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María Thelma Smáradóttir is a talented actor in Iceland. During this interview, she gives some insight on what it was like growing up in Iceland with Icelandic and Thai heritage. She was the first person of Asian descent to graduate from the Icelandic Academy of Arts in Drama. It was fascinating to hear how she had to navigate this mixed heritage and it has been like for her as a working actor in the theater and film industry here. I think it’s fantastic that she had a one woman show called “Welcome Home”, which was a spoken word performance of her mother’s immigrant story from Thailand.  The most epic thing is that her first feature film was her starring alongside Mads Mikkelsen in the movie, “Arctic”. How awesome is that?! As you can probably tell from many of my other interviews, I love to have different people from all walks of life in Iceland to tell their stories. I am grateful and honored that María Thelma was open to sharing hers. Questions I Asked María Thelma during the Interview: You are born and raised in Iceland, and you have a mix of Thai and Icelandic heritage. Can you talk about what it was like growing up in a Thai and Icelandic household? Was your mom speaking Thai to you and your siblings and your dad speaking Icelandic? You are the first person of Asian descent to graduate from the Icelandic Academy of Arts in drama. Did you always want to be an actor when you were growing up? Have you visited Thailand? If so, what was that like for you? During your final year of the Icelandic Academy of the Arts, you chose to do a spoken word play called “Welcome Home”, which was performed at the National Theater of Iceland. Can you explain what the play was about and the inspiration behind it? How was the play received in Iceland? What did your mother think of it? What has being an actor been like for you? Have you found that you get many roles or has it been a  struggle? In 2018, you starred alongside Mads Mikkelsen in  “Arctic”, which was your first feature film. What was that experience like? How was it working with such a big name in the industry? Do you think the film industry in Iceland is changing to showcase more diversity in the country? Meaning, are they showing more Icelandic actors that have mixed heritage as Icelanders and not foreign nationals or visitors? Or is this something that still needs to be improved? What advice do you have for people who want to act, whether it is on screen or on a stage in a theater? What is your favourite Icelandic word or phrase? Join the All Things Iceland Patreon Community Some of you might be aware that one of my goals for the podcast is to travel around Iceland more to interview different people in each region. In July, I set up the All Things Iceland community on Patreon. It’s a membership platform that was founded in 2013. It allows for creators like me to provide exclusive content to listeners like you in exchange for a monthly subscription. Each month I am doing Ask Me Anything videos, Live Chats, and Folklore Friday each week. Sometimes I do updates about my life in Iceland. I do not share this content on any other channel. The support from my patrons on the All Things Iceland community on Patreon will help to evolve All Things Iceland. There are several membership tiers to choose from and each tier has a variety of benefits. If you would like to join the community, go to patreon.com/allthingsiceland. I look forward to having you join. Let’s be social! Here is where you can connect with me: Instagram Facebook YouTube Twitter Þakka þér kærlega fyrir að hlusta (og að lesa) og sjáumst fljótlega Thank you kindly for listening (and reading) and see you soon!

I know that Black History Month is a US tradition, I still want to dedicate the month of February to telling the stories of Black and mixed race people in the country. If you are curious about some awesome Icelandic Black history, I suggest watching my video about Hans Jonatan, Iceland’s first black citizen and listening to the podcast episode I did with the Icelandic author of the book about Hans Jonatan, Gisli Pálsson.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=40chlDBLKwU To kick that off this month of sharing Black and mixed race stories here, I’m sharing my interview with Innocentia Fiati “Mama Ghana” Friðgeirsson. She is lovingly called Mama Ghana and she is an absolute ball of sunshine. Her happiness is infectious and she has such amazing energy. She has been here for almost two decades and has been spreading her sunshine wherever she goes.  Before jumping into the interview, I want to share the winners of the Icelandic book giveaway. First, thank you to everyone that entered. I choose the winners at random and here they are: Rodolfo won The Story of the Blue Planet Kate won LoveStar Kristi won On Time and Water Join the All Things Iceland Patreon Community Some of you might be aware that one of my goals for the podcast is to travel around Iceland more to interview different people in each region. In July, I set up the All Things Iceland community on Patreon. It’s a membership platform that was founded in 2013. It allows for creators like me to provide exclusive content to listeners like you in exchange for a monthly subscription. Each month I am doing Ask Me Anything videos, Live Chats, and Folklore Friday each week. Sometimes I do updates about my life in Iceland. I do not share this content on any other channel. The support from my patrons on the All Things Iceland community on Patreon will help to evolve All Things Iceland. There are several membership tiers to choose from and each tier has a variety of benefits. If you would like to join the community, go to patreon.com/allthingsiceland. I look forward to having you join. Let’s be social! Here is where you can connect with me: Instagram Facebook YouTube Twitter Þakka þér kærlega fyrir að hlusta (og að lesa) og sjáumst fljótlega Thank you kindly for listening (and reading) and see you soon!

It was such a pleasant surprise to have Áslaug Arna Sigurbjörnsdóttir, the Minister of Justice in Iceland, as my guest this week. She leads quite a busy life as a Parliamentarian and Minister, and it was great she was able to find time to chat. During the interview, Áslaug Arna shares the positives and negatives of being in this position of power at such a young age and as a woman. Some of the other topics we talk about are the events that led up to her becoming the Minister of Justice, gender based discrimination in the workplace (including within Parliament), about refugees seeking asylum in Iceland, and more. I gained so much insight into Iceland through this episode and I’m excited to share this interview with you. GIVEAWAY – Enter to Win One of Andri Snær’s Books!! I’m giving away three of Andri Snær’s books, which are below. On Time & Water LoveStar The Story of the Blue Planet To enter win one of the books, all you have to do is leave a positive review for the All Things Iceland podcast (you can use this link to easily do it), take a screenshot of your review, and send that screenshot to me in an email at jewells(at)fromforeigntofamiliar(dot)com. If you have already left a review for the podcast, please just send me a screenshot of that review. The Questions I asked Áslaug Arna During the Interview Can you talk a bit about your experience in the police force? It seems that you started out being involved in your party, Sjálfstæðisflokkurinn (Independence party), quite young. Did you always know that you wanted to be a politician? Were you inspired  or influenced by your father, who is a supreme court lawyer in Iceland, to study law? When appointed, you became the second youngest minister in Icelandic history and the youngest female minister. Do you feel like people assume you are too young for the job and/or inexperienced? Back in 2017, you were on Kastljós talking about gender based discrimination in the work place. You shared that you had received unwanted sexual comments. Rather, you received it for having sexual relations with men in your party. Do you feel that gender based discrimination is still a problem in Parliament and in other workplaces in Iceland? I remember just around the time you were appointed, there was a scandal going on with the National Police Commissioner. What was it like just starting this job and already having this national scandal to deal with? How do you deal with so much public criticism or scrutiny when you have made a decision about something that many don’t agree with?  What do you do to relieve the inevitable stress that comes along with your job? – Recently, you proposed a bill that would abolish the naming committee in Iceland. Why do you want to get rid of this committee? – Aslaug Arna on opening the country up so more foreigners can live and work here Can you explain, without going into detail about individual refugee cases, what makes it difficult for the Icelandic government to allow these people to stay in the country? What advice do you have for people that want to get involved in politics? What is your favorite Icelandic word or phrase? Join The All Things Iceland Patreon Community Some of you might be aware that one of my goals for the podcast is to travel around Iceland more to interview different people in each region. In July, I set up the All Things Iceland community on Patreon. It’s a membership platform that was founded in 2013. It allows for creators like me to provide exclusive content to listeners like you in exchange for a monthly subscription. Each month I am doing Ask Me Anything videos, Live Chats, and Folklore Friday each week. Sometimes I do updates about my life in Iceland. I do not share this content on any other channel. The support from my patrons on the All Things Iceland community on Patreon will help to evolve All Things Iceland. There are several membership tiers to choose from and each tier has a variety of benefits. If you would like to join the community, go to patreon.com/allthingsiceland. I look forward to having you join. Let’s be social! Here is where you can connect with me: Instagram Facebook YouTube Twitter Þakka þér kærlega fyrir að hlusta (og að lesa) og sjáumst fljótlega Thank you kindly for listening (and reading) and see you soon!

