ISSUE 1 | APRIL 2020
ERLENDUR MAGAZINE
It takes Patience to bring Africa to Iceland
Contributors
Sunna Halla Einarsdóttir Rúna Magnúsdottir Patience A. karlsson Paula Gould Sonia Nicolson-Gudrúnarson Barbara Nyakinyua Wanjiru Shantaye Brown Synthiah Gaede Mjúk Iceland Agris Trambickis W.O.M.E.N (Women of multicultural ethnicity network)
Photo by Sonia Nicolson-Gudrúnarson
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Meet The Team Carlotta Tate-Olason Founder & Editor Carlotta is an Icelandic citizen passionate about helping others increase their quality of life. Her background is in Health Psychology & Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP). She works also as a therapist. She is originally from Jamaica but moved to the UK where she completed her studies. She loves the Icelandic culture and nature.
Bianca Hallveig Sigurdardottir Co-Founder & Creative Director Bianca is Icelandic; she has a passion for fashion. She is currently studying Art and Design. Bianca is keen to see the young generation Z of foreigners given the opportunity to reach their full potential.
Cat Gundry-Beck Director of Photography Cat is a photographer and videographer living in Reykjavík. Working on commercial shoots, her passion is helping businesses with imagery for their websites and social media. She is originally from Ireland but did her photography degree in the U.K. and lived in Norway before making Iceland home in 2018. 3
Content nts #NoMoreBoxes To understand and make sense of the world, people put other people into boxes
Icelandic Startups
Cover Story
The Icelandic startups ecosystem and the support available out there for entrepreneurs have been changing a lot in recent years.
I started the business out of passion. I can recall longing to eat real African food
Exercise can help you achieve your goals I never give up. I believe you can achieve anything you are after in life.
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EDITOR'S NOTE
Welcome to our 1st edition. This has been a year of launching out and taking on new challenges. The future is indeed greater and brighter. I am pleased to present the rst issue of Erlendur Magazine.
Erlendur is an online magazine aimed to inspire, inform, elevate, and promote cultural diversity and inclusion. The magazine features interviews, articles, and tips on living in Iceland as well as editorials on Fashion, Culture, Health and Wellness. Erlendur hopes to break through barriers and ideologies about individuals of foreign heritage living in Iceland, highlighting the fact that we all can co-exist and contribute to society despite our ethnicity or cultural di erences. The magazines contributors comprise of both Icelanders and individuals from other cultural backgrounds working together. I'm honoured to present to you exclusive interviews and personal stories from individuals who have embraced change and how they came to call Iceland their home. We also had the privilege of interviewing Patience, the owner of Afro Zone, a remarkable woman whose story of resilience and persistence shows that anything is possible.
Enjoy reading
Carlotta
Where
are you
from ?
I am Bianca Hallveig, born in Reykjavik, but I still can’t understand why I am not considered Icelandic by many people. What is it that makes one person Icelandic and what doesn't? This is a question that each person might answer di erently. However, in my view it doesn’t matter where you're from, it's where you are going. If you take a look at the word ‘From’ it means beginning or origin. A teacher once asked me; “where are you from?” I replied Iceland; “no, I mean where are your parents from?” I replied, “my Dad is Icelandic, my mother is Jamaican,” the teacher replied; “Oh I see you are Jamaican”. Not that I am not proud to be a Jamaican; I was just puzzled that I wasn’t seen as Icelandic by this individual. 6
Iam Unique As I get older, I am beginning to see myself as unique, not different. I know from my own experience that there are many teenagers with multicultural backgrounds who go through an identity crisis. My advice is this; don't try too hard to fit in, just try to be the best version of who you are, embrace your uniqueness; there is no one else like you. Been there! I have tested the waters of trying to fit in, but I could not.
I wanted to ask some other young people with foreign heritage living in Iceland some frequently asked questions. Questions Where are you from? What advice would you give to young people with foreign heritage living in Iceland?
Now I am just Bianca the mixedraced girl with the big hair, the girl with the weird accent, the girl with a big personality and an infectious laugh and a serious face. Well I love Iceland and it will always be my home even when I go abroad, I still consider Iceland to be the place of my origin.
What do you love most about living in Iceland?
However, I do hope that more people will see young people with foreign heritage as an asset to society; we have so much to offer we are the future like it or not.
If you wish to participate send your answers to erlendurmagazine@gmail.com Subject: where are you from?
Where is your favourite place to chill with friends? If you could improve or change anything in Iceland, what would it be?
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No More Boxes
Interview with Rúna Magnúsdottir
By Carlotta
Over 4 years ago at a highperformance coaching conference in London, I met the awesome Rúna, founder and CEO of The Change Makers, and co-creator of the #NoMoreBoxes Movement. I still recall our meeting with her positive energy and genuine smile. I had a chance to chat with Rúna about the #NoMoreBoxes Movement.
What are 'Boxes? To understand and make sense of the world, people put other people into boxes. We say things like; ‘Icelanders are like this… and Americans are like that’ or ‘Women are like this and men are like that’. It might save us some brain-calories but it’s certainly not empowering us to be the highest versions of ourselves.
