Early one morning after some drinks, Alex Brown Instagrammed a picture that inspired our cover this issue. A Minnesota native living in Reykjavík, Alex thought the scene strange enough to photograph, but still not altogether surprising. We chatted with Alex about the picture, Icelandic “dating,” and the strangeness of it all.
Describe the scene for me.
It was a pretty normal night downtown. I think it was five in the morning. People were just drunkenly walking around, and then a path cleared in front of me and there was a beautiful couple enjoying each other’s company.
Did it surprise you to see them there?
Um…yes and no. I’d say no, just because people like to drink, and yes because it was a very, very intimate moment for them. Yeah.
Would it be weird to see something like that in Minnesota?
Yes, but I think two people making out in the street is kinda weird anywhere.
Were people around them fazed at all?
No, not at all. You can see in the photo, the people in the background are not really looking.
What happened after you took the picture? Was it just business as usual?
Yeah, more or less. I continued walking past. I made sure that they were all right. They seemed to be doing fine.
Do you have any impressions of the Icelandic hookup/dating culture?
A lot of the relationships I know got their start as weekend hooking-ups, which led to more serious dating when that went well. But it’s interesting, I remember asking a girl on a date and she said “I don’t go on dates.” Either she doesn’t or was just being nice, but I like to think it was the first option.
So have you stopped asking girls out on dates?
Uhhhh yeah. I would say I think my mentality has shifted, which is what happens whenever you move somewhere new and adapt to the culture.
Do you prefer the Minnesota way or the Icelandic way?
They’re both great, each for their own reasons. Iceland’s way is much more laid back and casual, which is nice.
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You can find Alex on Instagram here
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