Day 3: I Ticked Off a Woman While We Were Both Naked…No, Really

Enticing title, I know, but you will have to read on to get to that story.

Our day started out at the University again.  We had a great hydropower lecture, with the sharpest-looking woman I’ve ever seen (she had the resume to back it up, too).  She got pretty in-depth about different ways that they handle fish travel at hydroelectric facilities, and I’ve got to admit that I’ve never known about fish ladders before, but there will be multiple YouTube searches from me on that later.  I was also just fascinated in general, as hydropower is my second favorite renewable resource to learn about.  I wrote an analysis last semester of a hydropower permitting bill that is meant to promote hydropower at currently non-powered dams.

After our hydropower lecture came policy, the real meat and potatoes for me!  I was happy to see a familiar face, Morgan Greene was our lecturer and he also happened to be the one who showed us around the geothermal facility yesterday.  I was sure to get his contact information, as it will be handy for my capstone project here and also for my capstone paper for my energy course.  I have a feeling he will be hearing from me quite often going forward, as I want to focus my paper on some of the barriers to utilizing geothermal in the United States, with a big focus on policy.  His knowledge of both will be a useful resource.

After classes, we had a chance to work on our capstone projects, but before we got to work we were able to experience the university’s beach.  At a brisk 46°F, there were people SWIMMING, in the ocean, in normal bathing suits……to say the Icelanders are a hearty bunch would be an understatement!  When weather like this is a rare occurrence, you take full advantage, or so I’ve been told.  We have been really lucky with unusually great weather so far.

Getting back together with my group to focus on our project allowed me to expand on my systems thinking, in terms of a group.  I typically struggle with considering all of the alternatives when coming up with a solution to a problem and when I find something that is sure-fire, or simple, I tend to just go with it instead of looking at all of my possibilities.  We were all feeling pretty apprehensive about our microgrid topic, but instead of exploring other solutions to our lack of interest and knowledge we were just bearing down and making it work.  I could feel the disinterest and confusion from the group, so I started brainstorming with them to see where their head was at, how they were feeling, and what we could each bring to the table.  Out of this roundtable blossomed a project that we all felt really confident and excited about.  The energy shift was incredible and helped me to realize that I should always be looking at all perspectives of an issue or group in order to elevate ideas and projects to the next level.  I am looking forward to seeing how Gabe, Leah, and I can use our strengths to put together a project about bringing technical and business solar schooling to areas of West Virginia being hit by the shift away from coal resources.

The shift in energy lent to an improved experience at our group dinner and hangout at the local hostel, Kex.  Following a traditional cod dinner, we got into our capstone groups to play some team games, really strengthening our bond and allowing our whole group (all 11 of us) to form into the little family that we became.  There might have been a few mishaps that I won’t discuss, but they brought us all together and I don’t think any of us will ever forget tonight.

Prior to dinner, we got to experience a local swimming pool, which is where it happened…I ticked off a woman while we were both completely naked.  Due to the geothermally heated water, they don’t treat their pools with chlorine the way that we do (sometimes they will use a very, very moderate amount), so they require you to strip nude and shower before putting on your swimsuit and using the pools.  Everything was hunky-dory before enjoying the pools, but afterward, I decided to take another shower and attempt to use the suit spinner to dry off my bathing suit.  The spinner had a bunch of instructions, so I was reading them to make sure that I didn’t ruin the only suit that I had with me for the trip when I could feel eyes staring me down from the back.  I turned around to find a very angry, very nude woman behind me.  I quickly jumped out of the way so that she could use the machine before I got back to my instruction-reading, but she was not amused either way.  I don’t think I could have handled that situation any other way to soften her annoyance with me…even in other countries, there will be people who don’t care for you, no matter what, haha.  At least now I have a story to take away!

Another wonderful day in Iceland!  I’m looking forward to the tomato soup my roommate, Erin has been telling me about.  She was in Iceland last summer and went to the same greenhouse.

Until then!

Kelli

 

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