DAYS 1-2: REYKJAVIK
DAY 3: FLATEY ISLAND
DAY 6: DENMARK STRAIT (head to Greenland)
DAY 19: REYKJANES PENINSULA
Scroll down to view each day's feature photo, journal, and my three to see moments.
Map Source: Mapbox / OpenStreetMap (Taken from Lindblad Expeditions website)
My expedition was from (July 29 - August 16). Each daily posting below includes a feature photo, a journal, and my Top Three To See.
Consider following me on Twitter (@bluebirdfhsd) as I will post when updates to this site become available.
DAYS ONE and TWO
July 29, 2023 - July 30, 2023
Image: Setting Sail from Reykjavik
JOURNAL: Travel these first two days was a stressful experience with all sorts of uncertainty, so I tapped into my explorer's mindset to help me overcome much adversity! I am continuing to count my blessings as I am safe, and I made it to the ship! I am reminding myself daily there are worse things that could have happened than all of my packed gear not arriving in Iceland. It's about perspective.
I have already met some incredibly wonderful people. First, was Margie who was seated in my row on the overnight flight to Iceland. She was traveling for an annual hiking expedition with her sister and two friends. They choose a different global location each year and head out. Her favorite of their hiking trips was to Machu Picchu. During the overnight flight, neither of us could sleep, and coincidentally we both ordered an Icelandic gin cocktail and enjoyed them together. Icelandic Glacial gin is made with pure Icelandic water and botanicals featuring the flavors of juniper, bergamot, and dandelion. Juniper is the only cone-species that grows wild on the island.
Our first welcome lunch in Reykjavik, Iceland consisted of a coconut-curry soup with fresh herb oil and fresh Icelandic cod. Now, I have NEVER in my life even more than one bite of any fish. I bait the hooks, catch the fish, clean the fish, but I NEVER eat the fish...ever. However, this trip is about stretching those comfort zones and immersing ourselves fully in this experience, and it didn't hurt that it was covered in a bearnaise sauce. To my surprise, I liked it, and even went back for a few more bites, and no, not just the sauce.
It was at lunch we met our first fellow ship travelers, Chris and Meagan. They have been invited aboard the ship as a filming crew with the camera company, OM, to capture the experience Lindblad and National Geographic have to offer. They travel and visit many interesting places, like Faroe Island, as they do their photographic work. They are an energetic and friendly couple whose company was a positive experience as a start to the day. And, like me, Chris, does not eat fish...yet. ;)
After a bus tour of Reykjavik and visit to the museum, we were ready to board Lindblad's National Geographic Explorer! This expedition cruise had a smaller amount of traveling guests than anticipated, so Jill and I were both upgraded to individual rooms with full size windows. After getting settled in, we had our mandatory safety drills. Students these are much like our fire, earthquake, and tornado drills, and just like at school...no talking as we make our way out to the deck donning our life jackets. And, yes, the alarms are just as loud. There are four safety vessels located on the deck for emergency evacuations that hold up to 60 people each and have the appropriate provisions (safety kit and water) to support those individuals. The best way I can explain what they look like is to stay they are similar in design to the one featured in the movie, Captain Phillips, though these are much larger. By evening, this traveler was worn out having been awake for over 30 hours straight. Before bed, I washed my travel clothes in the sink and lay them out to hopefully dry by morning to wear again as there was no word yet on my luggage.
A few times during the night, I awoke and felt the gentle rocking of the ship which helped lull me back to sleep. Life at sea is off to a great start.
It is safe say the Chart Room is my favorite place on the ship thus far. As a Geography teacher, I can appreciate a good map. Each day the Chart Room has an update of where are currently, where we are going tomorrow, and past red dots of where we have been.
As my luggage was still unfound as of this morning, I went to the ship gift shop and bought enough items to make a second full outfit. Now, I can have the ship launder Outfit 1 while I am wearing Outfit 2 then repeat. The fellow passengers have been so kind with many offers to help knowing my luggage is not on board. My explorer teaching partner gave me a loaner pair of socks to rotate.
UPDATE: The luggage made it to Reykjavik; however, our ship is no longer docked there. The luggage is being flown to the port we will reach tomorrow, and the ship purser has plans to go retrieve it. Stay tuned...
