew that Iceland couldn’t disappoint
me.
And it didn’t.
This is my country, my place to be.
It Started As A Koke
Jannika Lövendahl, 25, Sweden, and
Wilhelm Öhman, 26, Finland
A Swedish woman and a Finnish
guy come to Iceland to study—
why?
Jannika: One day when Wille came
home from work, I asked him: “How
about going to study in Iceland?” We both
laughed. Then the joke turned into applications,
and the applications turned into
acceptance letters…
Wilhelm: We were nervous because we
applied for different Nordic schools that
we knew were good and just hoped we’d
get accepted to the same one. Then Reykjavík
University sent us letters that we
had both gotten in.
Are there any differences between
Iceland and those Nordic countries
you hail from?
Wilhelm: At least it doesn’t feel that expensive
coming from another Nordic
country. Some things are even cheaper
here. But you can get surprised how
things can be easier, or more difficult. For
instance, finding an apartment was hard.
At the same time, we found work by just
walking into a restaurant.
Jannika: The fact that you can just walk
down to the ocean and see mount Esja
and look up and see the Northern lights
is amazing. And the friendliness of the
people is wonderful! Our landlord just
handed us his bike when he heard we
were looking for one. Maybe that’s the
island culture?
How does it feel, as a couple, making
such a big life change?
Wilhelm: We work, study, and live in
the same places, so we have to make sure
we have our own time, too. We work different
shifts at the same restaurant, and
study in different groups.
Jannika: We don’t want to be that couple
that does everything together, so we
don’t even sit in class together. On the
other hand, it’s easier to make a home
wherever we are together, which is good
because we love to travel. Sometimes it’s
hard to explain to people back home who
ask us, when are we coming home…
We are always home.
Back To The Roots
Liv Vestergaard, 24, Denmark
You are one-quarter Icelandic.
Was this a long-term plan of yours,
coming to Iceland to study?
No. I was actually going to spend six
months in New Zealand, and then go
back to Copenhagen to do my master’s.
But, life took some unexpected turns—
and here I am!
My grandmother was Icelandic, and
I’ve been coming here for many years. It’s
like a second home to me. Still, I’ve sort
of always felt like a fake tourist—now I’m
trying to actually live here and not feel
like a phony.
What did it feel like, moving here?
Exciting. A bit scary, too. I came here last
winter, which apparently was the worst
one in ages. That’s why decided I couldn’t
stay here permanently. Surviving the
long dark winters is not for everyone. Icelanders
are made of something different.
Has anything surprised you, now
that you live here?
There are more differences than I
thought. I recognize a lot of non-Scandinavian
influence now: people want bigger
cars than their neighbours, and the
girls want to be prettier than the next girl.
It’s different from back home, because in
Denmark we have Janteloven, “The Law
of Jante.” It’s basically a common mindset
that dictates that you shouldn’t try to
be better than others, that you shouldn’t
outshine anyone. However, the Icelanders
also have a very entrepreneurial spirit—they
make things happen.
What’s the most extreme thing
about Iceland?
Oh my god the traffic! Iceland is the Italy
of the north. I’ll be a much worse driver
when I go back to Denmark. But getting
into the traffic is totally worth it, because
even though you drive through the same
scenery here many times, it’s always different.
There’s more or less water in the
waterfalls, it looks different when it’s
sunny or cloudy, you see a part of a glacier
you hadn’t seen before… Iceland is wonderful
and you never get sick of seeing it
again and again.
ExpEriEncE thE bEautiful icElandic wondErs
- THE NORTHERN LIGHTS BUS
- THE BEAUTIFUL SOUTH COAST
- THE VOLCANIC PENINSULA-REYKJANES
- GOLDEN CIRCLE & THE SECRET LAGOON
Book online and get 5% discount at: www.sternatravel.com
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