The problem with these boxes is our judgements and assumptions, dividing and isolating people; as we are trying to t into a stereotype that isn’t who we are to the core, it’s way too often limiting us, making us feel not good enough in one way or the other. As soon as you put women in one box and men in another, you can't help but have division. And it doesn't just happen with gender, boxes are everywhere, and they divide us all. 8
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sexob fo yrots eht 10
Why did you decide to start the #NoMoreBoxes movement? The idea for the #NoMoreBoxes Movement was born in 2018 when I was speaking at the Impact Leadership Global Summit conference held at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City. In one of the panel discussions about the UN Sustainable Development Goals on Gender Equality and Peace, my friend Nicholas Haines was speaking on a special panel called Conversations with Men, and one of his answers rocked my world. When asked, "What's preventing us from having peace, unity and gender equality?" Nick said, "Because we continually put people into boxes and expect them to be and behave that way". That answer hit me BIG time!
These boxes just rocked
something deep inside of both of us and actually in a two and a halfhour taxi ride to JFK airport later in that trip we decided to do something big and bold about it. We decided to build a global movement to shake the world out its fatal attraction to boxes. Boxes that sat at the heart of the slave trade, the horrors of the concentrations camps and our inability to see beyond gender, race, religion, background or whatever‌
Boxes that have limited you and me every single day of our lives! We decided to be bold and brave and take this into every single corner of the world, to shine a light on the limiting, isolating and destructive nature of boxes. To go into businesses, politics and anywhere people were open to tackling the root cause of inequality, division and at times, hate. We decided to create programs around it designed to help people to rewire their brain to change their behaviours and habits - we even decided to write a book.
What advice or suggestion can you give to individuals who feel they are in a Box or those who place others in boxes? Become the change that you want to see in your world, this will include doing things differently - to get different results. Try this: Next time you feel you have been placed into a box that’s not serving you, you can say to the other person with a none-blame tone; “Sorry, I think you’ve just placed me into a box” Stay open, and that can even open up a new type of connection and conversations.
Why is it important for us not to put people in Boxes at first glance? The moment you begin to put another person into a box unconsciously or consciously, you are putting yourself into another box. You are creating a division between you and the world. Doing that, you are both making a judgement on the other person and yourself. That judgement is most likely based on an idea that you might not even have created yourself.
On that same note, when you notice you’ve just placed another person into a box you can say to them: ‘I’m so sorry, I think I just placed you into a box’ and stay open for their reactions.
To know more about #NoMoreBoxes Movement nomoreboxesmovement.com
Being mindful and aware of your behaviours will start to create new circuits in your brain which will give you access to a whole another life. As your awareness grows, and you start to stop yourself from this act, your world will change dramatically. 11
By Carlotta
It takes Patience to bring Africa to Iceland
Interview with Patience A. Karlsson
I had the privilege of interviewing Patience Karlasson, an Icelandic Ghanaian superwoman. The owner of AfroZone, a specialist shop for African and Caribbean products based in Lóuhólum 2-6, 111 Reykjavík. Smiling as usual and in a good mood, I chatted with Pat (as most of her friends and family know her).
How do you keep a good balance with family and business, to still have a social life? Well, I will say, my dear, it's teamwork, organizational skills and discipline in my home. Our day starts at 5:45 am, that's when my husband wakes most days, he helps me with our autistic son; he is very keen on having structure, so he will have tea most mornings at 6:30 am. Then by 6:45 am I am also up, assisting our other two children while my husband makes his way to work. After I send the children o to school, I begin preparing food so when they come home from school there is food for them. I often rush to the gym for a few hours, if I can, before I head to Afrozone in Reykjavik. 12
My husband is great, he will help cook dinner for the children if he gets home before I do. He will take control of the home until I get in when I am at the shop till late or attending meetings. However, after my car accident, I am not able to do so much in the home like cleaning, washing because of the back and neck injury. So, friends usually come over on the weekend and help me clean the house, the kids will assist me most of the time with laundry We work all as a team on the weekend to get their clothes sorted. I am so blessed to have great social support around me. However, if I didn’t, it would be more challenging since I am not as healthy as I used to be.
"I feel good when Icelanders are trying new food and products from Africa".
Why did you choose to start a business? We are living in a creative world and I had no choice, but to become creative, I have a teaching degree from Ghana and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the Reykjavík University, yet I was not able to get a job in the areas that I was qualified, so I became creative. Gone are the days when we live in a managed society, now we are creating and managing what we create. Furthermore, many foreign women can't get jobs in areas of their expertise and competencies especially if they are of African origin.
I just had enough of just jobhunting and decided to create my own company, now I can employ others. I started the business out of passion. I can recall longing to eat real African food. My friends and I would reminisce about food from back home. For me starting AfroZone was fulfilling a need that was there as well as opening a door for cultural exchange. At AfroZone we serve not only the African community but everyone in Iceland. 13
Afro Zone is here for you I have many Icelandic customers. I feel good when Icelanders are trying new food and products from Africa. I would say we have a slice of Africa in Iceland. When you come to AfroZone you feel you have arrived in Africa; the aroma of the African spices, the food, the colourful clothes and the decor says it all. I was I once told by a customer that it feels like home, buzzing with laughter, and music from a well-known African musician makes you want to dance while shopping. I am happy she felt at home.
