Nothing fancy, just a quick entry

I don't have anything especially philosophical or thought provoking to put into this entry. But there are a few things I would like to share. Most importantly, my mom is in Copenhagen!

Last night I made chicken with Old Bay and mac & cheese for my host family. The supplies were graciously mailed over by Nick (along with many other American goodies including Reeses cups, peanut butter, and Goldfish). Thankfully everyone enjoyed the mac & cheese and more importantly they liked the Old Bay (I was hesitant about it at first, but then I thought, who doesn't like Old Bay?). I was very happy that they enjoyed it because it is such a Maryland food. Markus especially enjoyed the macaronie (it was only Kraft, nothing special). I figured he would like it though because it is a favorite of many kids and is always a good, easy staple food for poor college students. It's fun to make food and introduce my host family to American traditions-- especially because I am continuously learning about the Danish culture.

This morning my mom arrived in Copenhagen to embark on our European travel adventure. I am so ecstatic and happy she's here. My host family kindly offered to not only pick her up from the airport with me but to also let her stay with us at the house for the few days she is in Copenhagen. They are also making a Danish meal for us tonight. It will be great to travel around Europe together. We are going to a wonderful array of destinations-- Prauge, Vienna, Rome, and Berlin. I'm fortunate that she is here and that we get to do this together. I'm also very happy she is in Copenhagen and gets to meet my host family. Already this morning we were discussing that they should come to America and visit us. I can't contain my excitement, but I have to sit through a three hour class before it all begins. Hopefully it goes quickly.

Two Months

Hyggeligt (hoo-ga-leet). It's supposedly untranslatable and exclusively Danish. The closest that comes to describing it is: warm, cozy, enjoying time with family, surrounding yourself with good tidings. A hyggeligt atmosphere is one that consists of candles, good company, and varm chokolade. It's a tingly feeling in your stomach that signals contentment and satisfaction. Regularly my host family and I watch movies in candle light while drinking tea, this is hyggeligt. Wearing my oversized Nordic pullover sweater in the dim light of my room while writing a blog is hyggeligt. It's taken me awhile to wrap my head around the concept, but I think after two months, I'm finally getting it.

It's unbelievable two months have passed. Two more to go. But more importantly, two are gone. And in those two months I've acquired a good amount of knowledge about Denmark. I can tell you all the stops from my home to school on the E train: Hundige, Ishøj, Ny Eleberj, Sjælør, Sydhavn, Dybbølsbro, København H, Vesterport, Nørreport. I can explain how to get to Christiania or to Frue Plads. I know where to buy inexpensive coffee for 10 DKK (even though I don't drink coffee) and that the Living Room on the street over from Vestergade has the best chai lattes but is a bit pricey and that Riccos might be a better place to go. Istanbul Pizza has the cheapest slices for only 12 DKK where as at 7-11 it might be 25. I know how to navigate to the canal Nyhavn and the best spot to eat lunch if it's sunny out. I've learned that tucking your jeans into your socks is not goofy looking but actually practical to keep your ankles warm. And bringing a rain coat is important, because no where does the weather fluctuate like Copenhagen. Also, when on the train, don't get discouraged if it's somewhat silent and no one says "bless you" (or the Danish version) when you sneeze, even if you do it fifteen times. I know that coins are valuable (up to 20 DKK) and if you hear one drop, keep your eyes pealed and get on your hands and knees to search (every kroner counts). I've realized not to walk in the bike lane because I've witnessed people get run over. And although I know all that, there's still so much to learn in my two remaining months.

By no means am I Danish, but I'm not a tourist either. It's a funny concept, being stuck in the middle, not really belonging to either category. I understand Denmark more so than a tourist and I don't require a map. I have a valid train pass and a Danish social security card, but I still identify as American. It's complex, being a student abroad. It's a combination of belonging and wandering and figuring out where I fit. I'm certainly more aware than a traveler visiting for a week, but again, I'm obviously not Danish. This floating in between is tiresome at times but then it's invigorating at times. I feel unique in Denmark although there are many other students in the same position. I still am different than the vast majority of people on the island of Zealand; I'm not blonde, I don't speak Danish, and I like peanut butter (Danes don't) and hate licorice (Danes do). I'm temporary here but the impression Denmark will leave on me is permanent.

