"I'm in a Fog"

Today was Esbens confirmation party.  It was more like a low key wedding.  Last time they had a family party it was pretty awkward.  They all spoke Danish while I sat in the corner.  So I snuck to the bathroom and didn't go back.  That was only a party of 10.  When they told me this party was almost 55 I became scared.  55 Danes + 1 American = FAIL.  In the beginning I felt like I was in a fog; just going with the flow.  However when it was time for dinner, my table mates spoke to me a few times in english so it wasn't as awkward as I thought it would be.  

The Danes really do know how to throw party.  It was a mix of a wedding and a sweet 16.  55 guests at the house, catered food, 'waitresses', name cards, speeches, songs, and of course family and alcohol (do the two go hand in hand?).  While that sounds pretty formal is was quite "hyggeligt" (cozy).  The speeches and songs were funny (I'm basing that on everyone laughing since I couldn't understand much of them), and personalized.  They took tunes from songs and changed the words to fit with Esben and his personality.  It was pretty cool.  And of course the food was great.  Chicken in orange sauce, bean salad, pesto potatoes, tasty bread, salad with mozzarella and avocado, chocolates and cookies, chocolate cake, and vanilla ice cream with strawberry sauce. YUM.  Overall it was a very nice party even with the awkwardness.  The love for each other could be felt in the air and the comfort and joy was beaming.  Those are the things that made it successful.   

 

the clock is ticking

My time here in Denmark is winding down.  I only have three short weeks left; one of which is another break.  I'm not going to get sentimental just yet because my journey is not over.  However, three weeks is not long at all.  Especially when it is filled with tests and projects and presentations.  It's going to fly by.  Although Denmark is amazing and everything I'v been through here has been life changing, I am definately ready to return home.  I'm ready to see my family and friends, my dog and cat, my garden and plants, even my crappy car.  I've learned so many new things during my stay here, yet I've learned that living without the little things and the people from home is extremely difficult.  In that way, this trip was life altering all the way around.  Lets hope these next few weeks will be amazing and that I can leave Denmark on an even higher note then right now, if that's possible =)

eye opening chat

After dinner with my host dad tonight, we started to vent to each other about life and our worries.  He told me about how he is trying to keep his familys future comfortable; how he is trying to keep his life stable.  He went into saying his plans for his life and how he would like his childrens lives to turn out.  He is genuinely concerned about happiness.  Although I think planning out every year of your life is not the best thing, the goal behind him doing that is spot on.  We got to talking about personalities and ways of living.  His job is to analyze people that his company hires to see if they are really qualified.  Then he told me how he has been trying to figure me out.  At first, it took be by surprise.  But after hearing his thoughts and me telling him about myself, I realized that I need to figure myself out.  I told him how I worry about everything and that I am extremely shy.  The things that he told me about personalities and myself were so accurate it was eye opening.  "Out of all the american students that we've had (7 in total), your door has been open the most.  Yet you have told us that you are very shy.  I personally love how your door has been open and you let us in."  I think that statement is one definition of who I am.  I may not initiate conversations or put myself out there, but my door is always open.  I am always open to conversation and new things.  He then started to ask me why I think I am shy and what makes me so shy? is it because I have always been told I am? or because it is comfortable to be so?  Those are amazing questions.  He told me to think about those ideas and see if the shyness and other aspects of myself balance each other out, showing that I am shy, or if I am acting shy because it is comfortable.  This is crazy.  What to think?  I am saying that it is a combination of the two.  Right now, being shy throughout my life has made me comfortable with being introverted. Maybe?  