Afro Zone a place where you feel welcome and valued
At Afro Zone there is something fo everyone
Most African women change their hairstyle at least 16 times per year, not exaggerating! Some customers come to AfroZone just for hair products that they only would be able to purchase when they travel outside Iceland, but now, they can be at peace and come over to AfroZone and purchase key hair essentials. You know most Africans love to change their hairstyle at least 16 times per year, not exaggerating! So, we keep that in mind and ensure we are well stocked. Also, the cold weather and the water are not very good for Afro hair, so we need to take care of it. Therefore, we get as many products as we can so our customers will have a variety of choices. Another popular thing is our skin product range, as you know the skin can get very dry in the winter, so we have the right products for taking care of dry skin. So, as you can see AfroZone is needed and we welcome 15 everyone.
What advice would you give to others who are keen to start a business? I would say go for it but do your research about the area you want to get in and don't be afraid to ask for help. The lecturers at the university were very helpful to me. As well as, surprisingly the people at the tax o ice we also helpful. I think Icelanders, overall, can be very helpful; if you know who to ask as it is a tight-knit community and everyone seems to know each other. Also, be ready to take on challenges, they are going to come, no need to fear; be persistent, dedicated and passionate about your vision for the business and just keep at it.
What do you love about Iceland ? I love the landscape; I love the fact that it is a very safe environment for my children to grow up in. I love how they promote women’s empowerment. I love the support network I have around me from my in-laws and friends. Although I think I am quite blessed because so many others don't have the support I do. Therefore, my advice to those who don't have a good support network to just jump out of their boxes and try to seek help, go to social events and meet new people. I also love some of the Icelandic food. Yes, I said I love the food and overall, it is just an amazing place to live. 16
Patience and husband Thorir   at Afro Zone
By Carlotta
Patience a Woman of Destiny and Purpose
From talking to Pat, I could sense that it wasn't easy for her at the start to get employment in any area she wanted. We both agreed that it´s time that men and women of African descent are given a chance to showcase their full potential, there are so many who can do more than manual jobs. I know there has been much research and talk about equal opportunities regarding jobs. Yes, we know it´s a problem but now it's time for action. Let's do more in 2020; it’s the year of action. We have been talking about problems for too long now let’s try to work together and resolve them. Also, I love her passion for people: she saw there was a need. Instead of complaining she launched out and started her business. Be encouraged, at times you might nd it challenging living in a new country, where you must learn a new language and adapt to di erent cultural norms. However, don't let settling in a new country stop you from ful lling your life’s purpose. If you have a passion and vision, don´t leave it dormant, act. You can become anything you want to be anywhere, at any time. Your age, gender or religion should not hinder you from becoming what you were created to accomplish so believe in yourself and be the best version of you. 17
CHAPTERS
of
OUR LIVES
Chapter 1
STARTING OVER By Paula Gould oatandgather.com
I moved to Iceland in May 2011, on my 36th birthday, on the heels of the Grímsvatn eruption, in advance of my June wedding. I had shed a number of my possessions, business opportunities and income potential, to invite love, trust and a new chapter into my life. I miss the warmth of Los Angeles and my best friends, but not the grind and logistics of big city life. In my rst four years in Iceland, I got married, closed my rst consulting business, joined a startup as an executive, joined another as a board member and then took a board seat with the Fulbright Commission. I worked hard on building my local network, had 2 children and moved 4 times, due to the rental market. It was a nonstop series of changes and growth. All of these activities made the move from the warmth of Los Angeles to the cold of Reykjavik seem normal and organic. Essentially, I felt like I was in a choose-your-own-adventure story. I was doing the same work in this version of the story as in the last, but my character and life were evolving in di erent ways, as rapidly as the backdrops were changing. I was accustomed to working internationally and with internationally located companies. As years pass and I become more entrenched in Icelandic society, I can re ect on some of the cultural di erences that blind-sided me in the rst few years of living in Iceland. Iceland is North American enough in in uence that the subtleties of these cultural di erences were late in presenting themselves to me and popped up in the strangest of ways. Clear cultural di erences in gender-division One such di erence is the social gender divide. I had always before had an equal amount of close guy-friends as girlfriends. I found it strange that men and women in Icelandic society don’t socialise together. We don’t grab a casual beer to catch up with someone we consider a friend if they are a di erent gender. At social and business gatherings, the rooms will often inevitably divide themselves 19 by gender.
I've learned since having kids that this starts as early as Leikskoli, where birthday parties, for otherwise practical reasons, are divided along gender lines. Sports are divided early as well.
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It seems that until they become teenagers, boys and girls don’t connect as friends, and even then, only in the context of dating or collaborating with colleagues (and I would hazard to say that in business there’s still some clear gender demarcations too).
