Leaving for Iceland Tomorrow!

It feels completely unreal that tomorrow I will board a plane and head to Iceland for five weeks. When I applied to Northeastern, I was highly influenced by the amount of study abroad programs that the university had to offer. I have not had the opportunity to travel extensively and decided that college would be the perfect time to start. Now, as a rising fourth year, I finally have my chance.

It has been a goal of mine to get to Iceland for as long as I can remember. The quirky personality of the country makes it one of the happiest populations on Earth. I am most excited to capture the country through the lens of my camera and witness how beautiful the landscape is in person. I know that my experience abroad will allow me to appreciate nature’s beauty more than I ever have in the United States. The majority of my time will be spent in very rural areas, and my group will be traveling through ¾ of the country while we are there! With less than twenty people on my dialogue, I know this experience will teach me how to be more independent and in touch with myself.

As for goals of my dialogue, I want to immerse myself in the Icelandic culture and really understand how the people live. This means doing everything I can to observe and learn about the population. Maybe I’ll even bite the bullet and try the rotten fish that is common in Iceland? I also hope to challenge myself creatively by really working hard in my classes and using my teachers as a resource for improvement.

Going to Iceland on an art-based dialogue is definitely pushing me out of my comfort zone. As a behavioral neuroscience major, taking photographs and playing with my camera has only ever been a hobby. I am definitely nervous to be taking my first art class in college, but I am so excited to be creative in such an incredible country. It will also be my first time away from home for such an extended time, and I am nervous that the adjustment may be difficult at first. I have also never experience jet lag, so that should be interesting. I guess I’l find out tomorrow!