Gógó Starr is an Icelandic drag queen that is well known in the country. Gógó made history by being the first ever drag queen fjallkonan, or woman of the mountains, which is a symbol of the Icelandic nation and a very important part of the celebrations of Iceland’s independence. The celebration of the independence of the nation happens every June 17th. Aldís Amah, who I interviewed a while back on the podcast, was the first woman of color fjallkonan in 2019. It’s a huge honor to be fjallkonan and Gógó Starr had this role in 2018. In addition to that, Gógó co-founded Drag Súgur in 2015 after winning the annual Icelandic drag contest.  The drag show became so popular that it was turned into a monthly event at Gaukurinn that is open to all adults who want to attend. Hopefully, when COVID is over, the show will resume. I especially love that the show is all about inclusivity. Gógó Starr goes into more about how inclusive it is during the interview. It was an absolute blast to do this interview. Video Interview with Gógó Starr https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tOR8cVBksY4 Questions Asked Gógó Starr during the Interview Drag queens, and kings and drag shows are so common  in Iceland now, but what was it like when you were growing up here? Were Icelanders open to these type of performances and performers? When did you realize that performing in drag is something you wanted to try? When did the drag scene in Iceland really take off? After you won the annual Icelandic Drag contest, you co-founded Drag-Súgur, a monthly drag show and variety night held at Gaukurinn in 2015. What was your motivation behind started this show? How was Drag-súgur received in Iceland when you first started it? In 2018, you were the fjallkonan, or the Lady of the Mountain, which is the traditional living symbol of Iceland featured every Independence Day on June 17th. What did You’re a full-time entertainer, producer and performer in Iceland. Did you ever imagine when you first started doing drag, that you would be doing it full-time? I love that Drag-súgur is all about inclusivity. Can you talk about who some of the “drag royalties” that perform? Pride in Reykjavík is becoming such a big celebration each year. Can you share what you like about Pride here and why you think people should come and check it out? What is your favorite Icelandic word or phrase? GIVEAWAY – Enter to Win One of Andri Snær’s Books!! I’m giving away three of Andri Snær’s books, which are below. On Time & Water LoveStar The Story of the Blue Planet To enter win one of the books, all you have to do is leave a positive review for the All Things Iceland podcast (you can use this link to easily do it), take a screenshot of your review, and send that screenshot to me in an email at jewells(at)fromforeigntofamiliar(dot)com. If you have already left a review for the podcast, please just send me a screenshot of that review. Join the All Things Iceland Patreon Community Some of you might be aware that one of my goals for the podcast is to travel around Iceland more to interview different people in each region. In July, I set up the All Things Iceland community on Patreon. It’s a membership platform that was founded in 2013. It allows for creators like me to provide exclusive content to listeners like you in exchange for a monthly subscription. Each month I am doing Ask Me Anything videos, Live Chats, and Folklore Friday each week. Sometimes I do updates about my life in Iceland. I do not share this content on any other channel. The support from my patrons on the All Things Iceland community on Patreon will help to evolve All Things Iceland. There are several membership tiers to choose from and each tier has a variety of benefits. If you would like to join the community, go to patreon.com/allthingsiceland. I look forward to having you join. Let’s be social! Here is where you can connect with me: Instagram Facebook YouTube Twitter Þakka þér kærlega fyrir að hlusta (og að lesa) og sjáumst fljótlega Thank you kindly for listening (and reading) and see you soon!

Claudia Ashanie Wilson is a human rights lawyer and activist who moved from her home country Jamaica to Iceland in 2001. When Claudia came to Iceland she didn’t speak Icelandic nor had she previous been to law school. Through a lot of hard work, she became fluent in Icelandic. She received her Masters Degree in 2014 in international law from the Reykjavík University. Claudia passed the Icelandic bar examinations to become a district court attorney in Iceland. By passing the bar, she became the first non-European person to do that in Iceland. Since her move to Iceland, Claudia has been very active in human rights initiatives both by in governmental and non-governmental organizations. She has served as Vice President for the Women of Multicultural Ethnicity Network (W.O.M.E.N.) in Iceland, Social Activities Coordinator for asylum seekers on behalf of the Red Cross, and was appointed by the Ministry of Welfare to the Welfare Watch of Iceland. She currently sits on the board of representatives for SOS Children’s Villages in Iceland, the boards of Amnesty International, Iceland Chapter and the Icelandic Equality Fund. Claudia recently became a partner at the law firm Réttur Aðalsteinsson & Partners, where she has worked since 2013. She is also a guest lecturer at United Nations University Gender Equality Studies and Training Programme (UNU-GEST), the School of Business and at the University of Iceland as well as the School of Law at University of Iceland and Reykjavík University. Questions I Asked Claudia During the Interview Where are you originally from and how did you end up in Iceland? What was it like adjusting to life here? Iceland is quite different from Jamaica. Did you have any culture shock? Was it a difficult adjustment? What was it like learning Icelandic? What inspired you to study law here?  Did you have any idea that you would be making history just by graduating from law school in Iceland? Recently, you made partner at your law firm Réttur. Congratulations again! What kind of human rights cases do you take on? Did you experience any discrimination or racism when you first came or even in present times? You have been named one of Iceland’s most influential women in the 2020 issue of “June 19 Magazine”. Congrats! Representation is such an important part of people feeling empowered anywhere they live. Do you feel like Iceland is understanding that and is trying to showcase the diverse, amazing people, like yourself, that live here? You are involved with different organizations here, such as the Iceland Chapter of Amnesty International, W.O.M.E.N. and others. Why is it important for you to be involved with these organizations? What is your favorite Icelandic word or phrase? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rz_icvGq2IM GIVEAWAY – Enter to Win One of Andri Snær’s Books!! I’m giving away three of Andri Snær’s books, which are below. On Time & Water LoveStar The Story of the Blue Planet To enter win one of the books, all you have to do is leave a positive review for the All Things Iceland podcast (you can use this link to easily do it), take a screenshot of your review, and send that screenshot to me in an email at jewells(at)fromeforeigntofamiliar(dot)com. If you have already left a review for the podcast, please just send me a screenshot of that review. Join the All Things Iceland Patreon Community Some of you might be aware that one of my goals for the podcast is to travel around Iceland more to interview different people in each region. In July, I set up the All Things Iceland community on Patreon. It’s a membership platform that was founded in 2013. It allows for creators like me to provide exclusive content to listeners like you in exchange for a monthly subscription. Each month I am doing Ask Me Anything videos, Live Chats, and Folklore Friday each week. Sometimes I do updates about my life in Iceland. I do not share this content on any other channel. The support from my patrons on the All Things Iceland community on Patreon will help to evolve All Things Iceland. There are several membership tiers to choose from and each tier has a variety of benefits. If you would like to join the community, go to patreon.com/allthingsiceland. I look forward to having you join. Let’s be social! Here is where you can connect with me: Instagram Facebook YouTube Twitter Þakka þér kærlega fyrir að hlusta (og að lesa) og sjáumst fljótlega Thank you kindly for listening (and reading) and see you soon!

