Culture of coincidences by Sigridur Fossberg

Video: Inception (Unusual chair at University of the Faroe Islands).

Wednesday was the first really sunny day. The sea glistening from the rays of the sun. I stepped outside from the cylinder like room at Uni on to the fire escape on the fourth floor, trying desperately to think of what to write for my blog. As I watched the seamen working below me, I remembered how perplexed I’ve been, that the Uni here in Tórshavn, the capital of the Faroe Islands, is located right in the mddle of the industrial harbour area. 

Figure1The industrial harbour area of Tórshavn

An area that can be pretty noisy and dirty. I was told that was not the original plan - rather a coincidence in fact. The building was originally intended for local businesses in the marine industry. It was no ordinary building however, it was an old salt storage tower that had been renovated and extended to accommodate office space. 

As the population has been rising in the last few years and parts of the harbour area have been renovated, housing prices have gone up. Eventually the price became too high for the marine industry to handle, so other types of companies moved one by one, along with Uni.  

In Iceland, many things happen by coincidence, we're not big planners. I've been told it's similar here in the Faroes. We tend to go ahead and dive straight in, not thinking of consequences until later. I wonder if it's like that for islanders in general ;) 

Wouldn’t mind your input and comments here fellow island dvellers.

That day, the weather was sheer coincidence, the beautiful, beautiful weather. Some would say weather usually is. Seeing as the dates had been set a while back, there was no way of knowing beforehand if the weather gods would grace us or not. However, some specialists might possibly have seen it another way - as no coincidence, but part of the process of climate change. While the weather can't be pinpointed accurately beforehand, except for a few days maximum, one's perspective can be different based on pre-existing knowledge. 

Figure2Time Trap (Captured in a gym hall at a local school in Tórshavn. Slightly edited)

Some people say there are no coincidences, while others say there are only coincidences. I argue that both of those people are right. It's entirely possible that coincidences are created by our minds(ets) and expectations towards things that happen around us. I essentially believe, that coincidence are born in our minds and can only exist outside of our minds when commonly agreed upon. 

                                  Figure6Security Trap (Captured in a gym hall at a local school. Digitally edited)

Thinking along those lines has made me question a lot in life and think a little deeper before assessing what happens in my life. Coincidences or no coincidences aside, life is what you make it and I'm going to make the most of my stay here in the Faroe Islands. 

I’ll leave a few pictures below I have captured of life here in Tórshavn: 

Figure3Family Fishing at Tórshavn Harbour

Figure4Textured Beauty at Café by Tórshavn Harbour

Figure5A Gate to Timelessness