Advent 2010 XI: Reminiscing

It is now my fourth day of the camp as I write this. On Saturday we stood on Laugavegur – the main street in RVK – giving out hot chocolate to passers by and asking them to give a donation to the Icelandic Red Cross. I was paired with a South Korean girl called Sing-Sing. Despite the fact that we had not decorations and, most of the time, no hot chocolate, we did pretty good work. Sing-Sing was very enthusiastic, and I spoke more Icelandic than I think I have in my whole time here. On Sunday I worked with James AKA Jimbo well as two other girls (Debby, a very shy New Yorker and Sony, a German living in Barcelona) in a Christmas market which was raising money for an organic village for people with mental disabilities called Solheima. I got a t-shirt which reads in Icelandic “I am a friend of Solheima”. And yesterday after much indecision on my behalf I went with others to the Blue Lagoon. It was not worth the price. 5500 kr – about £35 - just to swim in a blue pool? No, I don’t recommend it.

I am starting to realise how much Iceland means to me and how much I will miss it, and I already am planning my next trip here. Also I am planning vaguely in my mind a trip around Europe to visit all the amazing people I came to know here in Eyrarbakki in the summer.

But I’m not stupid – I won’t write it off just yet. Instead I will quietly love Iceland and when I’m lonely, reminisce. And also I will do things with these people and wait for relationships to develop.

One saving grace is that I have my guitar. When I play I feel safe and comfortable, and as there’s a bloke here who is a musical wonder, full of energy and ideas and life, playing together is really great.

Don’t think I’m having a bad time! Sometimes I feel a little lonely, but most of the time I am happy to experience it in my way, knowing Iceland a little more, observing people and of course talking to them too. I’m not shy, just coming at the camp from a different direction to the others which may be why it’s taking me a bit longer to fall in.

Here are some photos for the Advent calendar

Giving hot chocolate to reluctant Icelanders.
View from Hallgrimskirkja in the direction of our house.