To kick off the new year, I’m sharing my interview with Andri Snær Magnason, an award-winning author,  environmental activist and director. He has been fighting to protect Iceland’s beautiful nature. Andri Snær was on the show early on and it is great to have him back because so much has happened in his life since we last spoke. I recommend checking out part 1 and part 2 of those interviews. One viral moment was when he and some others had a funeral for Okjökull. Ok mountain used to be a glacier but due to climate change the ice has melted from it and it has lost its glacier status. Andri Snær wrote a letter to the future that was printed on a plaque and placed on OK. He also recently did a TEDTalk on Sólheimajökull glacier and released a new book titled “On Time & Water”. This book has not yet been released in the United States.  Just to give you a bit about the book, It’s “Taking a path to climate science through ancient myths about sacred cows, stories of ancestors and relatives and interviews with the Dalai Lama, Magnason allows himself to be both personal and scientific. The result is an absorbing mixture of travel, history, science and philosophy.” I am a big fan of his book “LoveStar”, a science fiction novel that takes place in Iceland. I wouldn’t call myself a science fiction nerd but I do enjoy a story that mixes science, humor and just the right amount of absurd. Similar to Kurt Vonnegut, Andri Snær does a great job of adding off those elements into the book. I highly recommend it. GIVEAWAY – Enter to Win One of Andri Snær’s Books!! I’m giving away three of Andri Snær’s books, which are below. On Time & Water LoveStar The Story of the Blue Planet To enter win one of the books, all you have to do is leave a positive review for the All Things Iceland podcast (you can use this link to easily do it), take a screenshot of your review, and send that screenshot to me in an email at jewells(at)fromeforeigntofamiliar(dot)com. If you have already left a review for the podcast, please just send me a screenshot of that review. Members of the All Things Iceland Patreon Community get an additional entry to win. To join that community, check out this link. Watch This Interview about Protecting Iceland’s Beautiful Nature on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oVIspPxpF5k Join the All Things Iceland Patreon Community Some of you might be aware that one of my goals for the podcast is to travel around Iceland more to interview different people in each region. In July, I set up the All Things Iceland community on Patreon. It’s a membership platform that was founded in 2013. It allows for creators like me to provide exclusive content to listeners like you in exchange for a monthly subscription. Each month I am doing Ask Me Anything videos, Live Chats, and Folklore Friday each week. Sometimes I do updates about my life in Iceland. I do not share this content on any other channel. The support from my patrons on the All Things Iceland community on Patreon will help to evolve All Things Iceland. There are several membership tiers to choose from and each tier has a variety of benefits. If you would like to join the community, go to patreon.com/allthingsiceland. I look forward to having you join. Let’s be social! Here is where you can connect with me: Instagram Facebook YouTube Twitter Þakka þér kærlega fyrir að hlusta (og að lesa) og sjáumst fljótlega Thank you kindly for listening (and reading) and see you soon!

The Icelandic Christmas season is so much fun. Well, it’s normally a lot of fun but we are doing the best to enjoy it even though COVID is keeping many of us from our loved ones. While I have done an episode about Icelandic Christmas way back in the day of the podcast, I wanted to share with you the full breakdown of this time from the point of view of an Icelander. My lovely friend Íris Stefanía joined me for this episode to share her modern take on Icelandic Christmas traditions.  We filmed this at her place and a link to the video on the All Things Iceland YouTube channel will be available in the show notes of this episode. During our chat we go over what is happening in Iceland from the start of advent until the last day of Christmas here, which is January 6th. I love that Íris still does some traditional things with her family but has also found ways to mix in her own style and add a modern touch. We had a lot of fun eating piparköku (gingerbread) and laufabrauð, drinking malt og appelsín (a popular mix that is available only during holidays here), and eating mondlugrautinn, which is a rice porridge. Why that is done will be explained during our chat.  Icelandic Christmas & New Year Traditions Video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x2myOZ_sYqo The 13 Icelandic Yule Lads Stekkjastaur (Sheep-Cote Clod): He tries to suckle female sheep in farmer’s sheds Giljagaur (Gully Gawk): He steals foam from buckets of cow milk Stúfur (Stubby): He’s short and steals food from frying pans Þvörusleikir (Spoon Licker): He licks spoons Pottaskefill (Pot Scraper or Pot Licke)r: He steals unwashed pots and licks them clean Askasleikir (Bowl Licker): He steals bowls of food from under the bed (back in the old days, Icelanders used to sometimes store bowls of food there – convenient for midnight snacking?) Hurðaskellir (Door Slammer): He stomps around and slams doors, keeping everyone awake Skyrgámur (Skyr Gobbler): He eats up all the Icelandic yogurt (skyr) Bjúgnakrækir (Sausage Swiper): He loves stolen sausages Gluggagægir (Window Peeper): He likes to creep outside windows and sometimes steal the stuff he sees inside Gáttaþefur (Door Sniffer): He has a huge nose and an insatiable appetite for stolen baked goods Ketkrókur (Meat Hook): He snatches up any meat left out, especially smoked lamb Kertasníkir (Candle Stealer): He steals candles, which used to be sought-after items in Iceland Join the All Things Iceland Patreon Community Some of you might be aware that one of my goals for the podcast is to travel around Iceland more to interview different people in each region. In July, I set up the All Things Iceland community on Patreon. It’s a membership platform that was founded in 2013. It allows for creators like me to provide exclusive content to listeners like you in exchange for a monthly subscription. Each month I am doing Ask Me Anything videos, Live Chats, and Folklore Friday each week. Sometimes I do updates about my life in Iceland. I do not share this content on any other channel. The support from my patrons on the All Things Iceland community on Patreon will help to evolve All Things Iceland. There are several membership tiers to choose from and each tier has a variety of benefits. If you would like to join the community, go to patreon.com/allthingsiceland. I look forward to having you join. Rate & Review the All Things Iceland Podcast Click here to rate and review the All Things Iceland podcast. Let’s be social! Here is where you can connect with me: Instagram Facebook YouTube Twitter Þakka þér kærlega fyrir að hlusta (og að lesa) og sjáumst fljótlega Thank you kindly for listening (and reading) and see you soon!

