Get a Cash Advance
Maybe you would like to try it yourself? And thanks to Anthony, some stranger who read my blog, leading me to read his blog, and showing me this.
I know it is a long story!
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
In case you did not know...
I am a genius, at least according to these guys
Maybe you would like to try it yourself? And thanks to Anthony, some stranger who read my blog, leading me to read his blog, and showing me this.
I know it is a long story!
Maybe you would like to try it yourself? And thanks to Anthony, some stranger who read my blog, leading me to read his blog, and showing me this.
I know it is a long story!
The best place to live?
I am now completely convinced that these studies are done wrongly. I am sure they only look at the lifestyle of natives to a country.
In fact I wonder where this study . Did they look at the education system? The difference in living standards between Icelanders and immigrants? It is terrible. I do not think that any country has the right be to 'the best place to live' when the reason it is so great (to them) is because they are in the top class here.
There are two kinds of people in Iceland. The Icelanders who live out there dreams and everyone else who cleans up after them. Or stocks the shelves so they can shop shop shop
I admit this is a huge generalization, but it is something I see everyday.
When you go to Bonus, the grocery store, you hear5 different languages as you walk down the isles. Everyone is buying food.
When you go to Toys R Us, or any other 'extra's' store, you only hear Icelandic. This is because, more often then not, only the Icelanders are a situation where they can go out and buy a bunch of new toys.
If you listen to the staff at any of these stores, they are all foreign. They probably do not have the money to shop there, they just stock the shelves and clean.
When you look at Kasper's school, I think he is the only kid there that was not born in Iceland. It is an expensive school. The parents all drop off the children in SUVs and own large houses. The children are dressed in nice clothing and are reasonable behaved.
When you go to a public school you see groups of kids talking. The Icelandic kids, the Polish kids, the kids that can speak English. The odd one from Norway or Portugal roams around alone. The Icelandic children often bring new toys to school everyday and wear designer clothing. The others are provided for with what the parents can manage, then go to school to be bullied, beaten, dragged through the mud, then neglected by teachers.
Health care is not free, we pay per visit. The fee is small for a regular doctors visit, but if you need a specialist, it is very expensive. How many health issues go untreated because of the cost? I know that my eyes bother me, I went to one doctor, she sent me to another. The Eye surgeon told me, after testing my eyes: Well this is so strange, I have never seen anything like this before, why don't you come back in a few months and we will have another look at it. Come back? I just spent 3 days wages to have you tell me to come back because you do not know what it is? I never went back. It is to expensive. Maybe someday when I am rich, I will get my eyes fixed. For now, we spend all our money on our kids healthcare.
Is Iceland the BEST place in the world to live?
If it is, then the world is a sad sad place and we should be embarrassed.
In fact I wonder where this study . Did they look at the education system? The difference in living standards between Icelanders and immigrants? It is terrible. I do not think that any country has the right be to 'the best place to live' when the reason it is so great (to them) is because they are in the top class here.
There are two kinds of people in Iceland. The Icelanders who live out there dreams and everyone else who cleans up after them. Or stocks the shelves so they can shop shop shop
I admit this is a huge generalization, but it is something I see everyday.
When you go to Bonus, the grocery store, you hear5 different languages as you walk down the isles. Everyone is buying food.
When you go to Toys R Us, or any other 'extra's' store, you only hear Icelandic. This is because, more often then not, only the Icelanders are a situation where they can go out and buy a bunch of new toys.
If you listen to the staff at any of these stores, they are all foreign. They probably do not have the money to shop there, they just stock the shelves and clean.
When you look at Kasper's school, I think he is the only kid there that was not born in Iceland. It is an expensive school. The parents all drop off the children in SUVs and own large houses. The children are dressed in nice clothing and are reasonable behaved.
When you go to a public school you see groups of kids talking. The Icelandic kids, the Polish kids, the kids that can speak English. The odd one from Norway or Portugal roams around alone. The Icelandic children often bring new toys to school everyday and wear designer clothing. The others are provided for with what the parents can manage, then go to school to be bullied, beaten, dragged through the mud, then neglected by teachers.
Health care is not free, we pay per visit. The fee is small for a regular doctors visit, but if you need a specialist, it is very expensive. How many health issues go untreated because of the cost? I know that my eyes bother me, I went to one doctor, she sent me to another. The Eye surgeon told me, after testing my eyes: Well this is so strange, I have never seen anything like this before, why don't you come back in a few months and we will have another look at it. Come back? I just spent 3 days wages to have you tell me to come back because you do not know what it is? I never went back. It is to expensive. Maybe someday when I am rich, I will get my eyes fixed. For now, we spend all our money on our kids healthcare.