My students from last school year helped me research the itinerary of this expedition when I found out I was selected as a Grosvenor Teacher Fellow. During their research of each day's activities, they were allowed to create and submit challenges for me to complete on my journey. After all challenges were submitted, the classes voted on their favorites.
This challenge was to find five different color buildings/homes. The pops of color all around the city were simply beautiful. We are finding this trend in all parts of Iceland we are visiting thus far.
The students knew there was going to be an extensive library on the National Geographic Explorer, and they wanted me to find a book that in some way connected back to our local area. I didn't even have to wait to board the ship that afternoon to search. We did a museum tour our first day in Reykjavik after our airport arrival. I spotted this book in the gift shop. Frederick W.W. Howell was a traveler, artist, and photographer who captured images of landscapes and the people in towns across Iceland and the Faeroe Islands in the late 1800s.
DAY THREE
July 31, 2023
JOURNAL: Today began with staff introductions. Jill and I were asked to take our turn with sharing to the travelers who we are and what our role is with the Grosvenor Fellow Program. The travelers aboard this ship are absolutely incredible! Throughout the day, many had questions for us about the program and our role as teachers. We even met a decades-retired teacher/principal, Shirley, from California at dinner who marveled at this experience for us and our students. Another traveler, Ruth, was at our table, and she is a decades-retired marketing expert who owned her own company. For those that know my family, she reminds me of my Aunt Audrey in some of her mannerisms. I am loving the "open seating" at dinner as it is allowing us more opportunities to meet and know the other travelers personally.
We approached Flatey Island and prepared to board the Zodiacs for our first endeavor ashore since at sea. Safety is a priority on ship much like in a classroom where attendance and head counts are vital. Each of us must scan our badge prior to departing, and re-scan upon return. Life jackets are checked by staff prior to ensure they are properly fitted. Finally, when boarding we use a wrist-to-wrist grip system with staff to ensure safe transfer from the ship to the zodiac. More about the experience on the island below as a Top Three to See for today.
After returning to the ship, we had some down time which is why I was able to update photos and journal from the days prior. Jill and I chose the upper deck library as our working location. We ran into Patrick, an undersea specialist on staff, there. He continues to show up in those perfect moments to explain something that he has managed to observe in that moment of time. He pointed out Snaefellsjokull Glacier in the distance and shared many interesting facts about changes with glaciers that I feverishly took notes on which I will share over the course of time as I create the classroom resources page of this site. It was a powerful yet somber moment as these glaciers are being lost. We learned about Okjokull Glacier, the first glacier in Iceland to "die" in 2014 and is marked by a plaque as reminder to our role in protecting the climate we depend on for survival.
A highlight of the evening was meeting the captain of the ship who is a second-generation seaman. He hosted a cocktail hour before dinner where he introduced his staff, and truly entertained us with his sense of humor. I noted something very powerful about the crew and staff aboard the ship; they hail from all over the world. One person I determined I must meet in the coming days is Maria from Sweden as she does all the work with charts, positioning, and routes for the expedition. I want to make some Geography connections with her to bring back to the classroom. The captain finished by reminding us to take steps back from our cameras when observing by saying, "Go off by yourself and look about, keeping it in your personal memory card where it won't get lost."
At dinner, we learned more about Chris and Meagan. He played baseball in college. A fun fact for all of my Cardinal baseball fans out there --- He played with/against Nolan Arenado during college. He shared a story about how both hit home runs in the same game; however, he had used a metal bat and Nolan a wooden, so the teammates had some ribbing to him about that. (This is a story my Pops would have appreciated and enjoyed!) The two also shared their love for the Faroe Islands where they host photography workshops. While Chris does more branding photography and Meagan bridal, they both have a love for nature and landscape. Students, I introduced the two of them to our game of "Where in the World" when Chris tried to guess the location of Meagan's favorite photo ever taken. Turns out it was in Hawaii with dolphins!
LUGGAGE UPDATE: We are in Isafjordur, and the flight was due an hour ago. However, there is fog, and it is on delay. We move locations this afternoon, and there is one more opportunity to retrieve it by car and zodiac if the plane can arrive without fog in time.