Because I’m very much in the holiday spirit, I’m dedicating the next two episodes, this one included, to Christmas related content in Iceland. Today, I have a special guest that has been on the show before, and that is Ólafur S.K. Þórvaldz, also known as Óli the brewmaster at Ægir Brugghús. Icelandic Christmas beer has quickly become an important part of the holiday season for brewers in Iceland and for those who enjoy drinking the beers, such as myself. Because of this, I thought it would be fun to have Óli pick his top 5 favorite Icelandic Christmas beers from craft breweries for this episode.  To be fair, he picked four beers and was nice enough to let me include my favorite one. Full disclaimer, my favorite is not from a craft brewery by Icelandic standards but as Óli points out in this episode, all of the breweries in Iceland would be considered craft breweries if you compare it to the U.S. or other countries with much larger consumption. We did this Icelandic Christmas Beer tasting virtually. We’re both tasting the beers and talking about what they tasted like to each of us. We also talk about the growing trend of Christmas beers in Iceland, give some travel advice and more. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gu99ZHJmyH4 The Icelandic Christmas Beers we Taste Tested During the Interview 1. Jóli Bæjó by Mói Ölgerðafélag 2. Ekkert Sérstaklega Jólaleg Jól by Ægir Brugghús 3. Ris a la Sour by Smiðjan Brugghús 4. Grýla by Ölverk 5. Egils Malt Jólabjór by Ölgerðin If you like to try beers, I definitely recommend coming to Iceland during the Christmas season. The amount of variety on offer is quite a lot for such a small country. Rate & Review the All Things Iceland Podcast Click here to rate and review the All Things Iceland podcast. Join the All Things Iceland Patreon Community Some of you might be aware that one of my goals for the podcast is to travel around Iceland more to interview different people in each region. In July, I set up the All Things Iceland community on Patreon. It’s a membership platform that was founded in 2013. It allows for creators like me to provide exclusive content to listeners like you in exchange for a monthly subscription. Each month I am doing Ask Me Anything videos, Live Chats, and Folklore Friday each week. Sometimes I do updates about my life in Iceland. I do not share this content on any other channel. The support from my patrons on the All Things Iceland community on Patreon will help to evolve All Things Iceland. There are several membership tiers to choose from and each tier has a variety of benefits. If you would like to join the community, go to patreon.com/allthingsiceland. I look forward to having you join. Let’s be social! Here is where you can connect with me: Instagram Facebook YouTube Twitter Þakka þér kærlega fyrir að hlusta (og að lesa) og sjáumst fljótlega Thank you kindly for listening (and reading) and see you soon!

I had the absolute pleasure of chatting with Birta Abiba Þórhallsdóttir, who was crowned Miss Universe Iceland in 2019. Normally, I don’t follow beauty pageants, regardless of if it is in the US or Iceland, but Birta’s story really stuck out to me. I read an article about her experience with racism in Iceland. She’s an Icelander that has mixed heritage. She was born and raised in the town that I live in, Mosfellsbær. I was surprised to hear that she experienced physical and verbal abuse as a kid just because of her skin color. She will go into more detail during the interview, but it breaks my heart to know that she did many things to try to change her appearance, such as her skin color and hair, because she wanted to fit in. Her journey to self-love was a tough one but she preserved. I think it is absolutely amazing that she ended up becoming Miss Universe Iceland because she is able to show the world that Icelanders can also be People of Color with beautiful curly afros. Here is the link to the novel “The Bluest Eye” by Toni Morrison, which I referenced in the interview. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QTXWM98D_7c Questions I Asked Birta Abiba Þórhallsdóttir You were born and raised in Mósfellsbær. What was it like for you growing up here? Did you encounter any issues because you looked different than the other kids? You’ve talked about how learning to love yourself took a long time. What kind of things did you do to help you get to a place of loving who you are and what you look like even though you are surrounded by images and people that don’t look like you? Were you doing pageants as a child? If not, what made you decide to get involved in competing for the Miss Iceland title? Was the Miss Iceland competition like? Did you feel accepted into that world, even though this was your first time competing? I think it is amazing that you won Miss Iceland on your 20th birthday! How did your life change after winning? What was the reaction in the country when you won Miss Iceland? It’s amazing that you went from being bullied for being different as a child to representing Iceland on the world stage in Miss Universe. What was the experience like of competing in that pageant with all of these other women from around the world? I’ve read that you have already written a full length novel and that you want to be an international author. What kind of things do you like to write about? Do you have a book in the works? What is your favorite Icelandic word or phrase? Join the All Things Iceland Patreon Community Some of you might be aware that one of my goals for the podcast is to travel around Iceland more to interview different people in each region. In July, I set up the All Things Iceland community on Patreon. Patreon is a membership platform that was founded in 2013. It allows for creators like me to provide exclusive content to listeners like you in exchange for a monthly subscription. Each month I am doing Ask Me Anything videos, Live Chats, and Folklore Friday each week. Sometimes I do updates about my life in Iceland. I do not share this content on any other channel. The support from my patrons on the All Things Iceland community on Patreon will help to evolve All Things Iceland. There are several membership tiers to choose from and each tier has a variety of benefits. If you would like to join the community, go to patreon.com/allthingsiceland. I look forward to having you join. Let’s be social! Here is where you can connect with me: Instagram Facebook YouTube Twitter Þakka þér kærlega fyrir að hlusta (og að lesa) og sjáumst fljótlega Thank you kindly for listening (and reading) and see you soon!

