The Icelandic Canadian - 01.09.2000, Blaðsíða 27

Vol. 56 #1
THE ICELANDIC CANADIAN
25
Icelandic history and tried, however unsuc-
cessfully, to learn the Icelandic language. I
picked up the odd word here and there, but the
majority of the language eluded me. I settled
for being able to say “godan daginn” and
“goda nott.” As time wore on, I gradually
picked up a little more of the language but my
Canadian accent and constant mispronuncia-
tions never failed to make the Icelanders
smile. At the end of the first week, we were
told where we were going and what jobs we
were expected to do. I was headed for
Isafjordur to stay with fourth cousins whom I
had written to since I was about ten years-old.
I’d be working in the Isafjordur hospital. As
things turned out though, I spent only two and
one half weeks working there. Thorvaldur and
Salvar, (my hosts), were both involved in
Scouts and Scout Jamboree was being held
just outside Reykjavik during the time that I
was to be staying with them. I went along
with their group. It was quite an experience! I
had never camped before, but it was all worth
it. There were over five thousand people from
all over the world. There were so many activ-
ities. I went mudsliding, exploring caves at
3:30 a.m., mountain hiking, dancing at the
“Cafe” that had been set up, but most impor-
tantly I met such wonderful, special people.
Some have become good friends. In
September, I went to Norway to visit family
and friends that I met while camping.
After camping, all the scouts from
Isafjordur headed back and I settled in with
Helga, Kristjan, Porolfur, and Salvor. I spent
the next two weeks getting to know them bet-
ter and finding out that they were fun-loving
and caring people. They were very eager to
show me the amazing sights of the West
Fjords. We made it up to Adalvik, a two hour
trek from Isafjordur by boat, to see the
remains of the farm where my great-grand-
mother had lived.
Working in the hospital was also a good
experience. For the first part, 1 was downstairs
washing dishes, which doesn’t, sound terribly
exciting, but it was great because of the peo-
ple I worked with. I also spent a week work-
ing with the older patients, which was incred-
ibly different from anything I had ever done
before. Communication was difficult but not a
real problem as there was always a nurse
Snorri participants at Leif Erickson statue in
Reykjavik.
around to translate.
The last week, all the members of the
Snorri Program met up and began the
Adventure Tour. It was wild. We were able to
go river rafting, horseback riding, hiking and
sightseeing to such places as Dettifoss, and
Geysir, the location for Njalis Saga. It was
really amazing to see the country in such a
way.
The Snorri program was a wonderful way
to become connected to Iceland and my past.
It was an opportunity I am very glad I didn’t
miss.