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Communication in Iceland

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Submitted By codyzemp
Words 686
Pages 3
To: Paul McCluskey
From: Cody Zemp
Date: March 11, 2014
Subject: Iceland Culture Assignment

With the communicating in cultures assignment handed out in class, I was assigned the beautiful country Iceland and am writing to you to inform you of what I have learnt throughout my research.

The capital of Iceland is Reykjavik, and to my surprise is a lot easier to say then I thought, and is pronounced rake-a-vick. Reykjavik currently holds 119,000 of Iceland’s 323,000 people. The Country of Iceland has many different celebrations and holidays that occur each year. One of the biggest celebrations annually is Sumardagurinn Fyrsti, which is the celebration of the first day of summer and includes parades, sporting events and organized entertainment. The celebration is held on the first Thursday after April 18th. Now, in most countries around the world, April is considered a month of spring, with summer beginning later in June. In Iceland, April marks the beginning of summer, which has average temperatures from 4-5.7°C, and 32-42°F, which is not exactly sun tanning weather. Given the cold temperatures, visitors in the month of April will still have all of the summer outdoor activities available to them, which include: horseback riding, glacier walking, caving, and even snorkeling can be done. The summer in Iceland is comparable to Canada’s early spring. April is typically a great time to visit if you want to avoid the summer crowds and spend much less money, with round trip airfare for as low as 350 - 400.00 us.

Some of the attractions and sights that keep many visitors coming back include: The Northern lights between winter months, The Blue Lagoon which consists of natural heated pools and waterfalls, glaciers, and the volcanoes, which one of them has recently made the news as its 6 month eruption had finally ended. These are just some of the amazing things available to visitors and there is plenty more to be explored. If the sights aren’t enough, you will also find joy in interacting with the locals.

If, or when you attend a business meeting, it is expected of you and recommended that you dress formally and in a way that is considered appropriate for a business environment, similar to business attire here. Icelanders are very fashionable and it is normal to them to put lots of effort into their appearance. When attending a dinner or meeting be sure to bring a gift with you such as a bottle of wine or if your looking for something a little more personal, they enjoy Icelandic Knitwear and Sweaters. Also, when attending be sure to be on time as punctuality is highly valued and if running late, be sure to give a quick heads up, unless its later then 15 minutes where they then expect to just reschedule. In Iceland it won’t matter as much what gender you are when seeking a job as they have for the 6th year in a row, been first in the highest amount of gender equality.

Given what I know about the natural beauty and the outgoing and excepting locals, I am excited for my adventure to Iceland and cant wait to experience some of these exciting things hands on, and I hope that you have provided with enough information to be tempted to visit as well.

Regards,
Cody

References

Mapes, T. (2012), The best Icelandic Gift ideas. Retrieved from http://goscandinavia.about.com/od/christmastraditions/tp/Icelandic-Gift-Ideas.htm Arrambide, M. Best things to do and see in Iceland. Retrieved from http://wanderingtrader.com/iceland/best-things-to-do-see-in-iceland-tourist-attractions/ http://businessculture.org/northern-europe/iceland/business-etiquette/

Fontaine, P. (2014), Iceland First In Gender Equality. Retrieved from http://grapevine.is/news/2014/10/28/iceland-first-in-gender-equality/ Klemetti, E. (2015). Inside the Holuhraun Crater in Iceland. Retrieved from http://www.wired.com/2015/03/inside-holuhraun-crater-iceland/ Hammel, k. (2011). Iceland in April. Retrieved from http://www.whygoiceland.com/iceland-in-april.html http://www.iceland.is/the-big-picture/people-society/traditions/

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