Another factor may be the intentional or unintentional exclusion of non-Icelanders. As immigrants, we’re, in a way, almost forced to engage with those outside our own culture, which requires a new skill-set, and so, takes tremendous energy.
CLEAR CULTURAL DIFFERENCES IN GENDER- We don’t have the luxury of passive exclusion, nor the DIVISION inherent inclusion, in peoplenetworks (at least not at rst). We must learn customs, social norms, language; develop new friendships and alliances to thrive in our new society, nancially, socially and for our well-being.
"In some cases, my husband’s relatives or my Icelandic girlfriends, in particular, getting together among themselves, often to the exclusion of me or their other immigrant friends".
While there are many who I connect with here and consider as very close friends, with whom I’ve enjoyed many laughs, many parties in town and many wonderful memories, I cannot recall the last time I was invited to one of those traditional weekends away at the summer house of any Icelandic friends, unless with my husband’s friends. Yet, I see year after year, my friends and in some cases, my husband’s relatives or my Icelandic girlfriends, in particular, getting together among themselves, often to the exclusion of me or their other immigrant friends.
I suspect in my case, my limited Icelandic, even after 9 years, is too much of a barrier to overcome for 48 hours in the countryside. It’s inconvenient and challenging to switch to English just for me and agony, I imagine, to hear me stumble through my Icelandic sentences with improper pronunciation and improper declension. I've also shed English words from my vocabulary, that I previously cherished and now use so infrequently that I question their definition or whether I’m using them properly when I communicate 21 or return home to the States.
Embracing change and adapting graciously
My value in Icelandic society, well, in business anyway, has proven to have a direct correlation to the value of my international network and the ability of Icelandic businesses to utilize it. This is why I easily transitioned from company to company. Though many have valued my native English over my actual executive experience, which has often caused me pain and frustration, it’s what’s driven my successes so far, and is why starting my second consulting rm from Iceland made sense, as I’ve been able to retain local Icelandic, North American and European clients. As I approach 9 years on the island, I can say that I feel simultaneously at home and alien, an asset and a commodity. I’m in a constant state of duality as both a contributing, engaged insider and an outsider all at the same time. There are great opportunities here. The culture encourages creativity, entrepreneurship and audacity, which is so normal here, we barely recognize the bravery in it. But, it’s also di icult to get rooted as an outsider. In some ways, it’s more convenient to stick to who you know, beyond more than simple curiosity or collaborating with colleagues. This can feel isolating at times; But, if you push through the tough days, and there are plenty of tough days, leaning on those with whom you are most well connected and who nurture you, while also continuing to take risks on developing new relationships, you may nd Iceland to be a treasure trove of new adventure, personal growth and personal achievement and, dare I say, happiness. 23
Embracing Change
Chapter 2
By Sonia Nicolson-Gudrúnarson layoutlines.com
Embracing change Is something I’ve done a lot of. I consider it a skill of mine. I like to think of life in chapters. I grew up on the edge of Edinburgh with the Pentland Hills in my back garden. My family was nearby, and I had friends all around me. School didn’t come easily to me, but I worked hard at university and managed some post-uni travel only to return penniless to my parents hoping the ‘bank of Mum and Dad’ would reopen and help me through my Masters.
A twist of fate Awarded me a scholarship to study in Japan and so I embraced it in one hand and a ‘Learn Japanese’ book in the other. The last recession hit; I’d just passed my professional exams. I sat there, a Chartered Architect on LinkedIn wandering down architectural job related rabbit holes and somehow emerged on a Skype call.
The words came across in the call, “have you ever considered India?” Pause. I was sitting in my apartment, a home I’d worked hard to put the down payment on. But I knew I needed a paycheck and I was up for the change, even the challenge. A few weeks later I ew from Edinburgh to Singapore, and onto Bangalore to set up a new campus for Ra les Design Institute. Living abroad gives you whole new challenges, education and perspective. And much like the notion of ght or ight, to stay you really can’t ght culture shock. 23
@IcelandFamilyLife
The more you ght, don’t accept, bend or ex, the harder it will be on you. Incredible India taught me a lot and embracing that change bettered my life. Skip to the next chapter. I'm head of 1st year working as a Senior Lecturer" at a university on the south coast of England. My weekdays are lled with 100s of students, questions, creativity, dissertations and academic meetings with never-ending ltered co ee. The weekends were quiet. So quiet. Reverse culture shock in a quiet seaside town looked peaceful but was slow torture. I embraced trips to London that dented my wallet but helped my mind. I embraced opportunities to travel and recruit students. I hugely embraced the o er to work with the British Council promoting study abroad. Students come and go, learn and graduate. I spent a lot of time re ecting, absorbing, dreaming, learning, creating and eventually building layoutlines.com. An untold chapter had taken me home to Edinburgh, and on a night out I met 3 bearded Vikings, one of whom stole my heart and happened to also paint Iceland in an idyllic light. Too many academic meetings, co ees, and weekends marking dissertations later - I was back at the airport and heading to colder climates. I have found that in embracing change I always nd ‘me’. I’ve found love, built a family of my own and a life we love. I have a business that re ects me and my experiences. Embracing change helped me be ready to move, relocate, fall in love and take on whatever is next for us. 26
Chapter 3
Iceland is my Second home I was just 24 when I travelled from my hometown in Kenya to Europe. It’s funny that I still look at Iceland through the eyes of a tourist, after almost three years living here. Iceland’s nature is incredibly beautiful. I still get asked why I made such a drastic decision of moving here. There will always be a joke in the conversation; “why here?!!” And I always answer, both countries are beautiful in their di erent ways. Kenya is my home; we have beautiful ‘warm’ beaches and wonderful wildlife. However, I see Iceland as my second home. I have come to love it. There are lots of opportunities, unlike my motherland. Job wise, growth-wise, travelling!! If it weren't for the crazy winds during the winter and even in summer sometimes, Iceland would be a perfect country, but nothing is perfect.
