meddelelse med mindi

stenløse | københavn

[meddelelsemedmindi]

Hi! Could you tell me anything about Medical Anthropology?

Hello! Medical Anthropology was a new course, so I was in the first MA class offered. I think that if you have a solid anthropology background, it is a fun class. Since there was no prerequisite listed, I took it without having taken any anthropology courses in college, and found myself completely lost through much of it. Having said this, I found the reading to be interesting; however, it definitely was not what I expected! I think we even discussed in the class that medical anthropology in Denmark has a different definition than it does in the US. Basically, I was expecting the history of medicines in different cultures, which is not what the class ended up being about. Sorry if that was vague or anything-- if you are currently in the class and need advice, shoot me another message! If you are deciding whether or not to take the class, I'd go with: if you've had anthro background, go for it! And if not, maybe opt for another course.

[meddelelsemedmindi]

don't forget!

Yoooooo sorry for the absence- I was in in Barcelona with my family for a week after the DIS semester ended, and since then, have been unpacking and repacking to go back up to Minnesota (which, for your information is a high of -15 degrees F today so that's a nice welcome back). This is a short list of some things that I think would be nice to have while in Denmark or things to remember to do (thanks to whoever wrote me that message reminding me to do so)! Keep in mind that I went in the fall (for those of you looking at this going in the spring), and the spring semester is considerably colder and darker, so I'm told.

Hot tip: for bedding and linens, ask your host family/RA/roommate if you should bring them or not. One of my friends was told to bring a pillow case but I was told not to bring anything- they even supplied me with a small suitcase that I could use on my travel breaks.

Second hot tip: after packing your clothes, go through it again and probably leave a third to a half of what you had packed at home. You realize you end up wearing the same things all the time, and also you're gonna wanna shop. 

Of course, make sure you figure out all that business with your bank and/or credit cards. Or maybe even think about getting a Danish bank account. I used my American debit card and took out the maximum each time and then just saved money at home in a drawer and took out whatever I would need for the day.

Things I Enjoyed Having With Me (Besides Clothes and Basic Living Things). DIS sends you a packing list that you should probz check out. I think it's in the back of the small handbook.

-Gift for your host family. I brought something from my home state (a small bronze windmill and sunflower from Kansas, ha), a Kansas shot glass for my host sister (who is of age in Denmark) and a Woody PEZ dispenser for my host brother.  -Adapters (although they also sell them at DIS) -Shampoo and conditioner...if your host family doesn't supply this, you should bring enough for your stay. The price of shampoo in Denmark is ridic and it's totally worth it to bring your own. Plus, the room it takes up in your suitcase will leave you extra room for new things on the way back home. -Same goes for makeup...normal Maybelline mascara in Denmark is like 24 dollars, as a comparison.  -Deodorant. It's different here. So if spray on stuff doesn't sit right with you, better bring your own. -An umbrella. Yeah, I guess you can get a cheap one at Tiger, but also those suck. Just bring a small one fo yoself. -MEDS (Nyquil, Dayquil, Advil, birth control, inhaler, Epipen, whatev ya gotta do) -Gloves/mittens -A real pair of walking shoes. Serious. Your cute little boots will def get super worn by the cobblestones and you're gonna be mad. Just bring a pair of comfortable shoes- bonus if you bring New Balances or Converses and look like a Dane. -DON'T bring a hair dryer/straightener/curling iron...they'll blow out. Just buy one when you're there. It's better than worrying about a blown adapter and your million dollar Chi straightener.  -Water bottle.

Jeez for some reason I'm lost on all other things I brought- I'll try to come back and update this when I think of things, but for now, this is what I have. Don't forget to look at that DIS booklet though...very helpful. Also, don't bring school supplies. It takes up space, and Tiger is cheap...and the paper size is different anyway so it could mess ya up. 

Skål y'all! I hope those of you going in like 12 days or so have an AMAZING semester. 

[meddelelsemedmindi]

Hi Mindi! I'm a junior from Purdue University who's also studying Bio and Public Health. I'm planning my S2014 at DIS and I had some questions about things that I would love if you could answer for me. I was wondering what other classes you were taking besides the Public Health core class? I'm also considering applying to be a blogger, would you recommend it? Finally, do you know anyone who did the Literary London trip? I'm trying to decide if it would be better to travel separately with people!

