With just one week left here in Sólheimar, I've been thinking-what am I taking away; what have I learned about the Icelandic culture overall? Well first off, I've learned that there is scientific evidence that backs up the claim that all Icelandic women are beautiful and all English women are ugly. This of course is a personal matter of taste, but it is true that the genes of the majority of Icelandic women originate in the British Isles. There is no Icelandic army. There is no word for "please" or "you're welcome" in the language. Everyone takes their parent's first name as their last. With a population of just 30,000 people, most everyone knows everyone or is related in some way; one can always check the online Íslendingabók to see how exactly people are related. Sheep have been vital to the survival of Icelanders yet they have degraded the environment to a great extent. Farming seems to be a dying art, but even so, each year at round-up time everyone in each community helps to bring all the sheep in. The Icelandic people really do seem to be independent, at least since the split from Norway during World War II anyhow. However, with other countries cutting deals to use Icelandic resources, notably hydro power to run aluminum smelters, I wonder how long this independence will last. Surely there are ways for the country to continue to grow and prosper without destroying either the culture or environment. What would that be exactly? Frankly I haven't a clue, as it seems no country has done it yet. I certainly don't feel as though I've become Icelandic in this short span of time, but I've learned a lot and it's inspired me to take a closer look at my own country and culture once I return home.
-Sarah McKenney
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