''...a colleague sorely missed...''

...a little over a week ago we all returned from a positive and fulfilling trip from our other 'home' in Iceland...positive and fulfilling for J and I, fun for EBB but not so good for T. He enjoyed seeing family but our trip reaffirmed his desire not to return to live in Iceland. Now I always wanted to do that at some point but T finds that the Icelandic lack of manners and poor attitude towards ones fellow man is an unpleasant and unwelcoming experience for those going to live or visit such a calming and beautiful country. Now don't get me wrong, this does not apply to our own family and friends but was certainly one of the issues J had to struggle with whilst at school in Iceland.I find it difficult to cope with the lack of censorship...Iceland only legalised alcohol some 15 or so years ago but it is happy to advert products using inappropriate gestures or words.And not just after the 9pm watershed!
So upon reflection a trip filled with positivity and reflection...but one which only strengthened my resolve to take the boys over again in the future..paradoxically by the end of our trip T could see why I keep talking about taking a career break in a few years and moving over for 6 months or so..I feel it would be good for both boys, good for family and good for intercultural cooperation
;-). I would like to make it a year-long trip but J and I decided if T was not able to come with us 6 months would be good. Yes, J is very much up for this and I think this is indicative of the positive experience he had this visit...thankfully not marred by the very drunken football fans we had to contend with on the flight home..I tell you, it gave T some early hooligan-management experience !!!
As you see, T is now only awaiting for the dotting of the i's and crossing of the t's and he has been given a provisional start date for his police training :-). We are not celebrating just yet..not until his formal letter (and uniform, girls ;-o) arrives so keep watching this space!
Which brings me onto the less joyous title of todays blog...upon my return from our trip, I had to receive some extremely distressing news...my colleague D had not turned up for work one shift and the following day he committed suicide. Now I had only worked with him for a short while but I had the utmost respect for his professional and personable qualities and for the support he was giving me (and others) in a difficult and stressful role. My manager A had worked with him for many years and had to inform each member of staff on an individual basis over the course of a week or so. We attended his funeral on Thursday. His daughter shared a note her father had left for her...'suicide is not a choice...but the only path available when pain overcomes joy'. This week it is depression awareness week. Please take time out to reflect upon this illness that is still so hidden but which affects so many of us.
Rest in Peace our much respected and sorely missed colleague.
Love and peace to you all
J,T,J and E xxxx

"...a confusion of emotions..."

Today I was going to write solely about the conflicting emotions I have been experiencing since our (temporary) return to Iceland..I feel so at home here and miss it all so very much...and T can´t understand that. He only remembers J and I being unhappy here but as I point out to him that was not always the case, especially once I started to make friends, get out to work etc. He cannot believe that I would love to move back and the irony is that everywhere we have gone this week, I have met someone that I know..a turnaround from the days when we couldn´t walk down a street in RVK without meeting one of T´s friends.T has also reminded me that he would have lost his job had we stayed and certainly looking at house prices this morning suggets that we would not have been able to buy a house here..but that doesn´t make it seem any clearer :-/. Deb said this trip would be difficult for me and she is not wrong and she is probably right again when she tells me that she doesn´t think we will feel settled in any country for a good few years yet..However, its been good for J who has spent all week renewing old and trusted friendships and good for EB to spend time with his beloved Amma and Afi but oh, oh so confusing for yours truly. Not for T-he is still so sure we made the correct decision and is busy cycling, playing football with J and generally being full of holiday energy ( we undergo a total role reversal when on our holidays..T is up and about and full of beans and I am constantly sleeping and lacking in energy..a different way to recharge the batteries I guess?!)
Anyway, my emotional confusion aside, here is the other subjetc of the day... you may not know this but hideous things are happening in the south Gulf and these are not connected to any invading armies..I ask that you read the following and go to www.ifaw.co.uk and register your support for their annual campaign againt seal hunting. Canada continues to beat seal pups to death or skin them alive..not the calm, serene sight that should meet one when visiting the ice floes but one of death, destruction and mankinds pure greed..
This is an issue of which I have been passionate about for many years...it makes difficult reading...but please do not log off now...we need your help...

"IFAW monitors observing a sealing vessel hunting harp seal pups on the opening day of the Gulf seal hunt witnessed the cruelty of seals being shot in loose ice.
The sealing vessel had to search out small pans of ice to find a few lone seals. Sealers fired at seals on slushy, moving ice. Seals were seen in agony after being shot at and injured, but not instantly killed. One seal was hauled alive onto the deck of the boat with a steel hook before finally being beaten to death.
Tell the world in your own words why such cruelty to animals is wrong!
The lack of ice in the Southern Gulf has led to a mortality rate for baby seals estimated to exceed 90%, yet sealers continued to wipe out the last remaining survivours. They can do this because, despite the tragic effect of global warming on seal breeding habitat, the Canadian government has given sealers permission to kill 270,000 seals.
Visit www.ifaw.org/eu/sealhunt today to read the latest diaries from IFAW monitors on the scene of the hunt. See the latest footage from the scene of the hunt and listen to IFAW monitors describe in their own words the cruelty they are documenting firsthand.
It takes just a few seconds to add your comments and personal profile to our global community. Find out what others from around the world are saying about this ongoing tragedy for seals."

Thankyou for your patience and for your support..
With much love, peace and kindness from
Joanna and her 3 boys xxxxxx

"...gledilega paska..."

...we are here in Iceland again and today is Easter Day..chocolate from two countries surrounds the house, Jolyon and Toti are trying to control unnaturally strong sugar rushes, I have come to the end of Lent and am waiting to share our favourite supper this p.m (the thing that Toti makes with tortilla chips and guacamole..the snack you fell in love with last year Erika) and Elijah is wondering what all the fuss is about..until next year perhaps when the significance of all those eggs becomes clearer :-).
Yesterday, we had an open house and got to see lots and lots of our family and friends and we thankyou all so much for coming and making our Easter that bit more special... sorry if we didn´t get to spend enough time with everyone but the memories of our special times with you all remain very close to our hearts and minds. I got the chance to catch up with my girly friends and Letetia and I discovered that we both went to Manchester Uni..as did her her husband Sturla, who lived in the same area of Didsbury that Toti lived in when he was studying in Manchester and (coolest factoid yet) Jolyon and Chanelle were both born in the same hospital..what a small world this Icelandic society turns out to be...
Kremena bought her Mum and baby Yulia, who is now ´cruising´along the furniture and smiling at every passing person. She will be one year old on Friday (Yulia not her Grandma!) and as I just missed her baptism so I now will miss here birthday party
:-(. Lovely to have 3 generations of ladies from one family in one joyful space and with 4 languages shared between them (bulgarian, icelandic, english and french). How cool is that?
Great to finally meet Kate´s partner Oli too..they seem to have both survived their whisky tasting trip back to Kates home country of Scotland ;-)..Kates research post comes to an end this summer but it looks like she will be staying here in Iceland..all the more friends to see when we return to our other home on a more regular basis...
So, all in all, a really lovely time to come back..I still love it here, miss Iceland and would love to move back but Toti refuses to even consider it as a future option..surprising perhaps to some but I was always the one who pushed the move and was reluctant to return to the UK..Toti feels that we have been too scarred as a family to consider living here again and indeed, it is fab to see J so much brighter, happier and calmer. But, hey! never say never thats what I say ;-). I quite fancy T in an Icelandic police uniform in 10 years or so...!
Happy Easter to you all
Lots of cross-cultural love and best wishes from Joanna, Toti, Jolyon and Elijah xxxxxx