Meet Us, Don't Eat Us!

#4 What about being in Iceland is a new experience for you?

A new experience for me was the opportunity to advocate for animals - specifically, for whales. Being from Kansas, I've had very few encounters with whales and I've never thought about using them as a food source, but this is a regular practice that Icelanders think and debate about. I knew even before I came to Iceland and learned more about the commercial whaling topic that I did not want to eat whale meat, but I didn’t have a good reason for why, and some of the team that went on the trip even said that they weren’t against eating whale meat if they were offered it. The first night in Reykjavik, the team had the opportunity to eat a traditional Icelandic meal at an Icelander’s home. When she was asked about her opinion on eating whale meat, her answer was “Why wouldn’t we eat it?” Her answer made me question my view on it, because as an outsider who has very little knowledge of Iceland’s whaling situation, I feel like I should not be able to try and convince those who have lived in Iceland their entire lives to change an aspect about their culture. Through the Whales of Iceland exhibit as well as learning from leaders of the Meet Us Don’t Eat Us organization, I was able to defend my opinion against commercial whaling and believe in it wholeheartedly. I’ve never advocated for an animal species before, but I’m proud of the work I was able to do and hope that I did help the whales. Even if only one of the tourists I talked to decide to not eat whale meat, I will be happy.Read more