After we landed in Iceland, we met our amazing tour guide, Ólöf, who greeted our group and began introducing us to the country right away. Our first stop was the Perlan-Wonders of Iceland museum. There we learned about Iceland’s history and some of the natural forces that shape the island. We also had the opportunity to try a few Icelandic foods and learn more about the country’s volcanic activity and ice caves, which made for a really interesting introduction to Iceland.
One specific moment that stood out to me happened shortly after we arrived in Reykjavík while we were exploring the museum. When we ordered food and coffee there, the prices surprised me a lot. Dinner in the United States is already not cheap, so seeing prices even higher in Iceland made the difference feel very noticeable. That being said, the food was incredible and definitely worth it, which made the experience feel special rather than disappointing.
Another thing that quickly stood out to me was the wind. It was much stronger than I expected, and it became clear that it affects everyday life in Iceland. The strong winds create challenges for travel and safety, which is why many roads, buildings, and transportation choices seem designed with those conditions in mind. At the same time, the wind is part of what makes Iceland’s environment feel so powerful and unique, and it added to the feeling that we were somewhere very different from home.
After visiting the museum, we spent some time getting acclimated to the city and settling into our hotel. Later that evening, our abroad group went out to dinner together, which gave us another chance to experience Icelandic culture and food. To end the night, we visited a local Icelandic grocery store where we explored the aisles and tried some of their snacks, which was a fun way to wrap up our first day in Iceland.
Swanson School of Engineering 