By Barbara Nyakinyua Wanjiru
I love driving out of the city, to just enjoy nature. Sometimes it feels like you are on another planet. Breathtaking scenery. Westfjords is my favourite place. It has a special place in my heart. I always want to go back there every summer. When I visit back home, I feel like I don’t quite belong anymore. Being an immigrant divides your life into two chapters. At least that’s how I feel. Starting over can be an incredible journey, you learn a lot about yourself, I mean it’s a risk moving to another country where you don’t know anybody! Lucky for me, I am very good at socializing. I got to meet new people and new friends very quickly. Those around me know that I am a very positive person. Happiness is a state of mind, and I am glad I got to realize it at an early age. I found out that I valued travelling. Iceland allows me to travel a lot.
I almost couldn’t travel while working in my country. It wasn’t enough; I had to do it. But where I come from is a HUGE part of who I am. It has shaped the way I see the world. You don’t have to think and act exactly like the locals. But it’s important to understand their context and respect their culture. The language is very hard to learn, but that doesn’t mean that you should not try to learn it. I am getting there, and soon I am going to be good at speaking Icelandic. To my fellow immigrants; no matter how hard you miss home, or how difficult it is to learn the language, don’t give up. Keep trying to make friends, to express yourself. And don’t be afraid to make mistakes and ask for help. Whatever you do, don’t forget why you moved here in the 27 first place.
Chapter 4
Adapting to Social and Cultural norms  By Shantaye Brown
I arrived in Iceland in October 2019 from Jamaica, the land of wood and water, to embark on my new life in Iceland, the land of re and ice, to be with my husband. I moved to Iceland because of love, but I quickly fell in love with the culture and nature. Let's start with the Northern Lights that dance in the sky. This great wonder can be seen often during winter when the sky is clear. Another awesome natural phenomenon is the Blue Lagoon, a Geothermal Spa located in a lava eld. Icelandic nature is not just stunning, it is unique. For example, the lava elds, the snow on the mountains and the black sand beaches; for me, these are just amazing. It is such a contrast coming from Jamaica where we have beautiful white sand beaches, green mountains and sunshine all year round. However, It didn't take me long to adjust with the help of my husband who is immersed in the culture and its norms. Some of the social norms that I nd unique are the concept of going on weekends to summer houses or cabins. This was something that I was not accustomed to but staying at a Cabin with my husband shortly after our wedding day pleasantly surprised me, nonetheless. This is a common practice for Icelanders and one I could easily grow accustomed to. Other norms which I found di erent were Christmas which is celebrated from the 24th of December.
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On February 14th, which is the traditional Valentine’s Day around the world, I noticed there wasn't the buzz around romance as I am used to. Then I got to understand that Valentine’s Day celebration is fairly new in Iceland.
I get to call Iceland home
Although I did have a romantic Valentine’s Day with my husband, he explained to me that in Iceland men and women have special days when they celebrate each other. Man’s Day which is known as Bóndadagur is on the 24th January, on this day some women give their men special gifts, and Woman’s Day which is on February 24th when men will give flowers or gifts to special women in their lives. Of all the cultural and traditional celebrations, I've come to experience so far, I must say my favourite is Bolludagur which is celebrated on February 23rd, and on this traditional day in Iceland they consume a moist pastry filled with cream. It brings me the most joy because in Jamaica we have a similar day where we enjoy a bun pastry with cheese on Good Friday. I have travelled to other beautiful countries, but I can honestly say that I am proud to be in Iceland among such a unique and expressive set of people. Learning about the Icelandic way of life has become my newfound hobby and getting the opportunity to experience it firsthand brings me nothing but joy. I get to call Iceland my new home.