What a treat! The puffins were perching, flying, and floating near Flatey Island. I was enamored with their beaks especially when opened. It resembles some sort of hinge or tool that I know I have seen before, but I cannot quite place yet. I was not with one of the naturalists when observing the puffins to give additional information, but my brother shared with me his Smithsonian magazine prior to my trip with an article about puffins. There are families in Iceland that rescue baby puffins and help them get to sea. Puffins need a ledge in order to set off to take flight to reach water.
A small island community with an abundance of charm! After arriving by zodiac, we set out along the rock paths to explore this quaint area. There are many Icelandic locals who live or vacation here in summer, and they were all out on their decks enjoying this unusually warm 68 degree day. There is a hotel, probably less than 30 cottages observed, a church, library, and a cemetery. On another side of the island is a trading post which I did not visit as the puffins were too captivating.
The Icelandic name for these birds is Kria which we learned from the Icelandic guest speaker aboard the ship. We are lucky enough to have on board, Thóra Arnórsdóttir, a journalist who ran for the Presidency of Iceland in the past. Her teenage daughter joins her as well, and I am excited to meet her as a primary source to discuss education in Iceland from her perspective. If you have suggestions for what questions I should ask her, go to the tab/drop down at the top of this site and click on "Interact" to send them to me.
DAY FOUR
August 1, 2023
JOURNAL - Today began with a choice - hike, bike, or wildflowers. Jill and I opted to do the 2.5 mile hike. The above photo was after we had descended from an up and personal view of the waterfall. The sounds from the waterfall were calling to us the whole walk before it ever came into view. One of the plants viewed on the hike is explained below in my Top Three to See for today.
Our bus guide, Joyce from the Netherlands, was a wealth of information! I ferociously took six pages of notes as we drove through town. I learned about avalanches and preventions, local festivals, the airport's precarious location, Icelandic horses, and the annual sheep herding event. More detailed information will come later on my "Resources" and "Class Connections" pages.
During down time after lunch, we were surprised with the sighting of a pod of humpback whales - check out the details below in my Top Three to See because this was indeed special.
I visited with a 15-year old Icelandic young woman on the ship today for quite some time as we informally asked one another questions about our education systems in Iceland and the United States. She was eloquent and well-spoken. I purposely chose "well-spoken" because we talked at length about the future of the history and future of the Icelandic language, and she believes a strong mate for her in the future would need to be well-spoken in the Icelandic language as she plans to be strict on her future children about learning and preserving the language. She stated her mother believes the language will be lost in the coming decades; however, she is prepared to help maintain it within her generation. I will share more about our conversation with this vivacious young lady and more about Icelandic language on my "Resources" and "Class Connections" pages in the weeks following my expedition.
When there is a National Geographic photographer aboard the ship giving an optional photo talk, you go! Sisse Brimberg shared photos that showed a variety of techniques like using humor, reflections, patterns, scale, lighting, and more! She also shared tips for ethics in photography like permissions and personal space. In conversations with her while hiking, I learned she is good friends with "Gil" as she refers to him who is the namesake of our fellowship - Gilbert M. Grosvenor.
Vigur Island by far was my favorite stop of the trip thus far - a little sampling is shared in the Top Three to See below. There is much more to share, and more time is needed to process it.
LUGGAGE UPDATE: The fog eventually lifted, and it was flown in. However, our ship had already moved to our next location. It was driven from the airport, and one of our zodiacs was sent to meet the driver and retrieve it. Whew! I am extremely thankful to everyone that made this happen!
(Scientifically known as Eriophorum) We spotted this during our 2.5 mile hike this morning. It is an indication that the ground nearby is most likely saturated and thick with mud as this plant is most commonly found in the boggy moorlands or heaths. This was helpful information that kept us on the marked trail. Anyone who grew up in the 1980s might see a similarity to the pencil toppers with the fuzzy pink or green hair and googly eyes. As kids, we would smooth the hair up to a tall point then take the pencil between both our palms and move our hands back and forth kind of like what you do with sticks to try to start a fire. This would result in the fuzzy hair top of our pencil fan out in all directions. Students, this is similar to you using fidget spinners in class in recent years. I am sure it drove our teachers crazy back in the day.