Is Iceland the BEST place in the world to live?
If it is, then the world is a sad sad place and we should be embarrassed.
Monday, November 26, 2007
Disorganization at Toys R Us
I was scheduled to work today, 9-7. So, I showed up for work at 10 minutes to 9.
I waited, and waited and waited outside in the freezing (-6) and windy cold until 9:15. Then I call the manager, because no one was there.
NO ONE WAS IN THE STORE.
How can I work if I am locked out?
Anyways, she said this was all a big mistake, she meant to schedule me for 10. She was sorry and I should go to the bakery and have a coffee and breakfast while I wait, she would pay for the food.
OK, so I went to the bakery. My manager said she would call me when someone got to the store to let me in.
It was 10:30 when I went looking for someone. No one had called and the store was supposed to open in half an hour.
Waiting, outside the door, was the rest of the staff for today. They had been waiting since 10.
They were cold too.
At 10:45, the assistant manger comes and lets us in.
I hope they plan to pay people for all the waiting time.
I am glad he got there before the customers, because that would have been awkward!
This is just craziness, only in Iceland.
I waited, and waited and waited outside in the freezing (-6) and windy cold until 9:15. Then I call the manager, because no one was there.
NO ONE WAS IN THE STORE.
How can I work if I am locked out?
Anyways, she said this was all a big mistake, she meant to schedule me for 10. She was sorry and I should go to the bakery and have a coffee and breakfast while I wait, she would pay for the food.
OK, so I went to the bakery. My manager said she would call me when someone got to the store to let me in.
It was 10:30 when I went looking for someone. No one had called and the store was supposed to open in half an hour.
Waiting, outside the door, was the rest of the staff for today. They had been waiting since 10.
They were cold too.
At 10:45, the assistant manger comes and lets us in.
I hope they plan to pay people for all the waiting time.
I am glad he got there before the customers, because that would have been awkward!
This is just craziness, only in Iceland.
Saturday, November 24, 2007
Couch Surfers, right this way!
I signed us up on couchsurfering.com , not because I will be taking the kids around like that, but because of two other very good reasons.
1. I like meeting new people and I think it is good for the kids to meet people from other countries, talk with them and maybe learn something from them. I hope it will help them grow up better with tolerance and the knowledge that there is life outside Iceland.
2. I would like to help out people who are traveling around here. It is so expensive that it detours people from coming to see Iceland. If I can offer my couch, that even folds into a very uncomfortable bed, to someone, it makes someones life much easier.
This does not mean there will always be a stranger sleeping on my couch, it just means that sometimes, we might have a guest.
1. I like meeting new people and I think it is good for the kids to meet people from other countries, talk with them and maybe learn something from them. I hope it will help them grow up better with tolerance and the knowledge that there is life outside Iceland.
2. I would like to help out people who are traveling around here. It is so expensive that it detours people from coming to see Iceland. If I can offer my couch, that even folds into a very uncomfortable bed, to someone, it makes someones life much easier.
This does not mean there will always be a stranger sleeping on my couch, it just means that sometimes, we might have a guest.
Christmas is coming
And we are getting ready. I know some might say November is a little early, but when it gets dark like this you really need something festive. NOW.
We have the super tacky fiber optic tree that changes colors and is small enough we can fit it in the shelves. Our apartment is tiny, we save space everywhere we can.
And the Jewish candle lights, no Icelandic home is complete without them. The bast part is it seems to be an ICELANDIC tradition, and no one seems to know they are really Jewish. I guess someone imported them once, everyone bought them and have been buying them ever since. Marcia gave us ours for Christmas last year, so now we can fit in.
As an extra, we like to add the gigantic Star Wars machine, just to add a little character!
We have the super tacky fiber optic tree that changes colors and is small enough we can fit it in the shelves. Our apartment is tiny, we save space everywhere we can.
And the Jewish candle lights, no Icelandic home is complete without them. The bast part is it seems to be an ICELANDIC tradition, and no one seems to know they are really Jewish. I guess someone imported them once, everyone bought them and have been buying them ever since. Marcia gave us ours for Christmas last year, so now we can fit in.As an extra, we like to add the gigantic Star Wars machine, just to add a little character!
