There is some sort of program run by the city at the playgrounds. It is open 9-4:30 with lunch break between 12-1. You can drop off your kids at these playgrounds where they have all the toys, bikes and shovels you could need. I might have mentioned it before. Anyways, it is staffed with people to watch the kids and even has a shelter with indoor toys . You can drop off your kids for 3 hours at a time for only 100kr (very cheap, a pop costs twice that). I took the boys there today at 9. Went for coffee and to the international house and relaxed. I picked them up at 12 and they were exhausted! I took them home and they both slept the afternoon away. So I even got a nap! They are going back tomorrow! And the next day and the next day...
What a great way for them to meet kids there age and keep me sane!
Only Kasper starts camp next week so only Stefan will be going.
Tuesday, June 27, 2006
A hus
I guess A hus means International House or something. I went there today. They have there own cafe and nightclub, interpreters and help for anything you could imagine. It is really amazing, everything there is published in like 10 languages and there is information in every variety. There is a moms group on Thursdays between 3-5 where new comers can bring there children and have coffee with others. What a great opportunity! I am really excited to meet other people who can not speak Icelandic. Maybe I will learn about other possible programs.
Saturday, June 24, 2006
James Bönd Movies
There is a video rental and candy store across the street from my house. They have good candy and were very nice to me today. They let me set up a rental account and rent a movie. Amazing considering I had no Icelandic ID, no Icelandic visa, I did not know my exact address and did not know my phone number. I did have my Alberta Identification card and a Canadian Visa, both of which do nothing for them. They don't even have any way to know that the ID is real. They still let me rent a movie though, Shark Tales for the boys. It was even kinda cheap at 100 kr. There is currently 68 kr in one Canadian dollar. The movie was in Icelandic so I didn't catch much, but it is good to know I have an option of things to do!
Friday, June 23, 2006
Forienger children's Camp
Starting July 3 Kasper will spend his days 9-4 at a children's day camp made for foriengers. It is meant to help them adjust to Icelandic life and learn the culture and its free!!!
Another great thing is that one of the counselor's is from Canada, so they should get along great.
Stefan starts preschool in August which will go for 7 hours a day which are flexible. That give me the whole day to study Icelandic at the Tech School and learn things on my own. Things are are fitting together.
Another great thing is that one of the counselor's is from Canada, so they should get along great.
Stefan starts preschool in August which will go for 7 hours a day which are flexible. That give me the whole day to study Icelandic at the Tech School and learn things on my own. Things are are fitting together.
The Black Sand
I am told it is because of the volcanoes, or volcanic rock or whatever
But, the sand is black. The rocks are black and the gravel is black. When you go to the playground, everything is black. At the beach, everything is back. (There is one beach with white sand but I heard it is imported) Maybe the black sand is supposed to match the gray cloudy sky's?
I think I am getting homesick.
But, the sand is black. The rocks are black and the gravel is black. When you go to the playground, everything is black. At the beach, everything is back. (There is one beach with white sand but I heard it is imported) Maybe the black sand is supposed to match the gray cloudy sky's?
I think I am getting homesick.
Thursday, June 22, 2006
Traveling
Before this trip I had never left Canada. Before this trip I had only once been on a plane (and that was over 15 years ago to go to a Tim Hortons children's camp). This trip was a life changing experience and one that I hope will never happen again.
We drove from Edmonton to Calgary in a van packed with my brother, husband, his mom and dad and our two children as well as a bunch of suitcases. Most of these suitcases were resting on peoples knees. It rained cats and dogs (if that makes any sense) the entire drive. We arrived at the Calgary airport at about 7:30.
The plane was not supposed to leave until 11 p.m. but I guess you have to be there at least 3 hours early to pick your seat. We checked in with the airline where they weigh the luggage, you can only have 20 kilos a person. Then they checked the hand luggage. We knew before hand that this could be a problem so we measured them before we left the house. Apparently I did a poor job with my cabin luggage. My suitcase was to big, it did not weigh to much but the size was wrong. So, they made me take out everything! And put it in a garbage bag!
Next was the airport security at the Calgary airport, where I walked through with as much pride as I could muster together while dragging a garbage bag. My garbage bag was x-rayed and I walked through the metal detector and they decided I was probably not a threat. My family was ok too.
Still 2 hours to go until the plane is supposed to leave. I tried walking around and shopping but my garbage bag was getting a little heavy and awkward to carry. We found some seats and rested while the children caused problems. Kasper and Stefan ran around yelling and crawling under peoples chairs. Really they should never have been up that late in the first place but here they were, beginning an adventure.
At about 10 p.m. the plane started boarding. We got on first, thanks to my wild children. I got a seat between them and honestly, I was a little worried. Things turned out ok everyone slept most of the way to Manchester. Breakfast was served before landing, fruit scrambled eggs and something that looked like ham. Kasper loved the eggs, with lots of salt and wants them all the time. He never liked eggs before.
We arrived in Manchester at 2 p.m. local time and got through customs fast enough. So then it was three. The flight to Iceland was no due to leave until 10 p.m., so we had a long day ahead of us.
So in England they have some sort of pounds money system. I exchanged some money so the kids could play games to kill time. The money was going so fast I had to spend some time working on math and realized it was costing almost 2.50 Can. per game. Each game cost 1 pound. I was really mad then, really, what a way to rip people off, charge them in an airport where they don't know what they are paying.
The time was going really slow and the kids were getting really tired so we went to see when we could go into the lounge. They have a playground and softer chairs there. That was when we found out that the flight to Iceland was delayed for at least 4 hours. I think I started shaking! But they said it was ok, they would give us each 10 pounds to spend in the cafe before we went in the lounge. With 5 of us, that added up to a lot of money. So much in fact we did not even get close to finishing it.
