Iceland: Amy Laabs (A New Experience)

I don’t think I’ll ever forget my time in Þórsmörk. Staying at the Volcano Huts was an absolutely surreal experience. I’ve never been so close to such natural beauty, to volcanoes and glaciers, let alone living practically inside of them. However, the truly remarkable experience of my time in Þórsmörk was our hike up one of the mountains. It wasn’t a particularly treacherous hike in terms of trail conditions, what made it challenging was the fact that it was basically straight up the mountain. Though I never found myself wanting to quit, it was still a mental challenge to keep myself pushing. Whenever I thought about how my legs hurt or how I needed to catch my breath, I reminded myself that there was a stunning view at the top, and that I would remember reaching the top even when it was tiring. And spoiler alert – the view WAS stunning. I’ve never seen anything like it, and it’s hard to describe with words or pictures. You could look out, spin around, and see something amazing in every direction. Trying to take a panoramic picture of that view is probably the biggest injustice I’ve ever created. I felt such a reverence for my life, my experience on Earth, and the beauty of this planet. I tried my best to mentally bottle up this feeling and keep it with me. I want to be that grateful about more things in my life. It’s safe to say this new experience is one that will stick with me forever.

 

Amy Laabs

Hometown: Chanhassen, Minnesota

Major: Social Welfare; Sociology

Program: UW Field Study in Iceland

I’ve always wanted to visit Iceland because it looks absolutely beautiful! I hope to experience amazing elements of nature and meet new people.