On an Arctic Island with Cecilia Blomdahl
Oct 08, 2021
Have you ever wondered what it’s like to live in the North Pole? In this episode, Sharon gets the inside scoop on Arctic living from photographer and TikTok sensation Cecilia Blomdahl. Cecilia lives in the northernmost town in the world on the Arctic island of Svalbard. Though not exactly the North Pole, Cecilia sees her fair share of polar bears and reindeer. As well, she spends two months of the winter in complete darkness and two months of the summer in 24-hours of sunlight. From living in a cabin with no running water to whale watching from her front porch, Cecilia’s life is anything but ordinary. Join Sharon and Cecilia as they talk about Cecilia’s grand adventures in Svalbard.
Links to Full Episode:
This Episode Will Teach You:
- What it is like to live on the arctic island of Svalbard
- Location of Svalbard
- Why Cecilia lives there
- Unique ways of life on Svalbard
- The meaning of polar night and midnight sun
- What the Northern Lights look like
- How to live among polar bears
- Flora and fauna of Svalbard
- Difference between summer and winter in Svalbard
3 Biggest Takeaways:
- Cecilia Blomdahl lives on the archipelagic island of Svalbard, the northernmost town in the world. Living in the arctic, Cecilia lives an extraordinary life. She lives in a cabin and typically takes a shotgun on walks with her dog in case of a polar bear attack. Within her small village, there are bars, shops, hotels and churches. Cecilia and Sharon discuss “polar night,” the term for the complete darkness Svalbard experiences 24/7 for two and half months during the winter, and “midnight sun,” the term for 24 hours of sunlight Svalbard experiences during the summer months.
- Cecilia explains how she lives in her cabin with no running water. She usually takes showers at the local gym and does her laundry at a friend’s house - not to mention she has an incendiary toilet. She also describes the geography of Svalbard and the nearby villages. People can only travel to different villages by boat in the summer and by snowmobile in the winter.
- Lastly, Cecilia describes the incredible flora and fauna that surround her, including the 3,000 polar bears and 20,000 reindeer that live on the island. Sharon and Cecilia also discuss the beauty of the Northern Lights and what it looks like to travel to Svalbard by plane. Cecilia also explains that in the summer, she is able to see many whales and newborn animals, such as baby reindeer. She also tells Sharon the story of the close encounter she had with polar bears.
About the Guest:
Cecilia Blomdahl is originally from Sweden and moved to Svalbard 6 years ago. Growing up she spent a few years in Ireland as a child, and then continued to travel after high school. She works as a photographer and videographer in Longyearbyen, as well as creating content for her social media channels. Cecilia lives in a cabin outside the village of Longyearbyen, with her boyfriend Christoffer and her finnish lapphund Grim. She shares with her followers a different way of life on an island with Polar Bears. Her cabin has no running water, and she even has to carry a gun with her just to walk her dog.
