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Amber Drake (Snorri 2018) served as our US Snorri Alumni Intern in the summer of 2025. Amber packed her bags (including her bagpipes!) and bid farewell to her home on one volcanic island, Hawaii, to embark on a months-long adventure that would take her to several countries across Europe. But her adventure began in quaint Hofsós, where she volunteered alongside her Canadian counterpart, Sydney Veldhuis, and other volunteers at the Icelandic Emigration Center. The following excerpts from Amber's blog offer insights into what life is really like as a Snorri Alumni Intern. (Part 1 of 3 - click here for Part 2 and here for Part 3)  June 21, 2025 As this year's US Snorri Alumni Intern, I’ll be supporting new participants in the Snorri Program and volunteering at Vesturfarasetrið, the Icelandic Emigration Center in Hofsós. My days will be spent welcoming museum guests and helping both Icelanders and Western Icelanders trace their family histories - a rewarding way to connect with heritage and community. Hofsós itself is a charming northern village of fewer than 200 residents, perched on the edge of a fjord and steeped in history. I’ll be staying in Brimnes, the former home of renowned Icelandic-American poet Bill Holm - a cozy cottage with breathtaking views over the water. July 6, 2025 First Week in Hofsós The first week in Hofsós has been both eventful and peaceful. Volunteering at the museum is extra special for me, as the museum tells the story of Icelanders who left their homeland and headed west, including my own ancestors. It’s been a wonderful opportunity to reconnect with my roots, uncover details about why my family left, and share their story with travelers from all over the world. I’m joined by two other lovely Western Icelanders, Sydney from Edmonton and David from Indiana. Getting to know them has been an absolute pleasure! The first few days were spent familiarizing myself with the surroundings and absorbing as much information as possible at the museum. I’d visited once before during my Snorri adventure tour back in 2018, so there was a sense of familiarity, but I still needed to refresh my memory. Brimnes I have the honor of staying in a charming cottage right on the fjord, just a three-minute walk from the museum. This house, called Brimnes, was once the summer residence of the renowned Icelandic-American author Bill Holm. He lived in Minnesota and bought the home here to spend summers in Iceland, where he found inspiration for his writing. He even wrote a book called The Windows of Brimnes, which I read before arriving. His wife still owns the property and kindly allows volunteers to stay here during the summer.  July 13, 2025 Second Week in Hofsós I’ve now been in Iceland for three weeks, with the last two spent settling into the quaint little town of Hofsós. Life here is calm, quiet, and peaceful – exactly what I had hoped for on this trip. The past few years have been full of stress, so the opportunity to take a breath of fresh air and be surrounded by stunning natural beauty has helped regulate my nervous system and filled me with a sense of awe. Hawaii has a way of doing the same, but there is just something uniquely magical about Iceland. I have spent some time taking evening walks along the town’s stunning basalt columns at the fjord’s shore, surrounded by the still air, accompanied by the occasional bird, and the glassy water gliding over the rocks. Sometimes, as I gaze across the mirrored surface, enveloped in vibrant greens, I begin to understand why so many Icelanders still believe in elves. In a place as enchanting as this, I wouldn’t be surprised if an elf or troll appeared. Believe it or not, the basalt columns of Hofsós are said to be the capital of the Skagafjörður elf population! A town with history - and heart A little more about Hofsós - it is one of the oldest trading posts in Iceland, dating back to the 16th century. Today, it is a picturesque town home to approximately 150 people. However, it wasn't always so charming. In the 1990s, many of the buildings had fallen into disrepair, and many were being considered for demolition. Valgeir Þorvaldsson, the owner and operator of the museum and also a carpenter, saw potential rather than ruins. He restored all of the museum buildings and many other buildings around town. He and his wife Gunna also run a farm and multiple guesthouses around town. Getting to know them has been a delight - they are hardworking, cheerful, and have made me feel right at home as I help out at the museum. A cruise ship in Hofsós Last Tuesday was a big day: a cruise ship docked in Hofsós, its 178 passengers instantly doubling the town's population. As they arrived, I greeted them with my bagpipes, which drew plenty of smiles and a few jokes. "Did we make a wrong turn and end up in Scotland?" Once everyone was ashore, we split them into groups for walking tours of the town and the museum. My group was curious and kind, hailing from all over the world. The day was a great success, and I feel more confident about welcoming the next cruise ship guests next month. [...] Volunteering at the museum has been so rewarding. In my downtime, I’ve been drawing, working on a coloring book for the museum, reading, and writing. We have also had visitors from all over the world, and it has been wonderful to make connections with them and share essential pieces of Icelandic history. Visitors come from all over the world, some with a general interest in history, while others are tracing their family roots. It’s enlightening to piece together stories of ancestors—where they came from, what they endured, and where they went. One Icelandic couple that visited told me, “It’s your responsibility to teach your children where they came from. If you don’t, there’s no reason to have children in the first place!” Blunt, but true — knowing your origins is essential to understanding who you are. All photos courtesy of Amber Drake.
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