Orriskitten!

[ruby412]

Okay, time for an Icelandic check-in, mama. How have things been going now that you have been there for... how long now? Seems like a long time!

Are you pretty much adjusted? How is your Icelandic? What language are the kids mostly speaking these days? Do you like your new house? Is there anything you particularly miss about living in the states? Looking back, do you feel happy with your decision to move? Fill us in!

orriskitten

[dojo]

I was thinking about this too when you made your back yard post - I wouldn't have had the guts to move to a new country with a new language! You're pretty awesome, but we all knew that.

[orriskitten]

Thanks for thinking of me!! We've been here 10 months now! It feels like nothing but also like forever lol.

I feel settled here. I feel really comfortable. I'm learning the language slowly, but it is happening. I can pick up casual conversation but can't answer in Icelandic. I can do store transactions/food orders at a restaurant in Icelandic. Mel is totally fluent and bounces between the languages. She knows with her grandparents that she doesn't have to switch. I can usually understand her, but learning from her is pretty funny with toddler speak. I was saying the word mittens wrong lol. She says it "rettlinger" when really it starts with a v. I saw it written one day and realized lol. Luckily there is a lot of murmuring in casual Icelandic so most things like that aren't being picked up by others.

I get homesick, but I think it's normal. I miss some streets in my old neighborhood, I miss good Chinese food delivery, I miss some of the places like kids museums. I miss snapple lol. Shopping here sucks. Clothes are sooooooo expensive. 2 pairs of pants for T last week were about $40 at the cheap store.

I struggle with things that I think are just usual SAHM things. Luckily, I've met a lot of people in the expat/foreigner communities so we have a lot of play dates and people to be around. I'm so happy to have a core group of friends here going through similar things.

I love our house. I'll do some AW pictures later since I don't think I ever did. It's comfy and home. Im still amazed that it is ours.

I'm so happy with this move. Every day I am thankful. We have supportive family (date night tomorrow with both kids going to their grandparents' for a sleep over) and a wonderful environment. I live near a walking path that I am surrounded by amazing nature and can look at an insanely beautiful mountain. It's surreal and wonderful.

Now I just want everyone to come visit! I want to share this with people!

[TrudyCampbell]

Any bagels in Iceland?

[orriskitten]

Apr 24, 2015 7:39:18 GMT -5 TrudyCampbell said:

Any bagels in Iceland?

Yes! They are not good fresh, though. Some decent frozen ones that can be toasted.

I only had 1 or 2 bagels the year before I left though. If I weren't diabetic I'd miss them more I think.

[melmon0417]

Iceland sounds amazing, and I love seeing your photos on FB! I'm so glad you feel at home there. I'm jealous you live in such a beautiful place!

[Na]

I'm so happy for you, it seemed so chaotic for you in the states.

[bigapple]

I'm so happy that you're enjoying it so much. A friend of mine is on vacation with her family in Iceland now (7 months pregnant with two young kids!), and her pictures are incredible. I would love to visit.

How is everything with Grandma and Great Grandma?

[orriskitten]

Apr 24, 2015 9:18:46 GMT -5 bigapple said:

I'm so happy that you're enjoying it so much. A friend of mine is on vacation with her family in Iceland now (7 months pregnant with two young kids!), and her pictures are incredible. I would love to visit.

How is everything with Grandma and Great Grandma?

Things with them are mostly the same. GG is old lol. She just celebrated her 103rd birthday and had a party at her senior center. Grandma is having mysterious health stuff that is never solved and always something new, as usual for her.

You should definitely visit!! It is wonderful here, even on short visits.

[ruby412]

I'm so glad to hear how well things are going and love reading your updates! It's amazing to think that the kids will never know or remember any different than growing up there and being able to speak Icelandic.

How do you handle having to talk to M's teacher? What about the kids' pediatrician? Or your own doctor?! Do you rely on your H to translate or are they able to speak English? Do most people speak English there?

[fusion]

thanks for updating!

[onehitwonder]

It sounds like you have truly made it your home! I have officially moved Iceland to my bucket list thanks to you.

[orriskitten]

Apr 24, 2015 12:22:26 GMT -5 ruby412 said:

I'm so glad to hear how well things are going and love reading your updates! It's amazing to think that the kids will never know or remember any different than growing up there and being able to speak Icelandic.

How do you handle having to talk to M's teacher? What about the kids' pediatrician? Or your own doctor?! Do you rely on your H to translate or are they able to speak English? Do most people speak English there?

