Adventure, geology, and road trips: Jessica Poteet’s Icelandic experience

What makes highly talented people with easily transferable skills move to a remote volcanic island off the coast of Greenland in the sub-arctic Atlantic Ocean? The winters are long and dark. The summer has ‘changeable’ weather, and volcanic eruptions regularly rock the island since it sits on a vast magma plume. Luckily, the most dangerous active volcanoes are far away from towns and villages, but still. This is a bleak description of Iceland, but it is not entirely unfair! Don’t get me wrong, I am very aware of my privilege of being born in this affluent, beautiful, and peaceful corner of the world. However, I have always been super-curious about those who have chosen to make Iceland their home and their perspective on my home country.

Meet the multi-talented Jessica Poteet

One of those people is American-born geoscientist and M.B.A. Jessica Poteet. She leads marketing at international travel technology company Kaptio, headquartered here in the capital area. Before that, she held a variety of positions at IT company Men&Mice during their growth stage before acquisition, as well as starting here in Iceland as the CMO of startup Clicksale. 

The Fagradalsfjall eruption.Jessica demonstrates her passion for geology by being one of the admin for the Iceland Geology Facebook group, where she fosters a vibrant community of over 156 thousand geology enthusiasts to discuss and follow the latest in Icelandic geological tumults. There is plenty to discuss, and I highly enjoy lurking on that page. She also has a significant social media presence adorned with many beautiful pictures from Iceland. Follow her on Bluesky, Instagram, and TikTok. 

I wanted to hear more about Jessica’s journey to Iceland, learn her views on Iceland, and get some solid travel advice for my readers. 

Hey Jessica, thank you so much for taking the time to interview. What brought you to Iceland in the first place?

Honestly? I fell in love with the country. It wasn’t exactly a tale of moving here ‘an enemies-to-lovers romance,’ but it was close! I first visited Iceland in 2017 on a long hiking tour of the country post-MBA. One of the guides asked if I would ever consider moving here, and I responded instinctively and emphatically, “No!” I like warm weather. I like big cities with extensive public transit systems. I like food that has spice, haha. That is certainly not Reykjavik, but it is as charming as it is. But I spent almost every day after I left thinking, “You know what, I could be in Iceland right now.” After one very tumultuous day at work in Silicon Valley, I quit on the spot and bought a one-way ticket back. I was tired of fighting the desire to return. I spent the May-June networking extensively, meeting people at the Startup Iceland conference, and mentoring at local business accelerators. By August, I had a job offer, and I returned to Iceland with a work visa in the Fall of 2018.

You have lived in the US, Singapore, and France, among other places, and are now in Iceland. What peculiarities of Icelandic society and culture stand out to you?

There is something especially daunting about moving to a country where most people have known their friend groups since kindergarten, and everyone can trace their ancestry back a thousand years together. It brings a new meaning to feeling like an outsider. While I find Icelanders more socially welcoming than other Nordic places I have visited, this fascinating and unique sense of interconnectedness still exists here. 

Along these lines, some of the same threads of cultural commonality we see in warmer island societies also seep into life here. Compared to the Danes, who count their weeks and show up five minutes early to everything, things run more on relaxed “island time” here. There are the ‘þetta reddast vibes*’ and trust that things will work out, knowing your community will pull together. 

Tangential to this. However, I find Icelanders’ confidence on the world stage wholly outpaces their economic and demographic influence. I don’t know if it’s their central geographic location, their victories in the Cod Wars, or surviving volcanoes that literally led to the downfall of the French monarchy. I am always impressed by this boldness.

You have a background as a geoscientist and a marketing strategist. How do these two seemingly different disciplines complement your work and life?

The dichotomy of fire and ice is magical. Where else can you see brand new earth being born right before you, fiery and thunderous, while driving down the road to see icebergs floating out to sea, quiet and mysterious? Waterfalls and bubbling, boiling fumaroles. Auroras in the sky and whales in the sea. It is truly unique and majestic, and that definitely speaks to people from all walks of life. 

Having advanced degrees in both marketing and geology allows me to easily convey science to those who have no background in it. With my marketing expertise, I am able to build communities and manage social media groups, and with my geology expertise, I can provide educated, factual information to online communities and international media. Eventually, if I do decide to become a professional geology and northern lights guide here, I will be able to gain an audience of prospective adventurers quickly. Let’s see what the future holds!

What are your favorite places and activities in Iceland?

I love road trips! I think many Icelanders would never conceive of getting into their car and driving seven hours straight to see something new, but I do it at least once a year. The open road here, while two-laned and sometimes filled with sheep, is exhilarating and gorgeous. I am more of an off-the-beaten-path kind of girl. I would rather go to Kvernufoss than Skogafoss, Hvammsvik than Sky Lagoon or Blue Lagoon, to the Westfords or Eastfjords than the Golden Circle. Of course, I say this as someone who has already done, many times, the “usual” tourist areas, but I always encourage people to explore.

What is your advice to those who want to move to Iceland?

Moving to Iceland is not for the faint of heart! For three months of the year, we barely see the sun. We have wind that can knock you over and rip off your car door, frequently. We have fermented shark. It feels like we have elections constantly, that you will not be able to participate in for a long time.

But, I want to speak directly to my American brethren for a moment. We have seen an uptick in our local media groups of Americans suddenly proclaiming they want to move here. Now, I truly have complete empathy for these people. But for anyone who is not part of the EEA (European Economic Area), you cannot just come and live here. It is wild how many people think you can fill out a form and be welcomed immediately. The Directory for Immigration (Útlendingarstofnan) is poorly funded and understaffed. It takes many months, with lots of paperwork and proof as to why you are moving here. 

But if you decide to make the move and receive your residence permit, it will be wonderful to live here. Every place in the world has its detractors and pitfalls. You just need to decide where the positives outweigh the negatives for your needs. For me, that place is Iceland.

And finally, what advice do you have for those visiting Iceland for the first time?

Respect nature! Like I have said, I encourage people to explore and have adventures. But do so with common sense and information. Always check the weather because it can become deadly very quickly. Do not attempt to climb active volcanoes. Follow local warnings for evacuations, restrictions, and closings. Dress appropriately and bring supplies. Do not drive on an F-Road in a Toyota Yaris. In fact, double-check that Google Maps has not taken you down an unpaved back road that cuts through a mountain pass and is rated for 4x4s only. (For that last one, I speak from experience, but that is a story for another day).

* Editor’s notes about ‘Þetta reddast’

The quintessentially Icelandic phrase ‘Þetta reddast‘ loosely translates into English to ‘this will work out.’ It is the Icelandic attitude of not being too worried about how exactly things will turn out; they will sort themselves out in the end. This attitude and phrase often infuriate non-Icelanders when they encounter it, so come prepared for a little bit of ‘þetta reddast!’ My personal opinion is that this attitude is helpful in life but can easily get you into a lot of unnecessary trouble if you rely on it entirely, as Icelanders tend to do!