I went to Iceland in 2004 because I had always dreamed of going to Iceland.
I had been single for about a year, and I went on a scout trip with a group of Norwegian scouts. My plan was to join in and do everything I wanted, without thinking about anything except the here and now. Spend my own money on what I wanted for once.
I felt childish and playful and a little small. Terrified and experienced, perhaps.
And I succeeded quite well.
I spent most of my money in Iceland. Icelandic jumpers, souvenirs and experiences. I experienced nature that was quite extreme. And met people I still talk to.
I also had a lot of holiday that summer because I’d had a shit summer the year before. I had spent it in a basement in Copenhagen, programming a web portal that never went live. And my full summer vacation was moved to the year 2004.
When we came home from Iceland, I was happy and broke.
Then one of the people I had been to Iceland with told me about another scout camp. So I just joined and went on impulse.
Three weeks. One week before the camp and one week after.
It was almost impossible to spend money there, which was perfect since I had spent most of what I had in Iceland.
I arrived at the camp and said:
I can contribute. Give me something.
I was given responsibility for the rover programme. I took it on immediately and thought it was great fun. Zero planning before I got there.
I lived in a tent with two other lovely women. We came up with a lot of fun things. We arranged speed dating for rovers in a lavvu, with music and sheepskins and everything.
During the day, of all things, felting wool became one of the activities. I still don’t remember why. It was simply go with the flow. I used what I knew about programmes and scouts and joined whatever was happening.
I met lots of lovely people I still know today.
And most importantly, I met Per Øyvind.
It is the best thing that has happened in my entire life.
Even though the whole concept of being happy-go-lucky brings up a lot, a lot of resistance.
I was there without a plan, without a mission and without any ambition to achieve anything at all. It was just fun to contribute with whatever the camp needed.
And it led to the best thing that has actually happened in my whole life. I got a partner who is the most perfect person I could be with.
What I have just realised is that one of the few times I have really managed to go with the flow, to go happy-go-lucky, I won the absolute biggest thing in my life.
It is actually quite incredible. It makes me want to do more of it.