Movie Night
Good old movie night, still a family tradition.
And Star Wars, who could get enough of that?
And Star Wars, who could get enough of that?
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
It is coming - more and more
The darkness is coming!
The darkness is coming!
Quick, quick, get out something bright!
Something cheery!
Anything to make this more bearable!
Tomorrow I am putting up the Christmas tree. I need something to look forward to.
As you can see, the sun is not coming up until after 10 now, and is going down at 4. 6 hours daylight is enough to make anyone want to go back to bed.
It is also enough to make everyone sleep in. We have all been late all week. They boys have not been waking up until after 9, so we are setting alarms, and still lucky to get up for 8.
On the weekend they slept until almost 11. It has been a long time since I was last woken up by the boys and felt well rested.
There is one other problem, besides being late every morning. Just like when it is light all the time, the kids do not know when to stay in bed. A few times Stefán has woken up in the middle of the night, played toys for a while then fell asleep on the couch. I guess his reasoning is that if he plays all day in the dark, why not play all night in the dark?
The darkness is coming!
Quick, quick, get out something bright!
Something cheery!
Anything to make this more bearable!
Tomorrow I am putting up the Christmas tree. I need something to look forward to.
As you can see, the sun is not coming up until after 10 now, and is going down at 4. 6 hours daylight is enough to make anyone want to go back to bed.
It is also enough to make everyone sleep in. We have all been late all week. They boys have not been waking up until after 9, so we are setting alarms, and still lucky to get up for 8.
On the weekend they slept until almost 11. It has been a long time since I was last woken up by the boys and felt well rested.
There is one other problem, besides being late every morning. Just like when it is light all the time, the kids do not know when to stay in bed. A few times Stefán has woken up in the middle of the night, played toys for a while then fell asleep on the couch. I guess his reasoning is that if he plays all day in the dark, why not play all night in the dark?
Party Madness
Today Kasper turned 7! He had his friends over from school as well as some family. As you can see from the pictures - it was crazy for a while.
The first mix up happed when Kasper invited more kids then he had invitations for, causing us to leave one kid at the school.
Nest Stefán had to come home early from school because he got an ear infection.
I could not cancel the party only a few hours before....
Everything that could have went wrong, did go wrong, but Kasper had a great time, and really that is what matters.
I bought Kasper a Spiderman closet for his birthday. Good Old Toys R Us discount.
One very very dirty sock
The oldest kids had there own area, one of them really likes Sims 2. I like Sims 2....
Sick Stefán. with a balloon.
The first mix up happed when Kasper invited more kids then he had invitations for, causing us to leave one kid at the school.
Nest Stefán had to come home early from school because he got an ear infection.
I could not cancel the party only a few hours before....
Everything that could have went wrong, did go wrong, but Kasper had a great time, and really that is what matters.
Lining up for ice cream!
Kids Everywhere!
I bought Kasper a Spiderman closet for his birthday. Good Old Toys R Us discount.
Shoes everywhere, I bet my neighbors hate me.
Sundae Madness!
Sundae toppings!
Stefán up to something
This kid is half Canadian, but does not know where in Canada is mom is from. It was nice he drew a card with maple leafs on it.
One very very dirty sock
Kids in costumes
That Stefán...
Agata comes out of hiding only to say goodbye.
Kasper with no front teeth, can you say Swiss Mist?
Spidermans
The oldest kids had there own area, one of them really likes Sims 2. I like Sims 2....
Sick Stefán. with a balloon.
Sunday, November 18, 2007
Does this count as art?
Just when I thought my neighborhood could not get any better.
Just when I thought it was truly oozing with class.
Someone spray painted the no entry sign, that is practically in my back yard.
Now it is labeled Penis.
Absolutely Fabulous.
Well this saves me the trouble.
Now everyone knows the true meaning of the sign.
I am so excited for the next genius to roam by armed with a can of spray paint.
Now honestly, like the red glow coming from our building was not enough?
Next time someone needs directions to my house:
Do you know where the penis sign is?
And then there where 5
Today our house guest - the one who made us 6 - left on her way to continue her travels until she must return to Canada. She will be very missed in our home. Good Bye Lindsey!
The whole experience makes me want to open our couch to other travelers.
Here are a few awkward and badly taken pictures of the farewell.
And I said I would delete this one, but I didn't.
The amazingly huge backpack.
