The secret of happiness in Iceland? Is in the water

(CNN) – When it comes to socializing, England has its pubs. Italy has its piazzas. And Iceland has its outdoor pools.

On a snowy afternoon in February, the outdoor pool in the West End of the capital Reykjavik was packed. Laughter and talk filled the air.

This is meeting place in Iceland. And in a country with minimal light during the long gray winter, these pools may be the key to Icelandic happiness.

Iceland’s natural environment, while impressive, can be very harsh and bleak. Snow, sleet and rain saturate the atmosphere during the winter on the island, with a population of 332,000 people, the majority concentrated around Reykjavik.

Most seek shelter, but if they are outdoors, you will find them in the hot pools and jacuzzis that almost every neighborhood has. Tourists tend to flock to the well-known Blue Lagoon, but if you want to meet the locals, go to a neighborhood pool.

This unique culture has attracted the interest of researchers at the University of Iceland, including folklorist Valdimar Hafstein.

Despite the harsh climate, Iceland is often in the top three of the happiest countries in the world. Hafstein and his fellow researchers believe the pools are one of the reasons for this.

“If you think about health and wellness not just as a matter of physical health and not having illness, but also mental and social aspects, I think geothermal heat and community pools have a lot to do with that,” Hafstein said. “We feel good here. We meet our neighbors, we meet them at the pools. It creates a good atmosphere, and you feel at home here.”

In the 1950s and 1960s, Iceland switched from coal-fueled heat to geothermal energy, harnessing the power of the island’s volcanic activity. The infrastructure allowed the construction of community swimming pools, which have broken social barriers since then.

“When we meet in the pool, we chat, and that is a space of freedom, where you are comfortable to talk to other people,” Hafstein said. “People from all walks of life go to the pool, so you have, mixed in the same jacuzzi, people who live in the area, be it the teacher or the student, the construction worker or the businessman, the billionaire or the car salesman. Everyone gets together. “

There are some rules to observe. Don’t talk about things that are too personal; stay on social issues. Do not shake hands; a simple gesture is enough. And be sure to shower before and after entering the pool. Icelanders take pool hygiene very seriously.

Hafstein has his own routine. Every Monday morning, he meets his friends at the West End pool at 7 a.m., before work. They sit in one of the hot tubs, snowflakes falling on their heads, and talk about life – an experience as unique as Iceland and its people.
This article was originally published in 2017