Other students from my school are preparing to go abroad in the spring semester. Ridiculously enough I find myself jealous of them. I know the excitement of boarding a plane and arriving in a new and entirely different country. I know what the adjustment is like; difficult at times but well worth it. I'm aware of the small talk with students from other schools and what it's like to dive into a new place and get lost on streets with names you can't pronounce. I know first hand what it's like to sink yourself deep into a culture so much that it's overwhelming but wonderful at the same time. Like I said, I have two months left and two months passed.

Aboard the Pearl of Scandinavia: Oslo, Norway

Of all the wonderful facts about studying abroad, being able to travel around Europe is close to the top of the list. It's amazing that within a few hours you can be transported to an entirely different country, rich with new culture and sights. Friday afternoon I boarded the cruise ship the "Pearl of Scandinavia" which would take me to Norway for the weekend. The itinerary for the weekend was to board the cruise boat around five and sail to Oslo that night. The arrival time was nine and we had until 4:30 to explore. Of course this wasn't a significant amount of time but it was enough to appreciate the city and to learn how expensive Oslo actually is.

I wouldn't exactly say that the ship was a "pearl" by any means, but it was a great deal money wise. The room was of course as big as a closet and I'm surprised the three of us (I roomed with two other DIS girls) were able to manage moving around. But the room is hardly an issue, we only used it as sleeping quarters. The cruise trip wasn't a DIS organized trip, but it might as well have been. There was an abundance of American students on the boat that weekend and they were of course easily recognizable. From my time in Copenhagen I've picked up the ability to decipher between the Americans and Danes. I hate to say it, but the Americans are easy to spot-- it's something about our walk and the way we carry ourselves that sets us apart from the Danes. But although there were many of us on the boat, I still find it impressive that it all came together. It was the first time I had booked and organized such a big excursion for myself. It's the first of many while I'm here though and I anxiously await each one. At first it was a bit worrisome, but now that I've done it, I'm excited for the rest.

Anyway, the first night I struggled with a bit of sea sickness, as many others did as well. At times the boat was swaying so much that you literally had to sit down because standing was too difficult. Because we were confined to a boat, there wasn't much to do. There were some activities on the boat as well as a few bars and dance clubs. I walked around a few of them with other students and for a brief period we watched a fashion show. But the first night was nothing to write home about-- it was the next day that truly

The next morning when I woke up I looked out onto the deck of the ship and it front of me was the breathtaking Nordic landscape of Oslo. The sun was still rising around eight and just barely touching the entire landscape. I ate breakfast and bundled into many winter layers to survive the cold day I was about to endure.

When I exited the boat it was hard to believe I was actually in another country. Oslo looks similar in many ways to Copenhagen-- the architecture isn't very different and the Nordic atmosphere of course is alike. We walked without really any clue as to what to do in Oslo. Eventually we ended up at the Opera House, Operahuset (in Norwegian) where the Norwegian opera and ballet perform. The building is quiet modern and interesting. The building is iced over but you are able to walk up in a spiral to the top without going inside. The bottom of the building slopes into the harbor and creates the illusion that there is no separation between the water and the concrete. I can't explain it very well because I'm not architecturally savy, but even a non-expert like me can tell that it is a magnificent and different building. After carefully climbing to the top of the building there's a beautiful view of the harbor and the city of Oslo. While at the opera house I meandered away from the group of girls I was with. When I was looking for the others (I wasn't in a panicked frenzy or anything, I was more just wandering around), I ran into another group of girls from the boat. They invited me to join them and without reluctance I lumped in with them and am so happy I did. I ended up having such a great time with the new group of girls (more so I think than I would have with the first group, but I won't get into that story).

