Ásrún Mjöll Stefánsdóttir is a socially-minded carpenter from Hlíðar. Although there is little travel at the moment due to Covid-19, one can still dream of future adventures.
Ásrún Mjöll has travelled to Europe twice with the support of Erasmus grants provided by IÐAN Education Centre to apprentices and newly qualified tradespeople. Ásrún Mjöll is a 26-year-old carpenter who takes on socially responsible construction projects. She is studying anthropology at the University of Iceland through distance learning and had booked a trip to Denmark this autumn on the Norröna ferry, from where she intended to weave her way through Europe on her way to Turkey. But then came COVID-19.
Since 2006, IÐAN has encouraged and supported apprentices and newly qualified tradespeople to go on adventures in Europe. Ásrún Mjöll is one of them. This is what Ásrún had to say about her Erasmus adventure.
Ásrún went to Denmark as an apprentice and to Norway as a newly qualified tradesperson. Being an apprentice in Denmark was an educational experience. She clearly felt like “the apprentice.” Short work sessions, a clear division of labour, and she was not allowed to “meddle in anything” that had not been well and thoroughly prepared. “The atmosphere was such that you didn't do anything you didn't know how to do,” says Ásrún.
Ásrún is particularly interested in old typewriters and found an amazing one in Denmark that she uses for her writing today. The adventure continued after graduation. This time in Northern Norway, where Ásrún led a group of carpenters in various community projects. There, she was in a position of responsibility, and her experience as an Icelandic carpenter came in handy, because here in Iceland you often have to “figure things out for yourself.” From Norway, she came home with a fancy Japanese saw that has different properties than Western saws; it cuts when “you pull,” unlike Western saws.
The companies Ásrún worked for in Denmark and Norway emphasised equal pay, social responsibility, and well-being at work. This lesson has influenced Ásrún both personally and as a professional. She chooses her jobs carefully and tries to have a positive impact on society.
Being an outsider had an effect on Ásrún. Although Denmark and Norway are hardly considered foreign in the eyes of Icelanders, she sometimes felt like an outsider. Being alone and making an effort to “figure things out” was challenging. An experience like this strengthens you and at the same time allows you to put yourself in the shoes of others who are in a similar situation.
Although it was challenging, the experience was incredibly educational and fun. The opportunity gave her a chance to get to know different people and her professional network expanded. The experience was, in her words, “sunny and valuable.”
Helen Gray Williams, Development Manager at IÐAN Education Centre, spoke with Ásrún Mjöll