Words by

Catharine Fulton

The Útlendingur’s Guide To Getting Shit Done

“So, how do you like Iceland?” If ever you happen across an Icelander keen on engaging in small talk, that undoubtedly going to be a question posited at the first inkling of your foreign heritage. It’s been my experience that there are two things Icelanders love to talk about: the weather and Iceland.

Say you managed to score an outdoor table at Bódega for a cheeky afternoon beverage in the sun and you want to engage in pleasant conversation with the Icelander next to you. A sure fire entry into the conversation would be to comment on the beautiful weather. Once they nod or verbalise their agreement, you could follow it up with a comment on it being about time the weather turned after the miserable spring we had.

If your Icelander has taken the bait, you’ll likely be treated to an anecdote about the worst spring or summer they experienced in recent memory and how summer never came at all that year.

You’ve got them now.

Now it’s your turn to comment that you also remember that unfortunate summer and how its only saving grace was one solitary Thursday where the sun appeared and the temperature rose above 12º Celsius for twelve glorious hours.

It’s at this point, after establishing a timeline of the number of summers you’ve lived here, that you’ll be asked how you like Iceland or how long you’ve been in Iceland. Answer, of course, but I’d also recommend turning the tables and asking them how they like Iceland. Where the conversation goes from there is anyone’s guess, but you may be done your drink by this point, so if the conversation is dwindling you can cut your losses and vacate your table (the next vitamin D deprived local will thank you for it) or grab another drink to see if the small talk can turn big.

Congratulations, you small talked with an Icelander.