Au Pair in Iceland |
Summer 2015
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The summer after my freshman year of college was a world of new experiences. Spent in a remote Icelandic town of 400 people, I lived with a family of five as au pair for a month and a half. I remember the moment I stepped off the bus in Djupivogur, Iceland and made eye contact with strangers who helped me into their four-wheeler and took me to their small home. The weeks of excitement and thrill at the thought of such an adventure quickly sunk to the reality that I was an 18-year-old girl deep in a foreign country, trusting my well-being in the hands of people I had never met. Upon my arrival, I had no idea that when it came time to leave, it would be so hard to say goodbye.
As an au pair I looked after a 3 year-old and 5 year-old. If there was one thing I learned from these two it was communication. Both Berglind and Thorhullar did not speak English. It took a lot of time and a few helpful Icelandic words, but eventually they became my little siblings. Using gestures, facial expressions, and touch we were able to create a wonderful relationship that challenged me to think beyond words. There were days that were difficult. Communicating discipline required a great deal of patience and a sense of compassion that in the end, drew the three of us even closer. Turning tears into hugs and laughs was a daily endeavor. The rest of the family and I shared stories and learned about each other’s lives, as we bonded over Icelandic delicacies of shark and dried fish. We had birthday parties, soccer games, and trips to the beach. I milked cows and helped bake famous homemade Klienur pastries. Although we live on opposite sides of the world, I learned that we’re not all that different. Hildur, Oskar, Viktor, Berglind, and Thorhullar helped me take a leap in a new culture and find love in the middle of nowhere. |