It was kinda funny, the back pack weighed so much she could barely lift it.
The whole experience makes me want to open our couch to other travelers.
Here are a few awkward and badly taken pictures of the farewell.
And I said I would delete this one, but I didn't.
The amazingly huge backpack.
It was kinda funny, the back pack weighed so much she could barely lift it.
Now our couch is empty, and it feels a little empty in our apartment. With company, there is always excitement. With Lindsey - it was comparable to fireworks.
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
Stupidest Toys Ever
In the last few days of working at Toys R Us, I have learned more about toys then I ever though was possible. These are the worst of them:
But you know something interesting? The opening of this store has shown me a clear line between the Icelanders and everyone else. When you go to the second hand store you hear every language,Polish, English, Thai, Icelandic - probably in that order. When you go to Toys R Us, you only hear Icelandic.
- EVERYTHING BRATZ! I do not know how these things go so popular, but hey did and now they have there own aisle. It makes me cringe to walk down. It also makes me happy to have little boys who have no interest in these things.
- The Robots. We have a few kinds at the store, and they all seem equally useless. I can already see it. Parent spends 30000IKR on a toy robot. Kid plays with it for a day. The batteries die. Toy sits in the attic for 6 month's, then is thrown into trash.
- Power Wheels. Where do these parents honestly think the kids are going in these things? First - these is almost no where to drive them, unless you live in the country. Second - it rains almost everyday. Are you putting your kids into a battery powered car, in the rain, to drive on a road full of cars? I am sure they must have something better to spend 50000IKR on.
- Baby Born accessories. We have about 10 different strollers you can buy for your baby doll, all costing about the same as you would pay for one for your real baby. You can buy them a high chair, crib, playpen, car seat, toys, soothers and a new outfit that has come into season often enough. Where do people put all this stuff?
But you know something interesting? The opening of this store has shown me a clear line between the Icelanders and everyone else. When you go to the second hand store you hear every language,Polish, English, Thai, Icelandic - probably in that order. When you go to Toys R Us, you only hear Icelandic.
The News
Random news clips from my day -
- I told my new manager that I know they have lied to me about some pay issues. They corrected it, and I made sure they understood that I do not trust them now. Who starts lying to employees in the first few days? Breaking union rules??? I made sure to mention that I suspect discrimination. I have no plans on being walked on here.
- I have made some work friends, they are all about 5 years younger then me and absolutely hilarious. It makes the time fly by.
- It is confirmed yet again, this country has a shopping problem. Who would go toy shopping on a Monday or Tuesday morning? There was a lot...
- My blog has a new reader! First, one stranger at a time - next world domination!
- Postcrossing is going great. I need to get to a scanner to show off my postcards, they are from everywhere!
- Davíð picked me up after work and we all went down to see Kasper play soccer. Then we could not find him. We spent an hour walking around trying to find him, then Davíð went to the school while Stefán and I kept looking. We were worried. Davíð called me when he found Kasper at school, it turns out that they told him it was not his soccer day and he was not supposed to catch the bus with the other kids. Stupid school, and this is the best one? Davíð asked why no one called us if they thought he did not have soccer and no one came to pick him up, they said it is not unusual for kids to be left at the school much longer then they should be.
Sunday, November 11, 2007
Thank You Strætó!
I was looking up my bus route today, and Strætó gave me several fabulous options.
Now which one to choose?
I could catch the 4 then transfer to the 2,
Suggestion: Bus 4 & 2
From: hlemmur 07:15 (Walk 41 meters)
Hlemmur 07:19 4
Hamraborg 07:35 2 (Wait: 2 minutes)
Smáralind 07:42 (Walk 198 meters)
To: smaralind 07:45
Or I could catch the 4, transfer to the 1, then transfer to the 2,
Suggestion: Bus 4 & 1 & 2
From: hlemmur 07:15 (Walk 41 meters)
Hlemmur 07:19 4
Kringlan 07:29 1 (Wait: 1 minutes)
Hamraborg 07:35 2 (Wait: 1 minutes)
Smáralind 07:42 (Walk 198 meters)
To: smaralind 07:45
Or I could catch the 2 and take it the entire way.
Suggestion: Bus 2
From: hlemmur 07:15 (Walk 41 meters)
Hlemmur 07:16 2
Smáralind 07:42 (Walk 198 meters)
To: smaralind 07:45
Notice the times and stops?