I am fortunate to feel welcome and loved here in Iceland. I know many others might not have the same experiences and opportunities as I do; so I am grateful to my husband and others who have made me feel at home. Also, I am from a very multicultural society. Many people are not aware that Jamaica is a very modern country with great diversity and modern English heritage with one of the best tourism industries in the world. Thus, I am exposed to individuals from diverse cultures and backgrounds. This, I think, made it easy for me to adjust and integrate with others in Iceland. 29
FASHION
Contact us: contact@frontroemag.com +23 456 7890 234th Street, Flokloe City, NY
MADE IN ICELAND
Great news Erlendur readers Mjúk Iceland offering
40% discount on everything until July 2020. The coupon code: ice2020 Go to mjukiceland.com and claim your discount
FASHION MADE IN ICELAND
Mjúk Iceland
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Fashion and design in Iceland have always been di erent from that in other countries. Yet, even though certain world trends can be observed in international brands, designers in Iceland have their own special “Northern touch”. The unique nature and unique seasons, where you have only winter and summer, shape the mood of fashion and design here. Only in Iceland is it possible for a collection of the warmest woollen handmade hats to nd its peak of popularity in July. The designer of these hats and other woollen products is Russian born Anna Morris the CEO of Mjúk Iceland. Together with her family, they produce the widest choice of hats in Iceland. In 2019 Anna’s family opened 2 stores in the very heart of Reykjavik: Skólavörðustígur 8 and Laugavegur 23, and within few months they became #6 out of 108 shops in Reykjavik rated on TripAdvisor.
MjĂşk Iceland is popular with both locals and travellers to Iceland. They appreciate the exquisite workmanship and top quality of the yarns used to create these products. Although MjĂşk also produces blankets and clothing, they are recognized today as one of the strongest manufacturers of hats; by quality, quantity and number of models, with more than 250 di erent styles multiplied by a high variety of colours. The biggest part of the business remains wholesale. MjĂşk Iceland produces collections under their own brand name, but also cooperates with other Icelandic designers and helps them to put their ideas into high-quality products. Anna constantly experiments, introducing novel techniques and approaches. She uses Icelandic wool as well as other yarns like cashmere and super ne merino wool.
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The colours of Mjúk are vibrant, Happy and truly alive. They are created to make your day brighter and your style individual. Mjúk stores are the only boutiques in Iceland that o er their clients "the option"to customize their product. Because Anna believes in the individuality of every customer.
“Sustainable fashion is not only the high quality of the material you use. If you create a product that ts perfectly and feels special, then this product will last long and will replace many other products that could be a waste of resources”
When we asked Anna what makes her company successful, she replied: “Family, Our family is everything to me; it’s my castle, my inspiration and most importantly, love. Whatever I do, I feel the love, my husband, parents and my dear sister and brother give me. This gives me hope and strength, and my mom always reminds me when it's time to get more yarn for our factory”. 34
mjukiceland.com
Navigating the Icelandic Startups Ecosystem
Sunna Halla EinarsdĂłttir, CFO at Icelandic Startups
There are mainly two options when thinking of your career path, one is to find a job and work for someone else while the other option is far more exciting for many people, a career path in entrepreneurship and innovation. Innovation can be so many things. “Innovation is the creation of something that improves the way we live our lives� Barack Obama. .
Turn that idea in to a business The Icelandic startups ecosystem and the support available out there for entrepreneurs have been changing a lot in recent years. The support available has been steadily increasing; more grants and diverse programs in different sectors are now available for the startup scene. If you have your innovative idea that you would like to become a reality, the question is where to start? Sometimes the startup scene might feel like a jungle, where to start and what do all those startup lingo words mean? But the sooner you start to be active in the scene the sooner you will find out how willing people are to help and how much activity there is in the grassroots. 35
Icelandic Startups
is the largest
private startup community organisation in Iceland. We aim to help startups grow within and out of Iceland by accelerating their businesses and connecting them with industry experts, investors and leading startup hubs abroad. Through various projects ranging from the seed of an idea, we support startups from the seed of an idea through their early-stage growth. Hackathons have become more popular, usually a weekend program where people get the opportunity to work on di erent ideas with advice from experts. These hackathons have been established in several di erent sectors all over Iceland.
Reboot Hack is one of them focused on university students, Climathon is another one focusing on solutions to some of the world‘s toughest climate challenges. Icelandic Startups also runs GulleggiĂ° (the golden egg). It is one of the most established programs for entrepreneurs in Iceland, and an ideal platform to start your journey and form your business plan. It’s a competition with a mix of workshops, pitching practice and mentor meetings, where you can join both with and or without an idea, and get the chance to win a cash prize and a trophy. These options and support mentioned are only to name a few. 36
Other options are to attend some of the amazing events hosted, join an accelerator, move into a co-working space and be surrounded by likeminded people, join delegations abroad to connect with leading startup hubs abroad. We would like to encourage you to join an event or apply to a program, build connections and network and get started to talk about your idea with people to make it a reality.
You are welcome to stay in touch for further information at sunna@icelandicstartups.is icelandicstartups.com
Exercise can help you achieve your goals by Agris Trambickis
I am Agris Trambickis a personal trainer living in Reykjavik. I have experienced both ups and downs during my life. Nevertheless, I have never stopped taking care of my physical and psychological health. I`m going to share with you, how going to the gym and exercising regularly can help you to achieve your -non-fitness related goals. I am sure you too can use exercise to achieve your desired outcome, whether it’s in your business or personal life.
I can recall days pushing myself even when I felt like quitting, but when the sweat started dripping from my forehead very fast my thoughts shifted and once again. , I was back on my path and knew that I was getting closer to my goal. These are the days that will build your confidence. This is how I began to build my character and understanding that giving up was not an option. I believe that you too can achieve anything you are after in life if you keep at it.
