I am now back in the US, after 15 days in Iceland were I met all kinds of fun and interesting people. More importantly I got a F2 visa in the US embassy in Reykjavik. It is kind of awkward that the interview I had to go to, took approx. 2 minutes, and contained two questions. “How is your wife doing in her studies?” and “Did you study in the US?” I answered both questions very thoroughly and explained how I tried to find a job while on OPT but did not succeed. I had the feeling that both the question were just an attempt to be polite, because the employee actually said that they had already decided to accept my application.
It was interesting to be in Iceland, the consequences of the financial collapse are now beginning to have great impact in the church. People with experience and education are being laid off, and younger, less experienced employees are hired to take their place. The daily task in many places is to try to keep everything as it was whenever possible. There is a lack of vision and it is hard to find any plans for a new future. The situation is understandable, the church in Iceland is facing hardship, and not only when it comes to finances.
In this situation, I have now decided to start a project I have thought about for a long time. A conversational, educational or research like forum, were I offer my service to churches and religious entities in Iceland. For now I call the project Vangaveltur um kirkju og kristni and have created a website for it called vangaveltur.net (only in Icelandic). If someone is interested in exciting and honest conversation, and/or would like my input about the church’s future, feel free to contact me.