Iceland: Exploring a Nation through Culture and Climate Study

     In the fall of last year, I sat in Garland Auditorium listening as teachers presented the students with a litany of Global Initiatives trips that traveled to foreign lands. As a junior, I had already heard this presentation twice, and I thought that I was familiar with the usual rotation of service and culture based trips that were on offer. When I heard that Poly was offering a trip to Iceland, however, I jumped at the opportunity to visit a country that held an almost mythical place in my mind. After applying for the trip and getting in, I went to the pre-departure meetings to discuss different aspects of Iceland's history as a politically recognized nation and as an island. No amount of meetings could have prepared me for actually traveling to Iceland, however.

     Iceland was cold. Iceland was always bright. Iceland was unique. These were the three things I was sure of prior to stepping off of a plane in Reykjavik. All of the experiences I was wholly unprepared for, however, contributed significantly to my trip; thanks to my lack of preparation, every day continuously surprised me, and I left 10 days after arriving amazed by Iceland's visual variety, hospitality, lifestyle, and economy.

     Our itinerary took us to gorgeous natural sights and geological formations as well as important buildings in the history of Iceland's existence as a nation. I was able to see Þingvellir, the location of Iceland's first documented Parliament, which, in classic Icelandic fashion, was next to a small, bubbly waterfall. In case it isn't obvious enough from the pictures, Iceland has an almost indescribable beauty, and throughout our trip, echoes of "pretty" filled almost every conversation.

 

     For traveling around the perimeter of the country, Poly arranged for a tour bus and an Icelandic tour guide. Apparently, it is not enough to simply be knowledgeable about tourist spots as an Icelandic tour guide; our guide, Hermann, happened to be black belt in judo, an ex-fisherman, a fierce competitor in Icelandic handball, the creator of an app for tracking art exhibits in Iceland, and a wealth of knowledge on everything from economics to flower species to life advice. Essentially, Hermann provided a view into a country of less than 350,000 people that functions with the infrastructure and power of a country 100 times its size. To sustain this growth, Icelandic citizens possess a large variety of skillsets, which speaks to their resourcefulness and do-it-yourself lifestyle.

Hermann explaining the significance of Þingvellir.

When many people think of Iceland, they envision picturesque landscapes and endless waterfalls. This vision isn't incorrect, but Iceland has far more to offer than just these things. Due to the volcanic activity across Iceland, much of which caused its original formation, there are many geothermal sights to see in the country. This photo, for example, was taken on a hike nearby a geothermal power plant. The nation of Iceland has taken many steps to harness the power of the nature around them, which shows not only through their tourism industry but also through their renewable energy strategies.

     Another interesting facet of Icelandic life is food sourcing. Iceland has many problems when it comes to food sources; much of its climate is unsuitable for traditional agriculture, and its harsh winters prevent many would-be farmers from attempting to grow food. Another challenge Iceland faces is that its location as an island makes importing food extremely expensive. To circumvent these problems, Icelanders have adopted resourceful solutions such as raising livestock, fishing off of the coast of the country, and maintaining year-round climate-controlled greenhouses for the production of fruits and vegetables that would otherwise be imported. All of these actions make Icelandic food cheaper and more reliable throughout the entire year.

Me next to a decommissioned Icelandic fishing boat.

     Overall, the Iceland GIP trip was an incredible experience marked by cultural and geological experiences unique to the country. As I looked out the window of the bus and watched the hills roll by, I was sad. I was sad to think that climate change could forever alter the beauty of a nation. I was sad to think that tourism was destroying previously-preserved environments across the country. But most of all, I was sad to think that the next generation may not be able to have the same experience as me, for the trip gave me an entirely new perspective on nature and our interaction with it as humans. Reading every John Muir essay in existence simply could not replace the first hand experiences that I had in 10 days of endless light. I am extremely grateful that I was given the opportunity to travel to Iceland, and I hope that this blog can convince others to do the same. To conclude, here are some photos of the pretty landscapes I droned on about.