Atlantica - 01.06.2001, Page 62

60 A T L A N T I C A
Water is something that we all take for
granted. A strange approach to take
given that it’s our main physical compo-
nent; and we submerge ourselves in it,
drink it and cook with it. Here in Iceland,
water keeps our homes cosy in the win-
ter. There’s even enough hot water to fill
dozens of outdoor swimming pools
when the winter is at its coldest. In
short, it’s everywhere, and so it’s no sur-
prise that we take it for granted.
Ólöf Inga Ólafsdóttir is up to her shoul-
ders in water nearly every day. Her
schooling was successful and she
appears set to follow a career as a phys-
iotherapist. She works at a centre in
Kópavogur, helping disabled people to
stretch and relax in the indoor pool. The
pool is warm and soft - the perfect tem-
perature for unwinding. Ólöf seems to
know exactly how to move my limbs
and encourage my muscles to relax, but
how does she like her job?
“I really like it. I love the water,” says Ólöf
in a friendly way. “Some days we will be
in the pool for half an hour, and then
maybe for two and a half hours on other
days just depending on how busy we are.
Some of the people that swim here come
as often as three times a week.” It would
be hard not to like Ólöf: she is relaxed and
amiable. She is also very pretty, and
after being badgered by a friend, agreed
to take part in this year’s Miss Iceland
competition. She enjoys every aspect of
doing what she does, from being in the
pool to helping people unwind and feel
better. It seems as though she is the per-
fect person for her job.
And so this water, that we all take for
granted, flows on through our lives.
P
h
o
to
s
P
ál
l S
te
fá
n
ss
o
n
Aqua Magic
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