Lögberg-Heimskringla - 01.02.2012, Page 2

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2 • Lögberg-Heimskringla • February 1 2012
News
Alana Odegard, who takes the stage at the INL of NA Convention
in May, reversed the trend when
she went back to the land of her
ancestors, attended university
and worked there, and then mar-
ried an Icelander and produced
a child. Now they have all re-
turned to Manitoba, and she will
share with us her insights on liv-
ing and working in Iceland.
She first went to Iceland in
August 2004 as an exchange
student at the University of
Iceland through the University
of Manitoba, subsequently
finishing her English Lit degree
in Winnipeg before returning to
Iceland. June 2011 found her
back in Winnipeg… she was
ready for a change, to enrol in
the Creative Communications
program at Red River College
in Winnipeg and to be closer
to family after the birth of her
daughter.
I first met Alana as a
12-year-old when her family
lived in Toronto, a bright young
girl who produced innovative
gifts for sale at our club events,
before the family returned to
the prairies. I was delighted to
rediscover her through Iceland
Review Online, for whom she
was a weekly columnist, writ-
ing more than 100 Daily Life
columns. She was one of the
website’s top-rated columnists.
Her columns chronicled her
discoveries about our differ-
ences and similarities, always
with insight and humour.
I met her in person
again in 2009 at the Toronto
International Film Festival on
the occasion of the Canadian
premiere of Friðrik Friðriksson’s
Sólskinsdrengurinn (A Mother’s
Courage: Talking Back to
Autism), an award-winning
documentary film narrated by
Oscar winner Kate Winslet.
She had worked on the film as a
Production Assistant, completing
a wide range of assignments
including creative writing,
editing, transcription services,
rewriting, correspondence,
event coordination, managing
social media, and website
maintenance.
During this time, she was
also with Hjallastefnan schools,
where she taught English to
children aged two to nine years
at private schools and devel-
oped a comprehensive English
curriculum, including original
lesson plans, worksheets and
unique teaching methods, all
of which are still being used by
teachers at 13 private schools
across Iceland.
Her extensive resume
includes writing for many
publications, as well as for
blogs and her current status as
a radio announcer on CreComm
Radio Inc. (92.9 KICK FM),
where she records voice tracks
(introduces songs and discusses
current events) that are aired
over a three-hour period once
a week. Her most recent award
is the Training for Tomorrow
Scholarship Award, Manitoba
Status of Women, in October
2011.
Alana’s parents are Patrice
Kristjana (Olafson) Odegard,
born in Winnipeg, MB and Mark
Wayne Odegard, born in Swift
Current, SK. Her Icelandic
ancestors came from various
areas in Iceland, including Ytri
Hraundalur, Hallkelsstaðahlíð,
Borgargerði, Stakkahlíð in
Loðmundarfjörður, Klyppsstað
and Saurbæ in Eyjafjörður,
Ólafsvík in Snæfellsnessýsla,
Hóll in Tungusveit in
Skagafjörður, Einarsstaðir in
Kræklingahlíð, Hvassafell
in Eyjafjörður, Hraundal in
Mýrasýslu. Most settled in
Arborg, MB, but others lived in
North Dakota and Minnesota.
Alana’s topic is “Perspectives
of a Canadian living in Iceland.”
Says Alana, “I am looking for-
ward to sharing my experience
of living in Iceland with a group
of people who are just as in love
as I am with the little island in
the North Atlantic.”
The INL of NA Convention
runs May 3 to 6 in Brandon,
Manitoba. Go to www.
inlofna.org for details, click on
Conventions.
Gail Einarson-McCleery, O.F
Toronto, ON
Conference speaker Alana Odegard:
Perspectives of a Canadian living in Iceland
Members of the Gimli Icelandic Canadian Society and friends
gathered recently at the Lady of
the Lake theatre for a presenta-
tion about the Snorri programs.
Our Snorri Rep. Inga Robak
introduced the speakers. Jackie
Walker was first. She had gone
for the Snorri Plus adventure
when it was first offered. Then
Sarah Painter who was a Snorri
participant last year gave her
presentation. Wow! What an
experience for both of them and
for us gathered there as well.
We laughed and we cried
and enjoyed it all and went
home the wiser as to what a
Snorri experience can mean to
the participant.
Meeting the Snorris
Dilla Narfason
Gimli, MB
The Snorri girls – Jackie Walker and Sarah Painter
At the end of the film, Sig
Sigurdson, president of the FOI-
Ottawa, presented, on behalf
of the members, a farewell gift
to our beloved Ambassador,
Sigríður Anna Þórðardóttir
and her husband, Reverend
Jon Thorsteinsson. The gift
consisted of a set of Canadian
candlesticks created by Richard
Gill, a ceramicist. On the lighter
side, a Reindeer Insurance Policy
Certificate, created by Peter
Holmes, to cover their return trip
from Canada to Iceland, was also
presented to the Ambassador.
Ambassador Þórðardóttir served
as Iceland’s ambassador to
Canada from September 15,
2008, to December 16, 2011.
There were approximately
70 people in attendance. As
usual, the Jólaglögg was a very
successful venture. All who
attended the film stayed for the
Jólaglögg and in particular to
say”farewell” to Ambassador
Sigríður and Jon. A joyous time
was had by all.
The text of the farewell
presentation is outlined as
follows:
“Your Excellency, on
September 15, 2008, you
presented your credentials to our
Governor General of Canada.
You were the first woman
from Iceland to serve as an
ambassador to Canada since the
establishment of the Embassy
in 2001. Since your arrival, you
have travelled to all parts of
our beautiful country to see for
yourself and to understand our
customs, culture, languages and
what it is that makes us truly
Canadian.
“Upon your arrival, both
you and Jon opened your hearts,
and you invited us to your home
and treated us like members
of your family. We have had
the pleasure of co-ordinating
a number of functions with you
over the past three years and it
has always been a pleasure to
work with you. You were very
kind and generous with your
time. On a personal level I can
truly say, Ambassador Sigríður,
you have spoiled us. Although
you are leaving for Iceland
tomorrow morning, I would like
you to know that the people who
had the pleasure of working with
you, will keep these memories in
a special place in their hearts.
“I will say “Farewell” and
hope that we have the pleasure
to meet again. Now, on behalf
of the “Friends of Iceland,” it is
my pleasure to present you and
Jon with a token gift that we
hope will bring back pleasant
memories of Canada upon your
return to Iceland”.
FOI – Ottawa
from 1
www.BankersandTraders.com
Jeff KristJanson
Private insurance broker
10203-139 Street, Edmonton780.451.5755
Home • Auto • CommerCiAl
Alana Odegard speaks at the INL of NA conference
Photo: helga MalIs