Hej! In addition to the core class, I took Medical Anthropology, Health Economics and Policy, Holocaust and Genocide, and Danish Language and Culture. Just from my experience, I think the classes I enjoyed the most were the classes that were specifically related to Denmark, or made sense to take while living in Europe. And yes! I would recommend applying to be a blogger! It is a fun little gig, and holds you accountable for your blog. Even if I hadn't have gotten selected, the required posts for applying made the beginning to blogging much easier. As for the Literary London trip, I'm not sure if I actually know anyone personally who did that trip, but to be honest, I haven't heard a bad thing about DIS optional trips. I did 2 myself, and they were amazing. You'll see even after the short study tour that the planning is so perfect and the DIS staff that goes with are so great. I would say definitely do it, and sign up ASAP. Spots fill up so fast once the semester starts! There's always time to be with people during the week and on the other breaks.

[meddelelsemedmindi]

hurricane ramblings

hurricane ramblings

While hurricane part 2 is hitting Denmark, I take the time to mention a few things that I will miss about Denmark (not including any of the Christmas items previously mentioned):

proximity to so many other countries

Danish pastries

Soupanatural

cobblestone streets

The Black Diamond/Royal Library

Cafe Paludan

DIS friends and Danish friends and host family 

Bølle, the cutest little host dog a girl could ask for

other things that haven’t crossed my mind at this exact moment

Things I Won’t Miss

paid bathrooms

weight gain

limited Internet

missing people from home

Gotta get back to writing my LAST TWO PAPERS. Vi ses!

8 days until Barcelona

18 days until Kansas

PS If I put up a “don’t forget to pack these” list for those of y’all that are reading because you are going to be studying abroad/in Denmark/at DIS in the future, would that be of assistance?

[meddelelsemedmindi]

Hej igen Mindi! I'm the UMN student named Walter who had a question for you earlier. I must say I've been following your adventures and I appreciate them greatly! :) Anyway I have a new question for you: How do you find the academics there? I mean, are the classes more or less manageable compared to those back at the U? (I see you're taking 15 credits, so how would you say they compare to the same amount of credits in the states?) And is there anything particularly unique about the DIS classes?

Hej! Tusind tak! I’m glad you’re enjoying them. 

It’s funny- you ask the question in the middle of my academic hell week, when all of my final papers are due, and many of my final exams are scheduled. However, I will say that I find the academics very manageable. When compared to your home university (especially compared to the U), classes at DIS will seem much easier. BUT keep in mind, you are traveling, experiencing your new Danish life, and the grades are usually decided in a different way than they are at home- very much based on participation. So at times, you might feel overwhelmed as well!

Generally, I have found that I love my classes here. The professors are amazing, and so knowledgable and passionate about what they’re doing- I find that they’re more passionate about what they are doing because most, if not all, of the professors are mostly working in their specific career field at the same time, and teaching is only a part time job. They are really interested in listening to what you have to think and say, and that’s nice. They’re even interested in your personal life too (but not in a creepy way). They really care about your future, and your enjoyment while in Denmark. 

DIS is different than most study abroad programs, from what I’ve heard from peers participating in other programs. So, this is only based off of what I am hearing from others: They care more about academics here, and you have actual homework, papers, and tests. You’re not just on a vacation, unfortunately. They also make it a big point to connect your class subject to the real world- this is cool because it means you get several field studies for each class, where you visit real life situations where you would use the knowledge you’ve gained in class and from the assigned readings.

Overall, I’m really happy with my education here. After this semester, I am way more confident about what I want to do with my education from the U.

[meddelelsemedmindi]

christmas in copenhagen

A few of my favorite things about Christmas in Copenhagen.

This is one of those things that you really have to experience yourself one day, if you haven't already. I'll do my best to describe my favorite parts, but I won't do it justice.

The air. I think it's Christmas scented. With all the candied nut vendors everywhere, it could be actually real, and not just in my imagination.

Lights! There are pretty white lights all over the city- in the trees, on the buildings, reflecting off the water! Incredibly classy, incredibly beautiful. I passed a building the other day at night for the first time since Christmas season has started and I think I stopped and stared for an unreal amount of time. Here's a photo I snapped right quick on my phone...