Then we got into the lounge, everything was better there. Sure I was still dragging a garbage bag around, but there was a playground. The Playground was tiny and in a sound proof room, and as it was getting late, we were alone. It was also dirty, but by this point I did not care. I was so so tired and needed a break, like a playground. So the kids played and played and played for hours. Davið and I fell asleep on the floor of this airport payground. It felt good to sleep but I felt really grosse whenever I looked at the floor. At least the time was going faster.
The next thing I knew it was after midnight. The lounge was empty except for people waiting for the Icelandair flight, which was notmanyy. We moved out to the chair area to relax somewhere a little more comfortable and have a snack. The kids were still going strong. Crabby, yes, but they had so much energy I don't know how they did it. While we sat they ran around in circles and jumped over sleeping people and chairs like hurdles.
At 2 a.m. our plane arrives. We go the gate. So tired... Kasper and Stefan chantingg, at the top of there lungs, some song only they know the words to. Everyone is staring at them.
2:30, we are on the plane. The kids fall asleep before we even leave the ground. Everyone got free refreshments because of the delay but I was still full. I stayed awake the rest of the trip. We arrived in Iceland just before 6 a.m. where we were waived through customs and everything. Everything else was closed so I am guessing that they were working long after there shift waiting for us to arrive.
Davið sister, Kristina and Inga´s youngest brother pick us up at the airport. We go the short distance to Kristina´s house, where we are now staying until we get our own place.
We drove from Edmonton to Calgary in a van packed with my brother, husband, his mom and dad and our two children as well as a bunch of suitcases. Most of these suitcases were resting on peoples knees. It rained cats and dogs (if that makes any sense) the entire drive. We arrived at the Calgary airport at about 7:30.
The plane was not supposed to leave until 11 p.m. but I guess you have to be there at least 3 hours early to pick your seat. We checked in with the airline where they weigh the luggage, you can only have 20 kilos a person. Then they checked the hand luggage. We knew before hand that this could be a problem so we measured them before we left the house. Apparently I did a poor job with my cabin luggage. My suitcase was to big, it did not weigh to much but the size was wrong. So, they made me take out everything! And put it in a garbage bag!
Next was the airport security at the Calgary airport, where I walked through with as much pride as I could muster together while dragging a garbage bag. My garbage bag was x-rayed and I walked through the metal detector and they decided I was probably not a threat. My family was ok too.
Still 2 hours to go until the plane is supposed to leave. I tried walking around and shopping but my garbage bag was getting a little heavy and awkward to carry. We found some seats and rested while the children caused problems. Kasper and Stefan ran around yelling and crawling under peoples chairs. Really they should never have been up that late in the first place but here they were, beginning an adventure.
At about 10 p.m. the plane started boarding. We got on first, thanks to my wild children. I got a seat between them and honestly, I was a little worried. Things turned out ok everyone slept most of the way to Manchester. Breakfast was served before landing, fruit scrambled eggs and something that looked like ham. Kasper loved the eggs, with lots of salt and wants them all the time. He never liked eggs before.
We arrived in Manchester at 2 p.m. local time and got through customs fast enough. So then it was three. The flight to Iceland was no due to leave until 10 p.m., so we had a long day ahead of us.
So in England they have some sort of pounds money system. I exchanged some money so the kids could play games to kill time. The money was going so fast I had to spend some time working on math and realized it was costing almost 2.50 Can. per game. Each game cost 1 pound. I was really mad then, really, what a way to rip people off, charge them in an airport where they don't know what they are paying.
The time was going really slow and the kids were getting really tired so we went to see when we could go into the lounge. They have a playground and softer chairs there. That was when we found out that the flight to Iceland was delayed for at least 4 hours. I think I started shaking! But they said it was ok, they would give us each 10 pounds to spend in the cafe before we went in the lounge. With 5 of us, that added up to a lot of money. So much in fact we did not even get close to finishing it.
Then we got into the lounge, everything was better there. Sure I was still dragging a garbage bag around, but there was a playground. The Playground was tiny and in a sound proof room, and as it was getting late, we were alone. It was also dirty, but by this point I did not care. I was so so tired and needed a break, like a playground. So the kids played and played and played for hours. Davið and I fell asleep on the floor of this airport payground. It felt good to sleep but I felt really grosse whenever I looked at the floor. At least the time was going faster.
The next thing I knew it was after midnight. The lounge was empty except for people waiting for the Icelandair flight, which was notmanyy. We moved out to the chair area to relax somewhere a little more comfortable and have a snack. The kids were still going strong. Crabby, yes, but they had so much energy I don't know how they did it. While we sat they ran around in circles and jumped over sleeping people and chairs like hurdles.
At 2 a.m. our plane arrives. We go the gate. So tired... Kasper and Stefan chantingg, at the top of there lungs, some song only they know the words to. Everyone is staring at them.
2:30, we are on the plane. The kids fall asleep before we even leave the ground. Everyone got free refreshments because of the delay but I was still full. I stayed awake the rest of the trip. We arrived in Iceland just before 6 a.m. where we were waived through customs and everything. Everything else was closed so I am guessing that they were working long after there shift waiting for us to arrive.
Davið sister, Kristina and Inga´s youngest brother pick us up at the airport. We go the short distance to Kristina´s house, where we are now staying until we get our own place.
A new home - Iceland
Just having recently moved to Iceland, from Canada, I am hoping this will be a good way to keep in touch. Now I can tell everyone about all the random and silly things in my life, get comments, and not have to send mass emails.
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