Back in December of 2018, Bára Halldórsdóttir outed herself as the whistleblower of the Klaustur Bar Scandal. During this podcast episode, I sit down with Bára to talk about how the scandal unfolded and how it has affected her life. This scandal involved politicians saying horrible things while drinking together in Klaustur bar. Bára happened to be in that same bar and recorded a lot of what these Icelandic politicians were saying. Bára is a whistleblower, artist, and disability activist. Along with the Klaustur scandal, we talk about a range of fascinating topics. During the interview, Bára shares why it was important for her to record this conversation and share it with the country. Because she has a chronic illness, the stress brought on by the scandal has deeply impacted her health. The whole conversation was fascinating and eye-opening for me. I think scandals like this one provide insight into the country that is not often seen or heard unless you live here and engage with people about the topic. Also, I’m glad that Bára was interested in sharing her experience as a whistle blower and disabled person in Iceland because those identities are seemingly at odds. Questions I asked Bára about the Klaustur Scandal & Her Life Take us back to that day in  November 2018. What was going through your mind when you heard these MPs in Klaustur bar making such awful comments? Were you afraid that they would notice you recording? What was the reaction around the country when the recording was shared? Had you considered not revealing that it was you that recorded it and staying anonymous? When it was revealed that it was you that had recorded them, you were thrust into the public eye. It must have been quite hard adjusting to that seeing pictures of yourself all over the news, people weighing in their own opinions about recording the MPs and whatnot. How did you deal with all of that? At one point, four of the MPs were threatening to sue you for violating their right to privacy. That must have been really stressful and tough considering that you have a chronic disease.  Can you share a bit about the chronic disease you have and the effects this incident has had on your life? You’re an activist and artist. How are you blending your activism and art together to bring awareness about people who don’t have the same physical abilities as many others? What has the reception in Iceland been like to you bringing awareness to lack of understanding that people with different physical abilities are not always being considered at different facilities? Or that they are ignored all together? What is your favorite Icelandic word or phrase? Connect with Bára on Social Media Facebook Instagram Attend the Book launch for “The Viking Immigrants: Icelandic North Americans” In Friday, December 4th, I’m hosting a free virtual book launch for “The Viking Immigrants: Icelandic North Americans” by LK Bertram. The book examines the multi-sensory side of Icelanders that migrated to North America between 1870 and 1914. I’ve been reading the book and even though it is historical text, LK writes it in a way that is entertaining.  The book examines the past through rare photographs, interviews, artefacts, and early recipes. By revealing the hidden histories behind everyday traditions, The Viking Immigrants maps the transformation of Icelandic North American culture over a century and a half. Win A Copy of the Book and Vínarterta The guest of honor at the book launch is the First Lady of Iceland, Eliza Reid. You will be able to hear her speak with LK Bertram and will be able to submit questions for them. The other added bonus is that attendees to the book launch on December 4th at 12:00 PM EST will be entered to win a copy of the book and a vínarterta. There will be several copies given away, so there is a good chance of winning one. Here is the link to register. You Can Still Buy an All Things Iceland Box For the Holidays Looking for a great gift for yourself or a loved one this holiday season? The All Things Iceland box has a a variety of goodies that will give you a delicious taste of Iceland. Buy one here. Use the code “allthingsiceland” for free shipping. The code is valid until December 15th, 2020. Let’s be social! Here is where you can connect with me: Instagram Facebook YouTube Twitter Þakka þér kærlega fyrir að hlusta (og að lesa) og sjáumst fljótlega Thank you kindly for listening (and reading) and see you soon!

This might be a short episode but it is very special because I have two big announcements! As you can tell from the title of the episode, one of the announcements is that I’m giving away a handmade Icelandic sweater. The other is that Gunnar, my husband, and I have partnered up with the Reykjavík Grapevine to create an All Things Iceland box full of Icelandic goodies. The Grapevine is hosting the box on their site.  I have made a video on my YouTube channel explaining all the awesomeness in the box and how you can get free shipping from Iceland to anywhere in the world. Which if you don’t know, shipping from Iceland can be quite expensive. By using my special code, you save a lot. Gunnar and I both chose different things to put in the box. In the video we talk about why we each choose these specific things.  Altogether there are nine things in the box, which I think gives it some great variety. I know that many of you wished you could have come to Iceland this year, so we wanted to bring a bit of Iceland to you this holiday season. How to Win an Icelandic Sweater https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7H3T88foVOk I felt like it was important to announce this now just so you have enough time to get the box for the holiday season. Just note that there are limited edition items in the box that are specific to winter and the upcoming holidays. Also, if you win the sweater, you can choose to get one for yourself or a loved one, which is another awesome gift. Buy the All Things Iceland box. The video also has the details about how you can enter to win the handmade Icelandic sweater. The added bonus is that I am also giving away a signed copy of “The Little Book of The Icelanders” by Alda Sigmundsdóttir. I was fortunate to interview her early on when I started this podcast. Her book gives you a great insight into Icelandic habits.  So, one person will win a sweater and one person will win a signed copy of the book. Of course, if you follow All  Things Iceland on YouTube, it will definitely be there. Join All Things Iceland on Patreon Lastly, the members of the All Things Iceland Patreon community got early access to the video and how to enter to win an Icelandic sweater. I shared it with them yesterday and I made the video public today. So, in addition to the content that is put on that platform, which is not posted anywhere else, every membership tier gets early access to giveaways, special discounts and promotions. If you have been considering becoming a member or are just hearing about this membership now, just know that there are many benefits to being part of that community.  Click here to join me on Patreon. Let’s be social! Here is where you can connect with me: Instagram Facebook YouTube Twitter Þakka þér kærlega fyrir að hlusta (og að lesa) og sjáumst fljótlega Thank you kindly for listening (and reading) and see you soon!

Gunnar Freyr, a talented Icelandic photographer and videographer, makes a living traveling around Iceland, and sometimes Greenland. On Instagram he is known as Icelandic_explorer and has over 360,000 followers. His images and videos capture the Icelandic landscape in such a mesmerizing way. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y7Rn59vlPHQ&t=3807s During the chat, Gunnar Freyr shares how he left a very stressful office job and made a career as a creator. In addition, he talks about places he recommends for first timers to the country, advice he had for people that also want to be content creators, and gives tips on how to capture the northern lights with your smartphone or camera. It was quite fun to chat with him and I hope you enjoy this interview. Questions I asked Gunnar Freyr What was the journey like for you to become a full-time creator traveling around Iceland taking amazing photos and videos? Even though you’re Icelandic, Icelandic, I’m wondering if there is any other reason you decided to focus on Iceland as the place you mostly take photos and videos of? What kind of challenges have you faced while out in Iceland doing your work? Can you share one of your epic adventure stories? What are your favorite places in Iceland to visit? What things do you recommend for first time visitors to Iceland to do? Many people want to get great photos and videos of Icelandic nature, especially the northern lights. What tips and gear suggestions do you have for those people? Is there a place in Iceland you haven’t been to yet that you really want to visit? What is your favorite Icelandic word or phrase? If you are enjoying the All Things Iceland podcast, please leave a review on whatever platform you are listening to it on, if you haven’t already. I love sharing my passion for Iceland and your review can help another person to find the show and learn more about this awesome country.  Join Me on Patreon Some of you might be aware that one of my goals for the podcast is to travel around Iceland more to interview different people in each region. In July, I set up the All Things Iceland community on Patreon. Patreon is a membership platform that was founded in 2013. It allows for creators like me to provide exclusive content to listeners like you in exchange for a monthly subscription. Each month I am doing Ask Me Anything videos, Live Chats, and Folklore Friday each week. Sometimes I do updates about my life in Iceland. I do not share this content on any other channel. The support from my patrons on the All Things Iceland community on Patreon will help to evolve All Things Iceland. There are several membership tiers to choose from and each tier has a variety of benefits. If you would like to join the community, go to patreon.com/allthingsiceland. I look forward to having you join. Let’s be social! Here is where you can connect with me: Instagram Facebook YouTube Twitter Þakka þér kærlega fyrir að hlusta (og að lesa) og sjáumst fljótlega Thank you kindly for listening (and reading) and see you soon!

