By gwblogabroad
I know what you’re thinking; “who does this guy think he is, doesn’t he know blogs are like sooo 2008?” But here’s a truth bomb for you, I’m bringing it back. All the cool kids are doing it, it’s literally all the rage. All of it. As with any autobiographic literature, however, it is proper to start with an introduction of the author, so here’s first order of business.
I’m Arnþór, but if you’re having trouble wrapping your mind around those letters feel free to call me Thor. I am 21 years old, Icelandic and bearded. I study Industrial Engineering at my home institution, the University of Iceland and I am incredibly lucky to be able to study abroad for the full academic year at GWU.
I’m writing this sitting next to a fireplace in a wooden hut in the Colorado Mountains where I’m on a weeklong skiing trip with a friend from Iceland, who incidentally is studying abroad in San Diego. This, really, is a great example of why I chose to study abroad. I think most of us foreign exchange students basically share the same philosophy on life in this regard. We’re not here for the classroom but rather the adventure of it all. Being able to meet new people and make new friends, visit exciting places and experience new adventures as often as we can. I routinely encourage all of my friends to do this because now, for most of us, is the perfect time and age to experience something like this.
Back to business; I was born in Iceland but moved within a few months to Denmark where I spent the first 10 years of my life (if any of you speak Danish, feel free to say “hej, hvordan går det?”, I need the practice). I love movies, music, photography and a whole host of other totally cool stuff. I also love astronomy, physics and anything with Sir David Attenborough in it. Also, if someone made a movie about my life I would like Philip Seymour Hoffman to play me, although we’d have to implement a plot-twist of epic proportions to explain the age difference.
For the sake of introduction I should also note that I’m an Atheist, bisexual and politically nonchalant although strongly opinionated. Basically I’m the opposite of the stereotypical foreign image of Americans. I am incredibly stubborn and highly reluctant to admit defeat or worst of all; that I’m wrong. That being said, I do really enjoy debating heated topics so by all means engage in conversation with me if you meet me at a party or whatnot.
Describing someone adequately in 500 words is somewhat of a challenge, so naturally I’m leaving a lot out. If anyone reading this would like to know more feel free to say hi, making new friends is always fun. If you could use someone to join to go see a movie, a concert or pretty much anything fun, I’m most likely your man.
Queue slow strings while I wave goodbye in ultra-widescreen B&W slow motion, fading to black, my figure disappearing into the distance.
FIN.