Shortly after leaving Isafjordur after lunch (without my luggage...fog had not yet lifted), we heard the call that humpback whales were spotted a mile ahead. For nearly 30 minutes, we spotted about 8 total whales in pods off the port, bow, and starboard. Patrick was right there again providing information in the moment. Whales love these Arctic waters because the food here is rich in omega fats which they desperately need on their journey south to deliver their babies. When a whale rises above the water, it is expelling 90 percent of his breath whereas humans expel about 10 percent of their breath in each exhale. The whales were close enough to the ship to see the silhouette of their pectoral fins which appeared whitish-pale blue under the surface of the water. One whale breeched twice, and others "fluked" for us. Fluking is when they flip their tail spread out just before submerging. We began to predict correctly when a whale was about to fluke based on observing the higher arch of its back coming from the water. After a fluking, there is a large circular pattern on the surface of the water with an altogether different texture. This is known as a flukeprint.
At our evening wrap up, we learned the identification of three of the whales spotted today due to a website known as Happy Whale . We saw "Sunshine", "Semicolon", and "Tattoo" today while fluking. The shot above that I captured is "Semicolon".
There was much to see and do on this very small but mighty 0.2 square mile island. It is home to nesting puffins, arctic terns, and eider ducks. Eider duck feathers are collected from their nests using sustainable practices and made into elusive down duvets. I learned today that there were estimated to be 800 eider down duvet covers on the Titanic. A duvet is a mix between a blanket and a comforter, but it is light and warm due to the natural feathers. Iceland produces 75-85% of all the eider down materials worldwide. It requires feathers from 18 nests to collect a kilo of down. Average prices are $6,000 per kilo to make a duvet with this material.
The island has nesting artic terns who migrate the farthest of any bird. They migrate from pole to pole, therefore, they experience mostly daylight their entire lives. They protect their nests aggressively by attacking the highest portion of anything approaching. As we toured this area, we carried sticks about our heads as a distractor to them. This reminds me of the story of my father who was once pecked on the head by a mother owl protecting her baby though my father was only trying to help free it from its entangled on his parked car.
At the end of our tour, we were treated to Icelandic happy marriage cake (Hjonabandssaela) which is made with rhubarb grown in the garden on the island. It was fitting that today marks the anniversary of my first blind date with my husband. I gave a donation to get a copy of the recipe to bring home and make. I will also be sharing it with our FACS teacher, Melissa Lenger, as she asked me to look for Icelandic recipes to bring back for her classroom use.
I was challenged to try a local Icelandic food by my students. Today, at the end of our Vigur Island tour, they offered us traditional Icelandic Wedding Cake (Hjonabandssaela). It is made with rhubarb which they grow in the garden on the island. I love rhubarb, so I was happy to try this!! For a donation, I was allowed to take a photo of the recipe to bring home for Mrs. Lenger, our FACS teacher.
DAY FIVE
August 2, 2023
JOURNAL - Each time we leave the ship, it is by zodiac boat. We will be told in advance if it is a wet or dry landing. Today's was wet which means we need to put on our knee-high waterproof muck boots. These are stubborn boots to get off and on, but they keep our feet dry which is important with colder temperatures. Over our boots and clothes, we pull on waterproof rain pants.
Safety on the ship is paramount! Every time we are set to disembark the ship, we must take our key card and scan out in the mud room. When we return, we must scan back in. If someone does not, they call on the intercom for you as a backup check. Lifejackets are a must, obviously. We always put our backpacks on over our lifejackets. The reason for this is in the event of going in the water, the backpack can be released and not weigh us down. Getting in and out of the zodiac has some safety rules, too. You must first hand off your backpack to be held by a staff member on the zodiac. Then, you do a wrist-to-wrist hold with two crew members as you step in. Once ashore, we sit and take off our muck boots and tag them with our room numbers and put them in a bin. Our life jackets go in a bin as well. This is another safety measure as they know everyone is back aboard when there are no more life jackets or muck boots left on shore before sending the last zodiac back.
