Gearing Up

Departure to Boston is exactly one month away! It's hard to believe the summer's nearly gone and soon I will embark on this great adventure!

I've never been much of a blogger or even a journal-er before, but I will do my best to keep everyone updated and be sure to include lots of pictures and stories!


I suppose I should introduce myself a bit and the program. I am Elise Niemeyer, a junior at Northland College in Ashland, Wisconsin. I am studying Sustainable Community Development with a minor in Environmental Studies. This fall, from Labor Day until Thanksgiving, I will be studying abroad in Iceland with a great organization called CELL (Center for Ecological Living and Learning). I, along with ten college-age students from around the country, will be living and learning in rural Iceland.Our home base will be at an eco-village called Sólheimar. From what I hear, it's about an hour's drive east of Reykjavik, the capital city.

Sólheimar is a unique community of about 100 people (both with and without special needs) live and work collectively to be self-sufficient. From growing organic tomatoes in the geothermal greenhouse to welcoming the sun (or perhaps just the day) with a song every morning, I am looking forward to learning all kinds of things from the people who live there.

Our classes (with course titles such as "Sustainability: Secrets of Simplicity" and "Icelandic Culture, Language, and History") will be presented not only in lectures, but largely in experiential or discussion-based styles. Two professors from the Audubon Expedition Institute will be joining us as well. We will also be taking many field trips around the country, visiting the capital city, backpacking in Southern Iceland, helping with a reforestation project, exploring many parks and mountains, and taking a dip in the famous Blue Lagoon.

I am looking forward to this adventure but realize at the same time what I will be leaving behind: familiar places/family/friends/food, a certain amount of comfort, and a predictable lifestyle. These are sacrifices that will not always be easy to make, but I hope you will join me as a I grow as a student, friend, citizen, and individual in these upcoming months.