I live in Iceland. I have muttered these words for a few weeks now and it is still surreal. I live in a foreign country. This is interesting considering I just received a passport last year and visited Canada for the first time--the first time on any foreign soil. Now, I live near the Arctic … Continue reading Greetings from Iceland
If you think the volcanoes, geysers, and waterfalls in Iceland are amazing, wait until you hear about the Christmas traditions of Icelanders! I admit I am not a big holiday-celebrating person; I stopped decorating once my son was out of the house which coincided with the start my Ph.D. program. But if I permanently … Continue reading It’s a wonderful life in Iceland
On my first day in Iceland, I rode the bus from the Keflavík airport to Reykjavík. Along the way, the bus driver mentioned several interesting places I should visit, as he pointed beyond the vast volcanic landscape that enveloped the main highway on either side. He said this was the site of a big construction … Continue reading Secret Santa and Why We Don’t Mess with Elves
Now that the days have slowly grown from three hours of daylight to more than nine hours, I am happy to get out to conduct my field research once again. This is an excellent opportunity to explore and experience Iceland in all its beautiful ruggedness. Although winter is not over, there are still opportunities to get … Continue reading The Science of It All
As I walked last night along the main highway that passes through the Hjaltadalur Valley, making my way by moonlight reflected on snow, I reflected on my first 100 days in Iceland and how I have adjusted to this exciting new life. Nature, 360 It is hard to look around Iceland and not be captivated by … Continue reading 100 Days in Iceland
I affectionately refer to winter in Iceland as “The Dark Times” but winter also provides one of the most beautiful displays of scenery during the few hours of daylight the season has to offer. Each day since my arrival and up until the winter solstice, the light has diminished so discretely, that you barely know … Continue reading Winter in Iceland, or How I learned to Supplement with Vitamin D
I was invited to talk parasites with a graduate student that lives in the Westfjords of Iceland. This was a great opportunity to collect snails for my own research but also, to learn about parasitic copepods of fish. I jumped at the opportunity for an adventure to the beautiful mountains of the Westfjords, but … Continue reading Talking Parasites and Icelandic Food in Tálknafjördur, Westfjords, Iceland
Are the northern lights on your bucket list? They were not on my list because I could not imagine ever being in the arctic to experience them. However, when I learned I would be living in Iceland for a year, the northern lights made it to #1 on my list! If you Google “northern lights” you … Continue reading Let there be light, eventually
Although Iceland is the size of Kentucky, its shoreline is the same distance traveling by car from San Francisco to New York City via Interstate 40. The reason for this is the multitude of peninsulas that Iceland has. While I do not know exactly how many peninsulas Iceland has; I can tell you that even … Continue reading Murder, Trolls, and Seals on Vatnsnes Peninsula
On a cold, autumn afternoon, across the pastoral landscape of Iceland’s Kolbeinsdalur valley, you can hear a gentle-rumbling that originates over a fog-laden hill. Breaking through the fog is a large herd of Icelandic horses, guided by wranglers. Today is the annual smala hrossum (the gathering) of the herds from their summer pastures which … Continue reading At the Intersection of Tradition and Tourism
An American Scientist In Iceland 