Although the morning wind had a bit of a bite to it, as the day wore on into the afternoon the sun eventually warmed up Oslo enough so that we would comfortably walk around and even shed a few layers. The next stop on the list of things to see in Oslo was the sculpture garden. When we arrived at the Vigeland Sculpture Park my jaw nearly dropped. A giant iron gate leads into the park and inside there is an abundance of golden trees. The ground was frosted with a bit of snow and it felt like two seasons, fall and winter, were meshed together. Along the park were red and pink rose bushes iced over and dusted with snow. The park is full of bronze and granite sculptures and is something out of a fairytale. The bridge into the park is lined with larger than life statues of nudes in varying in momentary positions as if they were frozen in time. While walking along the bridge it's easy to imagine the statues coming to life. Across the bridge is a giant orb sculpture/fountain that is supposed to be a fetus. At the end of the park is the Monolith (like a totem pole). It's comprised completely of intertwined nude bodies. From what I've researched the Monolith is a little over 46 feet tall. But when I was looking at it, it seemed be hundreds.

After the sculpture park we visited the palace. While there we saw the changing of the guard. Thus far in my life I have seen three changing of the guards and each one has been unique. Each one is like a coordinated step dance and I still don't understand the necessity of it. I believe that it's mostly an honorary tradition and for show. We then headed to the main walking street (which looks almost identical to Strøget in Copenhagen). The street is lined with typical consumer and tourist traps.

When back on the boat, I ventured to the observation deck to watch us sail off. While up there I watched the orange sun descend back into the mountains and felt extremely grateful for the amazing and adventurous day I had. I watched Norway fade in the distance I couldn't believe that I had just seen a new country and had done it on my own.

Eb and flow

My time in Denmark has seemed to develop an eb and flow (hence the title). Sometimes it seems wild and full of events, other times it's more calm and regular. The past week has been mellow in comparison to others. I'm recovering from a nasty cold and cough, so I haven't been as active lately. The week went by fairly quickly and nothing particularly unusual happened. On Thursday I had lunch on the canal with a friend. I'm trying to soak up as much warm weather and sun as possible. I can tell that the cold is coming; the afternoons and nights have a bite to them already.

Then that night I had a friend over to my host family's for dinner. It was a good night. Carsten and Irene prepared a great meal for us. I don't know what it's called but we had a type of roast pork for the main dish (they explained that it's a common meal around the holidays), caramalized potatoes (which were delicious), and boiled potatoes (they eat a lot of potatoes in Scandinavia), and pickled red cabbage. The meal was delicious. With dinner we drank Somersby. I've become very fond of the Somersby Apple Cider drink here. It's a very popular drink that's an alternate to beer. It's a hard sparkling cider, but not high in percentage alcohol wise. They also have other flavors such as cranberry, pear, and elder-flower. I've tried the apple, cranberry, and elder-flower. The elder-flower is the most different and unique. It's actually made from flower nectar and is very sweet. For dessert Irene made æbleskiver, which is another traditional Christmas dessert. Æbleskiver are round pancake/donut like pastries that you dip in powder sugar and marmalade. We then had tea and coffee. It was a fun evening and I was happy to show off my host family. It's funny though because when my friend was over it really proved to me how well my host family and I click. We were joking and laughing as well as mocking each other in the way a family would. I feel lucky that I live where I do.

On Friday it was Kultur Natte (culture night) in Copenhagen. Kulture Natte is a night where over 200 museums, galleries, political buildings, exhibition halls, and other venues open to the public for the night. Of course you have buy a ticket to culture night (but it's only about $16). With the ticket you are allowed into any of those buildings/events as well as an all night train pass. It's a very sweet deal. Of course I bought a ticket and spent the night "immersing" myself in the Danish culture by visiting galleries and tourist attractions. The city was packed. In comparison to other cities, Copenhagen is pretty tame. The streets get somewhat crowded but for the most part it's never too crazy. On Kulture Natte it was jam packed every where. But it was a good thing and I enjoyed seeing the city in such a lively manner. That night I had shwarma for the first time (shaved beef inside pita with lettuce, tomato, and some kind of mayo-like-condiment). I didn't actually enjoy it, but I figured I had to try it while I was here. The rest of the night I explored with a few friends. We saw the Parliament building and climbed up the round tower in the center of the city. One of the activities I went to was hosted by DIS. It was a very unscary (but entertaining) haunted house. There was also pumpkin carving. Halloween isn't as popular in Denmark as it is in America. Some kids dress up but not nearly as much as home. There's also no adults that dress up. And they don't really carve pumpkins that much. Some Danes have carved them before, but it's not something they do every year like we do. At the DIS culture event they also had a pumpkin carving station. It was pretty funny watching some of the Danes maneuver carving the pumpkins. At least they were attempting. Then we strolled around the canal and I was glad I bundled up because it was a very cold night. After bathing in all the culture I possibly could, I headed back home to my nice warm bed.

