The Land of Fire and Ice: Hidden Surprises

This week, despite the erratic weather, has been a good week. The semester is coming to a close, about three weeks left and only two for some classes. Projects and papers and exams are piling up, though there have been little adventures and surprises throughout all the work. Monday night my class got out early and as I walked home across the lake I was able to witness one of the most beautiful Icelandic skies I have seen yet. The sun was setting perfectly behind the trees, as the rest of the sky was a mixture of deep blues, along with the pinks and oranges coming from the glow of the sun. What a walk home. Tuesday night I gathered two of my lovely housemates and together we made a fantastic breakfast for dinner. The spread consisted of French Toast, Laura's cheesy eggs, Sierra's fried potatoes, and bacon that was out of this world from a little farmers market nearby. I don't remember being able to move afterwards. Thursday I decided it was time to visit the harbor again, as I hadn't been there in a while. I feel comfortable here, as comfortable as one can feel in a temporary home, though I never want to feel so complacent that I take for granted the majestic nature around me. I explored the city once again, walking down to the harbor and visiting Harpa, the beautiful music hall built right on the sea. It was a good little stroll to get out of the house and breath in some fresh Icelandic air. Friday was a day of running errands and trying to figure out classes and paperwork for school back home. I like to be able to plan things myself and be able to be sure of them. Having to wait for others from my school to get back to me to continue in my planning is very frustrating. Not to mention the fact that I am trying to plan my last year of school in order to graduate on time. Oh man, the thought is a little overwhelming in itself. Friday night, Laura and I snuggled up under blankets and watched a lovely Italian film called La Grande Bellezza. Saturday I woke, planning on studying for my exam on Monday all day. After making some breakfast, however, Laura came down to the kitchen and noticed just how beautiful of a day it was...how beautiful of a day it was to climb a mountain. It took us about two minutes to decide to ditch the homework and climb Esja, a mountain about 45 minutes from our house by bus. Within the hour we were ready to leave our house and begin our adventure. We took two buses neither of us had ever taken, and had a stop over of an hour, in which we played cards and ate Pringles at a random gas station, yet we made it to the mountain eventually. The hike was not too long, about an hour, yet very steep. The view from the top, as usual, was well worth it. We could see mountains, mountains and more mountains, along with Reykjavik, and faintly even the church our house is near. The journey home was even more exciting than the one there. As soon as we reached the base we walked to the bus stop, only to find the next bus would be coming in two and a half hours. Our options were between waiting it out, meaning we would be there after the sun set, walking to the next bus station, which would be extremely far, or hitch-hiking. Now, our whole lives Laura and I have been taught that hitch-hiking is very unsafe, and for me, illegal in the States. At this point, however, it looked like our best option, as we knew it was very common here and many people we know have done it already. So, we decided it was time to try hitch-hiking. We were successful and safe! Don't worry parents, it wont become a common thing. This lovely morning I once again find myself in my favorite coffee shop, munching on a piece of toast with blueberry jam and cheese, attempting to study for the exam looming over my head. What better time to write my blog?