For 99 years. Made for life.
Like 66°North, Ólafía Sigurrós Jónsdóttir is 99 years old, born and raised in Suðureyri by Súgandafjörður. Ólafía's life spans nearly a century, starting out in a small fishing village in the Westfjords to the city life of Reykjavík.
We sat down with Ólafía to hear about her formative years in the Westfjords, fishermen, outdoor clothing, and her lifelong love for nature.
“It was fun to grow up in a small fishing village. There were so many kids, everyone stuck together, and we were allowed to be outside until late at night. It was a very simple life but also isolated. You could only get to the closest towns of Ísafjörður and Flateyri by sea. The most challenging thing was not being able to get around easily. “
Ólafía speaks fondly of her early years in Suðureyri. Her father, Jón, was the captain of the boat Hersir, and was known for always being the first to head out to sea.
“Dad was always the first to go to sea and was very good at predicting the weather. He was always by far the first one to go out. He always wore his fisherman coat, a wool sweater, and mittens when he was out at sea. “
In those days, people had to dress warmly indoors.
“The houses were so cold. Central heating hadn't been installed yet; it came much, much later. People wore wool clothes inside to keep warm. “
A new life in Reykjavík
Ólafía eventually moved to Reykjavík for studies and later became a preschool teacher. It was a huge change to move from small-town Suðureyri to city life, but she found a new way to cultivate her love for nature.
“I moved to Reykjavík and started working at a children's home. Then I went to preschool teacher training and worked as one for 40 years. “
“It was a huge change to move from a small fishing village to Reykjavík. I had only ever been to Flateyri and Ísafjörður in the Westfjords of Iceland. “
“I was part of the hiking association, Farfuglar, here in Reykjavík, that’s when I started to practice outdoor life after I moved to the city. “
Positivity and the outdoors
As she approaches her 100th birthday, Ólafía emphasizes the importance of staying active and positive.
“I go for a walk every single day and we have morning exercise. It’s good exercise. It's just necessary to stay active, which is why I've gotten so old. “
Ólafía says she has always known how to maintain a positive attitude and that such a mindset makes a huge difference.
“It’s so important to be positive, it means a lot. If you are negative, you always feel bad. It's easy to get angry and start trouble.’’
Finally, the conversation turns to the nature that has shaped her since childhood.
“I enjoy going out into nature, and I think it's important to be positive. I go out every single day to get some fresh air. When I've gotten this old, that's the most fun thing I do.“