Reykjavík Grapevine - 09.05.2008, Blaðsíða 8

08 | Reykjavík Grapevine | Issue 05 2008 | Opinion
As I braved the howling wind with gusts that
swayed my petite body like a dandelion seed, I
could hear the fervent roar of the snow-covered
Gulfoss waterfall plummeting beneath monstrous
icicles. I guarded each step with my dear life as a
flimsy toothpick-like rope marked the vertigo-in-
spiring precipice. I felt pure awe and wonderment
(along with some jittery butterflies in my stomach)
as I came face to face with tons of blue water that
descended this magnificent cascade resembling
a staircase. The sheer exhilaration of standing so
close to the edge was mixed with the fear of fall-
ing to my death.
This is what I love about Iceland: the liberty
to do what you please. Here you have the freedom
to die in a waterfall if you are stupid enough or
brave enough to get just a little too close. Natural
attractions in Iceland aren’t tampered with. This
does not hold true in many countries in which
governments behave like overzealous parents or
are so paranoid about a lawsuit that nature-loving
tourists are given ridiculous restrictions. Walls are
built in order to prevent curious sightseers from
meeting untimely deaths. Building concrete slabs
surrounding a pristine waterfall in order to “pro-
tect” the spectator is an oxymoron in the same
way that a caged bird is. If a tourist behaves reck-
lessly let him or her deal with the consequences of
their actions. Why does nature have to be ruined?
In many countries a common sight is a beautiful
waterfall surrounded by a concrete mess in order
for us humans to get the best view the easiest way.
Anyone who has seen the Niagara Falls knows
what I am talking about. This famous waterfall
has been made so convenient and safe for the lazy
tourist that the road passes right beside it so you
don’t even have to get out of your car to view it.
Another thing I love about Iceland is that
here I have the freedom to visit a waterfall at
moonlight or a geyser during the midnight sun. I
have actually done both in order to avoid other
tourists and relish in the deep tranquillity of be-
ing alone amongst echoes and wind. This is also
not the norm in other countries. In Puerto Rico
the national rainforest has a gate and closes at six.
Last summer I was taking my time hiking around
and skinny-dipping in several waterfalls when I
noticed it was 7:30. It wasn’t even dark yet. When
I tried to leave, the rickety gate was closed and I
had to summon a guard to open it. I thought to my-
self, this is not a mall. How can nature have a clos-
ing time? I am always reminded of this experience
every time I explore Iceland’s jaw-dropping nature
and really appreciate the fact that I can hike at any
hour around Skaftafell National Park.
I feel that Iceland and its inhabitants truly
understand and allow their wilderness to remain
like its name indicates: wild. For this same reason
Landmannalaugar has rustic cottage accommoda-
tions that blend into the sand coloured mountains
and is not an eyesore. Thankfully there is no five-
star swanky hotel, which would ruin the feeling of
immersing yourself in the lava-covered landscape.
The more I travel abroad in search of inspiring na-
ture the more disillusioned I get. Instead of find-
ing more Icelands, I find more Niagaras. Recently
upon a trip to Morocco, I was disgusted upon see-
ing the death of the Todra Gorge. I tried to block
the image of the luxury hotel situated smack in the
middle of the gorge from my mind and decided
that this must have been such a beautiful place
once upon a time but now relegated to corniness
and convenience.
Basically, I just want to say thank you to
Iceland for allowing me to enjoy nature at its
pristine glory. In a country where every summer
the number of tourists surpasses the local popu-
lation, the tourism industry could have exploited
the nature for every dime its worth. Instead pu-
rity is preserved and that is what keeps people
coming back.
How likely is it that a foreigner moves to Iceland,
builds a sufficient amount of capital, starts a busi-
ness and becomes a success? In my opinion, it’s
not that likely at all. Even though the Icelandic
market is not completely saturated and there are
plenty of opportunities for entrepreneurship, just
finding a decent paying job alone can be a daunt-
ing task. However, there are always those with the
courage to swim upstream. As it turns out, Lete-
tia Jónsson, Director of Frístundir Ísland (www.
fristundir.is), has no qualms about striking gold in
this Icelandic mine.
Jamaican born and raised in England, Jónsson
moved to Iceland in 2004 along with her husband
and two and a half daughters (she was very preg-
nant at the time as she recalls). At the time she
felt very isolated and without sufficient informa-
tion on involving herself and her children in social
activities – hence the birth of Frístundir Ísland.
Frístundir Ísland is a brainchild of Jónsson’s that
has been in the works for the past two years.
When Jónsson moved here in 2004 she experi-
enced the difficulty in finding a variety of activi-
ties for her three daughters. The concept of Frís-
tundir Ísland is that all children’s activities (from
age 0–18) available in Reykjavik and the surround-
ing municipalities are centralised and in one spe-
cific location. This is so that parents have a variety
of options in front of them to make an informed
decision about their children’s extracurricular ac-
tivities. The information presented on the website,
as well as in a detailed handbook, also comes in
multiple languages including Icelandic, English
and Polish. She talks about the fact that newcom-
ers like herself need to feel as if businesses are
making an effort to make their products inviting to
all types of families inhabiting the community.
GG: Why did you decide to start Frístundir
Ísland?
LJ: When I first came to Iceland information
on activities for children was very limited. Ev-
erything was in Icelandic and finding courses for
the kids was trial and error. So the idea came to
me to centralise the information for parents and
make it extremely accessible....accessible by way
of crossing municipalities and by being available
in multiple languages.
GG: Have you had any problems starting the
business based on the fact that you’re a for-
eigner?
LJ: Nothing overtly obvious. If I spoke Icelandic
more fluently, contacting clients would be easier
and the process would flow more smoothly. I am
a people person and if my language skills were
present things would fall into place much quick-
er.
GG: Do you foresee any obstacles in the
way?
LJ: Well, the idea is very new for people. When
I present the idea to a client, they think it’s bril-
liant and they love it, but I think it’s something
that they’re simply not used to seeing here. My
background is in project management. Working
in business process reengineering, I was stream-
lining and making things more cost effective so
business enterprises would run more efficiently.
People just need to get used to this idea.
GG: With the Icelandic economy’s current
position, do you think it’s a good time to start
a business?
LJ: People will always want activities for their
children. My middle daughter, Thea, has always
been committed to handball and no matter what
the financial commitments are my family will al-
ways do what it takes to support her.
GG: What is your advice for other foreigners
starting their own business?
LJ: You have to have thick skin and you can’t
take no for an answer. You have to have the type
of personality of someone who is not afraid to
persevere. You have to keep trying and you must
keep on.
GG: What will it take to make Frístundir Ís-
land a success?
LJ: It’ll take clients buying in and believing in
the idea. This is also about integration, bringing
people in and making this business accessible to
all groups in Iceland.
Jónsson not only has a strong mindset for the
business world, but she’s also thinking about the
bigger picture in terms of creating a multi-cultural
friendly business attracting all types of families
in Iceland. All parents living in Iceland want the
best for their children and it’s about time someone
did something about it.
The Wild in Wilderness
Striking Gold
Gabrielle Guðbjartsson moved to Iceland in 2006.
She will one day run a Fortune 500 company.
Marie-Alexandra Hertell hails from Puerto Rico. She
is a child of nature.