Lögberg-Heimskringla - 01.04.2012, Qupperneq 3

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Lögberg-Heimskringla • 1. apríl 2012 • 3
News
Unlike many of you, I didn’t come to my interest in Icelandic via
family connections or ancestry.
I’ve been fascinated with the
Icelandic language since I first
saw a copy of the Morgunblaðið
on a friend’s coffee table many
years ago. As a musician
interested in Scandinavian
traditional music, I have spent
time looking at Icelandic song
texts without knowing how they
should be pronounced.
When I went to Iceland on a
three-week working trip a couple
of years later, I loved the place,
geysirs, hot springs, Brennivín,
woolen goods and all. I also
loved the sound of the language,
although my attempt to learn
to count from one to ten failed
miserably at the mysterious and
unpronounceable einn (one).
Despite that temporary
setback, over the intervening
years I maintained a desire
to learn a bit of Icelandic if
the chance arose. So when I
heard last summer that classes
were being offered through the
ICCT, I signed up and joined
the beginner’s group in October.
Led by Sunneva Bernhardsdottir
and Naomi Grosman – thank
the gods they’re both so patient
and good-natured – the classes
are informal, easy-going,
inexpensive, and are held in
a convenient location not far
from the Runnymede subway.
My fellow students are a
refreshing group of people from
very different walks of life,
and together we’re enjoying
learning this remarkable
language. With its nouns not
based on Latin or Greek roots,
Icelandic is a challenge but it
fascinates me. An example:
the word for ‘idea,’ hugmynd,
literally translates as ‘head/
mind picture’ – that’s exactly
what an idea is. Or ‘photograph’
– ljósmynd, a ‘light picture.’
I’m happy to report that
since joining the classes I’m
finally able to pronounce einn;
and though its declensions are
a bit daunting, I’m enjoying the
challenge.
Learning Icelandic in Toronto
Alison Melville
Toronto, ON
Have you heard the news? The Icelandic National League of
North America has a new club
and we want you to join.
The Icelandic Online
Club is a place for Icelanders,
people of Icelandic descent,
and people who are interested
in an Icelandic club to be
involved in a group online,
that is a fully participating
chapter of the INL of NA
from anywhere in the world.
Participate in group chats,
monthly topics, projects, and
more. Members have the
ability to share and discuss
genealogy, culture, travel,
language, books, Icelandic
crafts, as well as many other
interests with club members.
The Icelandic Online
Club launched December
31, 2011 and already has
members from the United
States, Canada, Iceland and
even as far as Japan. Our
members access an exclusive
private Facebook Group page
to learn about a monthly
Icelandic topic, and discuss
and share information, photos
and experiences with other
members. Twice a month the
club has live group chats to
get to know other members,
and discuss and share all
things Icelandic.
If you are interested in
joining the Icelandic Online
Club and would like more
information, go to the Icelandic
Online Club information page
at inlofna.org/IOC/
Be sure to tell your friends
and come join the fun. We
look forward to seeing you
as a member of the Icelandic
Online Club.
Icelandic Online Club
attracting members
Angel Johnson Nelson
Co-President of the Club
Austin, TX
The FOI – Ottawa Annual General Meeting was held on Sunday, February
26, 2012, in the residence
of Ambassador Þórður Ægir
Óskarsson in Ottawa. In his
welcoming remarks, the new
Ambassador noted that the
Friends of Iceland had a long
historical connection to the
Ambassador’s residence and
that he looked forward to a con-
tinuation of this relationship
– “This is your home too.” He
noted that in the short time he
had been in Canada, he found
that he did not like snow but was
warming up to hockey. He ex-
tended greetings from his wife
who will join him in the spring.
For the benefit of the group, he
outlined his career which start-
ed as a son of a fisherman from
Akranes. He closed by inviting
the group to a reception after
the meeting, noting that in the
absence of his wife, it would
not include pönnukökur.
Thirty-four members of the
FOI attended the AGM. The
Ambassador’s dining room
table was laden with delicious
finger food, along with some
very nice wine. The AGM
provided an excellent vehicle
for Ambassador Óskarsson to
welcome the members of the
FOI to his official residence
and “meet and greet” a number
of members he had not met
previously.
Sig Sigurdson
Ottawa, ON
Ambassador hosts FOI AGM
A nnua l
General
Meeting
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Our new Ambassador, Þórður Ægir Óskarsson, arrived in Ottawa at the beginning of February, and one of his first engagements with our Icelandic Canadian community was
his attendance at the Friends of Iceland Þorrablót, at which he was
warmly welcomed.
After an early career including journalism, working with NATO
and in the Foreign Ministry, he was promoted to Ambassador in
1999, and became Permanent Representative of Iceland to the
OSCE, UNOV, IAEA and CTBTO.
Since then, he has filled the Ambassador post in Austria,
while also being accredited as Ambassador to Bosnia and
Herzegovina, Hungary and Slovakia, and in Japan, as well as
being Special Representative to the Palestinian Authority and
most recently Director for Defence and Security Affairs in the
Foreign Ministry.
He is married to Mrs. Sigurbörg Oddsdóttir and has two
daughters. She will be joining him shortly when her obligations have
been met in Iceland; his daughters are in University elsewhere.
I met with Þórður briefly while in Iceland for Christmas and
was impressed with his easy manner and great interest in all things
Icelandic in North America. He has been researching the settlement
period and our current position in the Canadian mosaic and looks
forward to travelling across the
country and getting to know us
all. Having already attended
Ottawa’s Þorrablót, he is
planning to be in Toronto
for April 14, as well
as attending the INL
of NA Convention in
Brandon, Manitoba the
first weekend in May.
One of his interests is
music, especially collecting
vinyl records, so we hope
to see many more Icelandic
musicians travel to Canada in
the near future.
We welcome him
to Canada and
look forward to
many pleasurable
opportunities to
introduce him to our
great country.
Canada’s new Icelandic ambassador, Þórður Ægir Óskarsson
New Icelandic
ambassador to Canada
Gail Einarson-McCleery, O.F.
Toronto, ON
Photo courteSy of the ambaSSador
Four new airlines flying into Iceland
Viðskiptablaðið – Next summer 17 airline
companies will make Iceland one of their
destinations. This includes four new companies,
and Isavia (The Icelandic Civil Aviation
Administration) spokesman Friðþór Eydal
deems it unlikely that so many companies have
previously landed in the country.
Five of these companies are planning to
fly to Iceland year-round. The Icelandic Travel
Industry Association’s Managing Director
Erna Hauksdóttir said that this was positive.
“Naturally, we are pleased with all of the good
airline companies but especially with those
planning to fly to Iceland the entire year.”
Icelandair’s Communications Representative
Guðjón Arngrímsson echoed this sentiment:
“Interest in Iceland has been increasing,
substantially thanks to the marketing efforts
exerted for Iceland in previous years. It is quite
reasonable for others to notice opportunities in
this market and want to get a slice.”
According to information on turisti.is,
the offering of flights from Iceland will not
increase by much, despite the four new air
companies mentioned above. Two of every
three departures from the Keflavík Airport this
summer will be with Icelandair, which will
continue to be the biggest airline company by
far in Iceland.
Reprinted with permission from INB
published KOM PR