First Day in Icleand!

Despite today being our first day in Reykjavík, it feels like this trip has already been going on for a lot longer because of the time difference and lack of sleep. The main goal of the day was simply to stay awake. We started off yesterday afternoon at MSP airport, preparing for our flight, saying our last goodbyes to family, and taking our first group photo. Little did we know that it would be a long ride ahead before we'd see sleep again. Our red eye flight departed at 8pm and, after accounting for the five hour time difference, landed us in Iceland just before 7:00 in the morning. Some students were able to get some sleep on the plane, but others went without such luck. Either way, it goes without saying that we were all exhausted by the time we arrived to our first destination, about to embark on our first day abroad. We began by dropping off our luggage at the hostel before grabbing a quick breakfast and then catching the bus to Reykjavík. Two of us brought Nintendo Switches to Iceland, so many students took to playing Super Smash Bros during the bus ride. After arriving at our first destination of the day, the Whales of Iceland Museum, the fatigue set it hard. We got an amazing guided tour of the museum, which put a spotlight on the facility's life size models of all of the cetacian species around Iceland. However, it was evident that many of us were on the brink of sleep. After the guided tour, we were given some time to look around the museum. Personally, I took a 45-minute nap at a table in the cafe. Then, we watched a fascinating documentary about the impact of shipping and oil drilling in the ocean on cetacians because of how it affects their ability to use echolocation. Super interesting, but then again, we were all in a dark room with whale sounds playing so, try as I might, it turned into another hour long nap for me, like many other students.

Not to worry, though, as the outside chill quickly woke us all up. We made a quick stop at a local grocery store, where I purchased some delicious sushi, before walking to Reykjavík for lunch and a scavenger hunt. We split up into groups of five and explored the city in search of completing objectives such as finding a cat, certain monuments and statues, and more. Overall, it was super fun! My group decided to order pizza at a local restaurant before working our way through the scavenger hunt. Although we didn't win (not by a long shot) it was still a great way to get to know the city. We talked to many shop owners, saw the ocean, and ate some great food. When we finally got back to the hostel for the night, we got settled with our roommates and had some down time before dinner. Again, this included lots of Super Smash Bros. Then, we had our nightly check in and headed off to our rooms to get ready for bed. Tomorrow is another busy day, and I'm looking forward to it! by Sonia Lerner