Writing from the fjords

On another beginning that's ending too soon.

I’m writing this first post to you from my small but very cosy room in Ísafjörður, located in the fjords in the west of Iceland. On the floor surrounded by half packed luggage I can see the mountains through my window. I once again find myself a few weeks away from leaving a place that has become a true home.

My time in Iceland is soon coming to an end. It has been one of the best years of my life, not only because of many breath-taking experiences with wildlife and the nature around, but because of all the moments in between that make up life in a small town. I vividly remember overthinking the decision to come here. A move that took me from the equator to the edge of the Arctic, it meant leaving behind a brilliant community in Nairobi and something that came very close to a dream job. Because of said overthinking I made the decision at the last possible moment, leaving about three weeks to overhaul my life, say my goodbyes and prepare for the next step — from young professional back to student. Before I knew it, I was living in a town with less than three thousand inhabitants, meeting new flatmates and classmates, and googling what the word volleyball was in Icelandic (blak), so I could find a team.

The entire town of Ísafjörður.

This type of quick transition had become a theme in my life. When I got offered an internship in Brussels back in 2020, after completing my first master’s degree, I set off to live abroad for the first time and had moved in to a room in Schaerbeek within two weeks. The Netherlands is not far from Belgium, but with a different language and the closeness of politically important developments, it felt like a different world to me. The internship turned into a job. I ended up staying three years, learning so much every day in these first years of my professional life. Brussels is truly a gateway into a lot of important political discussions and my work took me to many places. In a way I wish I had started writing here already back then, but perhaps this is a chance to revisit the moments I now marked with short LinkedIn updates and see them with the perspectives I have now.

One of the opportunities during my years in Brussels: my first UNFCCC COP26 in Glasgow (a little wide-eyed haha)

On the bus between Brussels and Amsterdam a few weeks before the three year mark, I came across a job that seemed perfect for me. With nothing else to entertain me on the bus ride and a very good feeling about the opportunity, I decided to apply. By the time I got a reaction it had slipped to the back of my mind. It was a long shot, after all, if not a life time goal, the job offer I’d seen at the UN Environment Programme. I ended up in a very short interview and it still did not dawn on me that it could become a reality. But that is how I once again ended up packing my life in suitcases and my huge backpack, moving three weeks after securing the job. This time it was not a neighbouring country but a country on a different continent. I worked for a year as youth coordinator in Nairobi, helping the organisation reach the youth audience and ensuring young voices were heard in the discussions. UNEP is a brilliant organization and I got to contribute to the world’s environmental agenda. Life in Nairobi is vibrant and warm, and I had a great set of colleagues around me from whom I learned a lot. This made leaving again so difficult, even if it was to pursue a degree that would set me up for the next step I knew I wanted. A year later though, I can say it was the right decision.

The transition ahead of me is different. This wonderful year in Iceland always had a very clear deadline. Our courses would start in August and end in June the next year, and everyone would make their way after that. While each cohort leaves behind a couple of people that continue to develop themselves into real residents of Ísafjörður, most of life as you have gotten to know it changes. I have spent the past weeks going through many goodbyes and last times. Friends moved away, flatmates changed and the volleyball players found new teams — but only after we won this years league, which felt extra awesome being one of the only teams not from the capital. I have had lovely final camping nights and goodbye drinks. So far though, I cannot say that the longer period of transition and the clear end date have made the change any easier. This time I am saying goodbye to something I have loved very much, but without a clear path ahead, without another adventure to dive head-first into.

So, why start writing now, so close to the ending that came too soon? It might seem odd to start writing from the fjords so close to leaving them. My hope is that it helps me to hold on to the feelings this place has inspired in me. My soul is calm here, my mind clear. The small town and huge nature offer perspective and keep me grounded. I will spend the next year writing my master's thesis. Combining my background in political science and environmental campaigning with the coastal and marine management direction, I will write about how we can design marine protected areas that fit within a safe and just operating space, inspired and guided by the doughnut economics framework that Kate Raworth introduced. This space will hold a collection of field notes about my adventures in the coming year, reflections on previous work and life experience, and research thoughts as I work through my thesis. I hope you will follow along!