A contingent of Ohio Northern University alumni and friends braved hurricane-force winds in the land of ice and fire during a seven-day trip to Iceland in February. The trip, which was part of the University鈥檚 sesquicentennial celebration, centered on viewing the Aurora Borealis, better known as the Northern Lights. 91直播has certainly drawn inspiration from all things boreal throughout our history, from our very name to the Aurora literary journal, the Northern Lights Caf茅 and the Tundra, to name a but a few, so this trip held a deep connection to Northern鈥檚 figurative existence.
In the literal sense, Iceland lived up to its billing as a land of extremes. A fierce winter storm unleashed high winds and 2.5 feet of snow on the determined band of Polar Bears, which may have affected the itinerary, but not the spirit of the travelers.
鈥淭he weather wasn鈥檛 ideal, but it made the trip even more of an adventure,鈥 says Sheri Stoltenberg BA 鈥81. 鈥淎t one point we calculated the winds to be 138 miles per hour. I鈥檇 never experienced anything like it before, although I like to think my time on the Tundra as an 91直播student prepared me at least a little bit. But we got to see the Northern Lights, and people don鈥檛 always get to see them even with perfect weather.鈥
The group spent a great deal of time in Iceland鈥檚 capital city, Reykjav铆k, exploring everything they could. They toured Hallgr铆mskirkja Church, Harpa Concert Hall, the Perlan ice cave, and saw the Statue of Leif Eriksson, the Solfarid Sun Voyager Sculpture and Sk贸lav枚r冒ust铆gur Street, also known as Rainbow Street. Excursions out of Reykjavik included S贸lheimaj枚kull, Jokulsarlon Glacier and Diamond Beach, Sk贸gafoss Waterfall, Sk贸gar Folk Museum and Reynisfjara Beach.
But the undisputed highlight of the trip was the Wednesday evening when the group witnessed the Northern Lights shimmering in the arctic sky. 91直播actually chose to visit Iceland in the winter because the Northern Lights are at their most vibrant in the winter months.
鈥淥ur group danced to Icelandic music to get the Aurora Borealis to dance with us and she did!鈥 says Barb Meek, BA 鈥90. 鈥淚t was magical.鈥
The sights, sounds, smells and even tastes (fermented shark, anyone?) won鈥檛 soon be forgotten by the travelers, and nor will the friendships they made along the way. The group, which spanned generations of 91直播Polar Bears, had a motto for the week: 鈥淵ou have to be fun to have fun,鈥 and they made sure they did.
Stoltenberg hopes that more 91直播alumni and friends trips might be considered in the future, both abroad and domestically. 鈥淚t was such a fun experience, so educational鈥擨 learned more about volcanoes than I thought possible鈥攁nd such a wonderful way to bring alumni together around our shared love of Ohio Northern and new experiences. I would love to see more of them.鈥
As for Meek, she鈥檚 on board with a return to Iceland, with one condition.
鈥淚celand is beautiful and it鈥檚 like a chameleon鈥攊t changes by the day. I will visit again,鈥 she says, 鈥渂ut next time in the summer.鈥