Today at lunch, Jill and I sat with Thóra Arnórsdóttir and her daughter (introduced back on July 31st). Thora asked about changes we have experienced in education over the course of our careers, and we had a valuable and engaging conversation. She also spoke on the use of geothermal energy when we talked about Iceland's Blue Lagoon. We learned more about the sport of Handball from her daughter. No, not the handball from the United States that you might be thinking of which is similar to racquetball. This is Nordic Handball. Her daughter described it as water polo on land.
In addition to all the adventures, we are also learning about our locations. This afternoon, the ship historian gave a talk about the timeline of exploration in Iceland.
Today's Top Three to See below.
We disembarked the ship at 7 AM for a 4.5 mile hike to the waterfall while other travelers opted to sleep in a bit and stay on the ship and coast to the final destination. Along the hike we spotted seals, a few varieties of birds, and saw evidence of freeze/thaw erosion. We could hear the thundering sound of the cascading falls well before we reached them. It was a difficult but manageable hike up several of the tiers to see them up close. The image above is only about halfway.
Find me on Twitter - @bluebirdfhsd to see a video showing the full scale of the waterfall from top to bottom. Sound on!
My students issued a challenge to me for this location, but I was unable to complete it. There was no access behind any of the waterfall tiers. - Challenge NOT completed.
We anchored into a fjord and were given the option to kayak or zodiac cruise to observe wildlife. I am really glad I prepared ahead of time to learn to kayak earlier this summer. Learning new skills is part of the Explorer's Mindset.
Jill (my Grosvenor Fellow teaching partner) and I chose kayaking. At first, we struggled to go straight until we tried several techniques and found the one that worked best for us.
Another added safety feature here was that we had to wear a safety beacon. If we pushed a button, it would send a distress signal to the ship. If we went into the water, it would automatically send an alert.
We were rewarded with loads of jellyfish floating past us in the teal water, and we even spotted a purple one! We learned later from Patrick that this was likely the blue variety of a lion's mane (normally orange) jelly. There were a few swans, but they saw us heading that direction and moved along.
When climbing out of the kayak, I had not double checked my phone on its cord, and it fell on the platform. The WET platform. It is taking a rest in rice to see if all will be well. But hey, I have my luggage, so no complaints from me!
Several of us have been asking for and anticipating if the plunge was going to be an option, and today was the day!
Because the crew already had the platforms set up for kayaking and the weather was calm, it was decided conditions were good. The water temperature was a warmer 51 degrees than normal for a polar plunge. There might still be another opportunity for another one in Greenland, but we took our chance now in case not!
There was a diver ready in scuba gear for safety along with other spotters. There was a zodiac out a bit with a photographer to capture an action shot of each jump - Thanks, Dave. We stood on the edge of the zodiac with Andy steadying us and jumped when ready! It was brisk, but not terrible.
There was a tray offered after with an adult beverage to celebrate the plunge. In all, we had less than 10 jumpers. One couple jumped together just like they did when they traveled to Antarctica.
Those who jumped received a Polar Plunge patch. I am having mine stitched onto my backpack.
zodiac video.mp4My students wanted to know what it was like to be riding in a zodiac. It was usually a bumpy and windy ride, and the time we put on most of our layers. Sometimes the waves might give up a splash or two. Depending on the conditions, it was suggested we wear our waterproof pants over our exploring clothes while in the zodiac. This was one of my favorite zodiac rides because of the views of Dynjandi Waterfall in the background.
**Image at top taken from Lindblad Expedition/National Geographic Navigation Tab in my cabin. Any time we select this tab on our TV screen, it shows us our location in the world in real time, gives the coordinates, and course information. This was a screenshot from today as we are making our way to Greenland.
DAY SIX
August 3, 2023
JOURNAL: We are traveling nearly 500 nautical miles throughout this day and night across the Denmark Strait. A strait is a narrow passage of water that connects two larger bodies of water. Well, the word 'narrow' is a bit misleading. In terms of comparison to the ocean, yes, it is narrow. However, as I stand on the bow of the ship and scan as far as my eye can see from the port side to the distance beyond the starboard side it is anything but narrow with no land in sight. This strait is a connection between the Greenland Sea to the north toward the Arctic Ocean and the Irmingur Sea to the south toward the Atlantic Ocean.
We will also be traveling across two time zones during this journey, so that means a little more sleep the next two days. I know my middle schoolers would like that!
