By: Christina Arrigo
Day 3 was filled with so much fun! We moved to a hotel closer to the city, Reykjavík. I was especially excited to meet up with Hanna. She and I had gone to Ireland together the year before, so I was thrilled to see her again—this time in her home country.
After arriving, we headed to the sports center at the University of Iceland. There, we met Hanna’s parents, who gave a short lecture about the importance of sports in Icelandic culture and health, along with some fun Icelandic facts. We toured the various rooms in the center, which I really enjoyed seeing.
Later, we had some free time to explore. I went horseback riding with a few others across the countryside. The views of Iceland left me speechless—wandering through the land felt surreal.
Afterward, we explored downtown Reykjavík. I met up with Hanna again, and she showed us around, sharing stories about the local culture, food, and hidden gems. I especially loved hearing the local folklore—I can’t wait to bring some of these tales back to share with my future classroom!
Hanna also introduced me to a local burger spot called Yuzu Burger, where we tried their cocktail sauce for the fries (not like the traditional one we know). We also went to Huppa, a popular local ice cream place—it was amazing!
We ended our night with a unique local experience: Sauna Mobile. This turned out to be a trip highlight for all of us. We did a 15-minute sauna session with essential oils, mint, and Icelandic music. After each session, we ran into the ice-cold water. We repeated this three times. Many of us said we felt “reborn” afterward—it was such a cool and refreshing experience.
Iceland is incredibly beautiful, and I’m so happy to be able to experience all of this!