Christmas markets around every corner! Filled with homemade crafts, FOOD, and warm knit things to wear for the winter.

And at these Christmas markets, you can buy æbleskivers...

...and gløgg!

Inside homes, everyone's gotta have a kalenderlys.

and of course, the Christmas Eve dinner :) Something alone the lines of roast pork, boiled potatoes, red cabbage and gravy. Dat pork tho.

It's like I'm constantly walking in a Christmas-land theme park...called Copenhagen.

2.5 weeks left!

[meddelelsemedmindi]

I hate lists.

Recently there's been a list phase going around the internet, and I think it's getting old. And recently I read a list on Thought Catalog that was a list about living abroad. In light of me hating lists, I will attempt to describe the points I agree with from the list in a non-list format. Sorry in advance if you would rather have had a list (which, if that is the case, there are many more lists on the interwebz for you to peruse). 

Freedom is abundant when living abroad- and I don't just mean the freedom that you felt when you went to college (although that was great, one of the best feelings, in fact). I mean, the freedom to make your own choices, your own decisions, your own successes, and your own mistakes. The freedom to be yourself (because you won't necessarily see any of these people ever again- this could be happy or sad), and the freedom to do as you please more so than ever. 

While you are off having this new found freedom, you realize that your life at home is still going on. Your family and friends are still being cool and succeeding in school/life. Your boyfriend is getting a job and working in the real world. Some people you know are having birthdays, some are getting engaged & married, some are dying. Your American life isn't waiting for you to get back. I know that sounds egotistical, but for some reason, there's a small part of you that assumes it will, and that it should just pause until you touch USA soil once more. The fact that it doesn't is scary. It just is. 

Communication is harder than you thought it was. Communicating with loved ones back home with a ridiculously inconvenient time difference. Communicating with foreigners in different languages- most of the time in languages that you don't know how to communicate it. Therefore, communicating with hands...clutch.

Here's a kicker (at least for me). Little moments that once didn't really matter (or so you thought) are the ones that make you the most homesick. The sad part is this is one is only the beginning for life after college. A few moments that I miss from home that stick out: every roommates going to the kitchen at midnight for toast and nutella, getting into spats with your boyfriend about who has the worse memory, going to the grocery store and REI with your teammates and spending way too much money only on fruit and socks, flying home for only 3 days just to be with your family for a holiday filled with eating. Many more. MANY more. 

The cheesy one: individual growth and learning. I know. Everyone says it, but then, if everyone says it, there must be SOME truth in it, right? You learn from other cultures in Europe, and learn SO much from other cultures around the United States. New ways to pack, new ways to travel, HELL even new ways to study for tests that work better than cramming (pretty much everything, but at least you're learning new techniques). Learning about patience, and time management. Really- time management. When you spend more than 2 hours on a train, you learn how to use your time. And...learning how to say hello for the first time and goodbye for the last. 

Study abroad. Travel alone. Sink or swim. Panic and overcome. I really, really, REALLY wish I could think of a better phrase to end this, but truthfully, the most fitting ending that comes to mind is "just do it". 

PS yes, my list of things I love about Denmark is coming soon...even though it will be a numbered list...which I hate...

[meddelelsemedmindi]

Thanks! Is it pretty easy to meet people then or not so much? I'm kinda worried about everyone being from a private school on the east coast or something like that.

Super easy. I mean...the large majority of the students are definitely from a private school on the east coast, but don't let that worry you! You'll be surrounded by even more new cultures besides Danish, and that's a good thing. I mean, you are studying abroad for a reason, and I'm assuming being introduced to new cultures is one of them! So relax (Danish: slapper af) and just be excited to come to Danmark!

[meddelelsemedmindi]

minnesota nice & scandinavian ice

Going to school in Minnesota, I hear all about the "Minnesota nice". Wikipedia claims that Minnesota nice:

is the stereotypical behavior of people born and raised in Minnesota to be courteous, reserved, and mild-mannered. The cultural characteristics of Minnesota nice include a polite friendliness, an aversion to confrontation... Critics have pointed out negative qualities, such as passive aggressiveness...

