10/31/2014 0 Comments Blöndúos (The farm life pt 1)Everything here is still so absolutely perfect. Perfect in the way that I’m learning, growing, and trying to take in everything for exactly what it is. The moments of frustration are few and far between, but still necessary to make the best parts even more sweeter. Whenever I find myself frustrated, I try to take a moment to find gratitude for everything that is happening around me. I have so much to be thankful for, so much to be happy about, there really isn't time to be frustrated, albeit it does occur once in a great while. I also try to remind myself, that's when the growing is happening, and not everything is meant to be peachy all the time. It's all part of the experience, and I couldn't be happier to be living it. Speaking of happiness, I believe I'm probably the happiest I've ever been. I've only been here a week, but it's been an utterly fantastic week, and it feels like we've been here much, much longer. I feel for once with certainty that I'm where I belong, and I've never felt more at ease I imagine since I was a child. I do get homesick, but only when I'm chatting with people from back home.. But I know they're here with me all the time, for I carry them in my little baby heart, that feels like it's growing with love for this place each day. We finally arrived to our first workaway experience on Monday, and began work on Tuesday. The family is beyond wonderful, and takes really good care of us. We have our own place in a building called the Skemma, something like a barn, garage, or small warehouse. Our bedroom is upstairs, and we're spoiled as all hell, because aside from it being perfect, and having this cozy folk-farm vibe, we also have tempurpedic beds... which is fantastic to lay down in after a day of work. The work is quite simple, pretty mundane, but I like most of it none the less. There are it's grosser parts, but it's just part of it, and it's really not that bad. Definitely nothing I can't handle ;) We pack, and pick the eggs, and Mel and I throw around lots of egg puns, whenever they come to mind. We also get to feed the horses once in a while, which is a joy to be around, and I can't get enough of them. One of the most beautiful parts of Iceland is their majestic horses, they're everywhere! And the food, the food.... the food.......... Our host family cooks us amazing meals each night, and I feel like I could never stop eating, even when I'm full. I've been able to try a bunch of things that I would never have imagined I'd try, being I'm usually a picky eater! I've tried some fish, and smoked lamb (so good!), and I could purely live off of the potatoes. Rakel made bread one night, banana and a spiced one of sorts, and I think between Melissa and I, we could have finished both loafs if we were allowed. ;) The spiced bread tastes like christmas in your mouth, and I will for sure be bringing home the recipe to share with all my friends and family back home... GET EXCITED. Sometime soon I get to try Reindeer, which is a delicacy of sorts here, because you are only allowed to hunt one a year, and it's supposedly quite expensive to obtain the permit. The animal laws are awesome here in Iceland. For instance, the owned sheep are free grazing until they are brought to the slaughterhouse, which seems much more humane if you're going to eat them. I'm uncertain of the other laws, I've been told a few of them, but I forgot. I'm learning so much, but sometime's it's hard to remember everything when so much is being thrown at you. None the less, I'm trying to soak in as much as possible. :) I get extremely excited when I do retain things, especially words in the language. It's amazing listening to the Icelanders speak, and when I can catch a word I recognize I'm like HEY!!!!! I KNOW THAT!!!! I CAN SPEAK ICELANDIC!!! (Not even close...obviously.) I probably could ramble for days about all the spectacular I'm experiencing, but I'll save some for next time. Until then, bless (goodbye). AND HAPPY HALLOWEEN! mlh
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10/27/2014 2 Comments A letter to IcelandMy dear new love,
I am constantly astounded by you. Your perfections and imperfections make you up to be the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. Constantly changing, constantly blowing me away by the detail and layers of your beauty. I have fallen quite hard for you. I feel tiny around you, but only in a way that your beauty is so captivating, so large, wrapping me up in your brilliance. Your perpetual change, every time I look at you. The colors that cascade, through the mountains, the skies, the grass... The sun perfectly showing all your curves and peaks. Reflecting so graciously among the waters and the land. I love watching you, and I love falling in love with you more and more every day, hour, minute, second. You have forever stolen my heart, filled it with so much love and beauty...and when I'm outside, breathing in your crisp air, it fills the holes and all the wounds I've had from the past. I feel as if there are no words, no photographs, nothing, that can accurately describe you. I am at a loss, for the things that I've held so close to me---words and a lens---cannot capture your essence. All I can do, is hold you close, keep these moments with me forever engrained in my mind and heart. You've changed me, for there will always be a spark in my heart reminding me of your song. 10/23/2014 0 Comments Transcending & DescendingAs we near our destination, my heart begins to race, thoughts and emotions flood my mind. Am I ready for this? (I can do this, I can do this.) What are people back home doing? Where are the people on the plane going? Do they know we're going to the most magical place on earth? How was American Horror Story? I keep anxiously looking to the lady to the left of me, so lucky to get the window seat, only to close the shade. WHATTYA OUT OF YOUR DAMN MIND? Whatever. Again, the thought 'am I ready for this' swipes back and forth through my thought process as I keep asking myself silly questions. CAN I do this? I wanna go home... No, no, Mia... this is all you've ever wanted. Truly preparing myself to walk off this plane and into a realm I've never been in has started to rattle my bones. I'm a small town girl with big world thoughts... I know at the end of the day, this is exactly what I asked for, exactly what I wanted, and as soon as I see the landscapes from the my dreams, it'll all be worth it. Our airplane was adorable. We were greeted with a bottle of Icelandic water, and each seat had a little phrase or fun fact about Iceland. In the seat was a blanket and a pillow with an Icelandic lullaby. Seriously, these people do it right. We have less than an hour 'til we descend. I'm equally nervous and excited. I want a dang cigarette like no other. Oh shoot, it's gonna be cooooold. I try to stop thinking, put on some tunes, and drown out. I immediately turn on the band that inspired me to come here, (probably cheesy) but as soon as I do, relief strikes me. I remember exactly why I'm doing this. Not only for those beautiful landscapes but for this pure peaceful, blissful feeling I find inside of me sometimes. For the people, the music, even the discomfort, ALL of it. I know why I'm here, in this moment, sitting on a plane in the middle of the night, leaving a life behind. I remember, and that peaceful feeling fills my entire stomach up to my throat. THIS is IT. Only 35 minutes til landing. Post landing