Nichole Leigh Mosty is an American that moved to Iceland in 1999. During our chat, we talk about the challenges she faced when she first moved and her experience being the first woman of foreign origin to be the speaker in Icelandic Parliament. Nichole shares a lot of insights and definitely does not hold back about what she has experienced, especially when it comes to finding a job when she first arrived and learning the language.  Nichole is very active in helping women of foreign origin. She is the chairperson and board member of W.O.M.E.N, which is an acronym form Women of Multicultural Ethnicity Network in Iceland. This association helps to support women if foreign origin, which is amazing. There will be a link to the organization in the show notes if you want to read more about it. Video Interview with Nichole https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AMdxpIDgvSY&t=179s Question I Asked Nichole During the Interview You came to Iceland back in 1999. Can you share a bit about where you are from and what brought you to Iceland? Do you have any culture shock when you moved? Were there any Icelandic foods that really stuck out to you or habits of Icelander’s that were surprising to you? You’re fluent in Icelandic and I’m curious to know about your path to get there? Did you take classes or use some other methods of learning? Was it difficult to learn? What tips do you have for people who want to learn the language? You have worked quite a lot on projects that help women of foreign origin. Specifically, you have set up swimming courses, the Icelandic village and you are currently the Board member and Chairperson of W.O.M.E.N. (Women Of Multicultural Ethnicity Network in Iceland). As a woman of foreign origin in Iceland, can you share some of the challenges that this group faces? I saw an article in DV back in July of 2019 where you point out racism in an online advertisement for jobs at the national hospital, Landspitali. Can you talk about what that ad and why you felt it was important to speak out about it? On a wider scale, what are some of the challenges that people of foreign origin in Iceland (as a whole) face? It’s amazing that you are the first 1st generation immigrant to be elected to hold the office of Parliamentarian in Iceland and the first woman of foreign origin to ever sit as speaker in Althingi. How was it for you being a member of Parliament? What did you enjoy and what was challenging for you? What is your favorite Icelandic word or phrase? Join the All Things Iceland Community on Patreon I’d like to give a shout out to Danielle, Melton, Mark, Betty, Noa, Paul, Julia and Oliver. They are all members of the Ásgarður tier in the All Things Iceland patreon community. Members of that tier get a shout out in the podcast each month. They also take part in Live Chat groups with me each month, Ask Me Anything and other benefits. There are four tiers of membership. If you would like to help support the evolution of All Things Iceland and get access to awesome content only available on Patreon, you can join at patreon.com/allthingsiceland. Let’s be social! Here is where you can connect with me: Instagram Facebook YouTube Twitter Þakka þér kærlega fyrir að hlusta (og að lesa) og sjáumst fljótlega Thank you kindly for listening (and reading) and see you soon!

Elisa is originally from the Netherlands. After falling in love with Iceland during a vacation many years ago, she decided to quit her career in media in her home country and move to the land of fire and ice. Elisa initially planned to stay for a few months. During that time she intended to travel around and work as a horse riding guide. Well, a few months turned into years and she hasn’t looked back. During her time here, she has become a photographer, specifically of the majestic Icelandic horse. She has been posting beautiful photos of the horses she works with on Instagram. Her account is @elisa_in_Iceland. Funny enough, that is how I came in contact with her. Ways That Iceland Have Changed Elisa’s Life Even more awesome is that we finally had the chance to meet this summer. We took Icelandic B2 together, which is an intermediate course for the language. In addition to Elisa taking awesome photos and learning the language, she is an avid knitter and is a member of an Icelandic church choir.  During the interview, we talk about how much Iceland has changed her life, the differences between living in the Netherlands and Iceland, and so much more. We had such a blast chatting and I hope you enjoy this interview. Join the All Things Iceland Community on Patreon Some of you might be aware that one of my goals for the podcast is to travel around Iceland more to interview different people in each region. In July, I set up the All Things Iceland community on Patreon. Patreon is a membership platform that was founded in 2013. It allows for creators like me to provide exclusive content to listeners like you in exchange for a monthly subscription. Each month I am doing Ask Me Anything videos, Live Chats, and Folklore Friday each week. Sometimes I do updates about my life in Iceland. I do not share this content on any other channel. The support from my patrons on the All Things Iceland community on Patreon will help to evolve All Things Iceland. There are several membership tiers to choose from and each tier has a variety of benefits. If you would like to join the community, go to patreon.com/allthingsiceland. I look forward to having you join. Let’s be social! Here is where you can connect with me: Instagram Facebook YouTube Twitter Þakka þér kærlega fyrir að hlusta (og að lesa) og sjáumst fljótlega Thank you kindly for listening (and reading) and see you soon!

Halla Ólafsdóttir, a young Icelander, shares with me why she feels that people in her generation are moving away from the Reykjavík area in favor of the countryside. Halla has a BA degree in Icelandic language and creative writing at the University of Iceland. At the Free University of Berlin, she received an MA in Visual and Media Anthropology. Halla moved back to Iceland in 2014. Even though she was born and raised in Reykjavík, she chose to move to Ísafjörður in 2015.  While there, she’s been working for news and other programs of RÚV, the National broadcasting service, in the Westfjords. It was fascinating for me to hear what she felt is driving a young Icelander, like herself, to more remote places of the country. It certainly was not what I was expecting to hear as a trend in Iceland. However, after this discussion and living in Ísafjörður for three weeks, I can see why a young Icelander would gravitate towards the countryside. I hope you enjoy this interview. All Things Iceland Won an Award! It is with awe and gratitude that I share that tonight I was presented with an Equal Rights Award from the town of Mosfellsbær. This award is for the work I’ve been doing on the All Things Iceland podcast and YouTube channel to share the experiences of different foreign nationals and Icelanders in this country. It’s an honor for me to share those stories and to shine a light on the diversity in this country. I’m so grateful that the town I live in sees the value in that work. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for this award and helping to lift up diverse voices in our community. Join the All Things Iceland Community on Patreon Some of you might be aware that one of my goals for the podcast is to travel around Iceland more to interview different people in each region. In July, I set up the All Things Iceland community on Patreon. Patreon is a membership platform that was founded in 2013. It allows for creators like me to provide exclusive content to listeners like you in exchange for a monthly subscription. I would like to give a shout out to Julia. She is one of the newest members of the Ásgarður tier in the All Things Iceland community on Patreon. Julia and the other members in the community are helping to support the evolution of All Things Iceland and I greatly appreciate it. Each month I am doing Ask Me Anything videos, Live Chats, and Folklore Friday each week. Sometimes I do updates about my life in Iceland. I do not share this content on any other channel. The support from my patrons on the All Things Iceland community on Patreon will help to evolve All Things Iceland. There are several membership tiers to choose from and each tier has a variety of benefits. If you would like to join the community, go to patreon.com/allthingsiceland. I look forward to having you join. Let’s be social! Here is where you can connect with me: Instagram Facebook YouTube Twitter Þakka þér kærlega fyrir að hlusta (og að lesa) og sjáumst fljótlega Thank you kindly for listening (and reading) and see you soon!