So here's what I think. I think we should go ahead and give the native Minnesotans the "Minnesota nice" with all the positives included. And why not just lump all the negative qualities into a new term...Minnesota ice perhaps? Being in Denmark, and traveling in other Scandinavian countries (which Minnesotans have clear roots from), it is clear that the state is related to these chilly countries- people are friendly, but aloof. 

This NPR article from last year explains that 

Americans are like peaches. They have this nice, soft outer shell that’s easy to penetrate. And there’s a tight, hard core that’s hard to get underneath... Swedes are kind of like oranges. It’s a thick, hard peel at first, but there’s a big soft mushy inside.

I don't like some of the words used in that for personal reasons (I don't know why but mushy? yuck why no don't ever use that) but it seems to be true (of course, replacing Swedes with Scandinavians in general). 

I guess now I'm just rambling on and I kind of forgot why I felt the need to write this but I suppose I just think that the similarities between Denmark and Minnesota are becoming quite clear to me after four months, the good, the bad, and the ugly. And that interests me. So, don't get me wrong, while I LOVE it here (look forward to a "What I Love About Denmark" post) and Minnesota ain't bad either, it's not just the weather that gets cold.

Okay, I know I know, I'm from Kansas, so what do I even know? 

[meddelelsemedmindi]

What has been the most surprising thing about DIS so far?

Wow, anonymous, you sound strangely similar to a visiting professor from my school…

A few weeks ago, a professor from the University of Minnesota came for International Educator’s Week here in Copenhagen. One of the days, we had a meeting (with pizza mmmMMmm) with her to talk about life at DIS. She asked this exact question. So I will essentially give you the same answer I gave her- and I gave it to her honestly:

The most surprising thing about DIS was the student population. It is different than I expected, as the large majority of the students here are from teeny tiny liberal arts schools, mostly on the east coast, and some on the west coast. The Midwest representation is much smaller, and the big public school representation is smaller than that. I was also surprised that so many people came here with multiple friends from home, making those who didn’t do so feel a bit like outsiders upon arrival. 

If you’re nervous about coming alone though, don’t be! You’re doing (in my personal opinion) the right thing, and the best thing for yourself!

You will always find your friends, your niche, etc. in time.

Skål!

[meddelelsemedmindi]

Hey! i'm looking into DIS for next year (which is looking more & more promising so i'm preeettty excited) & my concentration is global public health (aka i'll prob have questions for you later :) ). but! i'm trying to figure out about transferring credits so I'm wondering how that is going to work out for you? it seems like pretty much of all the classes at DIS are 3 credits - at my school the normal is 4 credits so i'm trying so see if they're equivalent. is it the same for you? thanks!!

WOW so sorry I'm just getting back to you now! Big fail. Yayaya! That is exciting! (And for the questions for me later, please ask away! I should be better about responding in the future...) As far as transfer credits go, it heavily depends on your home university as well as your major at your home university. So, for me, I'm majoring in biology back in the states, with a minor in public health. Out of the five three credit classes I'm taking here, two of them count as liberal education "core" classes, and one counts towards my public health minor but that's it. You should try getting in touch with the study abroad office at your school, specifically the person that deals with DIS, and they should be able to give you more specific assistance!I hope this helped at least a little...good luck!

[meddelelsemedmindi]

[meddelelsemedmindi]

[meddelelsemedmindi]

WELL here we are: the week after my last travel break! I sit here in bed (yes, I’m in bed- still..after three days) with the FLU (imagine that), I can’t believe that I have less than a month left in Denmark and only about a month left in Europe. Before I continue telling the world about my most recent adventures in Europe, I’ll first explain that “hey now hey now” is the beginning of a longer quote which is followed by “this is what dreams are made of” from a wise lady that goes by the name of Hilary Duff. Because some days, I really feel like I’m living a dream. OKAY NOW I’ll start at the beginning of my week, so rewind to 10th of November (a Saturday). 