The next day I visited one of the biggest shopping centers in Denmark with my family (a mall called City 2). There we window shopped and walked around. I had McDonalds and surprisingly, it's not much different than American. A few of the burgers are different and they have a pomme-frites (fries) sauce that we don't use (it tastes a lot like mayo). Markus and I had kid's meals and instead of a toy, the McDonalds gave us books. That's definitely different than America.

Today I went to the "magic forest" with Carsten, Irene, and Nana (the dog). It's not really a magic forest, it's just called that for some reason. It was a relaxing walk. Later when we returned home I made chocolate chip cookies for everyone. They weren't as good as Mom's, but they were all right. It was difficult to make them because I didn't have a measuring cup or teaspoon on hand. But they turned out pretty well I think. Also, the chocolate chips here are a little different. It seems that everything is nearly the same, but not quite. Everything is just different enough that it's noticeable. I mean this about all Danish culture, not just the cookies. But it always makes things more interesting.

Edinburgh, Scotland; Part 3

Thursday was the greatest day of the long study tour in my opinion. We crammed into the bus, yet again. Unfortunately the air conditioning wasn't working with about thirty young adults, it wasn't pleasant. But the scenery was beautiful. We drove along the country-side of the Trossachs andLoch Lommond. We arrived at the Glengoyne Distillery in the Highlands of Scotland and were all relieved to get off the disgustingly uncomfortable and hot bus (but like I said the scenery was beautiful, we saw lots of sheep, and I'll admit that I got a nice little nap). At the distillery we were given single-malt samples. I held the glass close to my nose and took a sniff. There was no way I was trying it. It smelled disgusting and I had nothing to chase it with. So I let someone else have my share. I couldn't bare the whiskey and I have no idea how the Scottish actually enjoy a drink like that.

After the distillery we had lunch at a pub called The Golden Lion in Stirling. For an appetizer we were served pâté (I didn't have any though, I wasn't feeling adventures with food that day). Then we had Shepard's Pie (of course because it's extremely Scottish) and then cheesecake.

The next part of the day is why it was absolutely amazing. After a bit of a hike up a cobblestone road, we arrived at the Stirling Castle. The Stirling Castle used to be the controlling point of Scotland and some parts of it date back to prehistoric times (when it was merely a fort). Atop the hill that the castle sits on, the scenery was breathtaking. There is no way I can describe it other than that. The view from the castle was simply gorgeous. It was some of the most beautiful landscape I had ever seen. I wish I could have captured it. The day was perfect because it was blue skies with puff-ball clouds. And the grass in Scotland is the greenest I'd ever seen. Apparently this is because of all the unicorns in Scotland (on our tour of the castle we were told that unicorns are a common symbol in Scotland and supposedly why the grass is so green... but no one ever catches them galloping across the grass, the only sign is the extreme green-ness). While we were there we toured inside the castle. Then we had some free time roam. We went to the rose gardens and looked over the edges of the castle wall where we had a magnificent view of town. I can't really describe much more of the castle. There's just something about being in a castle that feels mystical. And luckily they are scattered all over Europe. I have only been to one of the castles in Denmark, but I'm going to make sure I visit a few more.

Eventually we headed back to Edinburgh. I played some car games with friends to pass the time. I had dinner that night at a place called "Garfunkles" and at somewhat expensive (but delicious) pizza. That night the group was invited to go on a ghost walk of Edinburgh. On the tour (which was lead by a woman dressed all in black attire from what looked like the 18th century... bonnet and all) we went down below the city to the authentic vaults that were built in the 18th century. It was like a sewer-type structure. We were told that this was the area below the city that the poor would gather and heinous crimes would happen. In the vaults are numerous catacombs and chambers that are supposedly haunted by ghosts and spirits. Inside the vault it was damp and dark; the only light was from a few candles scattered around. It was musty as well. The group of us crammed into the tiny catacombs while the guide explained the strange happenings that occurred to other visitors. It was slightly uncomfortable and with a bunch of young people, of course we were attempting to startle each other (poking, making weird noises, acting strange). At one point one of my friends touched my leg and I nearly jumped into the air and screamed. It was very eerie being below the city, but I didn't feel any supernatural presence.

