Not a tourist

A couple of weeks ago I was walking down the street, unaware of my surroundings and looking at a piece of paper, when all of a sudden a man walks up to me and asks: "Can I help you?" Even though I might look like a tourist I certainly don't feel like one. I am not confused about Iceland.

Let me elaborate. I am always wondering how it feels to be a tourist in Iceland, because I find it amazing that tourists are not more confused than they are already about this country. What makes Iceland so special? Well, let's think about it. Iceland is still virtually an unknown country. Let's face it. People still think that Iceland is a town in America, or, some think Santa Claus lives here, or even worse that we live in igloos (not like that is a bad thing). Most countries have certain identities and stereotypes that Hollywood keeps pumping out in a perpetual state of ignorance: French are arrogant, cowardly, like to squabble and talk like "deez do yous not understands". Germans are stingy, never late and super efficient. The English play social games (Look no further then Kate Fox's Watching the English), have bad teeth and are snobbish. Americans are country bumpkins, suave businessmen, proud of their country, religious, innovators, and leaders of the Free World. Quite a schizophrenic blend there ¿ and Icelanders seem to take a page out of that book, because who can really describe an Icelander?

Advertising in other countries heavily relies on luscious Icelandic women promising men a fantastic weekend if they only come visit here with. The men arrive here and get dissed because they only come here looking for one thing, hey even Harrison Ford and Ryan Phillippe have a hard time chatting up the ladies. Icelandic women are strong and independent. And then all of sudden an Icelandic women goes on Oprah and reminds everyone that Icelandic women sleep with whomever they want, whenever they please and party consecutive weekends. So, I wonder what kind of dilemma a male tourist is in: are Icelandic women floozies, nymphs, or frigid women of the North? Which is it? And if that isn"t enough there is always that one Icelander that tries to convince you that Icelandic food is a delicacy fit for the gods, and everybody else in the world is unlucky that they have not tried Icelandic hangikjöt, Icelandic hot-dogs, Icelandic cod and trout ¿ the very same Icelander will try and gross you out with repulsive Icelandic dishes that make you feel like you are on Fear Factor.

Whoa, ram"s testicles, repugnant shark meat and the head of lamb. Our food tastes so good he will say but at the same time he is trying to disgust you with some other Icelandic food with his childlike desire for you to understand the Icelandic psyche. We Icelanders are both at the same time, i.e. we have the best football team but still suck and never play in the World Cup, therefore we root for other nations. We are so cool and yet so painfully shy we drink ourselves to the floor trying to strike up the courage to ask someone on a date. We read the most of all countries and yet most conversations are about The O.C., American Idol and Prison Break. Our landscape and nature is one of kind, yet few venture outside of Reykjavík or care about "smeltering" our nature to death for big business. Icelanders love to talk about technology, how we use the Internet the most and have so many cars ¿ and yet we pride ourselves on cultural heritage and humble beginnings. It might sound as if Icelanders have multiple personality disorder; yet it is only because we are small country on the rise trying to find our voice amidst all other countries. If you really want to discover Iceland and get to know us, just take your time. A good start would be by taking a good look at the photographs of Icelandic life in the 20th century at Austurvöll and Austurstræti, and then why not grab some Icelandic pönnsur(pancakes) with an Icelandic drink.

- Marvin Lee Dupree, contributor to ReykjavikMag and student at the University of Iceland.