I spent Saturday through Tuesday in Krakow, Poland for an optional DIS study tour called “Auschwitz: From Genocide to Memorial”. It is required for the one-credit course (which I am not enrolled in) OR you can take Holocaust & Genocide (like I did) and  go on the trip just for funsies with the regular class. A few things first off the bat: (1) Krakow is now my favorite city in Europe so far and (2) Torben (the prof) is one of the best professors I’ve ever had. So with these things in mind, you know my trip was amazing. It was emotionally and physically exhausting, but so worth it. I won’t post all of the pictures, because many/most of them are from the inside of the Auschwitz concentration and extermination camp, and the raw truth of the photos can be disturbing to many. If you’re interested in viewing them, let me know though, and I would be happy to give you a link to the photos with explanations. 

The city of Krakow was amazing- all of the original architecture is completely intact even after the wars. Things are cheap, and the food is warm and filling. The people I was with on the trip really made the experience what it was, and I am so thankful for that. 

More Krakow pictures here!

The following is a great candidate for why I got the flu:

I got home to the house in Stenløse at around 9pm(?) and then had to pack up some clean laundry for my next trip, take a shower, AND leave to get back to the city (at a reasonable hour). This was because my flight for France left at 6:55 on Wednesday morning and the earliest train from Stenløse would get me to the airport a little too close for my comfort. So I stayed at Josephine’s apartment (Danish friend I met on the airplane to CPH in August!), and lemme just say thank goooooodness for her. Wait back to what I was saying- got back into the city (Josephine’s place) at around 11:30pm, then went to bed at about 12:00 or 12:30- really, whenever I got settled and ready for bed. Woke up again at 4:30 in the morning to head back out to the airport to go to France. 

—————-

So I arrive at the Charles De Gaulle airport. Known in my family for being one of our least favorites and most confusing- and with good reason. Yet again, CDG made me hate it. I arrived and low and behold, the RER (train that gets you to the city from the airport) was broken immediately after I had bought my ticket. So first, I stood in line to get a refund on my ticket. Then, was told in broken English but mostly French to get on bus 350 to get to the city. After a few wrong directions but mostly no instruction whatsoever, found the Bus 350 platform; then proceeded to wait at the platform for maybe 30 minutes with not a single bus pass by. Okay. At this point I’m over it. I go find the Roissy bus, which will take me to the Opera house (thanks to “family” Auntie Jeanie for the help!) and FINALLY meet up with Auntie Jeanie. So hi Paris! 

My 24 hours in Paris was nice, as I got to catch up with Jeanie and eat some of her DELICIOUS cookies. She also took me out to some great Japanese soba for lunch, and made tonkatsu for dinner! How lucky am I to know someone like her!

The next day, my train to Caen was at around noon, so Jeanie took me to the train station (and even bought me lunch and coffee- my hero), and soon I was on my way to Normandie.

Train rides like these are one of my favorite parts about traveling through Europe. Sure, buying the tickets and finding them might not always be the easiest compared to transportation in the United States, but once you’re on the train, the ride is scenic and relaxing- and usually I can get a lot done, whether it be homework (eh, not so much this time around), reading, or just thinking. And the people you meet on the train rides are really interesting. The man I sat next to this time around was a nice old man going home to Caen, and he smiled and joked with me a lot (even though it wasn’t always in English, and he knew that was all I spoke). He was great, and as we approached Caen, he even pointed out landmarks to me from the window. Thanks, old man.

Of course when I arrived in Caen, Xavier was waiting for me on the platform to take me to their BEAUTIFUL home. Okay, I usually marvel at houses, I know, but this house was especially unreal. Around 300 years old, but with a modern twist. I’m a sucker for exposed stone and brick. The rustic look gets me. The kids (Romeo and Emile) and Karine got home soon, and it was so nice to see more “family”! The last time I had seen them was their trip to the US when I was a senior in high school, and before that it was when I was 10 or 11 in Caen at their old home. That memory is very faint now. To sum up the four days I was with the Flechards is hard to do with words but it was really appreciated and just fantastic. Karine’s cooking (even if she says it’s something “simple”) is so good, and the whole family is really a delight to be around. They also have a cat, Titane! It means titanium in French, because they were planning on getting a grey cat, but instead they got a black cat but had already picked out the name! So it is Titane, the black cat. I can’t wait to go back. 

More Caen pictures here!

Bisous to all of my French family, and thank you for having me!

