27th
Do Icelanders Have Anything to be Thankful For?
Thanksgiving is one of those holidays like President’s Day that probably doesn’t mean too much to people outside of the United States. But that doesn’t mean that other countries don’t have anything to be thankful for.
Canada is thankful for its proximity to The United States (now that Obama won). Mexico is thankful for its burgeoning reputation as the go-to country for Pentobarbital. Ireland is thankful that “Falling Slowly” from the Irish movie “Once” won the Oscar for Best Original Song this year. Great Britain is thankful that its burden of empire is over. Germany is thankful that it wasn’t entirely wiped off the map after WWII, as some still argue it should have been. Greenland is thankful for global warming. Japan is thankful for being one of the coolest countries in the world. And Norway and Switzerland are thankful to not be in the EU.
It seems every country (at least, every country that I’ve heard of) is thankful for something. But with everything she’s suffering, does Iceland have anything to be thankful for?
Yes, some things. Iceland is thankful for geothermal warmth, which guarantees hot water no matter how cold it gets above the earth’s crust. She’s thankful that even though she discovered North America first, she didn’t stay there; if she had, she’d be dealing with a major stock market crash and recession right now. Like Norway and Switzerland, she’s thankful not to be in the EU, even though she knows she may have to eventually. She’s thankful for Geysir, which will always be there (even if inactive) no matter how little the krona is worth. And maybe some Icelanders are even thankful for Adopt an Icelander, which hasn’t set up any actual adoptions yet, but at least has its heart in the right place.
Happy Thanksgiving, Iceland!
