yosh to my people in the emba-ssay!

I went to a reception thrown by the U.S. Embassy last night celebrating their new Political and Economic counselors, who happen to be married to each other, temporary downstairs neighbors of mine, and longtime IR regulars. I got a hand-delivered invitation in my mailbox last week that began, "The Ambassador of the United States requests the pleasure of your company..." and it's not every day that happens to me. (You mean that Ambassador? The plenipotentiary one?) I was honored to be invited and knew I had to go.

The reception was at the newish Red Chili place that's kitty-corner from the Alþing, and as expected featured free drinks, light food, and lots of people in suits. But what wasn't expected was that as soon as I would shake hands with the very first Embassy staffer I met he would say, "Jared! Nice to finally meet you! How was Akureyri?" Shocked at how he had come across this information, freshly road-weary from the 5-hour-drive back from the north, and thinking something Big-Brotherly ("Wow, they are watching me even here. We've always been at war with Eastasia.") I must have looked a little like a deer in the headlights. But then this gentleman quickly explained to me that he was in fact a big fan of the Iceland Report and reads it religiously.

I subsequently met a few more gott fólk from the Embassy, and apparently the IR has quite the following over there on Laufásvegur. So here's a big shout-out to my peeps at the U.S.E. Keep representin'!