Well-TravelED: Iceland

Published by Bow Tie Joe on April 12, 2018April 12, 2018

Traveling to exotic locales is an exciting opportunity for one to disconnect and unplug from the daily routines and stressors that make up our lives. Finding time throughout the day for yourself is worthwhile but allowing yourself a few days throughout the year to unplug will keep you motivated and energized during the long haul. Refreshing your mind and body by hitting the pause button on life and devoting some time to being self-full will pay off dividends upon your return.

Being an educator, I am constantly plagued by statements made by my friends that we as educators have an abundance of time to travel! And they’re right, kind of. Albeit an increased amount of time to travel, our travel time is typically fixated around holidays, where the cost of airfare is usually heightened in addition to lodging and other pecuniary aspects associated with traveling. Given that educators don’t necessarily make the big bucks, this often times puts many of us in a predicament.

But Bow-Tie Joe is here to say otherwise! I hope to begin another avenue of my website entitled #Well-TravelED, where I will talk about my experiences after my latest adventure and offer some tips and tricks for educators (and you regular folk too) so that you too can stretch a dollar, be a little self-full, and plan the adventure of a lifetime! So without further adieu, buckle up, and hold on!

2,500 miles…35+ hours of driving…one unforgettable experience. I give you… Iceland.

Anticipatory Set

In the world of education, we use an anticipatory set to activate prior knowledge and prepare our students for the day’s learning. Here, I am going to utilize this idea to talk about my expectations of the trip based on any prior knowledge I may have had.

For starters, I expected it to be cold…shocker. On average, the temperature fluctuated between 20-30 degrees Fahrenheit but with a North Face fleece underneath a windbreaker, this stymied much of the frigid temperatures.

Secondly, I also expected beautiful vistas and jaw-dropping scenery and I was not disappointed. Take a look.

Besides those two premonitions about Iceland, I really didn’t know what else to expect. I was headed to Europe for the first time in my life and I was excited to experience culture shock. Personally, I prefer to be blindsided in the face by adventure. One of my co-travelers had planned the entire trip and instead of doing my due diligence, I arrived in Reykjavík knowing nothing except that I’d be handling the driving for the duration of the trip.

Heart of the Lesson

The heart of any lesson consists of learning activities and instructional strategies that the teacher will employ in order to achieve the intended goals of the lesson. Our itinerary was JAM-PACKED so without going too in depth (because we could be here for a while), I am going to provide a brief overview of the lessons learned and activities we partook in during our unforgettable experience.

As the captain of Magellan (yes, I gave our rental car a nickname), I had the pleasure of taking in the sheer beauty and magnitude of Iceland as we rounded each bend in the ring road. Iceland appeared generally untouched by humankind, ready to be explored by anyone willing to conquer the unknown! Nature – powerful waterfalls, geysers, bubbling geothermal springs, beautiful horses, stunning rainbows, expansive glaciers, rugged mountains – was everywhere. As it pertains to a renting a car if you are going on a road trip make sure you check the tread on your tires prior to leaving the car rental agency. We hit some rough patches of wet road (rain, snow, ice) where Magellan struggled to grip the asphalt.

We also learned pretty quickly that gas was extremely expensive ($7.50 a gallon) but with five people on the trip, we were able to manage. It also helped that all of the sights we went to see and explore were FREE which counteracted the steep cost of gas. Did I mention free?

The weather was in our favor for 98% of the trip but there were two hours on our second day where the weather went from bright blue skies to torrential rain to a snowstorm and back to bright blue skies. It is always a good idea to scout out the weather forecast prior to hitting the road the following day because you never knew what was waiting in another part of the country. Iceland also has many unpaved, gravel roads that lead you to many of the natural wonders the country has to offer but may not necessarily be safe to drive upon. I stumbled upon this website on the 2nd night of our trip which is updated periodically to inform travelers what roads were open and driveable. We learned of a shortcut that would get us to a gas station in half the time we thought but was a road that literally went up and down an entire mountain; exhilarating.

We also had plans of stocking up on groceries at the beginning of our trip at Iceland’s budget supermarket, Bónus, but once again we had to learn the hard way. We began our adventure on Good Friday where we soon realized the people of Iceland were devout Lutherans, Easter being the most important holiday of the year. With what seemed like everything being closed we relied on gas stations along the ring road to provide us nourishment. The gas stations offered sandwiches, these amazing breakfast croissants, and basic groceries for sale that satisfied us until Tuesday morning when the country appeared to turn back on.

As I said before our itinerary was jam-packed, give it a look. Out of the entire trip, my favorite waterfall was Dettifoss, Europe (and Iceland’s) largest waterfall by water volume. Catching a tan at Black Sand Beach was also an experience and sight that I’ll never forget. The only downside was the sunburn I got because I forgot my sunscreen. Lastly, and the part of the trip that I think revitalized our energy levels and everyone needed, was our time at the Mývatn Nature Baths, a naturally heated lagoon, with mineral-rich waters known for their health-giving properties.

Closure

Lesson closure is an opportunity for educators to determine the level of understanding that students have acquired for a particular lesson. Through closure, teachers are passing the teacher torch to the students, who have been well trained and can now serve as teachers of the concepts discussed in class.

As it pertains to travel, closure, in my opinion, is looking back upon the trail (experience) so that one is cognizant of the path one has taken. Closure offers the traveler an opportunity to reflect upon the experience, identify the subtle encounters that pushed us outside of our comfort zone, and in turn, stimulated personal growth and self-development.

For me, my growth and self-development were spurred during a conversation with Einar Örn, our guide who led us on a fantastic snorkeling experience through the Silfra Fissure. Disclaimer: This is a MUST do if you get an opportunity to visit Iceland. And be sure to book with Einar; it’ll be the best decision you make while you’re there!!! He makes a mean cup of hot chocolate and offers some great conversation after the snorkel!

Einar had recently started his own tour company, Diving Island, opting to leave his managerial position within the seafood industry for what he described as “better office space.”

He informed us that while his former job offered stability and peace of mind it didn’t necessarily equate to happiness or what got him up in the morning. Since starting his own tour company with a friend (last September), he informed us that he’s never been happier. I quote, “The office space is great. I get to meet unique people from all over the world, share with them a small part of my country, and ensure that they have an amazing experience. What more could I possibly ask for?” To put it simply, Einar was reinforcing a mantra I’ve tried to live my entire life by:

Do what makes you happy and everything else will simply fall into place.

So if you find yourself stuck, miserable, devoid of energy, or defeated, ask yourself, “Is what I’m currently doing contributing to my overall amount of happiness?” If the answer is no, change it! Roll the dice, take a chance, and find whatever it is that makes you tick and DO IT! Centering your livelihood around what you are passionate is the secret formula for success.

So I thank you Einar, for sharing with me a special part of your country and serving as living proof that if you love what you do, you won’t work a day in your life.

Exit Ticket

My only complaint about the entire trip is that while Iceland did have amazing murals around their capital city, there was only one on how to tie a tie in Reykjavík. Something was missing. I still can’t put a “knot” on what it was but maybe someone will bowtie up these loose ends for me…

Oh, and I made some new friends while I was out there too!

That’ll do it! Thanks for joining me on this adventure by reading and sharing!

If you have any specific questions about our itinerary feel free to reach out and I’d love to answer them!

Bow-Tie Joe