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Everything Will Be Alright In Iceland
On volcanoes, crises, and what we can learn from Icelanders
I was recently asked one of the best questions someone who’s lived in a bunch of countries could be asked, surprisingly for the first time:
What did you learn from each place you lived in? What do people do there that you think could be applied elsewhere?
For Iceland, I believe I said something about people’s contact with nature. Just about every Icelandic person has been on a hike, and they all seem to have a level of admiration and care for nature that’s not as widespread elsewhere.
But in light of the most recent volcanic eruption, I got to thinking about something else.
There’s a saying in Icelandic — þetta reddast — that means “everything will be alright”, and, while many languages have a similar expression, this one is really embedded in Icelandic culture.
I remember the first time I felt an earthquake in my life, back when I lived there. I was reasonably worried, and started remembering things I’d seen as a child.
“Should we get under a table?” — I asked my Icelandic girlfriend at the time. She didn’t seem too fazed, and before she had a chance to answer, the quake stopped. “Well, I guess it’s all good now”.
