Of Geysers and Gyrfalcons

How long will you be staying?” A stocky Icelandic immigration official examines my passport intently. “Six weeks” I reply. “And what are you doing in Iceland?” She compares me to the photo. I pull down my mask and beam at her. “Studying abroad!”

Iceland is a beautiful country. My first week was punctuated by volcanoes, lava fields, geysers, and waterfalls. It’s very challenging for me to keep this blog from turning into a photo dump! 

lecture time on a bed of moss

The program began at a research station based in the Reykjanes Peninsula. Arriving from the airport and walking in the front door, jet lagged as all hell, we were greeted by a massive taxidermy walrus with more of his preserved friends further inside. The walls were lined with pickled arthropods and many species of native birds. I knew from the start that I was in for a good time. 

There is little downtime in the program, but it’s all still very manageable. After that first couple days of orienting ourselves and laying the groundwork for the academics, we spent our time exploring and learning about the nature and culture of the country. 

I love the outdoor classroom. My favorite lecture was on geology at the bridge between the continents, where the North American and Eurasian continents are diverging at about the same rate that your fingernails grow in a year. This is the only place on the planet a plate boundary rises above sea level, which makes it all that more special. We have also learned about the different types of lava (A’a and Pahoehoe) at Fagradalsfjall, a volcano that erupted just months earlier.

reading peer-reviewed articles on a volcano

One of the highlights from that first week was helping one of the researchers with their project, chasing down oystercatcher chicks, weighing, tagging and measuring them. The process involved driving slowly along the country road, looking for chicks then exploding out of the car doors to run and grab them as soon as they were spotted.  

he's not dead, I promise!

For one reason or another, when laid on their backs the chicks became quite calm. This made weighing them relatively easy!

We did not stay at the research station for very long — after a couple excursions to visit a variety of locations with hot springs and lighthouses, we began the journey around the country, moving southwest into the interior and camping as we go.

Iceland is full of geography that dares you to just try and pronounce it, such as Snæfellsjökull or Fjaðrárgljúfur. The people here are very proud of their language, although much of the population also speaks English. All signage is posted primarily in Icelandic. 

My first time shopping at the grocery store it was a real challenge. I wish someone told me that you could change languages at the self-checkout – Buying an onion has never been more difficult. It’s like taking a test you have never studied for! It was only after checkout that I noticed a small button at the bottom left corner that said “language” on it. 

As one of the most sparsely populated countries in the world, there is an excess of places to go if you just want to be alone. The touristy destinations are an exception, of course. At Geysir, the site of the geyser from which all get their name, people gather in droves. This is also just a stone’s toss from Gullfoss, the most visited waterfall in the country (and there are a LOT of waterfalls in Iceland). Both are still well worth the visit! 

My favorite part of study abroad so far has not been the places that I have been, but rather the people that I have been there with. I love cooking meals and eating together, getting rained on together, and even squabbling over the aux cord. We are all crunchy granola at heart; everyone studies the environment in one way or another. Perhaps birds of a feather flock together.

I’m loving life and learning a lot. But you know what really makes me smile? There is not a sole mosquito to be found anywhere for hundreds of kilometers.

þar til næst,

Owen

Non-SU Program - Wildland Studies-Artic Ecosystems - Iceland - Summer 2022