We had several presentations today during our open sea travel. Rob Edwards talked to us about rocks. Rob has a great sense of humor, and he reminds me so much of my brother-in-law, Danny. He compared each of the three types of rocks to 'rock' bands to catch our attention. Well, it caught mine, and it really helped me better understand the three types of rocks (igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic) as that is not an area we focus much on in Geography. Metamorphic rocks are deep and twisted and stressed under head and pressure. What other rock band could compare but Metallica! I appreciated his use of comparison to help me learn and retain his information about a topic that was not strong or as interesting for me. More is known about Icelandic rocks due to the history of volcanic eruptions, while much of Greenland's rocks have not been studied extensively because they are buried beneath the ice sheets.
We had a mandatory training regarding AECO (Association of Arctic Expedition Cruise Operations) as there are specific guidelines for behavior and respect when visiting Greenland. We were reminded to not take anything or leave anything behind and have minimal negative impact. We need to watch where we walk to not destroy natural growth, and to not touch or disturb natural items like flowers, rocks, or sticks. Reminders were given about staying at a non-disturbance distance and volume from wildlife for our safety and that of the animals. When traveling in the Arctic, we must stay in our group and with our guide. We are not likely to encounter polar bears, but our guides are prepared with flares and rifles if we do. The responsibility falls on us to ensure that our choices in this environment do not lead to those measures being needed. There may also be Arctic dogs; these are not pets, but working dogs. A final aspect is respecting the people of this area with our actions. This includes photography. We talked extensively about permissions PRIOR to photographing a person or their home and property.
Our evening ending with a viewing of a 1922 silent film, Nanook of the North. In 1989, the Library of Congress worked to preserve this film because of its significance to the culture and history of the Arctic.
Madalena Patacho schooled us on whales. One of the biggest take aways for me of new learning was the role whales play in the carbon cycle! It is estimated that whales account for over 50% of the world's oxygen production, and it is a result of their POOP! Whales produce a lot of it because what goes in must come out, and whale consumption is compared to taking in 80,000 McDonald Big Macs a day. Whale poop adds nutrients to the water which aids phytoplankton. That matters because phytoplankton use photosynthesis, collect carbon dioxide, and release oxygen!
Conservation efforts are in place to help protect this valuable resource. In certain areas of the world, like Antarctica, ships cannot travel during certain whale migration times. In other areas if a whale is spotted, the ship must adjust and abide by a speed limit.
Over 300,000 whales are trapped and killed in ghost nets which are nets that have been 'lost' at sea. They continue to collect and trap sea life, but there is no one there to collect these nets. Ocean pollution is not limited to nets. It is estimated that a garbage truck size of trash is 'dumped' into the ocean per minute!
A new term I learned was glo-cal. Think globally and act locally. We will explore this topic a lot during our year in Geography - stay tuned for more in the "Class Connections" and "Resources" tabs.
I visited the Bridge of the ship today and requested some time with Maria as she is responsible for the navigational routing of the ship which connects to Geography! it was a good thing I asked today as she will be much busier the closer we get to Greenland as we will encounter more sea ice for her to need to be present to navigate around.
Much of her work is digital; however, it is essential to know how to navigate using paper maps and tools. In the image above, you can see Maria's work station with her tools.
She earned a degree in Marine Science to prepare her for this role. Prior to this job, she worked in a laboratory. Her favorite aspect of this job is knowing that when she holds a globe in her hand she can recall the places around the world she has helped to navigate.
The skills needed for her job are math, physics, precision, focus, and concentration. It is a responsible role indeed. There are no tools or electronic equipment to help them truly determine the size of an iceberg below the surface, so her non-digital professional skills are essential in preparing for safe detours. She is a Capital Resource in the world of Economics.
Her message for my students and other learners is to look where you are living and ask what you can do to take care of that natural space. Look for effects of climate change in your community then look wider and have an open mind. She wants students to be curious and make learning fun. She shared, "It is never too late to do something you love. Find your passion."
Every time we return from a trip ashore to land, we must scrub our muck boots and dip them in a pink cleansing solution after.