Above ground the tour guide explained the phenomenon of the body-snatchers in Edinburgh back in the seventeen and eighteen hundreds. She was pretty much telling ghost stories. Then she humorously demonstrated some of the torture punishments that would be done to those who disobeyed the king (she did these demonstrations, one which included slight whipping, on two unsuspecting fellow DIS students... it was actually pretty weird and some of us were unsure about the tour guide's sanity). But I suppose it was all in fun, the students only suffered slight lashes and a few bruises...

It was our last night in Edinburgh so we did a little exploring after the ghost tour. But eventually we all meandered back to our beds. The next morning we packed up our things, checked out of our hotel (after squeezing in one more academic visit by a government worker addressing us on the current state of Scottish mental health... but it was difficult to pay attention because it was at nine in the morning in a stuffy hotel meeting room). Then we headed back to Copenhagen. I was pretty sad to be leaving Scotland, partly because it was a beautiful and fun country but also because the group I was with was so fantastic. I think I could have been any where in the world and still had a good time. I felt so privileged to be on this adventure and now looking back on it, I think it's going to be, as corny as it sounds, some of the fondest memories I will have of my study-abroad experience. I really enjoyed getting to know my classmates and meet people from different backgrounds. I was a little worried at first, but it turned out to actually be quite refreshing. We were forced together, but it turned out very well. And of course, Scotland is an amazing place (the people, food, culture, surroundings, and scenery). As much as I love Denmark, it was great to have a change of pace.
*I didn't take this picture, a friend of mine did. But I just htought it was such a great picture of a few of us sitting on the wall at the Stirling Castle.

Glasgow & Edinburgh, Scotland; Part 2

The first thing Tuesday morning we did was head out for cultural visits. The class had a choice of going to the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum or the Gallery of Modern Art (GoMA). I chose to go to the GoMA. We were fortunate again that it was a gorgeous day out. The walk to the GoMA was short and when we arrived we were free to wander about the museum. I'm not much a modern art person per say, but the GoMA was a fun place to visit. It wasn't anything unlike the Museum of Modern Art in New York City. It was mostly contemporary art by local artists (with some national and international mixed in). A lot of the artwork had to do with social issues, such as the civil rights movement or oppression. It was interesting, but I wish I'd gone to the Kelvingrove. From what I heard about it and the pictures I saw, it would have been much more intriguing to me. I also think the Kelvingrove would have been more cultural (modern art seems to be the same across the board, no matter which country you go to... and sometimes I don't get the point of it). Anyway, if I ever venture to Glasgow again, I'll make sure to check out the Kelvingrove.

After our cultural visit we went to our academic visit. We all crammed into an office building to listen to a presentation based on the mental health and well-being of Scotland from an NGO perspective (whatever that means). The presentation was by a company called SAMH which is a mental health charity in Scotland. There they incorporate positive psychology to help citizens of Scotland better their mental health. One thing I liked about the positive psychology approach that SAMH was implementing was that they addressed it as everyone has mental health (whereas a lot of time it's only seen as mental illness). This meant that no matter who you are, you should take care of your mental health (whether you have a sickness or not). I had no idea about this but apparently Scotland is riddled with mental health problems as well as low esteem. From what I experienced in Scotland it seemed that everyone was helpful, kind, and optimistic. Which is different from Denmark, which is supposed to be one of the happiest places in the world. Yet while I've been in Denmark I haven't really seen much of a difference. The people aren't outwardly friendly (but they are for the most part in Scotland). But I don't do the judging, so I can't really state the facts.

That night we gathered as a class to have dinner at the City Merchant. There we had traditional fish and chips. The restaurant was nice and I enjoyed the meal. It wasn't anything spectacular but it was nice way to end the evening. Afterward a few of us got together at the hotel and hung out for the night. I was exhausted from the long night before and the busy day.

On Wednesday we had another cultural visit to Provand's Lordship. This is the oldest house in Glasgow and was built in 1471. I can't say that it was the most interesting place we went to, but we had to having something to fill the time. We then checked out of the hotel, loaded onto the bus and headed for the Scottish countryside.

