Dear Genevieve...

So about a month ago I was on twitter which I never ever go on.  I follow Genevieve Gordor, the designer from trading spaces, the judge on design star, and the host/designer of the show dear genevieve.  Her status had said that she was looking for interns in the new york area.  I figured I'd email her to give it a shot.  I never knew I would get a response let alone an interview.  It was kind of exciting.  I feel like I didn't have to do much to get the job.  Did they like my portfolio? or my personality? hmm....  I never thought I would have an internship with hgtv.  Initially I was worried that it would be too different from the things I'm doing in school.  However, my thoughts have changed.  I'm doing plans in cad, learning about functionality and aesthetics, networking, experiencing directing and film, and making new friends.  My first day was quick and laid back.  I put a floorplan into autocad which took 30 mins then I was done for the day.  My second day was completely different.  I had to run a lot of errands with one of the design assistants, both of which are super nice.  We were driving and driving, getting lost and running into stores on our way to a site for a reveal.  When we were about 15 mins away from the house, she gets a call.  When she hangs up she says to me "Ok, your going to be on camera for a few minutes." Then she gives me the up down to see what I was wearing saying "You're good."  REALLY? my mind went blank.  Me on camera? seriously? this was going to be interesting.  I got anxious and started to sweat.  How do I act? should I speak? do I look at the camera? OY It turns out they were just filming us upacking the car and bringing the products into the house.  It took all of 5 minutes and then it was over....or so I thought.  Throughout the day, I was photographed and filmed.  It was so surpising.  Why me? I mean, is cleaning a stove or planting a succulant that interesting? They were filming me, and only me, multiple times.  What surprised me the most was how I felt.  I wasn't anxious or nervous in front of the camera which shocked me because I can barely speak in front of a group.  It was a great experience.  The best part of the day was meeting Genevieve.  She walks into the room saying hi to everyone.  She gets to me and says "Hello strange boy." Throughout the day she would have conversations with me about random things like school, ideas, life, etc.  She is one of the nicest and most down to earth people I've met.  While she was getting her makeup done in a back room, she was speaking to her assistant who was in the doorway.  I was waiting in the hall when I hear Genevieve say to her assistant "Tell Billy I want to wrap him up and take him home."  She is now my favorite person.  She had just met me a few hours earlier. Did I make that good of an impression? I guess so =)

start of senior year

So ever since my return from Denmark, my posts on here have been pretty much non existent.  I guess it doesn't really matter because I only have like 5 people following me.  However, a lot has happened in the past few months.  After my birthday, school came quickly.  Usually it is such a burden; only giving me anxiety and stress while making me insane.  Things have changed a bit.  I am actually enjoying school =X  I never thought those words would ever be in my mind let alone stay there for what has been 2 weeks already.  Now, I don't want to jinx anything but I am actually happy.  I don't want to give the impression that I am always depressed or upset, but this year is starting off super well.  I have a new found confidence in myself.  The anxiety and worries about stupid things has seemingly melted away.  I can just walk up to people and start conversations without having my face look like a tomato.  When it comes to presentations, I am so much more comfortable now; not worrying about every shakey word that comes out of my mouth.  I have no idea what brought about this change, but it is about freaking time.  Also, in the past few months I feel like I have really found myself in some very personal ways.  I've done some soul searching and a lot of thinking and I feel like that has a bit to do with my newly acquired confidence.  Either way, my point is that I am extremely happy. 

I am officially 21

Since Copenhagen, my life has been pretty uneventful.  I learned and experienced so much in Denmark but it all seems like a great dream now.  I wish so badly to go back.  Even though it was stressful at times living in an unfamiliar country with an unfamiliar family, i miss it so much.  Life in Denmark was so much easier than here.  Now that I'm officially 21 years old as of 15 minutes ago, things are not different; not like I expected them to be.  It's just that nothing has gone as planned this summer.  I didn't reach any of my goals and its been quite boring.  I don't mean to get sentimental but I need a change.  I'm sick of worrying and not reaching my expectations.  I'm sick of how some people act.  I just need to go back to school.  I never thought I'd say that but it's true.  I need to move out of this house and get away.  I need to start living more spontaneously, which is super hard for me, the person who plans out everything.  I do love my life and everyone in it but I need something more.  I know it is said that nothing is impossible, but right now I disagree.