In the beginning of my stay here, near the end of the first month, he told me that he had a dream about me.  He said he dreamt that I would be something special.  He also said that his dreams usually come true.  I took that as a compliment, but didn't think to much about it.  However, he would always bring it up when we talked one on one; saying that there was something about that dream.  After tonight, and finding out not only something about myself but that he is very in tune with personalities, I have never felt so questionable and so complimented especially at the same time.  Talking with him tonight really made me think about myself and about who I am.  I realized that I don't truly know who I am yet.  While that is semi-scary, this conversation opened my eyes.  It made me realize that it is ok to question things.  It is ok to be unsure, to be worried, to be uneasy.  The only thing I can do is think, question, wonder, and at some point find out. 

partying with the queen and galloping on an icelandic horse

Today, April 16th, 2010, was Queen Margarethe II's 70th birthday.  Yes, it was insane.  Pictures of her appeared on banners, paintings, postcards and cakes.  Danish flags were placed and hung everywhere.  They were on every building, every bus, ever light post, every little danish child.  As she does every year on her birthday, she came out onto the balcony of her palace and waved to her people.  Like every member of the Danish population, I tried to view this.  However, me and my friends barely got into the palace grounds because there was so many people.  It was just a sea of red flags swaying back and forth in anticipation of the pageant like wave of her majesty.  So we headed back to school before we got a glimpse of her.  However, we waited on a street where she soon passed in her carriage (which we thought might be bejeweled, but unfortunately wasn't) waving to hundreds of others doing the same as us.  Who knew the queens date of birth would cause so much enthusiasm? 

To top off such an historic day in Denmark, I rode an Icelandic horse.  My host family owns this beautiful icelandic horse who is just like a big dog.  He is so well trained and playful.  I've been with the mom to feed him once before, but this time I got a chance to ride him.  I was excited, but I figured it wouldn't be that different from riding any other horse.  I was wrong.  The saddle didnt have anything to hold on to.  It didn't have an foot holders.  And I had to use a rock to pull myself onto him.  After I found my balance and my heart stopped pounding from thinking I was going to fall off, it was an amazing experience.  We rode through the quiet woods as the sun was setting, past little lakes and streams, along side deer prancing through the leaves.  It's like everything else in my life drifted far away.  Suddenly there wasn't anything to think about.  That is until we started galloping.  I thought I was about to get thrown off, especially with nothing to hold on to.  However, once he gained speed it felt amazing.  It felt like when a hero in a movie is on a fast moving horse shown elegantly in slow motion. 

Graechenland with Lady Rara

This past week was full of beauty, relaxation, interesting chats, and amazing scenery.  Yes I'm talking about Greece.  The thing I wanted to see the most was the purity of the bright blue waters of Greece.  At first, it wasn't what I had expected.  Then we went to the island of Aegina and I found it.  Brilliant turqouise water that is just clear enough to see fish and a good amount of depth.  Unlike in New York where you can't even see your own feet 4 inches down.

Besides the water, this vacation was amazing.  Seeing the ancient ruins that are over 2000 years old was mind boggling.  Also, me being a semi-picky eater, I thought the food was sooo good.  Fried zuchinni, chicken gyros, chicken stuffed with ricotta cheese and peppers, greek salads, a cross between potatoe chips and french fries....yum yum. 

And of course this trip wouldn't have been nearly what it was without Rachel.  We had some lazy days and some active days.  We had some set backs and some major excitements.  It didn't really matter what we were doing because we can have fun anywhere. The fact that it was in Greece kind of made it epic.  Our other 2 friends Emily and Sami were there for the first few days and that was so fun.  They showed us around the streets of Athens and we had nice dinners out in the spring evenings with wine and good conversations.

I went to the Acropolis and Ancient Agora.   The Acropolis was a dissapointment.  It was being worked on so it was full of scaffolding and workers.  There are only 2 buildings on the mountain.  I thought there was still quite a few left.  It was still a great experience nonetheless.  As for Ancient Agora, now that almost gave me goosebumps.  The ruins of this merchant area are amazing.  Diverse buildings and different levels of being intact.  I went early in the morning and was the first one there.  It was so peaceful and fresh.  It was like waking up early from camping on a beautiful summer morning with a slight breeze, the sun on your face, and the fresh smell of greenery and flowers.  This beautiful park packed with history was so cool.  I was able to walk through the foundation and walls of an ancient Roman house into a courtyard of a huge ancient gynasium with only little stumps left from the 40 columns neatly in rows. 

Ja tak Graechenland, ja tak