Velkomið -- Welcome

I am an outsider. I am a foreigner. I am American but I am welcomed here. 

Throughout my life I have traveled both with groups and by myself, and no matter where I go I feel a sense of belonging and that I am truly and fully welcomed into the community that is in front of me. 

Iceland is no different you see. Despite the little thing known has a language barrier, I have been fully welcomed here in every situation. 

Many have already figured out that I identify as transgender, but to my group I am simply male and while I touched a bit on gender identity already in a previous post, no matter how I identify I feel welcomed here. It is not just because of the gender lenses that I look through but also the lens of someone who has food allergies. Every place I have gone, I have found food that not only nourishes my body but also is extremely tasty. 

Being welcomed is a big thing for me, I have the luxury of using a single stall bathroom, often either the handicap one or the one that is marked specifically for unisex. I am not always so lucky in the states to find a place that I feel comfortable, but I always make do with what I have. It is not as if Icelandics have gone out of their way to make the American feel at home but their society has deemed it to be the norm. 

While I was preparing to meet the President of Iceland, Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson, I ventured into the virtual world and discovered information about the LGBT movement in Iceland. Iceland has been a pioneer in terms of LGBT rights, there is no discrimination  allowed and those who identify as transgender have an 18-month period before they can legally change their gender and name without having surgery. It is amazing to learn about and I wish someday the USA will get to the same point of welcoming. I only wish I had the opportunity to ask the President what motivated the shift in society to be a welcoming place for everyone.

Not only am I welcomed here in terms of gender identity but also in terms of food. Every where I have gone with the group to someone's home for food, there has been ample food that nourishes my body. There was one instance where the host home found out too late about my food allergies and instead of just giving me a sandwich, which is typical in America, they went out of their way and found a vegetarian, all natural meal that was delicious. It melted my heart every time I was informed that either they bought me something, made something so that I can eat or experimented with food. The feeling of being able to enjoy a hot meal with my classmates is wonderful. 

It may seem as I found a few rabbit holes in this post and followed them but I am trying to get the point across that I feel welcomed here with everything I carry around with me. I am welcomed and affirmed in who I am and that is a feeling I hope never disappears. 

Even within my group I am welcomed and affirmed all the time. A classmate even commented on my post about the swimming pool and said "Nope, you are a male." I am welcomed and it is an amazing feeling. 

O God, you have sent your servants to a new place, with open arms, eyes, and hearts to learn from our neighbors. Allow the trip to continue to be a welcoming experience and affirming in our call to serve your people. Be with us as we continue to go throughout the adventure and allow our bodies to be healed and restored. Amen.