weekend

Well it was another great weekend. Friday night we went to a program dinner at an adorable guest house which is actually no longer running. It is a very old captain's house, we think, and was restored beautifully. At one time it also had a restaurant and we are sad to think it is gone now. The room upstairs was charming with beds build into the eaves, a small kitchen and a bathroom that looked like it was on a boat. Through the dining room toward the main bathrooms they had the original wooden beams showing and it was really beautiful. In the upstairs they kept a little window showing a part of the tarred wall from before the addition was added. Anyway, all the students and some faculty were there including 5 students who are part of a UN program in fisheries. There are 21 students in total who are all here in Iceland and they are all from developing nations. The students who are here in Isafjordur are from Cuba, India, Malawi, Namibia and Cambodia - all men. They were chosen by their governments, had interviews and were chosen to take part in this 6 month program. There are women in the group, just not in the fishery technology group which these five are part of.

So, we all got together, had some wine and delicious fish soup made from a sweet potato base - brilliant! Zelia ate SO much fish we thought she may explode:) Other than that she had a rough time with all the people and new faces even though she took a nap before going, oh well. On the way out the northern lights were green and brilliant at moments which was very exciting. I had not really seen them yet and neither had the UN students.

Saturday we slept in, as they all do here, I think most people are in bed until about 11 - we haven't made it that late yet, but Jacob thinks in two weeks we will do it:) After a leisurely wake up we prepared for our weekly Bonus trip. Earlier in the week there was some talk about doing a Mexican night over the weekend so we decided to host it, but make it a Latin night and invite the UN students. We called Tanja, Traian and Danielle and walked together to Bonus. We realized along the walk that we had no way to contact the UN students so put in a few calls to see what we could do. On the walk over we decided on the menu and split up the tasks, Tanja was to make ceviche for the first time, Traian was going to make cheese empanaditas (using pizza dough - it works VERY well), we were making meat pie, rice and flan and Danielle a layer dip with tortillas. Luckily on the walk back we met Theo, from Namibia, and were able to invite the group for 6:30. Oh, also Katri and Jukka were planning on coming.

I was VERY nervous about making flan because I had never done so before and was convinced it would be very hard, also we had to make pastry for the meat pie - and neither of us like to make dough or feel confident about it. Now, I know we must get help from Aunt Andy stat!!!!! (Before TG) anyway, we did what we could and the dough tasted good but was too crumbly. The flan was touch and go because I had put it in too thick of a dish for the time we were baking it - but it ended up DELICIOUS! Thank god for the Panamanian vanilla. Eventually everyone arrived and we enjoyed a great meal. Conversation was slower than I would have expected but hopefully as we get better acquainted it will flow better. After everyone had left we discussed how it may just be so American to invite people over impromptu and to be very casual and all chat and hang out...

There was a moment when I had a chance to ask about the election. To be honest I felt funny doing so, why should they care, right? But I asked if they were interested at all. They said yes and that they were a little happy with the results, that it could have been a lot worse, but overall politics are politics and it's the rich always ruling and pulling the strings...It's a different reaction from what I have gotten from people from here and interesting to contemplate. On a side note this is the first time many of them have ever left their home countries and here they are in Iceland, I find that fascinating!!!!

This morning we slept until 9 as light was just beginning to show and we hung out in bed playing with Zelia until 10 when there was slightly more light. Dawn and dusk last a very long time here. We had some breakfast and headed outside in the rain and heavy wind for a walk and bought turkey for TG.

Now back I am going to head to Gerdur's house and get much needed help with my sock knitting. OH - Tomorrow night she is having us over for dinner where she is going to serve us half rotten half dried fish, hmmmm. She is making fresh fish for Zelia and Gisli who hates this fish...at least it gives us permission to not like it too, ugh I am nervous. They are a wonderful couple and we are really happy to be getting closer with them. On Friday night at the dinner Zelia was very happily playing with Gisli which was really nice.

Jacob has 2 weeks right now without classes while he works on two projects. The professor who was here, Larry, is from Canada and could only be here for one week. They had intensely long lectures all week and now have work to do. It will also be helpful for me to not have to have Zelia at every rehearsal, plus Danielle said she would take her one day, yay!!!!

Well, that is all for now and I have to get out of the house for a bit!!!!