Lögberg-Heimskringla - 23.07.1964, Blaðsíða 24

24
LÖGBERG-HEIMSKRINGLA, FIMMTUDAGINN 23. JÚLl 1964
Elín Josephson:
MY SOJOURN TO ICELAND
Miss Elín Josephson was a recipieni of ihe Governmeni
of Iceland Fellowship for posl-graduale studies ai ihe ihe
Universiiy of Iceland lasi year. She has graciusly consenied
io wrile a series of arlicles about her experiences in ihe
land of her forefathers. We are cerlain ihai they will be
read wiih inierest especially by ihe younger readers of
Lögberg-Heimskringla. Miss Josephson also received scholar-
ships from Canada-Iceland Foundaiion.
staff and student body a
veritable League of Nations.
This great diversity of
national origins and cultural
backgrounds will, in the long
run, result in something new
and distinctive. During the
long process of development
and integration difficulties
and conflicting viewpoints
may arise which call for toler-
ance, good-will and under-
standing based on a clear
knowledge of the background
and aspirations of many
different peoples.
No longer is this area
isolated and inaccessible.
Winnipeg is now within two
hours distance, by jet pro-
pelled planes, from the city
of Toronto and seven to nine
hours from London, England.
We can travel north by air or
by rail to Churchill on the
Hudson’s Bay. By automobile,
we can travel on broad paved
highways to any destination
on the Atlantic or the Pacific
coast. Radio and television
have brought the news and
the events behind the news
into our living - rooms.
The Queen of Canada and of
the Commonwealth speaks to
us from her fire-side in
Buckingham Palace in London
and in that very same instant
we hear her voice in our
homes.
Even though our consitu-
tions of government and our
courts of justice are traditi-
onally British and our official
languages are English and
French, it is now obvious that
the Canadian citizen of the
future will reflect the cultural
influences of many other
lands.
In the fullness of time
there will evolve an indi-
genous culture based on the
experiences, traditions, ideals,
sacrifices and struggles of the
Canadian people. This di-
stinctive Canadian culture
will continue to be enriched
in having its roots deep in our
collective and diverse herit-
age.
Comeplete article in Icelandic
Canadian spring issue 1961.
Elín Josephson
The experience of having
spent a winter in Iceland was
for me a most enriching one.
The island is scientifically a
strange and interesting land
which is given by its people
warmth and a personality all
its own. Becoming acquainted
with the countryside proved
interesting, for the nature of
the land arouses curiosity.
It was, however, the living
with and getting to know the
people of Iceland which gave
the real meaning to my stay.
Invelvement with people in
Reykjavík brought to tuch
of many lands. Stud-
ent life — especially life
in Garður — put me into
close contact with foreign as
well as Icelandic students. I
was a foreign student. We,
the foreign students, were a
group.
Our first week in Iceland
was one of involvement with
my fellow foreign students.
Those of us on the “styrk”
from the Menntamálaráðu-
neytið were taken Monday,
September 23 by car to Laug-
arvatn, a summer resort about
an hour from Reykjavík.
There we received some ori-
entation towards Iceland.
And there we became
acquainted with one another.
Not all of our “group” had
as yet arrived. Eight of us
(later ten) shared the Mennta-
skóli residence, which in the
summer doubles as a resort
hotel. During the week we
heard informal lectures by
well-known experts in their
fields. We saw films. We
went by bus to Þingvellir,
Gulfoss and Geysir, and
Skálholt. We took advantage
of the sauna and the natur-
ally heated swimming pool.
We read, chatted, and ate the
elaborate meals and coffee
“snacks” prepared for us five
times a day. Delicious Ice-
land food at its best!
On Tuesday, October 1, we
were back on the road and
soon again in Reykjavík. We
were taken to Garður, the
university residence, and as-
signed to our rooms. The
students from Norway, Den-
mark, Sweden, England and
the Netherlands were to live
in Nýja Garði. The rest of us
were shown to rooms in
Gamla Garði, the older resi-
dence. My fellow Gamla
Garðians hailed from the
United States, Greenland and
Germany.
The birthday of an Ameri-
can student provided occasion
for our foreign group to get
together that first night in
Garður. The next day would
bring the real beginning of
our winter sojourn at the
H á s k ó 1 i (university) in
Reykjavík. In the weeks to
come I would like to write
about some of the more
specific aspects of those eight
months. I invite you to share
them with me.
Hugheilar árnaðaróskir
TIL ALLRA ÍSLENDINGA
A ÞJÓÐMINNINGARDAGINN
ARNASON ENGINEERING CO.
GENERAL CONTRACTING ENGINEERS
Ph. 642-7954 P.O. Box 130, GIMLI, Mon.
CONGRATULATIONS!
To the lcelandic People on the Occasion
of their National Celebration at Gimli
Sigfusson Tronsportation Co. Ltd.
SPruce 4-2166 PHONES 783-1417
1140 Sanford Street
REYKJAVIK
Hringbraut vi
Simi 15918
BA
*
At The
75th ICELANDIC CELEBRATION
Gimli — August 3rd — 11 a.m.
• Parade • Sports • Choirs • Dancing • Moid of the Mountoin
JLabaff's Manitoba Brewery JLJmifeei