Above 63

I know the answer but it is difficult to describe and incomplete-but I’m carrying it with me

I’ve been home a little over 3 months and this is one of the most common questions I get. It’s a tough question. Pause for a moment and think about the things you liked the most from the past year. Whatever comes to your mind, as you think about it more over time–you add and revise the list. As you revise it more, the list gets complicated, you add things, you remove things, and you remember places and people you miss. The memories collide with the experiences and giving a good answer feels incomplete. What I really miss is Iceland and the experience I had day-to-day.

Without being clichéd, I focused on enjoying Iceland everyday. Sometimes, there were spectacular moments, like bathing in the Reykjadalur Thermal River. Other times there were ordinary moments in the grocery store deciding on which milk and skyr to buy. Sometimes the light was just right as I walked to work out for a stroll and I had to stop and just enjoy the view. I’m trying to carry with me that idea of being focused on who and where I am at the moment.

My friends that are asking me this question want to learn more about my experience and some are looking for things to do or pay attention to in case they go to Iceland. All of this is good, but I miss the whole experience. Still, I do have some things that I will make sure I do and see when I go back.

• Hit the bakery for coffee and pastry. It’s a different experience than it is in the US. First of all, the pastry is very good. However the experience is different. There is a “slowness” about being at the coffee shop. If you are with someone it is a time to pause and spend time with them. If you are alone, it is reflective solitude.

• Go to the pool. I’ve written about this before, but I was recently reminded that the pool is a “cell phone free” zone. The beauty of absolutely disconnecting while soaking in very hot water.
• Walk along the shore. I lived about a 500 meters from the North Atlantic and in the main part of Reykjavik, you are never more than 3 km from the shore. Often it was hard to miss even when not walking alongside it. It looks different every day.

• Grabbing a meal somewhere. A common misconception about Iceland is that the food is not good. When you hear that, don’t believe it. I ate very well in Iceland. I enjoyed Icelandic cuisine. However, Reykjavik is an international city with food choices from around the world.

• Getting out to the countryside. Although I got out to the countryside a lot while I was there–it was never enough. The scenery is spectacular (mountains, waterfalls, hills, glaciers, etc.) but the light enhances it. On a sunny day the low angle sun provides a filtered light that is magnificent. On dark, cloudy, or rainy days, the shadows and light are handsomely muted in dark greens, browns, and grays.

Unless I go back very soon, when I go back to Iceland, I will not be able to see one of the things I enjoyed the most: my Fulbright cohort. Over the years I’ve worked with a lot of talented people. I’ve come to appreciate them when they show up in my life. They were a group of people from a variety of disciplines that I learned from and enjoyed spending time with. I’m sure I will see some of them again.

I’ve always paid attention to engaging and enjoying what is going on in the present moment and who is around me at that time. I will say that my time in Iceland has helped me focus on that more in my day to day.