By: Joe Iarrapino
The flight was 5 hours away from home to here. The views I saw were the mountains near the waterfall and the mountains in the snowy field. The parts of Iceland I saw were plates broken up. These were boundaries; the plates were separated. Houses and streets were destroyed. Icelandair/American people left to find new homes. It was not real rocks, instead they were magma rocks. This happened when all humanity was destroyed by volcanoes erupting.
The Blue Lagoon was one of the hottest places on the lava grounds. It was close to a hole that goes all the way to the magma core. WC (Wash and Clean) I need to bathe before swimming. WC was for bathrooms for men and women who have a wash closet or locker to save stuff. A sauna is a small spa with lots of steam.
By: Brittany Webster
My time in Iceland is one that I would call a once in a lifetime experience. GCU’s abroad trips have a way of immersing students into a new country with objectives that are exciting to learn about with people who may begin as strangers but end up leaving with a shared love of a wonderful experience. I gained new eyes for a country I once knew very little about, new techniques to practice hydrotherapy, and new friends!
I read a quote once by Ibn Battuta that read, “Traveling – it leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller.” I feel as though this quote summarizes what this experience meant to me. I remember walking up to Gullfoss and seeing how huge this waterfall looked in comparison to the people standing next to it in the distance. That along with the clear rainbow that casted across it, led me absolutely speechless. As I took in this view, my eyes filled up with tears as my body tried to process the surreal scenery that I was facing. I couldn’t say much at the time, but now I can’t wait to tell everyone that I know about that moment. That exact moment is why I travel.
By: Jamey Stofko
What struck me the most profoundly about our trip to Iceland is what the country does right in achieving a sense of well-being. Although the cost of living is high and there are factors such as long winter nights and volcanic eruptions, the country has one of the highest happiness ratings in the world. I now have a better sense of why that is.
To begin with, there is a great sense of community. While the geothermal pools in and of themselves would be beneficial, they are also a place where one goes to meet friends. As we learned about the efforts to combat alcohol and tobacco use in the youth of Iceland by getting them involved in sports, also requires a strong community effort and support.
There is also a great deal of support for people to maintain a healthy lifestyle. The food was fresh and additive free, and the water was wonderful, right out of the tap. It was an interesting comparison to the food that is primarily available in the US. I know from my studies how important it is to be outside in nature, and this is the lifestyle that is adopted in Iceland with the beautiful waterfalls, mountains, and, yes, volcanoes. I spent much more of my day outdoors on out trip than I would ordinarily.
While I didn’t encounter much in the way of alternative health practices other than the geothermal pools, I was especially interested to learn that there is no malpractice insurance, as I need to carry it just to teach yoga! The cost of living is high for most things, but education is free through the university level, energy is mostly inexpensive as it is geothermal, and healthcare is universal.
I am very grateful to have had the opportunity to experience a different country and culture.
By: Jennifer McCarthy
I enjoyed going to Iceland with my professors and the other students and my favorite part was the cat Café where we saw the cats and get to pet them and I got A latte tea at cat cafe.
I also enjoyed seeing the waterfalls and the beautiful views and also walking on trails with everybody and taking a lot of photos. I also enjoyed staying in the hotels near the farm and there was a hotel cat that kept coming in and we pet it. It was so adorable.
We also went to the tomato farm and we learned how tomatoes were grown and we ate tomato soup and I had ravioli pasta.
Also, we also went to go see the Viking ship where the Vikings used to ride their boats. Also, we went into a truck that has a sauna in it then we went into a cold beach.
We saw how volcanoes erupted and destroyed the towns and everybody had to evacuate, and we also saw a big hole in the ground, where the volcano hit places.
Also, we went to the beach, where we can see the black sand, and we took some photos. Also, the lighthouse where we can stand and take photos of the sky.
This was a great experience other faculty were amazing