Iceland - June 2008

Just wanted to write and let you know things are going well here. Arrived safe and sound but without luggage on 9 June. Ended up not going to work like I planned. So on 10 June, traipsed into work in shorts, tennis shoes, dress shirt (that I mailed to myself) and a sweater. Got my luggage the same day. Week went on well with just the normal growing pains of trying to adjust to 24 hours of daylight. The sun's up about 21 of those hours but even when it goes down, there's still enough light to see everything.

Friday came and I went to a bbq at one of my coworker's house. We had lamb, pork, chicken, and hot dogs. On Saturday one of the my coworkers threw a welcome party for me. Between myself and the intern, we drank a full bottle of jack and rum. We wrapped up the party at like 2am. What else do you do at 2am but head to the bars to drink more until 5. Oh what a night!!!

Sunday went to an Iceland versus Macedonia handball match. I'd never been to one. Don't know the rules. But this game was the deciding factor on whether Iceland or Macedonia went to the World Cup. Where that is or when that is haven't a clue. Iceland won the match but only by 6 points so they are not going to the World Cup. They needed to win by 8

Monday came and after the staff meeting we had cake and everybody sang happy birthday to me. It was a ho- hum day. Went home and made some pasta then went to a concert. Got home around 2am. 17 June is an Icelandic holiday so I sat around the house all day watching dvds. And so now I'm ending my second week here in Iceland. Tomorrow I'm considering walking around downtown and taking some pics. So beautiful here and so much to see and do. Well not so much to see and do, but it's a helluvalot better than Liberia, Pakistan or Afghanistan in terms of opportunities to do things outside of work.
Since I've been here the Icelandic have killed two polar bears. Haven't had one in Iceland in 18 years and within two weeks, they've had 2. Some farmer out in the boonies claims to have had a dream about 3 polar bears and then a huge volcanic eruption. 2 polar bears down - one more and then the volcanic eruption.

Gas is at $7.97 per gallon. Luckily we get about 40% back.

Had some very high-level meetings today with the national police, and I got my Icelandic ID number today so I'm official. I can rent videos!

I'll try and write another update in a couple of weeks. Have to go to the office for a little bit tomorrow (saturday 21 june). then walking around and taking some photographs of the town. Next weekend I'm thinkin about going out of town to one of the glaciers. (using a work car right now for travel around town - a volvo). So over the next few years, I'll try and update you regularly. You can write me back and let me know what's going on in your neck of the woods too.

28 June went to a Sigur Ros/Björk concert. It was a free concert, and I sat pretty much like on the 3rd row. I made the papers!! Morgenbladid had my picture in it. Not quite front page coverage like I'm used to, but I'll take it. I'm having a word with the editors over the next few weeks. Fuckers need to learn who they're dealing with. And I did go to the glacier on Saturday (29 June). We played in the snow and froze our butts off.

Love you all. Take care and talk to you soon. jon