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Background

Freyja lives in Grindevik, Iceland a nearly deserted ghost town. This is her story:

Dailey Life

As a waitress in one of the town’s only remaining restaurants, Freyja despite living in a highly tourist visited country, doesn’t come across new people too often anymore. In 2023 a nearby volcano erupted and lava flowed nearly into the town. Beyond the risk of lava, the town became completely destroyed by fissures that opened up hundreds of feet into the earth suddenly. Most of the buildings have structural damage and all but a few fishermen and some essential services have been relocated from the city. Her town now has become a ghost town with fewer than 100 people living there now.

Yet life in the town continues. Freyja still enjoys all the same things as before, she loves watching basketball, especially with the Grindevik team playing in the national final this year.

She also loves introducing people, particularly foreigners to Hakral, a fermented shark dish they serve at the restaurant. Its a 6 – 12 week process to take Greenlandic shark caught by the fishermen still living in the town, to bury underground and allow for the poisonous shark meat to ferment and become edible. It’s an old Viking tradition that produces a flavor that is unforgettable and mostly regrettable by those who are adventurous enough to try it.

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Her Perspective

With so much constantly shifting in Iceland, with bitter cold weather, yet incredible scenery, with natural disasters of earthquakes and volcanoes, yet they leave unimaginable beauty in their wake. Freyja believes life isn’t meant for planning ahead, but taking things one day at a time and learning to enjoy each moment, because you never know when you’re entire way of life can be completely changed.

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