This is possible because so many buses drive the same route. They all leave Hlemmur, my bus station, at exactly the same time, then follow each other around. So I can always just get off one bus and on to the other, going the same way.
As much fun as it would be to catch three different buses before 8:00 a.m., I think I will just take route 2 the entire way.
Now which one to choose?
I could catch the 4 then transfer to the 2,
Suggestion: Bus 4 & 2
From: hlemmur 07:15 (Walk 41 meters)
Hlemmur 07:19 4
Hamraborg 07:35 2 (Wait: 2 minutes)
Smáralind 07:42 (Walk 198 meters)
To: smaralind 07:45
Or I could catch the 4, transfer to the 1, then transfer to the 2,
Suggestion: Bus 4 & 1 & 2
From: hlemmur 07:15 (Walk 41 meters)
Hlemmur 07:19 4
Kringlan 07:29 1 (Wait: 1 minutes)
Hamraborg 07:35 2 (Wait: 1 minutes)
Smáralind 07:42 (Walk 198 meters)
To: smaralind 07:45
Or I could catch the 2 and take it the entire way.
Suggestion: Bus 2
From: hlemmur 07:15 (Walk 41 meters)
Hlemmur 07:16 2
Smáralind 07:42 (Walk 198 meters)
To: smaralind 07:45
Notice the times and stops?
This is possible because so many buses drive the same route. They all leave Hlemmur, my bus station, at exactly the same time, then follow each other around. So I can always just get off one bus and on to the other, going the same way.
As much fun as it would be to catch three different buses before 8:00 a.m., I think I will just take route 2 the entire way.
As crazy as Toys R Us
I have now seen it with my own eyes.
The store was not only busy, but it was insane. On a Sunday morning people are lined up outside waiting for the store to open.
The store opens and fills up. The shelves we worked so hard to fill quickly empty. We fill them again, they empty. It continues like this until we lock the doors, 6 hours later.
This is why the store does 7 million a day in sales.
But who needs so many toys? How needs so many toys that they need to bring a shopping cart to push down all the isles?
How many Bratz dolls do you need?
How many Spidermans?
Teddy Bears?
Lego?
Crayons?
It does not matter what the toy is, I now suspect that every kid in Iceland has enough for 5 other kids.
They had a joke on TV last night, it shows a family throwing away all the toys, then going to Toys R Us and buying more the next day.
The Iceland Toys R Us is second in world sales, only behind Hong Kong, and there are a lot more people in Hong Kong to be doing this shopping.
This experience has shown me another ugly side of consumers.
And now my job is dependent on these same consumers.
The store was not only busy, but it was insane. On a Sunday morning people are lined up outside waiting for the store to open.
The store opens and fills up. The shelves we worked so hard to fill quickly empty. We fill them again, they empty. It continues like this until we lock the doors, 6 hours later.
This is why the store does 7 million a day in sales.
But who needs so many toys? How needs so many toys that they need to bring a shopping cart to push down all the isles?
How many Bratz dolls do you need?
How many Spidermans?
Teddy Bears?
Lego?
Crayons?
It does not matter what the toy is, I now suspect that every kid in Iceland has enough for 5 other kids.
They had a joke on TV last night, it shows a family throwing away all the toys, then going to Toys R Us and buying more the next day.
The Iceland Toys R Us is second in world sales, only behind Hong Kong, and there are a lot more people in Hong Kong to be doing this shopping.
This experience has shown me another ugly side of consumers.
And now my job is dependent on these same consumers.
Saturday, November 10, 2007
Me
and not just me, everyone is Iceland looks like this, or so the tourist industry would have you believe.
This exact picture is posted in every possible place. I think every hotel website has it, it is in every add for the Blue Lagoon. In other countries it is on bill boards.
But now the truth must come out, this is not typical. I live in Iceland and I do not spend all day steaming and soaking in mineral water, and neither does anyone else that lives here.
It is adds like these that lead people to believe that everyone in Iceland is exceptionally beautiful.
This is untrue. They are the same as everywhere else. Mixed bag.
This exact picture is posted in every possible place. I think every hotel website has it, it is in every add for the Blue Lagoon. In other countries it is on bill boards.
But now the truth must come out, this is not typical. I live in Iceland and I do not spend all day steaming and soaking in mineral water, and neither does anyone else that lives here.
It is adds like these that lead people to believe that everyone in Iceland is exceptionally beautiful.
This is untrue. They are the same as everywhere else. Mixed bag.
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