Because we are now moving from one country to another, we had another level of safety check today. If an item of our outer gear spent any time in use in Iceland, it had to go through biosecurity contamination to prepare for our upcoming disembarking in Greenland. We took our gear (parkas, vests, muck boots, rain pants, hiking boots, backpacks) to the Mud Room for inspection and decontamination. Staff inspected the gear, especially the velcro cuffs that close around the wrists and ankles, and vacuums were used to remove anything that might pose a risk. The purpose for all of this is to protect the ecosystem to ensure there is no cross contamination of seeds, rocks, etc from one land to another. In addition, bird flu is a real concern, and this step helps us not to contribute to its spread.
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Greenland DAYS 7 - 18.
DAY NINETEEN - FINAL DAY!
August 16, 2023
After yesterday's full day of disembarking the ship and taking a charter flight back to Iceland, we all needed a good sleep at the hotel before our final day. After breakfast and loading our luggage for the last time, we boarded a bus for a tour of the landscape, a lunch in town, and then final drop offs at the airport for home. Yes, my luggage was again lost on the return flight. As of this post - 8/17 at 2PM, I am still awaiting word though I know for sure it made it to Denver, CO. This trip taught me resilience and to lean on a positive outlook despite current situations.
My favorite stop today was the one pictured above, the Reykjanes Peninsula. This is where the Mid-Atlantic Ridge lies which indicates you are on the tectonic boundary line between two continents: North America and EurAsia (Europe and Asia). This area is still active and moving. It is thought to continue to diverge (move apart) by about 2.5 centimeters a year. Our photo was created based on an informational note at the site. A young boy, Daniel Alexandersson, created a photo of himself "holding up" the bridge and encouraged others to do the same, so we did! Pictured in the photo from left to right: Chris, Sissie, Jill, Me, Meagan. Photo taken by Naturalist/Marine Biologist: Patrick
My Grosvenor Fellowship expedition is complete, but the journey does not end here. Over the next two years and beyond, I will create photo stories of the expedition, follow the other participants on their expeditions, connect with them over webinars, and create and share lessons based on this experience in the years to come.
From the application process, to being accepted, to meeting all 50 in the cohort in Washington DC, and to exploring on this expedition, my cup overflows! I know how blessed I am to have been selected for this honor, and I thank all of you for following along and learning with me.
The learning is not over; it is never over. Keep exploring!!!! Continue to check back to this site for the tabs "Class Connections" and "Resources" as I will be slowing adding items as I continue to process my learning on this expedition and apply it to the classroom for my students and community.
Thanks for #EDUploringwithme! If anyone wants a sticker I created with that logo and a QR code to this site, reach out to me with your address, and I will do my best to get one sent your way. If you don't have a personal contact for me, complete the Google Form on the Interact Q and A tab.
Horses, NOT ponies, despite their size. That is a point that was made clear. They are a specific breed, and the ONLY breed of horse in Iceland.
There are laws about the horses. Other horses are NOT allowed to be imported to Iceland. This is the ONLY type of horse there. This is similar to what I shared days ago about the dog breed used for sledging in Sisimiut, Greenland. Also, if an Icelandic Horse were to leave the country for some reason, it would not be allowed to return!
(Photo Credit: Richard, traveler)
We may not have always been in sync like we were in this photo of a single moment in time kayaking, but we made a GREAT team! This is an important lesson for my incoming students to know as we won't always get to choose our partners or tablemates. Each individual brings a different personality and strengths and weaknesses, and you have to work to find a balance. Jill and I found that balance, and because of that, we both succeeded and found joy in our journey individually and together! As a result, we came away with double the experience. Collaboration is essential in any pairing, and finding a way to make it work takes communication, patience, and effort. I am extremely thankful, appreciative, and blessed to have been paired with Jill as my Grosvenor Teaching Fellow Partner!
(Photo Credit: Chris, traveler)
Social connections are especially important when you are far away from home and from the people who know and love you best. I am thankful for these three amazing humans.
Sharing this fellowship journey with Jill McNabnay was incredible. She is wicked smart with the Science, and I learned much from her! We found a great balance, and she was a tremendous teammate!
Meagan and Chris were with Jill and I from Day One at Reykjavik Airport where we first met. They are now officially my "niece" and "nephew", and I am so thankful for their light-hearted spirit on this journey.
