Katie Crosses the Pond: Tíðin gongur / Time goes

It's amazing to think that I've already been in the Faroe Islands for a month. Every current or past exchange student I've talked to has said something along the lines of this -

"It goes by so fast."

I thought to myself today, "Wow, that was one month. I only have nine more of those and then I have to go back."

About a month before I left, I kept telling myself that I just had to make the decision to get on the plane to the Faroe Islands, and then the decision making would be over - I'm not fond of making these huge altering decisions. I didn't look ahead into my year at all. Turns out, it is packed full of decision upon decision upon decision. I was right, the most important decision you make is deciding to go, but it's the little decisions every single day that make your year amazing. Even if your exhausted, if you don't say yes to an opportunity, you will regret it and feel guilty for weeks. Saying yes can have it's disadvantages, this is true, but you should always take that chance.

The first week that I was here in the islands, I thought I was living in a fairytale. This feeling has failed to leave me. It isn't just the feeling of being on exchange, either. It's this bazar, incredible, beautiful, wild, unimaginable, fantastic country. Every day when I go to school, I see a family of five swans bathing themselves in the pond outside my house. When I get to school, I walk down from the bus stop through a tunnel of moss-covered pine tree's. It doesn't stop there. Today, the whole school took a day hike around the mountain's on the outskirts of Tórshavn. It was an incredibly beautiful 11km walk, and I had some of the best conversations with my classmates, as well as some time to myself to think. There are also sheep EVERYWHERE. I love it. There's a few sheep that live behind our school. One of them hops the fence every day, but never goes further than 100m. It could go out on the town, but I think it just likes the grass on the other side. Every day when I get home, the three swan children are having "flying practice" with their two parents. They haven't quite made it out of the water yet, but they flap their wings vigorously, and I think they're getting very close. The nightlife here in the Faroes is a blast. There's usually karaoke on Saturday nights, and if you go with friends, it's always the best time! The city is bustling with great people, and it's beautiful at night. Everyone here is so cheerful - it really feels like I'm living in a story book.

Learning the Faroese language is coming along slowly, but surly. I'm really happy with what I can understand so far. I think of learning a language like this...

This line represents someone speaking a Faroese sentence.

______________________________________________________________________

This represents what I could understand when I got here.

This represents what I can understand now.

_______ ___ ____ __ ___ ______ _____

It gets better every day. I learn words and phrases with the help of my classmates, and my family. My host sisters have labeled almost everything in the house with post it notes that have the Faroese word for the object on them. It really is helping! My host mom also suggested that I enter the Faroese lottery to help learn the numbers 1-100. I plan on doing this every Friday night at 8pm from now on! Why not enter the lottery in the country where it's easiest to win? I'm pretty pleased with how fast I'm learning, and what I'm able to pick up for conversations.

I learned great phrase in Faroese from Eilif, my wonderful Faroese teacher today.

"Tú skal aldri siga aldri."

"You should never say never."

A year ago today, I don't think I would have even imagined my life would be as it is right now. It's almost as if someone picked me up by my shirt, and dropped me in a fairytale or one of my childhood dreams. That sounds so corny when I type it, but it couldn't be more true. I'm in love with the Faroe Islands, and everyone and everything in it - I'm living a dream.

Here are some recent pictures...