so tell me, what is our ending?

This last week feels an awful like the first week except with a few differences. 1) I have friends 2) I know the city 3) there´s less day light. Some similarities have been: boring paper work, random things on a to-do-list, lots of spare time, and no computer. Instead of unpacking and organizing, I have started to organize and pack. The worst part is this week there are no hello nice to meet yous, but goodbyes for maybe forever.

As depressing as that sounds my week hasn´t been that sad. In fact, it has been fun and full of random and planned events.

Last Saturday my friend Maxine made Chines dumplings for me because I am leaving. She is so sweet. We were making dumplings all afternoon, I hadn´t eaten that much since Thanksgiving! The next day I had went over to my buddy´s house for an Icelandic meal. It was a very diverse weekend of my taste buds.

The most touristy thing I have done was go to the Blue Lagoon with Birgir, Charlize, Rabekka, and Maxine. The Blue Lagoon is the big deal of Iceland, a Disneyland type of big deal. Expect it is not long lines and rides, but a large relaxing outside naturally hot pool. It was great to get out of the city and just relax for an afternoon.

The craziest thing I have done was go to the beach with Gerick and Zak to swim in it. Yes, I have now been swimming in the North Atlantic. It was more of a jump in, scream, take a few pictures, and run into the hotpot that was also in the ocean. But I was in the North Atlantic in my swimsuit, and that´s all that counts. :)

Sunday is coming too soon, and I just realized today that I only have the morning in Reykjavik. The rest of my day will be getting to the airport, waiting around in airports, and flying. I´m not looking forward to that at all. Just like in coming here, I haven´t thought much about going home and what it means. I can foresee culture shock, not a lot. But it will happen. I was in another country for a semester, its bound to happen. As are changes in myself and all the changes that have happened back home and at school. Everything will be different and everything will be oddly the same. But at the same time, I am looking forward to the new adventures back home. I have never taken advantage of the beauty and exciting things in the cities that I live in. That will be changing.

Well friends, this will for sure be my last post before I am home. I don´t want to waste any moments on the computer today, tomorrow, and Sunday morning. But thanks for reading. Bless.

feel free to say "told you so"

I have a little story for you my blog readers.

Friday afternoon was my last final and just like the first two this one was about a 10 to 15 minute walk away. I have kept a very anti-bus philosophy while living in Reykjavik because this city is so small, why waste money when you have legs that can walk? I woke up to the wind screaming at the rain and the storm continued all day. At dressed for the worst and forced my way through the wind and the sleeting rain. At some points the wind would blow so hard I could barely move an inch forward. I had to walk across this bridge that crosses one of the only busy roads and a huge gust of wind came and I literally blew to the other side of the bridge. I almost started to worry that I wouldn't make it to my test at all because the weather was so bad. I did make it on time, just soaking wet and I smelt like a dog. It was not fun taking a three hour final wet, but I survived and came back to my dorm.(Oh the things I do to pass my classes, ha). I put on sweats, drank tea, and ate my mini spooners (an attempt at the real min wheats?) the rest of the night. Of course at night the storm stopped and it was beautiful out. Such is the weather in Iceland.

I refused to step foot outside the next day because it was still raining. But Sunday morning was beautiful and warm out. I went to church with some friends to watch another friend sing in a choir, and then we went to the flea market and out to coffee. For dinner I went over to my Icelandic Buddy's house for some lamb. It was amazing! Today I've been doing random things that needed to get done and ran home from down town. It was wonderful. I have made a fun-to-do-list for my last week in Iceland and it is really shaping up into an awesome week, at least on paper. :]

I leave the 20th, and hopefully I'll be able to blog again, but if not its been great sharing my life with you. Bless friends.

I saw santa, I saw santa!

the title gives away my big news but today santa stopped his car so I could cross the street. It is common in Iceland for drivers to slow down or stop for you if you look like you are going to cross the street. This afternoon, no joke, an elderly man with a fluffy white beard wearing a red hat and coat, stopped for me to cross the street. Thanks santa, you made my day.

No other land than the present

There have been uneventful events these past few weeks, and I must apologize for not updating my blog before now (especially after my last joyful ending). I have been computer less for too long now and will remain to be until I return to the States. It´s frustrating, but I can also count it as a blessing because I have been using my time for studying. But I am continually becoming more upset at the lack of communication I can have with my family. Oh these learning experiences are never easy... But I am learning the meaning of honesty and that when people from home ask me how I am doing - they really care and want to know.

It has officially been finals "month" since the 30th of November and I have only had two finals since then. They give you far too much time during finals if you ask me, but seeing as my whole grade rests on these tests, I should be thankful for the extra time. The two finals I had were easy and almost enjoyable. Studying for them is another thing altogether. No one has had to study much this semester and everyone´s brain is fried already from using it too much. I have been suffering from a bad case of procrastination this week because I don´t have another final until Friday. This one will also be easy if I put in the time. Good thing I have this afternoon and all day tomorrow to work on it.

I planned a little festive Christmas event last Sunday for everyone in my dorm. We got together and baked cookies from 2pm until 6:30pm (and then started up again at 8:30pm). It was fun because people baked cookies that they eat in their own country and I had a blast watching at least 5 people decorate their first sugar cookie! The only "bad" thing is that I have 200 plus cookies in my freezer that I keep giving people because I don´t want them anymore. (I now have to worry about fitting into my brides maid dress I got over the summer - yikes, should have thought about that before Thanksgiving and Christmas cookies). ha. That beautiful picture is what we ate just the first night.

I finished my first scarf this week also! I am very proud that I finally finished one after years of trying and giving up. Iceland is just a magical place to knit I guess. My little brother is no longer "little" anymore, and he got the package I sent for his birthday. :) I can´t wait to see the Icelandic "football" warm up on him.

My biggest joy is the fact that my wonderful friend Bethany is home from Africa!!! I´m talking to her right now. She is so awesome. Between her homecoming, my lack of a computer, and my family having a difficult time now, home is looking better and better. I still wonder if I´d feel homesick if those last two never happened. But there is no point in living in the land of "if only" or "I wonder". I´´ll be home in 11 days and I´m going to enjoy my last 11 days in Iceland to the fullest. Bless friends.