Well, I'm back in the good ol U S of A. Looking through photos today it all seems so distant-did that really all just happen? Part of me feels like I never left the quiet comfort of the CC campus-the same people are here doing the same things. Another large part of me feels like I haven't left Denmark. Not fully. I keep thinking I will wake up to that harsh sunrise and the sounds of Club Hive blasting through the ancient yellow walls of Skindergade 40. Instead I wake up to a large and half unpacked room on Weber street-the air hot and heavy. Fans blasting. Dogs barking. And alone, without my little crew of friends I had grown to depend on over 5 months. I drive to King Soopers and walk aisle after aisle of prepackaged food, completely overwhelmed at the new abundance of choices I am faced with. Gone are the days of walking down Fiolstræde to the sounds of the accordion man, shopping at our three aisle Netto (and buying the wrong food-too prideful to ask what the Danish words on the packaging meant). I've been doing this a lot, comparing the two worlds. It's really not helpful.
It's not that Colorado is any worse than my life in Denmark (okay maybe slightly less glamorous), it's just different and I'm trying to get used to it. Now in a very simplified list, things I will miss about Denmark
1.Copenhagen itself. Which was just voted the most livable city in the world! I could go on and on about all the specifics (Rosenborg park, Nyhavn, Cafe Paluden...) but here's an awesome video announcing Copenhagen as the most livable city!
http://monocle.com/film/affairs/most-liveable-city-copenhagen/
(yes, I got to live in the middle of all that! most of those shots are within a few blocks of my apartment)
2.Skindergade 40. Well the building itself was pretty cool, but mostly I just miss the proximity and closeness that came with the cramped corners. I miss cooking and singing and drinking and playing with these people.
3. No work! Not ashamed to say it-I pretty much got to do whatever I wanted for an entire semester (okay I did some work but...pretty minimal) But what is important to note is, when given no direction/responsibilities/obligations) what did I do? A lot of photography and exploring. So I know I need to do something like that as a job because it never felt like work. I would do it for free. Hopefully somebody will one day pay for me to do such things. Hopefully.
4. Hanne and Klaus. I couldn't have asked for better visiting host parents. I just heard back from them for the first time and I miss them a ton.
1.The Danish kroner. Enough said.
2.Lack of sunlight. Honestly, summer in Copenhagen (the few days I had of it) was the most magical, beautiful and soul inspiring thing I've ever experienced. But that came after MANY MONTHS of zero sunlight. I thank the fine state of Colorado for replenishing my vitamin D supply.
That said, I think I can take everything I learned this past semester and apply it to my life here. I took away a lot about what it means to pursue things that make you happy, and after 2 weeks working for the governor's office I have officially declared my intent to never go into politics. Working there is great, I just do not want to do that for the rest of my life. So obviously most of this year is going to work out what I do actually want to do. I don't need to be 100% correct, but I need to start somewhere..
In the meantime I am keeping my part time employed self busy doing things I love. I hiked Mt.Torrey's and Grey's Peak on Wednesday and wow, I don't think I realized how much I missed camping until I was laying in my tent and gazing at the milky way. Even after seeing a LOT of beautiful and magnificent sites this past semester, it is damn hard to beat the view of Colorado when you stand at 14,000 ft. Even if your sea level lungs are screaming at you the entire time. I only brought a disposable camera with me so pics will have to wait.
I'm hoping to learn how to cook (so much easier here! though yes, still have yet to get through all of King Soopers-its so big!), and I'm enjoying decorating my first house! I hope to explore Colorado with my free weekends, and maybe get some work at the local humane society photographing dogs for adoption (though it will be really hard not to walk out the door with one, which I know I can't do).
Basically, I found that I really like having a tumblr, and don't want to give it up, so I shall continue writing about all the things that make me happy and bring joy into my life. And maybe some things that don't. We shall see.
kaledo-art
andulkaphoto
snowghoul
romaincrisis