West Icelanders return
Last week I met a Canadian woman during a literary walk in ReykjavÃk who was here for a language course. Without me asking, she told me that she was a West Icelander.
West Icelanders are the descendents of the roughly 16,000 people who migrated from Iceland to North America (and in a few cases to South America), mostly Canada, in the late 19th and early 20th century. They were escaping poverty in Iceland and saw hope for a better life in the New World. Many had a difficult time gaining a foothold in their new home and letters sent between Iceland and North America document the harsh reality the immigrants faced. for more click here
