Happy new year

The year 2007 was a good year for me in many ways. Both for my scouting life and personal life.

In Scouting I finished creating a new scout program for the Icelandic scouts, Rovernet.eu was formally lunched in february. I Orgnaized IMWe in April along with the IMWeTeam and in May I went to Slovenia to the European Scout Conference. I was part of the coningent support team for Iceland at the World Scout Jamboree in England which was a great experience. And in August I left the scout office.

So that connects to my personal life

First half of the year I was busy finishing by work for the scouts and getting orgnaized to move to Holland, where I am now. It was a big change to move to Holland in August to do by Master degree at the Vrije Universiteit amsterdam. For the first time in 12 years I don't have any job appart from being a student. It's a big change but it also gives you the opportunity to look back and to think about how you want to move forward.

So for this year my plans are

To finish my studies and start a new working life. To keep on providing my service towards the scouting movement and hopefully travel a little bit.

I hope you all have a good start of the year and that it will be the year of new good things in your life!!!

Merry Christmas

I wish you a merry christmas and hope that you relax and eat a lot over the next few days!

I din't get my smelly fish, but I had Plokkfisk in stead so it was alright!

The story of the Icelandic Christmas Fish

Iceland has many traditions and specially regarding Christmas. As this will be my first Christmas far away from Iceland I made some special arrangements to get all the traditional food that is required. One of that is a fish called SKATA (not Wanda). This fish is traditionally eaten on the 23rd of December on the day of holy Thorlakur which is our only saint. When you cook the fish the whole house smells and when you eat it then it cleans your "guts", very good. After eating this fish you cook the meet for the 25th and get a nice smell again to your house.

Anyway back to my story. I made arrangements to get this fish. Friend of mine aggreed to take it to Copenhagen where Alfheidur's (my girlfriend) cousin would take it to Leiden. In all this master plan included four people, what could get wrong? Of course something went terrible wrong and my friend didn't get is baggages when he lended at Kastrup airport in Copenhagen. So now I don't know if I get my fish and my friend lost his Christmas food as well.

I'll keep you posted but at the moment it's not looking good...

Jólasveinninn - the yule lads

The Icelandic Jólasveinn (Yule Lads) have arrived to town - for further information go to this site.

Jólasveinar (Yule Lads) first appeared in the 17th century as the sons of Grýla and Leppalúði, who themselves had appeared in the 13th century and had earned a reputation for stealing and eating naughty children.

The Jólasveinar were tallied at either nine or thirteen, but their names are at least 70.

Thirteen of the most commonly accepted names of the Jólasveinar are:

December 12th Stekkjarstaur - Gimpy
December 13th Giljagaur - Gully Imp
December 14th Stúfur - Itty Bitty
December 15th Þvörusleikir - Pot Scraper Licker
December 16th Pottasleikir - Pot Licker
December 17th Askasleikir - Bowl Licker
December 18th Hurðaskellir - Door Slammer
December 19th Skyrgámur - Skyr Gobbler (Skyr, an Icelandic yoghurt-type)
December 20th Bjúgnakrækir - Sausage Snatcher
December 21st Gluggagægir - Window Peeper
December 22nd Gáttaþefur - Doorway Sniffer
December 23rd Ketkrókur - Meat Hooker
December 24th Kertasníkir - Candle Beggar

the Dutch way

Being a foreigner in a country gives you a new perspective of that nation. I thought that the Netherlanders where free spirt and would allow anything. What I learned the past four monthes is that is not the case. They allow anything but they put a limmit to it and think that by that they will manage to control the issue. For example the prostitution is allowed after 10 pm, Marhijuana is allowed in Coffee shops but you frequently meet people smoking on the street and so on. It turnes out that the Dutch way of doing things is not the best! What is the best way then? What they do in Iceland is to forbidd everything and that is not working either!

Thinking about going to Romania?

I would think twive. Those guys managed to wander around the airport in Buckarest as they wanted. This video is unbelievable!!!

Heima - trailer

Although I don't like the band or the music then I must opmitt that this film looks promising. I'm going to see you next weekend in Rotterdam, till then enjoy the trailer.