Most people here do speak English to varying degrees. The teachers can talk to me in English and I'm picking up more in Icelandic. We're soon moving her to another preschool (we technically moved from one city to another and the schools are government run so we need to be in the city we are paying taxes to, kinda like districts in the states maybe?) after the summer and it has a lot more non-native Icelanders so I'm happy about that. For now, for parent teacher meetings, I have them speak Icelandic and rely on DH to translate. My priority is that no important info is missed because someone is trying to translate for my benefit. I trust DH and he is much more used to translating than a teacher of preschool level. Same for the doctor. I can loosely follow, but want things clear and understood. Luckily I found an awesome doctor who speaks English! He is at a different practice than the rest of the family, but I jumped the hoops needed to stay with him. I need a doctor I can communicate with for sure. I might want the kids elsewhere if they were unhealthy so I could understand too, but as of now I'm the only sickie lol.

It should be interesting in the new school. We live in a much more heavily immigrant area now which I'm really happy about. Iceland can be very overwhelmingly white. We live in an area with different cultures and skin tones, which is really important to me. While my kids can blend easily, I want them to respect that there are other cultures and be okay with being different. I hope they never feel the need to reject both of their cultures. Hopefully this environment will help with that.

Something that blew my mind recently, unrelated to the kids, I've recently met a few women who are in relationships where both of them speak their second language with each other. So, German wife, Icelandic husband and they speak English to each other. That must really add a whole other level of communication stuff! I was a little amazed trying to wrap my head around that.

[ruby412]

That is awesome that you are loving your home and new area. And how perfect that you found a dr that speaks English and you also love. I was wondering what you would do since you have to clearly understand your meds and have a dr who can converse about whatever issues you're having. It sounds like you are totally settling in and becoming more situated as time has gone on. I would love to visit Iceland someday! It's on my bucket list. Definitely post house pics when you can.

Also, unrelated, are you guys done or will you go for #3? I wonder what it's like to delivery a baby in an Icelandic hospital. Is educating me reason enough to make you go for it, lol?!

[orriskitten]

Apr 24, 2015 19:27:58 GMT -5 ruby412 said:

That is awesome that you are loving your home and new area. And how perfect that you found a dr that speaks English and you also love. I was wondering what you would do since you have to clearly understand your meds and have a dr who can converse about whatever issues you're having. It sounds like you are totally settling in and becoming more situated as time has gone on. I would love to visit Iceland someday! It's on my bucket list. Definitely post house pics when you can.

Also, unrelated, are you guys done or will you go for #3? I wonder what it's like to delivery a baby in an Icelandic hospital. Is educating me reason enough to make you go for it, lol?!

We are not done yet! We're aiming to TTC when both kids start proper school, so in about 4 years I believe. I think they start kindergarten as we know it in the states at 5 years old. I've spoken to a bunch of women, none of whom were high risk. Things are done by midwives here. Low intervention of it can be helped, but things like epidurals ready and available. Dh's cousin just delivered her second daughter and both were breech. They let her go into labor on her own and she went past her due date with both. I think her older daughter came at 42 weeks and the second was at 41 weeks. Both were vaginal deliveries and they basically kept things low stress since the only thing "wrong" was them being breech.

Postpartum care here is amazing! No going out to the doctor. The nurse/midwife comes to you. They act as LC and check you and baby out at home. They come at 2 days and then when the umbilical cord comes out to teach you how to bathe your baby. They are also on call and available to you at any time. SIL lived around the block from her nurse and could text her for whatever. You are definitely very supported here as a new mom. I honestly am kinda excited about that part lol.

They're big on VBAC here unless there is a risk that would prevent it of course. The birth center is on the hospital campus, but in a separate building.

It sounds like a much nicer set up than it was in the states for me.

[orriskitten]

My house is a disaster, but here are some pics!

Living room





Mel's room



Thorinn's room



Deck and backyard





View from the kitchen (will take pictures of the kitchen when every surface isn't a mess)



My mountain view lol (the white above the houses)



Eta: sorry the panoramic pictures look so weird and distorted. The living room is huge!

[Deleted]

Love the updates and love your house! Beautiful. I'm happy you are happy! Xoxo!

[ruby412]

Yay for more babies! The maternity care there sounds amazing. Soo much better than what we deal with here. And I love your house! The floors are beautiful. So happy to see you happy and making Iceland your home!