Summer of Midnight Sun - Chapter 2: People & Customs

 When most people think of Iceland, it's only natural for images of Vikings and harsh winter weather to come to mind. These preconceived notions could not be farther from the truth than even I had imagined, as Iceland has become a multicultural center. 

Over 20% of the 350,000 permanent residents on the island are immigrants from foreign backgrounds, with the majority being Polish or Eastern European. On top of this, the nation hosts over 3 million tourists annually, meaning that there's no shortage of unknown languages being spoken around every corner. During my time in Iceland, I became friends with residents hailing from Germany, Austria, Ukraine, Russia, Hungary, France, Portugal, Egypt, and more. Hell, I even met up with an Iranian man to attempt to sell my car. I found this to be a fascinating experience, coming from a country that is regarded as the "melting pot of the world". I am convinced that it is there, not here. As we became acquainted, I began to realize that I was also being introduced to their cultural perspectives and customs through their lens. This is a part of the trip that I will cherish more than most.

The Icelanders I met largely did not fit the description given to them by the notions held about their ancestors. Working on a team that was largely Icelandic, I enjoyed how helpful they were with things like learning bits of the language and their helpful attitude towards involving me in learning new skills. As a nation and culture, there is a sense of very close familial and interpersonal relationships. This is in part due to the struggles faced on the island before many of the modern luxuries we live with today. With few resources, many things were shared along these ties to make sure everyone had enough to survive, and life was lived in this way until the middle of the 19th century. 

Due to the long summer sunlight hours, or perhaps the lack of winter sunlight, the majority of festivals and holidays are held between May and August. Lining up perfectly with my internship, I was able to experience a number of fun events, whether they were Nordic or specifically Icelandic. First was National Day, June 17, the Icelandic version of Independence Day when freedom was gained from the English in 1944. The largest ceremony is held at Þhingvellir, the original meeting place of the original Icelandic parliament (Alþing) in 932 A.D., situated in the tectonic rift between the North American and Eurasian plates. While I was not able to attend on this day, I have been to Þhingvellir multiple times, and the inspiration never changes. 

Following this was Miðsumar, a Nordic holiday celebrating the longest day of the year. For the most part, everyone had run out of the office by around 3 P.M., leaving me to wonder why I was still there. With no real rhyme or reason, the holiday mostly serves as inspiration for people to enjoy the wonderful early summer weather. With beautiful weather, my housemates and I headed downtown for some drinks and extra vitamin D. When we headed home around 1 A.M., the sun was still sitting on the horizon.

My last day in the country aligned perfectly with the Icelandic Cultural Festival. This essentially equates to cultural speakers and historical displays at the University of Iceland during the day, eventually evolving to a large concert and block parties across the downtown area throughout the night. It was a great deal of fun, with over 100,000 people flooding the streets to take part.

Kærar kveðjur,

Gabriel Paige