Im studying abroad in Iceland!!!!?

Will Camus: Okay, amusing anecdote from the other person ;) I've never seen anyone do that here though.Concerning the language, Iceland has a higher rate of English speakers than America or the UK. So you don't have to worry! A lot of young people speak it so well that you wouldn't even know that it's not their native language. Heck, some people even speak it better than Icelandic. I have my boyfriend speak only Icelandic with me and sometimes he struggles trying to remember how to say some things in Icelandic that he has no trouble with in English!Concerning the food, I don't know what the other person is talking about, food is delicious here. Only the weird traditional stuff that nobody here eats except at Þorrablót and which is totally optional is strange. The breads are great, the dairy is great, the desserts are great, etc and I hear from non-vegetarians (aka, not me) that the fish is great, the lamb is great, etc. The only thing is - if it matters to you ! - I've never seen a couple of American things like kraft mac & cheese or pop tarts here.The one thing that I recommend that you learn before you go is pronunciation. I mean, it'd be great to learn more, but I think that should be a minimum. You can't ask, say, "How do I get to Seyðisfjörður" if you don't know how to pronounce "Seyðisfjörður" :) So just sit down with a pronunciation guide a few times until you've got the basic rules down. The most important rule: Strong stress (double length) goes on the first syllable of every word and every component of a compound word after a multisyllable component. Get the stress right and people will probably understand you even if you butcher everything else. Oh, and compound words (those scary long ones) are just compounds of easy words. A simple rule that'll work right 90-95% of the time to break words down: Split the word at every "-ar", "-a", "-u" or "-s" that's at least three or four letters** from your previous spl! it or the end of the word. For example, "Seyðis Fjörður". ! It's hard to say whether to go with 3 or 4 letters because, for example, it's "Eyja-Fjalla-Jökull" (not Eyja-Fja-LLa-Jökull) but it's "Ísa-Fjörður", but either way, it's just a rule of thumb to help you since you don't know all of the little simple words that make up the compound words.Trust me, you'll have plenty of fun ;) I fell so in love with Iceland on a trip that I moved here. Things not to forget: a GSM cell phone with net access and a camera, a swimsuit, party clothes, a sleeping mask (if you have trouble sleeping when it's bright), and good hiking shoes! :)...Show more

Raye Tredennick: This Site Might Help You.RE:Im studying abroad in Iceland!!!!?Im studying abroad, Summer of 2014 in Iceland . And my mom finally said its ok that I go. Im just really nervous. I don't speak the language, maybe a couple words and phrases. I just don't want to get there and not have fun. Ive been dreaming of Iceland for a really long time, and Its the......Show more

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An Trebil: That's so exciting! I myself am looking at study abroad programs in France, but I actually have been to Iceland once as a tourist, and my neighbor is Icelandic. I don't think you have to know much about the language, maybe like "hello", "thank you", "please", "can I have a cup of tea", etc. but for the most part, that's what study abroad programs are supposed to do-- teach you a whole new language and culture and tradition. As for the people of Iceland, I don't know if it's fair to generalize, but everyone I met there was so incredibly kind and welcoming, I felt right at home the moment I stepped off the plane and a complete stranger asked me in halting English if my flight was okay. It might take a while to get used to the food, as it's very different up there, but I think overall you're going to have a fantastic time.(Just as a side note, if you're ever feeling worried about not speaking the language, just remember this funny story and know that it really co! uldn't get any worse: my mom told me that when she went to Norway to li! ve with her cousins and work as a waitress, her fellow employees taught her the basic "what would you like to eat", "what would you like to drink", but when they taught her the phrase "Kaste opp ikke på bordet", they told her she was wishing the customers a pleasant meal, when she was actually telling them not to throw up on the table. Not to freak you out, it's just some amusing shenanigans for ya.)Have fun, and I hope this experience is truly as life-changing as it sounds....Show more

Burt Cheevers: Study Abroad Iceland