Comments on: MY ICELAND: Welcome home!

By: me

me — Sun, 28 Mar 2010 22:52:06 +0000

I’ve been looking forward to hearing this sentence again for two years now – since I left the country after having lived there for three years. It’s so going to add to my overall teary-eyedness. Though I had to look up the first part, which is how I stumbled across this entry. Very nice blog, by the way.

By: Niamh

Niamh — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 20:32:10 +0000

I know I’m jumping in a bit (!) late on this discussion but I have to say that hearing the bit of Irish on Aer Lingus (especially when coming home!) makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside!

By the by, check out this ad from Aer Lingus that ran in the late 80′s (pure schmaltz really but makes me well up anyhoo…).
I’m sure it was very poignant for those who had to emigrate and if it ran today would be heartbreaking for those who are leaving in their droves (which will probably include myself when I finish in uni…).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p_i3iX6ozvI

By: Frida

Frida — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 18:04:38 +0000

I’m writing an article about Iceland and this was the exact moment I’m opening with; undoubtedly the best part about flying there. No matter how long Icelanders have lived abroad, even those born abroad, they still refer to going to Iceland as going home. I love it.

By: Rose

Rose — Fri, 16 May 2008 03:02:52 +0000

Go for it. Great idea. Don’t hold back.

By: Because Niceland is a small nation with a big nation complex — The Iceland Weather Report

Wed, 14 May 2008 23:20:39 +0000

[...] are generally only held there in the spring. Anyway, as I sat there I started to get yet another case of the warm and fuzzies about living in Iceland because … THE TALENT. It’s amazing how many talented people [...]

By: ReallyEvilCanine

ReallyEvilCanine — Tue, 13 May 2008 17:14:08 +0000

That was one of the first things I noticed and even understood before I started learning the language: “Welcome to Iceland” in Danish and English, “Welcome home” in Icelandic. As Iceland started to become a second home, it took on more meaning. It almost seems childish in a way (tee-hee, those foreigners have no idea what we’re saying) but it’s deep on many more levels. It’s the only airline landing announcement that never made me wish I could muzzle the crew.

By: sigga

sigga — Tue, 13 May 2008 11:49:30 +0000

I got choked up just reading your entry. It is totally absurd how I react when I hear them say Velkominn heim… it just says everything, especially after 30 hours of travel and finally you look out at the desolate wastelands of Reykjanes… not exactly welcoming but still its the first sight of “home”.

By: Sonja

Sonja — Tue, 13 May 2008 11:12:17 +0000

Well I did say I grew out of it

By: gary

gary — Mon, 12 May 2008 23:57:21 +0000

well thought out Alda.

By: alda

alda — Mon, 12 May 2008 21:52:05 +0000

Don – very interesting; in fact we’ve just had a talk about your comment over dinner. I think what you’re describing is, perhaps, the informality that always exists among Icelanders. As you know, we’re listed by our first names in the phone book, we call each other by our first names [even the president is 'Ólafur'] etc. etc. – there are very few prescribed rules in the way we relate to each other. And I have a feeling that when in ‘mixed company’ – i.e. Icelanders together with non-Icelanders, this familiarity becomes even more exacerbated and/or noticeable.

That said, Icelanders always act like long-lost cousins/friends etc. when they meet abroad – even when they wouldn’t even greet each other in an elevator back home.