We arrived! WE DID IT! We made it to Iceland. After collecting our things, we wander around the cutest little airport and stop for some coffee. It was different from American coffee... I think the creamer was already in it, but I have no freaking idea. Dealing with the currency is going to be awkward, because as the cashier tells me my total, completely baffled, I throw down a bunch of coins and ask "Is this enough?" It wasn't, so I hand him a larger bill.. he gives me a bunch of coins back, and we're off. We purchase our bus tickets, and a man helps us with our way too heavy backpacks, tells us what stop to get off, and lets us on the bus. Nothing feels real. Still. As we begin our bus ride to Reykjavik, we are hit with complete disbelief. If it was just Mel and I on the bus, I imagine we probably would have been screeching and making weird girly noises of excitement. I can't even figure out where to fixate my eyes, because everywhere I look is the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. The way the clouds lightly dust the mountains, the way the sun is trying so hard to peek through the grey sky. It's overcast, but it doesn't matter one bit... It only adds to the beauty. The terrain is a mixture of twenty different greens and yellows scattered with these big rocks. Seriously- even the rocks are beautiful. Everywhere you look are mountains in the distance, climbing atop one another, the view changing every single second. To the left of me, tons of water. Minutes later, the city is in sight and we're hit with more excitement. Our bus halts, and the same man gives us directions to where we're staying. It was a short walk, but a bit of a tough trek with the backpacks on. I can't even describe how happy I am not to be carrying that thing right now. We're couch surfing with our new friend Sindri. He laughed at us when we told him the drive here was so beautiful because according to him, the drive from the airport to here is NOTHING compared to what else this place has to offer. Jokes on me, I guess. We chat with Sindri until he goes to work, which brings us to the present moment. Some observations: IT'S MAGICAL. I DEFINITELY BELIEVE IN THE ELVES. (If you were a majestic creature, you would live here.) There's a bunch of subway restaurants. Gag. But no walmarts or mcdonalds! YES! It's NOT that cold. Everyone here is SO nice. People don't lock their doors here. I'm in heaven. mlh 10/9/2014 0 Comments the before factorSo here I am, two weeks until my departure, about to embark on one of the biggest journeys I've ever been on. I've dreamed about this day since I was a child. I remember the first time I learned about archaeologists, I'd wanted to become one. Not particularly because I wanted to actually be an archaeologist-- (although the concept does seem fun) but because I wanted to explore all these wondrous monuments and artifacts that make up our human history. Now I still want to do that, but more than just the structures, I want to shake hands personally with the culture, the foreign mind, the history, the nature, and myself. I have to say, that as much as I can't wait to explore different parts of this earth, I'm also anticipating exploring myself mentally, spiritually, and physically put my endurance to the test. I'm just moments away from doing that. I'm excited, jubilant, terrified. Stirred up with a bit of that good anxiety- like when you're about to go on a first date with someone thrown amidst the sea of real live communication with some potential love partner. (WHICH IS TOTALLY SCARY IN 2014!) All those irrational questions that ponder in your head... (at least if you're me) What will we talk about? Will we connect? What should I wear? What music does he listen to? Gosh, what if it's horrible.. Please don't be dub-step! What if he's boring? Oh no, should I cancel? Do I look alright? Ha! I'm giggling at how perfect that describes a brief bit of the way I feel. Except the potential lover is a vast array of cities, people, and culture that I've never experienced. As the days near closer, the degrees of feelings change. Within moments I'll find myself going from extreme excitement, to a ball of anxiousness completely scared of what's in store for me. One minute I wish I was already there, the next I'm wishing I could stop time completely. It's been a nudge to stay in the moment as much as possible, as these past couple weeks have taught me just how much I have to leave behind here. My heart has filled to the brim with the love I've found myself surrounded by from friends and family. It's left me in awe at times to feel that from everyone. I truly love the people in my life, and I'm sad to leave them behind for whatever the time being. I also feel as if I'm leaving behind a part of my former self that I'll never get back. And while self evolution is always potentially a good thing, it feels a bit unnerving to really wrap your head around something you know will forever change you, and your life. To think that this is probably the biggest thing I've wanted, for as long as I can remember, is also a mix of totally strange and contradictory feelings. Every oxymoron of feelings have approached me all at different times and lengths. I know this is just the beginning. But, as we all know, the fun happens when you escape your comfort zone. So while I might be nervous, I'm going for it. See you on the other side. :) mlh
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Authoron my way around the earth with one run-on sentence at a time. Archives
June 2015
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