CELL Iceland Study Abroad Program

On September 2nd, 2007, CELL arrived in Iceland
with a group of 14 enthusiastic students from 8 different colleges across the U.S. Students and staff were eager

to learn how Iceland is leading the world on a path toward sustainability.

We are living at Solheimar - one of the world's truly unique ecovillages located in Selfoss approximately 110 kilometers from Reykjavik. Solheimar is nestled in a small valley of rolling hills surrounded by fields with ubiquitous Icelandic sheep and horses and framed by rugged mountains and distant glaciers. It is an inspiringly beautiful area with the worlds' cleanest air and water.

Solheimar is a community of approximately 100 people who are committed to living a sustainable lifestyle: raising their own food organically in geothermal heated greenhouses, heating their homes and buildings with carbon-free geothermal hot water, using natural and renewable materials for building and living needs, etc.

This picture was taken after our first snow storm on September 15th. Although Iceland has a reputation for severe weather, the south coast is actually quite mild with summer temperatures cooler than New York and winter temperatures warmer than the Big Apple (NYC). Icelander's (like New Englander's) have a saying: "If you don't like the weather, wait 5 minutes - it will get worse." : ) Yes, we have had some blustery, rainy weather, but we have also had a couple of beautifully warm and sunny days.

What have we been doing?

During our first two days in Iceland, we were introduced to Solheimar: its history - past, present, and future and to their commitment to living sustainably. This ecovillage is the only one like it in the world, and it is inspiring for us to be living here and learning how the "impossible" (although it may take awhile) is indeed possible. For more information on Solheimar, you can visit their website at: http://www.solheimar.is/. We are learning real-life lessons that we will take back home with us to implement in our own communities.

This picture was taken from the solarium in Brekkukot - the guest house where we are living. The sunroom is heated passively by solar energy and our home is heated by geothermal hot water - a renewable, carbon-free energy source heating 98% of all buildings in Iceland.

On our third day in Iceland, we took off for a 3 day hike from Landmannalaugar to Thorsmork - one of the most popular hikes in all of Iceland - crossing through spectacularly beautiful valleys, hiking over mountains, skirting glaciers, and fording ice-cold mountain streams. Due to snow in the mountains we had to revise our first day itinerary.

This picture shows us crossing a mountin stream during our second day out.

The rainbow picture was taken near Swan Lake. We arrived in this beautiful mountain valley 3 hours before sunset, and as we set out on a hike to a nearby cave, the sun popped out and we were greated by this rainbow that faded in and out for over an hour.

This picture gives a perspective on the wide-open valleys framed on either side by the volcanic mountain ranges. The higher elevations can be snow-capped while the lower zones are vegetated with moss and grass - providing ideal habitat for the Icelandic sheep.

The 3 day hike from Landmannalaugar to Thorsmork is the premier hike in Iceland rivaling the beauty of the Milford Trek and the Inca Trail as one of the great hikes of the world.

One of the highlights of this trek is that it passes through an amazing diversity of landscapes from mountains to valleys, from glaciers to rivers, from barren moon-scape-resembling-terrain to lush woodlands at Thorsmork where we completed our hike. This picture shows one of the valleys we hiked through.

In addition to introducing us to the diverse beauty of Iceland, our 3 day hike also gave us an opportunity to get to know each other, to work as a team, and to build a strong sense of community. We wrestled with the questions: “How shall we live together? What qualities will help us to build a strong community?” Through thoughtful questioning and listening, we crafted an agreement of how we will live together. This “community building” is a vital piece of a CELL program. Picture: A well deserved rest stop...

After 3 incredible days hiking in some of Iceland’s most beautiful areas, we arrived back at Solheimar around midnight on Thursday night, and we all marveled how, in a very short period of time, Solheimar now felt like HOME. It was (and remains) a wonderful feeling. Picture: Welcome sign to Solheimar.

This picture Shows the Solarium within Sesseljhus where we have most of our classes. This state-of-the-art "green" building is heated with clean, renewable geothermal hot water; utilizes natural lighting, is built with natural materials, including a sod roof, and is an aesthetically beautiful building located on the top of a knoll overlooking the Solheimar community. The building was named after Sesselja Heindis Sigmnudsd who founded Solheimar in 1930. From its inception, Solheimar was influenced by the theories and principles of Rudolph Steiner and, today, remains one of the world's unique ecovillages.

On Friday, September 7th Solheimar hosted a formal greeting for the CELL group with Iceland’s Minister of the Environment giving a keynote address and official welcome. We were all impressed and humbled by the graciousness of our Iceland hosts and by this unexpected honor. Picture: one of our classrooms in Sesseljhus.



On Sunday we took a 10 mile roundtrip hike from Solheimar to Mt. Heistur (Horse Mountain). On the way, we hiked across rolling pastures with ubiquitous Icelandic sheep and the stocky Icelandic Horse. This picture shows the variations of color of this beautiful, unique horse breed.

On our way up Mt. Heistur, we hiked up a steep moss-laden ravine and felt like we were floating with each step as we sunk into the 12 inch spongey growth. We hiked to a ridge and then traversed our way to the summit. At the top we were rewarded by 360 degree views where we could see the ocean to the south, a glacier run-off river to the east, Mt. Hekla (one of Iceland’s most active volcanoes) to the north, and rolling farmland leading up to a mountain ridge dusted with fresh snow to the west. This picture shows sheep grazing in the fields surrounding Mt. Heistur.

On Monday morning, we began a two week intensive Icelandic language, history, and culture course. In the mornings we learn about the history and culture of the country, and in the afternoon we have language instruction. This is our Monday through Thursday schedule. On Fridays we take off for field trips carefully choreographed with what we are studying that week. This picture was shows our Icelandic interpretive guide teaching us about the unique geology and history of Thingveiller - site of the world's oldest parliment.

Thingvellier is where the early Iceland Chieftans met to form Iceland's first general assembly in the year 930. This was the beginning of what might be called a "government" within Iceland, and it was at this historic stie that the first laws were established, trials conducted, and disputes settled amongst the early Viking settlers. This picture was taken at Thingveiller and shows the continental divide between the geologic North American Plate and the transition Plate in between the North American and European Plates. It is an area rich in history and geologic significance.

Later that day we went kayaking on a fresh water river meandering its way to the ocean. Picture: Justin putting on a waterproof body suit in preparation for our kayak paddle.

Picture: Grasses blowing in the wind outside Solheimar.















Another ubiquitous rainbow which we never tire of seeing...


To be continued...