I know that on some days it can be extremely difficult to make yourself do anything other than relaxing after a long day at work. However, such days are the most important days for building your character. After you show up and complete your routine it feels so satisfying and you feel happy you pushed yourself, it is like a small victory in a long-lasting war against selfdoubt.
It is easy for us to focus on our goals when the sea is calm, and we are feeling comfortable. But the storm is when the real growth occurs. At this time in your life, you might feel it is too late to start or you can't do what you have always wanted to because of the circumstances. But what is worse? Failing or never trying and regretting it for the rest of your life?
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Let's stay healthy There is more! Exercise can also help frame discipline. I assure you that all days are created equal with some good and bad, but if you can perform well on a bad day, it is guaranteed that you will be able to perform great on a good day. Now let us talk about the results for a bit, sometimes people think that staying in a good shape is easy, fast or is only possible for people with good genetics or those without families and other daily responsibilities. That is far from the truth, even most of the elite athletes have children and families, whose body composition and performance are nowhere close to them. It is all about the commitment and hard work. Knowing the result, you want and working towards it, pushing yourself to be your best.
Exercising also has a lot of great health bene ts It improves your mental health and brain function. Reduces your risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke and high blood pressure. 38
Some will quit because they can't see fast physical changes. This makes it much harder for some people, especially for those with low selfesteem. As they focus on what they are seeing in social media. The same social media, where everything is based on instant grati cation. Fitness celebrities that make everything look so easy and their bodies are close to perfect, one might not feel worthy as they begin to compare themselves to what they are observing. However, let us not forget that they didn`t start yesterday, you can get there too.
Make sure that you focus on yourself and your own goals, continue to work on your dreams and you will without any doubt succeed. Don’t hate what you see in the mirror, no two people are alike, we are all created di erently, but with equal opportunities. The results will not come fast and that’s the truth. For the rst month of your training, your body will start adapting to your new lifestyle and you might see small to no visual changes, you will mainly experience some improvements in strength, energy levels, coordination and body mechanics, which happens because of your body learning new movement patterns and sending a stronger signal from your nervous system to the muscle, creating a more e ective contraction.
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Only those who stay with exercising for long enough will reap the bene t. It might take months or even years until you reach whatever realistic goal you have set. After getting there, you will be able to look back at the distance you have travelled to get to where you are now, then you will understand that the most important decision was to start. If you put the same experience and mentality into your business, you will have a much higher chance of success than if you would quit after the rst small failure. We must understand that things do take time and e ort. I hope I was able to open your mind to have a better insight that going to the gym is not only about looking great on the beach while drinking a protein shake.
trambickis.com
Loneliness By Carlotta
carlottaconsulting.com
"If you want to be happy, set a goal that commands your thoughts, liberates your energy, and inspires your hopes." Andrew Carnegie
Moving to a new country starting over can be very daunting and stressful for many individuals. One of the challenges one might face is and Loneliness. This is a big no go area; we have a tendency not to talk openly about it, but I would say 1 in 10 immigrants face loneliness in some form. This is a real issue that can affect one’s health and wellbeing. The big question is how can we pull together to assist those who are Lonely? We know that settling in a new country is not an easy task, for some people it takes months or even years. This is due to the sudden change in personal and family ties, having to reconstruct a new social network, adjusting to a new socio-economic system and cultural system, all this can be overwhelming. So, having a good social network is very vital from the start when one relocates to a new city or country. Especially for children and teenagers, this is essential for their mental health and development. We, humans, are social creatures therefore, human contact is necessary. Nevertheless, it is still possible to feel lonely and isolated even when we are surrounded by people.
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They are various factors can contribute to one feeling lonely Not having friends or family support network Living in an area without others from a similar background Segregated because you belong to a minority group Being excluded from social activities Language barrier Experiencing discrimination and stigma because of your gender or race
Let’s not ignore this matter. There are many individuals in our society who go on for days and weeks without direct human contact; as we intervene in this issue, both collectively and individually we can help others to improve their quality of life. For some people, just a phone call from someone will make so much di erence in their life.
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We can work collectively Promote inclusion and diversity by creating community networks and spaces Create accessible opportunities for interactions between individuals Create a campaign to End Loneliness and Social Isolation Give individuals 1-day pass per month to the swimming pool or gym
We can work Individually Start by going places where you can be around people Join a club or attend events Meeting people with similar needs and supporting each other Using local services and facilities example gym and swimming pool Join a peer support group to boost your self-confidence Be open to trying new things form new friendships
Accessible one-to-one or group befriending schemes Schools can assist by fostering an environment which helps children who seem lonely or disconnected from others to be included
Call someone who you have not seen for some time Connect with your contacts on social media
The above points are just some suggestions of how we can assist to combat social isolation and loneliness. I once read that having friends can help reduce the risk of mortality and help with speed recovery if one is ill as well as improve your mental health. So, I guess making friends is overall good for us. 3RD C ATEG O RY
I challenge you to try your best in the coming months to reach out to someone who you think might be lonely. Try your best to forge new friendships and kindle old ones also, forgive those old friends who may have done you wrong and reach out to them. You may not know this yet, but you might just save someone's life. Let's help others increase their quality of life by reducing social isolation and loneliness.