We were on our way to Fife for another academic visit to the Playfield Institute. While on the bus we passed green pastures with sheep and cows. The sky was so blue and the clouds were big puff balls. I wish I could describe how beautiful it was, but it's hard to explain without it sounding cliche. When I think what Scotland looks like, the bus ride to Fife is the clear picture of what I imagine. Playfield Institute is another place implementing positive psychology in the work place (they train teachers and other professionals). We did a meditation session and had an amazing buffet lunch with sandwiches and Scottish food.

We gathered again for another bus ride, this time heading towards Edinburgh. It was getting dark as we arrived but luckily it wasn't pitch black. We stayed at the Jury's Inn and had a magnificent view of the Edinburgh skyline. The most amazing thing about Edinburgh is the preservation of the old buildings. The city, although containing many office buildings, still has a traditional and old look to it. A lot of the buildings are stone and the streets are all windy (with many hills).

That night I ate at one of the crappiest restaurants I've ever been to. A few people and I went there because the prices looked reasonable and they had an array of selections. But it was awful. I guess that's all part of the experience though. Again we went out that night. We checked out a bar called the "Three Sisters." The atmosphere was wild and the music was great. We had a few drinks and danced for awhile. I had a good time staying out late with new friends and then wandering the streets back home to our hotel (Edinburgh is extremely easy to navigate actually, so it wasn't really wandering).

Glasgow, Scotland; Part 1

This past Sunday I departed for Scotland with my Positive Psychology class. Each core class at DIS had it's long-study tour this week. Some of the destinations were Milan, Stockholm, Estonia, Berlin, Paris, etc. The Positive Psychology A class was scheduled to go to Glasgow and Edinburgh, Scotland. We met at the Copenhagen airport with a lot of luggage in tow. The plane ride wasn't anything special; we had a layover in London, ate airport food, and waited anxiously for our next plane to Glasgow (which was delayed). On the plane ride to Glasgow I was filled with anticipation, excitement, as well as a little bit of nervousness. I had gone on the short-study tour with this class and had an amazing time. Yet was still a little unsure about this trip. But it's safe to say that the trip to Scotland is currently my absolute favorite part of my study-abroad experience thus far. And there are many reasons, including people, places, experiences, and everything. It was absolutely the most fun I've had.

We landed in Glasgow around ten I think and then headed to the hotel. We stayed at the Express Holiday Inn Riverside, it wasn't anything fancy but it was nice. Although we were worn out from the traveling, it didn't stop the group from going out. A number of us gathered together and explored the streets in the night. I was a little hesitant though because none of us really knew where we were headed. Luckily my classmates were much better with directions than me. We found a bar called "Maggie Mays" where we stayed for a while. At this point, I was still very unsure about this trip. I called it an early night and headed back to the hotel with a few others.

The next morning, Monday, we ate breakfast at the hotel. I was so happy to have scrambled eggs again. Danish breakfasts are different than American; they are much smaller and healthy. But it was good to know that the Scottish have fatty, unhealthy, and delicious breakfasts. Our academic visit was canceled and although it doesn't sound good, all of us were relieved and happy about this. It gave us the chance to walk around the city, shop, eat, and explore. It was gorgeous day with blue skies and warm weather (which is unusual for Scotland). Most of us headed in the direction of the Glasgow Cathedral.We wandered our way around inside and eventually climbed our way to the necropolis. Atop the steep hill, we had a magnificent view of Glasgow. The necropolis itself was awesome. It was like a garden of ancient tombstones. It was a little creepy actually.


Later in the day the group gathered for afternoon tea at the Willow Tea Rooms. There are a few Willow Tea rooms scattered throughout Glasgow and are very popular. It's an old-fashioned type of place with traditional British tea food and decorations. While there we ate delicious scones, tea sandwiches, cakes, and assortment of cookies. And of course we drank tea. I've actually become an avid tea drinker while being in Europe, especially "Bailey" tea which my host family introduced me too.

Afterwords we had the rest of the evening free. I did a little bit of shopping. Luckily Scotland is a little less pricey than Copenhagen. But the conversion from the dollar to the pound is difficult to calculate. Later in the night a group of us gathered in the lobby to find a place to eat dinner. I don't know how we got there because I was just following, but we ended up at a bar/restaurant called "Junctionbar." The food was good and things started to click for me. I was talking to people and beginning to feel like I fit in.

