Now, lest you think everything is just endless gloom and doom up here on the ice cube in these latest and worst times,* think again! Here comes one inspiring tale: the story of Japsy Jacob.
Japsy, who is 25, is from India and came to Iceland in 2007. She settled in Seyðisfjörður, a small town in East Niceland [where the ferry Norræna docks], and has been working as an ayurvedic massage therapist at the local hostel.
Apparently efforts to renew her work and residents’ permit have proven unsuccessful, and she’s about to be deported back to India, where according to reports she will be forced to marry a man she doesn’t know.
However, clearly Japsy has won the hearts of the citizens of Seyðisfjörður, who have rallied around her and are petitioning the Immigration Office to let her stay. According to one resident, interviewed on RÚV, “she’s our friend, our neighbour, and part of the family – we can’t stand by and just watch one of us … removed,” while another – interviewed in one of the papers last weekend – says “this is not about her human rights but OUR human rights – the right to have her near us.”
So far over 300 people in Seyðisfjörður have signed the petition to keep Japsy in Iceland, which is more than half the population there. A Facebook group has also been set up, and over 2,000 people have joined.
Meanwhile, I can’t decide what’s more heartwarming – the fact that so many people support Japsy, or that someone actually wants to STAY in Iceland in the midst of the kreppa. Sniff.
YOU’D WANT TO STAY TOO
On such a gorgeous spring day. The sun has been out in full force, there is hardly a breeze, and everything is coming to life.This is Niceland at its most beautiful. Seriously – it’s like a different country when the sun is out. Right now it’s 6°C [43F], sunrise was at 4:43 am, sunset scheduled for 10:08 pm.
* Nicelandic idiom – Á þessum síðustu og verstu tímum.
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{ 11 comments… read them below or add one }
Oh, I so hope that the petition will work, apparently the head of Immigration Office wasn’t about to listen…
Hildigunnur – do you know the details? I haven’t heard anything about the criteria, i.e. why they haven’t renewed her permit. There must be some reason.
Alda, no wonder that she wants to stay there
I think Iceland must have become her place by now, she too won the support of the local community, that’s a lot!
I spoke to some Polish immigrant in Iceland and he had brought his family over to Reykjavik right before the collapse. I asked him what he’s gonna do now? And you know what he said… I prefer “crisis” in Iceland rather than “prosperity” in Poland (but he has a job and is able to support his family, otherwise I suspect he would have been forced to leave the country). However it does not reflect the situation in Poland though, as most of people I know live normal and prosperous lives in my home country but some left due to financial difficulties or beacuse they want to try somethinhg new…
I think it’s a personal matter, Indian girl finds herself happy on lava rock while some people may be happy in India. My friends are happy in Poland and I love being in London. And our dear YT travelled the world to return to her little place
Thanks Kate.
I absolutely agree – it’s a matter of where you feel at home.
You would have thought that the Ministry of Justice and Ecclesiastical Affairs would have better things to do than harass this poor young woman… but obviously not, and it’s much easier to tie someone onto a seat in an aeroplane than to combat the moral rot in a society!
As a serial expatriate myself, I completely agree with Kate’s analysis, and with that of her compatriot in Reykjavík!
I’ve never been to Niceland, but your writings are making me want to stop by. But sorry, cold, no, not, no. (it’s 24c right now at 8:27 am, due to have 36 today, and I love it)
I have had one of her massages and I am hoping she will be allowed to stay. I am not a religious person but I can tell you that I felt a little bit of heaven at the right moment when the massage ended. Hallelujah!
Alda, you might want to check this out: http://www.icestat.com/index.php/newsarticles/156-turnaround.html
I hope Japsy Jacob (I love that name) gets to stay in her adopted country. Seyðisfjörður must have a very close and supportive community if so many are rallying round to support Japsy’s cause. I wish her luck.
Physchim62, I don’t think that the ministry has anything to do with this – not yet at least, it’s the Immigration Office, they’re autonomous, just follow the general guidelines from the ministry.
Alda, no I don’t really know anything much about this case. Maybe she needs to have an employer to get a permit but working solo as a massage therapist does mean she hasn’t got an Icelandic company to back her up. Awful to put down such people, self-supporting, had she been working for the aluminium plant this hadn’t been a problem. I think things should be the other way round.
But I’m basically just guessing.
Hæhæ! Japsy Jacob, þú ert velkomin að dvelja á Íslandi meðal vina, eins lengi og þú vilt. Bestu kveðjur,
Örn Bjarnason.