The Women’s story circle usually meets the first Sunday of the month from September through May and it is free of charge.
W.O.M.E.N in Iceland W.O.M.E.N (Women of multicultural ethnicity network) in Iceland is a volunteer-run non-profit organisation in Iceland that was founded in 2003 by women of foreign origin living in Iceland. The main purpose is to unite, support and to give other women of foreign living in Iceland a voice in all areas of society. While mainly working on issues affecting women, our organisation works on issues that affect children as well as men. We try our best to make an Impact while often sending in drafts to the parliament of legislative proposals that affect immigrants as a whole. Many of our members also sit on boards and committees in various sectors in Iceland that work on immigrant issues affecting men, women and children. We also work closely with other organisations in Iceland to help improve the status of immigrants living in Iceland. Collaborations here and abroad. The Women’s story circle is a collaboration between W.O.M.E.N and the Reykjavik city library. This collaboration offers women a peaceful and welcoming environment for women to gather, share and be creative and all at no
Our organisation has always been involved with international collaborations. We are currently in a project with an association for women of foreign origin living in Finland called the Daisy Ladies. The project is called the Nordic Ladies and is a collaboration with associations in the Nordic countries to combat violence against women of foreign origin in those countries. We also try to get involved in international collaborations through the EEA grants partnerships. Knowledge is power! W.O.M.E.N has spent the past years working on empowering women by offering empowerment workshops, talks on women’s rights and healthcare rights in Iceland. All of these projects have been supported through grants the organisation has applied for on the national and local level. We offer peer support in our office in Reykjavik at Túngata 14, 101 Reykjavik every other Tuesday evening from 20-22:00. Women of foreign origin can seek advice on their rights as a woman, mother and wife living in Iceland, this is a free service and no appointment is needed. To learn more please follow us at www.womeniniceland.is/en 43
The Pastel Colours f Iceland Coping as a Freelancer in Times of Covid-19 By Cat Gundry-Beck
Arriving in Iceland, I was inspired by the popular style of photography that’s created here: dark tones and moody, intriguing atmosphere. But I quickly remembered that even though I love looking at these kinds of photos, creating them just isn’t me. My visual voice is minimal, bright and pastel coloured. Finding these colours in Iceland is a challenge that I enjoy, it’s such a beautiful and unique country.
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By Cat Gundry-Beck
"I’ve been thinking", a lot about how to see this crazy time as an opportunity to think in different ways, to use it as a time to grow and learn. Things have escalated quickly and every single one of my clients has cancelled or postponed to an unknown date. The cold, hard fact is that I suddenly have zero income for the foreseeable future. Although I’m working hard to change that, I’m also thinking of ways I can grow in this time. Here are a few ideas I’ve come up with.........................
To see more of Pastels of Iceland photos and now to Cope as a Freelancer in Times of Covid-19. Check out my blog
catgundrybeck.com
Icelandic Beef With Mediterranean & Middle East Twist By Synthiah Gaede
I have lived in Iceland for over 20years travelled and dined in over 100 countries during my career as a ight attendant. However, I must confess Iceland has the best meat so far. The tenderness and texture of the Icelandic meat makes cooking easy. I enjoy cooking, I feel at peace when I am cooking and entertaining guests. One of my favourite spring dishes is Beef pate with sweet potato and hummus. This dish is served with fresh Icelandic vegetables and Icelandic mince beef. The colours remind me that spring is near, and summer is just around the corner. Hummus also gives it that secret multicultural touch. Hummus is popular in the Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisine and goes well with many dishes. I hope you enjoy this meal I surely did.
Beef pate with sweet potato hummus
INGREDIENT ½ kg of minced meat 2 shallot onions 1 garlic. ¼ cup breadcrumbs or corn our Olive oil. 2 eggs. Salt and pepper Butter 1 Large potato Lime juice Vegetables of your choice Chickpeas Parsley Hummus
INSTRUCTIONS Mix the meat in a large bowl add ingredients to the minced meat, onions, garlic, breadcrumbs or corn our olive oil shaping into small patties. Let it rest in a cool place for 45 min for richer taste then pan fry when ready Peal 1 large Sweet Potato cut into small slices then boil the sweet potato. When they are ready Sieve and set aside in a bowl. Adding the butter, salt and pepper, mix till it’s soft then add 1 can of chickpeas for hummus or just use ready-made hummus. Mix chickpeas (hold the liquid) in a blender, olive oil, parsley, lime juice blend together with the sweet potato mash. Pour in a small dish Pan fry Stir fry vegetables in a hot pan. Now the dish is ready to be served
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Photo by Cat Gundry Beck Thank you for taking time out to read Erlendur Magazine ....Collaborate with us ...Join our team ...Become a contributor ..Share your ideas and talents ...Let’s keep in touch Contact us erlendurmagazine@gmail.com Reykjavik Iceland Follow us