While walking back from Junctionbar, we stopped at a convenience store to pick up some "beverages." It's funny how much we take advantage of the drinking age difference in Europe. But I suppose when in Europe... do as the Europeans do. Anyway, one of the drinks purchased was called "White Strike" and came in a two liter plastic bottle, like Coke. It was supposed to be a hard-cider. It was cheap and came in a big quantity but it tasted disgusting. I don't think I'll ever forget the awful piss-water taste of White Strike. We hung out at the hotel for a little, some of us drank, and played the all-American drinking game "Kings." After hanging out at the hotel, we headed out to explore the nightlife scene of Glasgow. It was a Monday night so many places weren't that busy. But while wandering around we met some extremely flamboyant Scottish club promoters who showed us the way to "Milan," a new club in Glasgow. The Positive Psychology DIS students literally brought the party to this empty club. It ended up being a great night. We danced like idiots and played twister on mats on the club floor. The club started to slowly fill with more people from around Glasgow. Afterwords when I went back to the hotel, I was grinning from ear to ear.

A few struggles...

EDIT: When I wrote the line "deliberately spit at me and hit me directly in the face," I meant that the spit landed in my face, not that the boy actually hit me. Sorry for the confusion.

I've been in Copenhagen for over a month now. It's hard to believe it was seven Saturdays ago that I got on a plane. Although I am having a great time, it's not all perfect. Like I said, this blog would be for the good and not so good times.

This week has been a roller-coaster for me. I wasn't sure if I was going to write about this story because I didn't know if it was something I really wanted to remember later. But I think no matter if I write it down or not, I'm going to never forget it. On Tuesday I was riding my bike from the train station to the house. A few Turkish kids (there's a large Turkish immigrant population in Denmark, surprisingly) were in the road. I skidded to a quick stop because I was going to have to maneuver around them since they weren't moving from the middle of the bike path. As I passed them, one of the Turkish boys (who was about 8 or 9) deliberately spit at me and hit me directly in the face. I was shocked. I kept riding past because I didn't know what I could do. There wouldn't be a point in yelling at him, he wouldn't understand me. So I kept riding and when I got home I felt terrible. It was something I would have never expected. I had known that there was a lot of hostility between the immigrants and the Danes, but I had no idea it could be like that. Not all the Turks act that way of course. The immigrant neighborhood close to mine, as Irene explained to me after I told her what happened, is a problem area. It was horrifying to me; I felt so little and helpless. I also felt disrespected, embarrassed, frustrated, and extremely angry. It put me in a funk for the rest of the day.

This week I've felt not as positive as before (starting from the incident on the bike path). I really love where I live. Yet living in a host family is an interesting situation. I do feel "at home" here; I'm comfortable in the space. But sometimes it hits me that this isn't my home. These aren't my things I'm surrounded by. Sometimes I miss my bed and other little things, like the comfort of the my kitchen (I can navigate easily because I know where everything is). And of course I miss Ruckus and Friskers a ton.

Living a host family is a dynamic in itself. But there's also the struggle of meeting other people from DIS. It's been a bit difficult because unlike in a dorm, I come home at the end of the day to a house. Other students that live in DIS shared housing, Kollegium , or Folkehøjskoler are surrounded by each other all the time and therefore it's easy to make connections. Although I feel I am building a strong, lasting relationship with my host family, it's been a little bit of a struggle to make connections with other DIS students.

I want to make the most out of my study abroad experience. I want to look back and think "that was the best time of my life." My worst fear is to have mediocre study abroad experience. It's only been a month- I think right now I'm just hitting a wall (mostly homesickness I think). I'm hoping that my trip to Scotland (Sunday-Friday) with my Positive Psychology class will revive my spirits.

I'm well aware that not everything is going to be perfect, fireworks, and rainbows all the time here in Copenhagen. It's impossible to have life-experiences every day. But sometimes it's just nice to reflect on the battles as well as the adventures.

I don't really have any pictures to share. But this is a song I've been listening a lot to while I'm feeling down or homesick. I don't really know why, it's just seems fitting.