LAST day in Denmark, just feels WEIRD

Now that I only have 25 hours left in Denmark, it´s starting to feel weird though it doesn´t feel like I´m going home.  I am so anxious and excited to get home.  I can not wait to see my cat and dog, my cousins, my parents, and my friends.  But I feel like once I get home, it´s going to feel like this was all a dream.  Even though time went super fast, I can´t believe how much I´ve done.  It feels like I´ve been here forever.  The closing ceremony is in an hour and it feels weird.  It feels like the opening ceremony was just yesterday.  I was looking at all the pictures I´ve taken this semester and it felt so weird.  The pictures from Greece feel like so long ago nevermind the pictures from Sweden and Finland.  My host mom saw me packing and she said "No no Billy, you´re not allowed to pack.  It´s too weird." 

I´m going to miss the mom and the dad the most.  They have been nothing but kind, helpful, caring, and generous.  We´ve had many chats where we would talk for hours about life.  They would vent to me about their worries and concerns.  The dad vented to me about his kids having a party.  He came into my room, shut the door and sighed heavily.  twice.... and I would vent to them about school and work and my worries about everything.  Staying with a host family made these 4 months so much easier.  Knowing I had a home to go to with people who cared made it much less stressful.  They have asked me what I am going to miss the most and I couldn´t answer.  However, I think my answer is them. 

SO ready kinda sorta?

After my horrible day yesterday I am so ready to head home.  I am kinda sorta fed up with the studio program here, specifically my teacher.  I have loved every other class here in Denmark.  I've learned so much.  But when it comes to studio, I feel like I've been thrown backwards.  My crit yesterday did not go so well.  I won't go into detail but it confused me.  It's something that could have been avoided 7 weeks ago if someone would have told me.  UGH.

On a brighter note, I heard back from an internship with a top event planning/desiging company in manhattan that has done things for tv shows on ABC, CBS, TNT, etc, and for many celebrities.  It sounds pretty exciting.  Athough it isn't directly related to interior design, it is definately a branch off.  I just have to schedule an interview when I get home (which I am kinda sorta dreading.)

I leave for the U.S.A in 2 days! and while these 4 months have been amazing, this last week has made me so eager to go home.  Things are changing with relationships and life that need to go back to normal.  I kinda sorta and super confused but reality will be hitting me in a few days, thank god. 

reaching my finale in Denmark

Within the past two weeks, many things have happened.  Like with any school, finals and papers and projects have basically consumed my time.  Although, we had a little break in there where I went on the school trip to Bornholm with some friends.  It's a beautiful island south of Sweden that belongs to Denmark.  It has pretty woods, waterfalls, ruins, cliffs, and expansive green fields.  However, from the moment we stepped off the over night ferry (which was horrible due to absolutely no sleep) a smell of horse poo and sea breezes filled the air.  Thinking we would get away from it as we headed to the hostel, we didn't think much of it.  We were wrong.  This stink covered the island.  How could a smell FILL the air everywhere?  Everywhere we went, besides deep into the woods, this smell followed.  At one point after biking around 15 miles it got so bad we were almost gagging.  My friend Jess asked her host parents, who have a summer home there, about this wonderful smell.  They said that horse poo is mixed with water and sprayed over the crop fields early spring. Sure it is more beneficial for the plants to be sprayed on, but come on, what about us bikers who are inhaling this nastiness?  NEJ TAK! 

On our last night in Bornholm, Emily, Ben and I went on top of a cliff by the water overlooking the town and the sunset.  It was beautiful.  After taking in the scenery and taking a nice group picture, it was time to get down to business....the classic jump picture.  Now, it is quite hard to master the art of timing your jump with the cameras action, but I think we mastered it in our 20 tries.  We got some pretty cool looking pictures and we had a lot of fun =)

After not sleeping on the over night ferries and biking almost 25 miles, I was exhausted and ready to return to Allerod (the town where I live.)  But when I got home, I realized that there was only 2 weeks left.  In 2 weeks I would be leaving and going home.  That was a week ago.  Now, there's only 6 days! it is crazy.  While I am so ready to return home, it's a little upsetting.  I have had the time of my life here.  I've had so many new and amazing experiences.  I've met one of the sweetest families who I will miss so much.  I think I've learned more while I was here than ever before.  My host family keeps saying how I only have a week left and how weird it is.  The mom said "I wish you could have stayed for a full year.  Now that we know you so well, it would be nice to have you longer."  I agree completely.  While a year is a really long time, a semester is pretty short.  Being that I'm such a shy person, it probably took them awhile to get to know me and for me to open up.  Either way I am super glad I got to stay with them.  

My final presentation for design is tomorrow and I have a final on thursday.  After that, I pack up and head home.  I never expected anything that has happened here in Denmark.  I never expected to bond so much with people.  I never expected to LOVE my host family.  I never expected to experience any of the things I did; the little moments, the trips or the travels.   I never expected to learn much of what I learned here about design, life, and myself.  6 days until I leave.  6 days until it is over.  6 days until reality kicks my butt.   

"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.