Things To Be Missed

I have been home for a little over a week now. It feels so strange. I guess that the time space compression of travel does lead to confusion of sorts.

In order to deal with my deep depression, I have decided to make the obligatory “Thing I’ll/I’ve Miss/ed”

• Attractive people… everywhere. Genetics man. These people all look like models. And honestly, I forgot how many obese and overweight people there are in the US. It didn’t even seem like a problem over there. The girls had little matchsticks for legs.
• Attractive people… on the inside. To follow with the superficial point, I want to say that Danish people are also the nicest people that I have met. They are willing to offer their help to a little lost American-English speaking Asian girl even if they are in a rush. They are personable people and unbelievably happy. As one person writes: 
  ” They are aren’t loud and vociferous like Italians or Spaniards, rude like some French people (don’t get me wrong, I love the French but they can be a little fussy!), or stone cold like the Germans. They are reserved and straight up quiet sometimes (they won’t ask you to move on the metro, even politely, but just shuffle around until you get the picture), but are great once you get to know them. Sarcastic but not insulting, they will tell you the truth straight to your face rather than skirting the issue. They enjoy having a good time (Vestergade on a Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, or Saturday night is proof) and getting together to share cozy momenta with friends and family. ” - http://jlredel.wordpress.com/
• Cute blonde children in snowsuits. Surprisingly there are no baby snatchers in Denmark. This goes against all reason since the kids are beyond adorable.
• Danish dinner parties. Birthday parties. Parties. You arrive at 6pm and you stay until 1am or later. That’s a given. No matter who you’re with, you’ll have fun. It’s an intimate occasion but the Danes are willing to be inclusive. I was never at a party where I felt uncomfortable (and that’s saying something). Sure they may speak Danish. But you can count on someone translating a joke or a birthday song to you… even if they’re so drunk they can’t remember English words.
• Skoal!
• Glaedelig Jul. The Christmas season starts at the end of October. It’s truly a beautiful sight to behold - the city feels alive. Everything is festive. It made so giddy. I remember seeing the decorations on Fiolstraede and having this flood of ecstasy. I will never forget the advent wreaths, countdown candles, julehjerter, julfrokost, risengrod, glogg, tuborg julol, and the overall atmosphere.
• Tivoli. Speaking of holidays…. this is the ultimate amusement park. They celebrate Halloween and Christmas in this place better than America ever could.
• UNESCO World Heritage Sites. There’s only three. You can afford to go to all of them. Trust me. They’re breathtaking.
• Hyggeligt. Candles. Blankets. Pajamas. A nice fire in the iron stove. Candy and alcohol optional. Better than your average night in. The Danes really take comfort to a whole other level. It’s almost an art.
• Rejseplanen/Public transportation. My good friend. It got me through a lot. Sure there were drunkards during the holiday season. But overall, the trains were clean and the stations were impeccable. 
• My hour commute. I felt like an adult (sometimes). 
• Bikes. The fact that it’s more likely you’d get run over by a bike instead of a car says a lot.
• Weird weather. Rainiest summer? Check. Late summer? Check. 70 degrees in October? Check. Random rain showers? Check. No snow at all? Check. Predictable? Not at all.
• Flodeboller. Pebernodder. Frickdeller (Skagen variety included). Aebleskiver. Pork tenderloins. Such good food. Somehow no one ever tells you how much you will eat during your stay. So hard to leave behind.
• Shwarma. Kylling. Fries.
• Coin offers. I went to McDonald’s (Burger King included) enough to show how American I am. 
• Sankt Peder’s. Awesome (Danish) pastries. I wasn’t a fan of the Copenhagen Snegel… I know shoot me. But I loved the croissants, pigs in a blanket, and everything else. Hell. I indulged in Chai lattes most of the time.
• Agne’s Cupcakes. Wow. I could get fat and be content. 
• Netto & Tiger. Quintessential discount stores to visit.
• Gina Tricot. Vero Moda. H&M. And Stroget in general. Clothing eye candy. Very affordable stores (except for Stroget). And good thing I didn’t find them until the end. I would have spent way too much money there otherwise.
• Magasin and Illum. The Saks Fifth of Denmark. Or Bergdorf Goodmans to be precise. I’ll miss the lego Hagrid and Harry Potter they had for Christmas.
• Legos. They have a Legoland. Come on!
• Travel breaks/travelling for the hell of it. Weekend trips hath no fury like the budget student traveler. 
• My amazing room. I had a nice TV and my own bathroom. A little hygge cave for me to cuddle in.
• Host family. Ganlose. Maggie.  

It’s funny. While all students have different study abroad experiences, we all tend to end up with the same lists.

The Moral Dilemma

So Margaret and I had a moral dilemma last night:
Do we go out on the last weekend in Copenhagen like good study abroad students?

And the answer is no. Honestly, I felt so good staying home (like I do all the time anyways).

After a delicious last meal of frickadellers, potatoes and super sauce, the house had a very cozy feeling. It was a nice feeling being in my host home watching TV, drinking tea and talking. We had ice cream and all other bad things for my figure. And my host brothers were so talkative. It was great. My host grandparents, Ove and Vinie, are so cute. They try really hard to speak to me in English. And while they say they are “not so good”, they are actually wonderful. It’s such a pleasure to get to know them. 

I got to find out about their families and almost everything. Apparently they walk to Copenhagen 3 or 4 times a week. It’s a 3 to 4 hour walk too. It’s incredible that they do that. They go into the city, have a cup of coffee and it’s time to go! Even though I am young, I don’t think I could ever do that!! That’s probably why Ove and Vinie are so fit.

When they gave me my Christmas present at the end of the night, I almost lost it. It is a gorgeous Georg Jensen Christmas ornament. Just so I have a little piece of Denmark for next year (and this year too). They are the sweetest people ever. As I was hugging them, I felt like I was going to cry. This was definitely the right decision. 

(By the way, my host grandparents make the best Copenhagen cookies. Just like the ones I ate when I was a kid but oh 100x better)

This Doesn’t Feel Like A Glaedelig Jul Just Yet

I think it means merry Christmas. I’m not actually sure.

But at least I finished my finals. Hoo-ah. Hoo-ah.

While I was smiling from ear to ear knowing I was done, I was pretty depressed on the inside knowing that it means I would be kicked out of the country… in say 2 days. So to celebrate my happiness/sadness, Margaret and I went to eat lunch at Chili Milli’s for the last time. 

And instead of going to get closure in the form of the DIS ceremony, we went to Roskilde. It’s good to escape. We had to check off the UNESCO world heritage sight that is the Roskilde Domkirke. Lovely! A short train ride later, we were in this cute little town. Apparently this used to be the capital of Denmark. Which is probably why it’s so nice. 

Here is the significance of the church: it is the first brick gothic Lutheran church of its sort in Northern Europe. Therefore it inspired the others. Also its pretty damn old. Something about it being the site of a church since 1200s. And it helps that the spires dominate the Roskilde skyline. All in all, it’s beautiful and completes my whirlwind visit of the three UNESCO world heritage sites (Jylling Stones and Kronborg).

After I had to go souvenir shopping. Oh the places I’ll go… and how much it will cost me.