Thorgeir Freyr Sveinsson - Iceland: The Essential Guide to Customs & Culture

The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes.

Adapted from Marcel Proust, Remembrance of Things Past.

ISBN 978 1 78702 904 0

British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data

A CIP catalogue entry for this book is available from the British Library

First published in Great Britain

by Kuperard, an imprint of Bravo Ltd

59 Hutton Grove, London N12 8DS

Tel: +44 (0) 20 8446 2440

www.culturesmart.co.uk

Inquiries:

Design Bobby Birchall

Printed in Turkey

The Culture Smart! series is continuing to expand. All Culture Smart! guides are available as e-books, and many as audio books. For further information and latest titles visit www.culturesmart.co.uk

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

THORGEIR FREYR SVEINSSON is a native Icelander hailing from the northwestern settlement of Skagafjrur. He holds a Cand.theol. in Theology from the University of Iceland, and a Masters in Management from Birkbeck College, University of London. Like a true Norseman, Thorgeir has laid anchor in Norway, Finland, and the United Kingdom and is well practiced in the art of navigating new cultures. A keen angler and soccer fan, for a time he ran a guesthouse with his wife in Selfoss, southern Iceland. Today he and his wife live in Reykjavik, where he works as a project manager at the University of Iceland.

COVID-19

The coronavirus pandemic of 2020 affected millions of people around the world, causing unprecedented social and economic disruption. As the impact of this global crisis continues to unfold, in many countries social norms are being challenged, and enduring changes will be reflected in future editions of Culture Smart! titles.

Useful Phrases

Iceland has erupted onto the travel scene in recent years. With striking views of bubbling turquoise geysers set among rugged snowy peaks, black sand beaches, crashing glacial waterfalls, and the ethereal majesty of the northern lights, one can only wonder what took it so long. But what of the people who call this remote North Atlantic island home? Behind a stoic veneer lies a proud, industrious, and egalitarian people, whose straightforwardness and ability to wing it have seen them thrive in this beautiful but unforgiving environment.

The first settlers to arrive in the ninth century were Vikings fleeing the King of Norway who sought to bring them under his rule. Despite the harsh terrain and extreme isolation of their refuge, these anti-authoritarian Norsemen succeeded in settling the island. The society that developed there counts itself today among the most affluent and progressive in the world. Fresh spring water flows from the faucets of every home, while the countrys abundant geothermal stores provide heating and hot water for all.

Icelanders are highly educated, most own their own homes, crime rates are close to nonexistent, and a comprehensive welfare system stands ready to support those who may fall on hard times. How was this achieved, and what kind of philosophical armory was forged in the long winters that have enabled them not just to survive, but to thrive?

Central to the Icelandic way of life is the concept of thetta reddast. Translated roughly, it means everything will work out fine, and reflects the basic optimism that pervades everything an Icelander does, even if this isnt necessarily accompanied by a smile. Thetta reddast promotes a readiness and flexibility of response in the face of lifes challenges, and it has proved its worth in countless situations, from volcanic eruptions to economic crashes. This attitude has its downsides too, though; an aversion to forward planning can mean having to deal with problems that could otherwise have been foreseen and avoided.

The stubborn self-reliance of their forebears, too, has served them well, as has the supreme value given to independence, kept alive despite centuries of foreign rule. It explains why children are given responsibilities from an early age, why workplace seniority buys little in the way of deference, and why the country has repeatedly refused to join the European Union. Instead, authority is treated with a mixture of suspicion and derision.

Culture Smart! Iceland will equip you with a deeper understanding of your hosts and their complexities, as well as with vital insights to turn your visit into a more enriching experience. Throughout the book place names have been written in Icelandic so that they can be more easily identified on local roadsigns and maps. A guide to the pronunciation of Icelandics Old Norse letters is given on .