Copenhagen, it’s all you for the next 24 days.

xoxo

[meddelelsemedmindi]

Ack! First off, I have to apologize! I never knew I could be this busy- wait, now don’t get me wrong, I’ve been busy at school in the states. But this type of busy is oh so different. This busy is busy doing homework on time so that I can travel to three cities in the following repeat and then repeating that process the week after! It doesn’t even allow me time to procrastinate by writing blog posts. SO this post is a little outdates, yes, it’s true- almost a month late. UNDSKYLD. Also, following this will be more recent posts. SO MUCH HAS HAPPENED wowwowowowow and so little time. All right, so rewind a little bit to the second half of my 2nd travel break to Lille, France and Berlin, Germany.

This post title, “fishing” is a little joke...I was visiting my friend Sebastian, who was another foreign exchange student at my high school maybe 6(??) years ago, and I always used to call him Sea Bass. Like the fish. I spent five days with him in France and Germany. It was nice to see a familiar face again.

I think I learned the most on this trip. Way more than I will write about in this post (if you’re interested on the more deep side of things, contact me- we’ll talk). So I’ll talk about two of them here. 

FOE is real.

Discovering a city through the eyes of the local youth beats checking out the landmarks through a tour guide any day of the year.

To explain--

FOE stands for family over everything (or so I think, I’m not really that hip or up to date on that shit). For those who know me, you know that I haven’t always had the best relationship with my parents; however, when traveling alone, and far from home, you begin to notice things that you have taken for granted all your life. 

I was able to navigate the Charles De Gaulle airport with ease...ain’t no thang. I credit this to my parents taking me abroad at the young age of...2 weeks old. And traveling overseas with me at least twice a year ever since then. At the time, I was a little frustrated- of course, at age six, I would much rather have received that new Gameboy game than have to go on a trip with my family to a place that didn’t even speak English. And as I grew older, of course, I became more appreciative of these experiences- but they really, reaaaally came in handy once I began to travel on my own. 

Family always pulls through. I had a bit of a snafu in Berlin when trying to get home, and low and behold, my family wants me to get back to Copenhagen safely and soundly, so the day before, they simply buy me a plane ticket home. Yes, of course, I’m sure they were not completely pleased with having to spend that money, but the fact is they did it. For me. It wasn’t a life or death situation by any means, but to have the added security, even with them being miles and miles away- that counted for something.

The day we arrived in Berlin (after a 10 hour overnight bus ride from Lille- but that’s another story), Sebastian told me that instead of taking me around to see the important sites like he was going to, he was going to hang out with his friends, but that I was free to join if I wanted to. Here, I had a decision to make. Go to all the important historical monuments like I planned to do, or just hang out with some locals. I decided to go with the latter. And it was the best decision I could have made. So if you get the opportunity like I did, take it. 

xoxo

[meddelelsemedmindi]

