Interview: Anna Soley loves being outside

Surge of the summit and sea

Anna Soley Herbertsdottir works as a passenger service supervisor at the airport in Akureyri and ground safety officer at Icelandair. She enjoys cross-country skiing and walking in nature.

TEXT: Eyglo Svala Arnarsdottir PHOTO: Arni Saeberg

How many years have you worked at Air Iceland Connect and what is your position there?

I’ve worked at Air Iceland Connect for six years. I work as a passenger service supervisor, prepare load registers for departing aircraft, check in passengers, service cargo, respond to emails and answer the telephone. In Akureyri we help each other out a lot and therefore it’s preferable to know how to handle most things and have the rights to perform different tasks. I sometimes have to de-ice airplanes, for example, if there’s no one else around to do it. I’m also a ground safety officer; I’m responsible for safety on the ground. I receive notifications from staff about anything that’s out of the ordinary and register a lot of information and therefore the work is very confidential.

Do you like your job?

I love it. It’s fun and diverse. I used to work in a fishing lodge by Vatnsdalsá river [in Northwest Iceland] in the summer and as a massage therapist in the winter. But then I wanted to make a change and try something totally different. I’ve never regretted moving into aviation. The atmosphere is good and the workdays are never the same; it’s a job you can never get tired of. It’s also a large group of colleagues. Even though all of us aren’t in the same location we work together in unison; I work with people from all over the country. We work closely together. Everyone wants to help each other out and everyone is kind to one another. That’s what makes it so great.

You come from Dalvik, a small town in Northeast Iceland. Can you tell us about growing up there?

I have four older brothers. I’m the youngest child by far and have always been very independent. Both of my parents worked outside of home, so I often had to take care of myself, making my own lunch, often canned fish balls or Royal instant pudding. My friends all wanted to come over to have Anna’s fish balls! I also brought the girls home with me for chocolate cake because I’ve always enjoyed baking. I spent the summers helping out at the farm Haukagil in Vatnsdalur. At 16 I moved to live by myself in Akureyri and people didn’t think anything of it, even though I was quite young.

You also trained as a skier.

Yes, I trained in alpine skiing and was even on the teenage national team. But at some point I couldn’t be bothered with downhill skiing anymore. It always took the whole day. Now I prefer cross-country skiing. It suits me better. I don’t have to go out for more than one hour at a time. I have to go outside and exercise in order to function. Akureyri is a skiing paradise. Hlidarfjall resort is fabulous and Kjarnaskogur forest is wonderful for cross-country skiing. I’ve managed to get a few people into the sport! My eight-year old son practices cross-country skiing but my older son isn’t interested. I need the outdoors and exercise to function.

You also keep busy in the kitchen.

I really like cooking and baking. Fortunately, I like exercising too because I eat so much! I think it’s fun to try something new, study recipes and try to make them healthier. If you read the chat between me and my friend, it’s all about “have to tried this and that?” – I can talk endlessly about food!

What kind of outdoor recreation do you do in summer?

Krossanesborgir [in Akureyri] is one of my favourite places. It’s a hidden gem. Many locals don’t know how beautiful it is. I say that I’m going out for a run, but I just walk around because I’m not good at running. I enjoy being outside in nature, up close to the cliffs and the sea, surrounded by the bustling birdlife. It’s important to remember to rejoice – not always be in a rush.

Is Akureyri a nice place to live?

I really like living in Akureyri. I have everything I need here. I couldn’t think of living in a bigger place because I’m such a country girl. My parents live in Dalvik and it doesn’t take long to drive there, about 30 minutes. It’s like living in different neighbourhoods in Reykjavik. I have one brother in Svarfadardalur and another in Vatnsdalur. These are my favourite places – along with Dalvik!