Icelandic Family
One of my biggest apprehensions about this Dialogue was the fact that I didn’t know anyone on the trip. I’d never taken a class with Mal before and I didn’t recognize any of the names of the other students going on the trip. At the end of Spring semester, we had three meetings to prepare for the trip, but they were definitely more informational than social. I also wasn’t sure if other students already knew each other and would have their own circles intact before the trip even began. The terrible thought was always lingering in the back of my mind: What if I don’t make any friends?
Without a doubt, meeting everyone in the airport for the first time was a bit awkward. Everyone was friendly, but most people were just making small talk or even resorted to reading our assigned Icelandic sagas rather than face the stretched out silences. We were all dealing with the nerves that come right before going abroad, so it was tough to get to know each other.
The awkward dynamic changed almost immediately as soon as we reached our first campsite. Iceland decided to greet us with rain the moment we began to set up our tents. It ended up being a mad dash to get our stuff out of the bus and to where we’d be sleeping. I was also one of the students who was guilty of only practicing putting my tent up once or twice, so the process of pitching it was not effortless. However, as soon as more experienced campers finished setting up their tents, they began to help the novices with their own tents.This sort of experience is exactly why I’ve had such a good time on this dialogue so far.
Meeting other students in the group was really easy because this trip requires a lot of teamwork and collaboration. When we went out on geological studies, students who were more advanced in the subject teamed up with beginners to work on figuring out the different rock formations. We are also divided into different cooking teams that cook once a week. Cooking for 30 people definitely requires a lot of communication and time spent together working to reach the common goal of serving an amazing meal.
Camping together also provides its own unique ways of bonding students together. We all complain about the cold and give tips for staying warm over breakfast. We get to bask in the picturesque landscapes that we get to live in while also taking shelter from midges (Icelandic nats) that plague Northern Iceland. We help each other get laundry done because we all know how nice clean clothes feel after hiking and getting dirty each day.
I’ve also found that living in tents creates a natural dynamic that leads to everyone spending time together. No one likes to stay cooped up in their tent all day. Most people are outside in the campsite playing cards, going on ice cream runs, or even just reading outside together. One of the weirdest things about our campsite at Holar University was the fact that we had rooms and beds rather than tents for five nights. The beds were definitely appreciated (the nights seemed to fly by), but it was strange being so separated and not knowing if people were out on a hike, hanging in the lounge, or just chilling in their rooms. We all still hung out and had a blast, but it was fun for me to return to our tent village life style.
It’s only been two weeks, but I feel as though I’ve known some of the people here much longer. Our group was lucky enough to have students who are all inclusive, empathetic, and excited to be here. We’ve climbed mountains, eaten shark, celebrated birthdays, and swam in caves together. It’s hard to share these experiences with others and not feel closer to them. I truly feel at home with my Husky community here in Iceland, and the nagging voice in my head worried about making friends has thankfully been silenced.
