The Gods truly test their strongest warriors and I’m so tired of it.
Between the expected darkness of Iceland, Visa struggles, exams, injuries, flying back and forth to Canada, illness, snow storms, and more. I hope this new year gets a little less insane and maybe hopeful.
I try to focus on what I know will be good this upcoming semester. I survived Old Icelandic, and that will continue in the winter semester. Much more exciting is the Viking Archaeology, Medieval Archaeology and Maritime History and Archaeology course. My little reenactor/crafter heart will be so happy and hopefully I will get to learn the stuff I’m truly interested in.
On the other end of things, something that needs to be said and known, Iceland’s Directorate of Immigration (AKA UTL) is the worst institution I’ve ever had to interact with. This isn’t just coming from me, there’s news reports on this. Our situation is moderate, but nonetheless reflects their borderline criminal negligence. They are unresponsive, obtrusive, and racist. The response to these valid criticisms will surely be “If you don’t like it, go home.”
No. I came here to study. me and my partner came here to work. Disregarding the failure of a public institution of its PRIMARY FIELD OF CONCERN is a failure to the people it is meant to support. Icelanders cannot claim they want foreigners to maintain their economy while also utterly failing to provide a legal system for immigration or international studies.
Their response to taking 6 months before even touching our applications has been “Well, I guess we won’t deport you.” While their current website states they are only on the May applicants for work/travel visas as of Christmas.
We will be leaving Iceland before we have a chance to work here as per my program’s requirement for going to Norway or Denmark for a third semester (the full year in the case of Norway)
It’s deplorable and many other students and associates report many similar and worse responses.
It has soured my desire to live and work in Iceland. It has soured my desire to study Icelandic history. It has enraged me because after these failures, they have the gale to blame brown immigrants for sorting through recycling for cans.
I am a very angry Western Icelander and I will likely not return to Iceland after this year here. Merry Christmas, you filthy animals.
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ZFSigurdson 