This week, I share the fun chat I had with Mugison, a talented Icelandic artist that has been making waves on a local and global scale. We talked about the time he spent living in Africa as a child, musicians that inspire him, the impact of Icelandic nature on his music, his epic music festival Aldrei Fór Ég Suður (I never went South), and so much more.  Why I was in the Westfjords During my time in the Westfjords, I had the opportunity to interview some fascinating people in the area. My main reason for going to Ísafjörður was to take an intense three week Icelandic course at the University Center of the Westfjords. I’m planning to share a full review of that experience on the All Things Iceland Patreon, so keep a look out for that. Of course, I couldn’t go to the Westfjords and not get some interviews for the podcast. I was fortunate that Mugison lives in Súðavík and was open to chatting with me. It was such a blast to chat with him, and I felt like I was talking to one of my friends. I hope you enjoy this interview and the others from that area that I will be sharing in the near future.   Questions I Asked Mugison During the Interview You were born in Reykjavík and your family moved to Ísafjörður until you were the age of six but after that your family left Iceland to live in Cape Verde in West Africa. Can you talk a bit about why your family moved there and what was life like for you? What was it like coming back to Iceland after living abroad at such a young age? At what time in your life did you start to become interested in music? Did something happen that immediately attracted you to being a musician or did it kind of gradually enter into your life? What musicians in Iceland and abroad have impacted you and inspired you as an artist? Where do you look for inspiration to create your music? What advice do you have budding musical artists in Iceland?  How has your musical style evolved over time? You’ve done collaborations with several artists, including the iconic Icelandic singer Bubbi Morthens. Do you have any dream collaborations that you would like to do? Back in 2004, you and your father started a music festival called Aldrei fór ég Suður here in Ísafjörður. Can you explain a little bit about the festival and what makes it unique? Your name is Örn but you go by Mugison, why that name? As you’ve grown in popularity here and abroad, how has it been adjusting to being known? If you go to Reykjavík or abroad and walk around, do people try to stop you for pictures? What is your favorite Icelandic word or phrase? Join the All Things Iceland Community on Patreon Some of you might be aware that one of my goals for the podcast is to travel around Iceland more to interview different people in each region. In July, I set up the All Things Iceland community on Patreon. Patreon is a membership platform that was founded in 2013. It allows for creators like me to provide exclusive content to listeners like you in exchange for a monthly subscription. Each month I am doing Ask Me Anything videos, Live Chats, and Folklore Friday each week. Sometimes I do updates about my life in Iceland. I do not share this content on any other channel. The support from my patrons on the All Things Iceland community on Patreon will help to evolve All Things Iceland. There are several membership tiers to choose from and each tier has a variety of benefits. I would like to give a special shout out to Betty, Noa, Paul, Danielle, Melton, and Mark. They are members of the Ásgarður tier, which is the Land of the Gods in Norse Mythology. Members of that tier get a special shout out on the podcast each month. There are also Live group chats with me and a special gift that was made in Iceland sent to them from me each year. If you would like to join the community, go to patreon.com/allthingsiceland. I look forward to having you join. Let’s be social! Here is where you can connect with me: Instagram Facebook YouTube Twitter Þakka þér kærlega fyrir að hlusta (og að lesa) og sjáumst fljótlega Thank you kindly for listening (and reading) and see you soon!

Tyler Wacker embarked on an incredible cycling journey from California to Ísafjörður in the Westfjords.  For those of you who don’t follow me on Instagram, I am currently in Ísafjörður taking Icelandic courses. Coincidentally, Tyler is at the same school, even though he is studying something completely different than me. After working in the transportation engineering industry for six years and feeling unfulfilled with his work, Tyler decided it was time to set off on a bicycle tour around the perimeter of the United States starting and ending in San Francisco, where he was currently living.  The goals he had set for the journey were to assess where his life was and figure out how best to use his hands to address the climate crisis. Having mentally and physically prepared through a variety of endurance sports over the past few years, his new lifestyle came almost naturally until COVID forced him to pause his tour. After sheltering in place for ten weeks, he set off on his bike again but had revised his plan after he learned he had been accepted into the University Centre of the Westfjords in Isafjordur. He would now bike from Texas to Minneapolis and then to Boston to catch a flight to Keflavik and bike six days through Iceland to his new home.   During the interview, we dive into Tyler’s experience cycling in the U.S. and in Iceland, some of the challenges that he faced, the positive experience he had, and more. You can find Tyler on Instagram at @tjwack. Questions I Asked Tyler Wacker During the Interview Can you share the events that led to you to do this epic journey? Had you been to Iceland before? Had you been to the Westfjords before cycling here? What was it like pre-COVID traveling in the United States? Do you encounter any difficulties when cycling in the US because of COVID? What was it like when you arrived in Iceland? What has your cycling journey been like here? We’ve been encountering a second outbreak here. How has your experience here, regarding COVID, been different than in the U.S.? How did it feel when you finally arrived in Ísafjörður? What are your studying and how is school so far? I read that your planning to due to the Boston Marathon being cancelled that people who registered for it can run it wherever they are. You’re planning to do it in the Westfjords. Have you mapped out where you plan to run? What’s your favorite Icelandic word or phrase? Join All Things Iceland on Patreon If you’re not familiar with Patreon, it is a membership platform that allows creators like me to provide exclusive content to listeners like you. To learn more and join the community, check it out here. Let’s be social! Here is where you can connect with me: Instagram Facebook YouTube Twitter Þakka þér kærlega fyrir að hlusta (og að lesa) og sjáumst fljótlega Thank you kindly for listening (and reading) and see you soon!

