FAROE FRIDAY: FØROYAR, HER KOMI EG!

On March 28, 2008, the question was posed by a flight attendant from Atlantic Airways: And today, that question can be answered: July 21st, 2009.

I've been contacted by the Faroese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and invited to visit the country as their guest. Or in other words, they're flying me out there and hosting me for about a week and a half. I'll get to attend the G! Festival and see the big national holiday, Ólavsøka.

Needless to say, I am thrilled beyond words. It's really a stunning turn of events. Two years ago, I stumble upon a country I'd not previously heard of and become deeply obsessed. As the months pass, I begin blogging about the place and eventually start a podcast about it. And now I'm going there.

While it's going to be a lot of fun, I'll be doing some work there as well. I'll be scooping up lots of sound and interviews for the podcast, and photos for the blog. In addition, I'll be traveling with my friend Thomas, who edits and produces materials for ABC. He'll have a HD camera with him and we'll be shooting some videos that we'll post at a later date. (Julie will be six months pregnant, that's why she's not coming with me.)

I'm also excited to meet in person some of the people from the Faroes I've gotten to know online and through the podcast. I will be traveling to a far off land for the first time, but in many ways I feel like I already have many friends there.

Some people upon hearing of my travel plans have said something to the effect of, "with all you've done for the Faroe Islands, you deserve this." I disagree. I don't know if anyone deserves anything so amazing. But perhaps, if Thomas and I can produce some really great work while we're there, I can become more deserving of this overwhelmingly generous thing that has been done for me.

And despite all the wordiness above, I really am speechless.

(Special thanks to my friends in the Faroes, Tollak Hansen and Elin Heinesen, without whom none of this would be happening.)