"Ooh That Smell! Doncha Smell That Smell?"

This song has applied to literally everyday in Iceland, but never so much as today. Just as the smell of sulfur has become easier to ignore every time we use the hot water, a new stench has penetrated my life: rotten shark flesh. Tonight, noted scholar and everything else Kristin, who lives here in Skalholt, had our group over for a party after dinner. While there, the brave of us tried "stinking shark," or "cured shark," if you want to make it sound somewhat appealing. Basically, it's dead shark that has rotted in sand for six months then hung in the wind for six more months. It smells TERRIBLE and has the weirdest texture. On a somewhat related note, I had my first legal drink tonight. Since the Middle Ages, cured shark is always chased with a small shot of Icelandic schnapps- by pure necessity. Trust me, this shark stuff is rank. Even though the public drinking age in Iceland is 20, and I'm only 19, the drinking age is not applicable in the home- only public venues. So, basically people can do whatever they want at their parents' discretion within their homes. Anyways, back to cured shark...it wasn't as bad as I expected, but the skin was awful and chewy. It didn't taste too bad, but the aftertaste was so strong that it took forever to get rid of it.

It is also taking forever to get through this week! Dr. Novak and Dr. Grathwohl are front-loading all of our class material so that our last week will be spent mainly just seeing sights, reading one last short novel, and on independent travel. Regardless of the kind intentions, I am weighed down by constant studying and class. Literally, for two days we have done nothing but class and study/read. Let me reiterate: academia all day every day. Blehhhhh

Our first break since Sunday afternoon came today, when we went back to Selfoss to run errands. I racked up on skyr and some lemon soda, as well as a bag of chips and a roll of Icelandic cookies. Can you tell I miss junk food?

Oh heyyy I won a keychain today for answering a trick question in class! I'll pose the same question here: After a group of Irish slaves in Iceland during the settlement period murdered their master, they sailed to an island southeast of where they had previously been enslaved. Considering this orientation, why then did the island come to be known as, in English, the Westman Island? Main rule of trinket bingo: Winner gets a prize:)

On our way back from Selfoss we saw another wonder: a caldera lake. It. Was. AMAZING. Soooo huge and a deep indigo color. Even though it was freezing, Dr. Novak went for a swim. Also, those who attempted to answer the above question but failed, had to get in the water at least up to their ankles for at least 5 minutes. To be honest, if they hadn't answered so poorly and narrowed down the possibilities, I wouldn't have had any clue what the answer was. But still, who was wading in a volcano lake of hypothermic temperatures? Not this girl. I was standing at the top, listening to their girly shrieks and holding my keychain in my fist. Just kidding, I sat in the van because it was so cold and windy.

Tomorrow we get to sleep in and start class after lunch, then eat dinner and have a lesson in Icelandic from a local teacher. Hopefully we will surprise her with how much we can say! As for me, I'm going to catch up on last night's episode of Glee and then go to bed.

Bless Bless!