Satu Rämö was born and raised in Finland, but has been living in Iceland for almost 20 years. She shares a lot about her life in Iceland with Finnish people and she has a huge following in Finland. I think it is safe to say that she is the official Finn in Iceland, as well as a creative entrepreneur, author and social media nerd. I met Satu through her husband Björgvin. He and I used to work at the same company. One day I was talking about the trials and tribulations of learning Icelandic and Björgvin said that his wife had gone through it and I should read her book, which is titled “My Journey to Iceland: 10 Crazy years and I am still here”. It was so interesting to learn about her life, the different cultural adjustments, how she met her husband and so much more. During the interview we talked about a variety of topics. Of course one of the questions had to do with the differences she has noticed between Iceland and Finland. To connect with Satu on Instagram, her account is @satu_ramo. Questions I Asked Satu Rämö During the Interview You’re from Finland and I’m just curious about what brought you to Iceland? Your book, which is titled, “My Journey to Iceland: 10 Crazy years and I am still here”, which was published in 2016, gives a good timeline of your journey here. One story that stuck out to me is when you met some Icelanders who were on vacation. It was during the economic boom in Iceland, so Icelanders were spending money like crazy. What was it like to be in the country before the economic meltdown? What are some surprising cultural differences that you observed between Finnish and Icelandic people when you started living here? Finnish, like Icelandic, is considered a difficult language to learn. What was it like learning Icelandic here? Do you have any advice for people that are learning the language or who want to learn it? You have a large following in Finland. What is the perception of Iceland in Finland? And vice versa, what do Icelandic people think of Finnish people? You and your family moved from downtown Reykjavík to Ísafjörður in the Westfjords last year. What inspired you to make that move and what is life like for you in a smaller town? What is your favorite Icelandic word or phrase? Join All Things Iceland on Patreon If you’re not familiar with Patreon, it is a membership platform that allows creators like me to provide exclusive content to listeners like you. To learn more and join the community, check it out here. Let’s be social! Here is where you can connect with me: Instagram Facebook YouTube Twitter Þakka þér kærlega fyrir að hlusta (og að lesa) og sjáumst fljótlega Thank you kindly for listening (and reading) and see you soon!

During this week’s episode, I spoke with LK Bertram about the very large emigration of Icelanders to Canada in the 1800s.  LK Bertram is the author of The Viking Immigrants: Icelandic North Americans, and is an associate professor in the Department of History at the University of Toronto. Born and raised in Winnipeg, she also has family roots in Öxnadalur and is the proud parent of twin 3-year olds. For some fab intel on Icelandic North American culture, history, and life, check out her instagram @thevikingimmigrants. Because LK lives in Canada, we did a virtual interview. It was such a blast to chat with her. The insight she shared about the Icelandic settlement in North America was beyond fascinating. I look forward to reading her book to learn more. The Questions I asked LK Bertram during the Interview Can you give us a little background about you? You are grew up in Canada but have Icelandic roots. Until I looked into it, I wasn’t aware of the pretty big migration of Icelanders to Canada. Can you talk a bit about why they migrated? Did Icelanders face any prejudice or difficulties as immigrants? How is it for Icelanders living there in present day? You wrote a book called The Viking Immigrants. What inspired you to write it? Have Icelandic immigrant traditions had any impact on Canada or North America? Who are some of your favorite historical figures who are Icelandic immigrants to Canada? Did you grow up learning Icelandic? On your Instagram page, you posted about the significance of supernatural beliefs to Icelandic immigrants and especially women in Winnipeg. Can you talk a little about what that was so important? Have you visited Iceland, if so how did that feel? Were you seeing similar cultural traditions as in Canada?  What is your favorite Icelandic word or phrase? Join All Things Iceland on Patreon If you’re not familiar with Patreon, it is a membership platform that allows creators like me to provide exclusive content to listeners like you. To learn more and join the community, check it out here. Let’s be social! Here is where you can connect with me: Instagram Facebook YouTube Twitter Þakka þér kærlega fyrir að hlusta (og að lesa) og sjáumst fljótlega Thank you kindly for listening (and reading) and see you soon!

This week I chatted with Icelandic Geology expert Helga Kristín Torfadóttir. She is currently pursuing her PhD in volcanology and petrology, with a focus on structures of magma chambers. Additionally, she is a glacier guide, a model and drives really big cars. What an awesome combination!  I came across Helga on Instagram, where her handle is @geology_with_helga and I was instantly stunned by her awesome photos, especially the one of her in a space suit, and her informative posts. I think she uses the platform well to make geology fun. I’ve learned a lot about geology in Iceland. There have been times when I have also just watched her videos even when I wasn’t necessarily understanding everything but her passion for the topic made it interesting to watch. Plus, she is out in nature often, so you are getting to tag along with an expert as she is explaining how certain landscapes have been formed. I’m excited for the time  when a volcano erupts here because she’ll be onsite giving us all the details. If you are on Instagram, I highly recommend following her.  Questions I Asked Helga about Icelandic Geology & More What made you interested in studying Geology and volcanology? Can you share some background information on the geology in Iceland and what makes it unique? You are PhD candidate, what is the focus of your research and dissertation? During your research and field study, have you ever found something that unexpected or surprising to you? For people that are interested in seeing some of the country’s spectacular geology, where do you recommend that they visit? Do you have a favorite place or places in Iceland that you like to go?  There have been many earthquakes and magma build up happening around different volcanoes around the country. While I know it is impossible to know when there will be another eruption, do you think one will happen soon? If so, which one or ones do you think are most likely to erupt? You have an awesome Instagram account called Geology with Helga, where you teach about geology. You have awesome photos of you in an astronaut suit, which is awesome. I’m just curious about what the story is behind the astronaut suit?  Also, what inspired you to start an Instagram page about geology? I saw in your Instagram stories that you recently trekked the famous Laugavegur trail with your boyfriend and adorable dog Móberg. I think the first or second night was quite intense because it became so cold where you were camping. Overall, it was a ton of fun to learn about the landscape as you were hiking. Is that something that you are normally thinking and talking about when you go on trips like that? What is your favorite Icelandic word or phrase? Join All Things Iceland on Patreon Before I jump into the interview, I would like to give a shout out to Melton and Mark. They recently became members of the Ásgarður tier in the All Things Iceland community on Patreon. Each month, members in that tier get a shout-out on the podcast. They also get to take part in Live Group Chats with me and so much more.  Additionally, I have started doing Folklore Friday on Patreon, which means that I share a fascinating Icelandic folklore story each week. That content is available to all patrons in the community. If you want to join, check out patreon.com/allthingsiceland I hope you enjoyed this episode of All Things Iceland. Make sure to share this interview if you found it interesting and leave a 5-star review. Let’s be social! Here is where you can connect with me: Instagram Facebook YouTube Twitter Þakka þér kærlega fyrir að hlusta (og að lesa) og sjáumst fljótlega Thank you kindly for listening (and reading) and see you soon!