Are you lonesome tonight?

Even though I work as a professional in the area of immigration and multi-culturalism in Iceland I often find it unnecessary and tiresome to find myself bogged down in the concept that “I am an immigrant”. Regardless of whether or not a person is native born or of foreign origin, I think that there are enough issues that we must reflect on and consider. For instance we all face the following issues, housing, employment, marriage, relationships, children, education, illness, hobbies, summer vacation and the list goes on. The scope of our lives is immense. Isn’t it necessary for us to draw a line at some point in our lives?

All the same, the fact that we are foreign follows us always. We foreigners must take the initiative to make contact or talk to Icelanders, to invite them home for coffee so that we may make friends or girlfriends. So that we are not lonely. Most Icelanders already have friends and relatives they need to find time and therefore don’t need to work to make new friends like we do. I find that unfair sometimes – but life isn’t always fair (a fact I am going to discuss with God when I get to the end of my days), or even hardly fair.

Either we are in the game of life or not. Sometimes I am ready to quit the game because I am tired – tired of being a bachelor, the pointless blind(?) date dinners, getting older, arthritis, debt, speaking inferior Icelandic, and on and on. But I am still in the game. For sure there will be times when I want to throw in the towel, but that is exactly the time when I have to get myself together and get into the game, the game of life.

I encourage everyone to stay in the game, together, and not to quit because of the complexities or difficulties that come with being an immigrant. Life is too precious to give up.

But what should you do if you are lonesome tonight? Consider the fact that there are people out there that are just as lonely as you tonight. And that there is always hope that the loneliness will end when you meet another lonely soul – maybe tonight, tomorrow night, or in ten years. Who knows?



*I wrote this piece for the magazine of the Inter-cultural center of Reykjavik (Alþjóðahús) first on this February. We have some massages that we need to deliver often than just one time.
And also, for me it is impotant to write in Englsih sometimes, too, simply because I have many friends who haven´t learned Icelandic yet.  

Athugasemdir

[Dennis (IP-tala skráð) 12.6.2007 kl. 21:03]

Ah! There is the English blog . So nice of you to place this particular article on your site. I enjoyed reading it before and it is indeed good to deliver this message once and awhile. My next task is to learn some Icelandic so I will understand the rest of your blog as well. 

For now all the best from The Hague, Holland 

[Róbert Björnsson, 13.6.2007 kl. 19:52]

Komdu sæll Toshiki,

I just ran into your blog and wanted to thank you for this posting.  Having lived abroad for the last 7 years it rings true to me that being an immigrant always presents some special challenges.  I can also relate to the lonely nights and the complexities of this game of life.  But giving up is not an option.

I also want to thank you for your contribution in the fight for human rights and equality in Iceland.  Although I have left the Church and lost faith in Christianity, I am still happy to see that there are at least a few sensible voices amongst Icelandic priests, who see life as it is - not as ancient dogma.

[Toshiki Toma, 13.6.2007 kl. 20:55]

Sæll, Róbert.
Þakka þér fyrir hljýju orðin þín í garð mín.
Honestly saying, there are more pastors who have much better voices than mine, but they are not always "audible" enough, which I don´t know how to say... they might be just shy or not be motivated strong enough..?? 
I feel sorry that you have left the church, but those days I don´t think this "in-out" matter is the major thing  for us.  (High priest migh scold me..!  )
Anyway, thank you!!

[gerður rósa gunnarsdóttir, 15.6.2007 kl. 09:42]

Hahahaha ... this ´High priest might scold me´ plus the emoticon right after, was very funny.