the dreaded ldr

Hej! I'll be posting Lille/Berlin soon, but on a topic that you may or may not have looming over your head: your relationship while you're in Denmark. I'm almost punching myself for writing this because it may make me seem way more mushy than I am, but then I remember how worried I was about it and here I am, still writing. If you know me personally, you might laugh through all of this picturing me write it. SORRY Basically, if you're gonna do it, it has to be supes drama-free. It won't matter if nothing dramatic ever happened at home- 5,000 miles changes everything. And you've gotta go into it knowing it's gonna be pretty shitty for about four months of your relationship, but in the long scheme of things, it's only four months. You guys will both be busy with your own lives (hopefully) and soon the majority of the semester will already be over(!!!). I guess that's the first thing: to make it work, you both probably should have lives outside of each other before you leave. In my situation, it’s not like he’s the type that just sits at home all day doodling my name in hearts on a piece of paper (although I’m sure it’s secretly one of his favorite hobbies). He has a job (got $$$ in da bank), goes out with his dudes, and is way too into fantasy football (PS chiefs are 9-0). So probably, the number one thing I've come to realize is you really can't sweat the little things. Little things are the easily preventable dumb immediate reactions that some people tend to have when they are an ocean apart that either would never happen locally OR would happen but you would see each other soon enough that it would fizzle out. Examples of little things: Response Time: Okay, boys suck at response time via text. Sorry. It's true. And while this isn't an excuse for them to ignore you, it's definitely something to understand when your boyfriend doesn't text back within five minutes of your not really important text. Honestly, half of the time he probably sees it, enjoys reading it, and continues doing whatever the f he does. For him, responding doesn't seem like it's a huge deal all the time. Texting doesn't seem like a huge deal in general. Don't quote me on this but I'm gonna give a stat of about 90% of boys not liking texting. If he isn't responding within 2 seconds of every text, just be thankful he has real life friends and, for that matter, a real life. Also, if y'all don't text all the time (which odds are you won't because of the time difference), you have way more to talk about when you SKYPE! Inevitable tinges of jealousy: I'm not saying this is going to be in full force, and at least for me, it's almost nonexistent. So I'll just say this. You’re going to have a lot more love and respect for each other if you don’t try controlling each other’s lives- really, it's the same as being at home. Trust, yo. The bacon: Your time abroad should be enjoyable. If something is making your time here truly miserable, something needs to change. Also, your boyf should probs be supportive of such a cool time for you to grow as an individual. If everything is just the best when you’re spending time with the guy you’re with at home, remember that. Especially remember that before you want to bring up something that you’re going to be mad at yoself later on for even mentioning. Don’t start a fight just to start a fight. If you can resist asking who the bitch ass girl that posted “hi” on his wall was, do it. Four months for someone you love? Ain't no thang. In order for me to feel less awkward about this post, let me know if you're a future study abroad student and this helped you- or at least eased your mind a little. Skål y'all.

[meddelelsemedmindi]

Our second study break for DIS started right after class for me on Friday. 

Typical conversation leading up to the weekend:

classmate: “where are you going this weekend?”

me: “sweden.”

classmate: “oh, you’ll love stockholm!”

me: “no, i’m going to örebro”

classmate: “where is that? whoa wait...why?”

For those of you who don’t know, here’s the story:

Once upon a time (circa 2010), a petite Swedish girl (from here on out known as Ellen) arrived at a close family friend’s house. She was to live with them for a year, as a foreign exchange student at Manhattan High. Because this family friend household didn’t have a kid in high school at the time, I went over on Ellen’s first full day in the United States to meet her, and help show her around MHK. Long story short, I drove her around everywhere (lolz but actually thank goodness for this) and we became the best of friends. When we said our “final” goodbyes in May 2011, neither of us actually knew if we would ever see each other again (although we kept in contact via Facebook and Skype, naturally). BUT ALAS I found my way to Sweden this very weekend to be reunited after almost 3 years. 

Örebro is 2 train rides away from København, totaling roughly 5.5 hours. This trip marked my first individual trip in Europe! And it was definitely a good experience to have for my first trip. Just so everyone knows, Scandinavia isn’t always tourist friendly. Some places are good about it, but honestly, the majority of the places make it kind of difficult to travel and visit as a foreigner. I say this because every train instruction and ticket was in Swedish. I mean, I know, I’m a dumb American but PLZ HELP SOS. So basically, my first train ride consisted of me asking the lady next to me every single thing the train said on the intercom, until she just told me, “oh! I can just tell you when your stop is the next one, if that is easier?” and that was that. So I get off to transfer at Mjölby Station, which is in the middle of East Jesus nowhere. There are no screens at Mjölby Station telling me where my next train is. No screens. None. Zero. I end up asking a nice drunk gentleman (this is Friday afternoon, but who really cares I guess), and he points in a random direction. I smile and say thanks even though I’m pretty sure he was useless but guess what! It was the correct train, so, my faith in drunk people is greater than it used to be. Anyway, got on the second train, and nice Swedish college student helped me find Örebro Central Station.

As I’m waiting for the train door to open, I realize that I am SO nervous to see Ellen! Excited nervous, but nervous nonetheless. I’m not sure how many of you have had the experience of seeing a close friend after 3 years (or more) of not seeing them, but it is really a one-of-a-kind moment. I spent the seconds before the meeting trying to decide what I was going to do when we first saw each other and then finally! I see Ellen on the platform and we both just start running and hugging and crying. I mean, I guess I didn’t plan to do that, but it happened. So we walk arm in arm to the car where Måns, her younger brother, is waiting for us to drive us home. It was so surreal, seeing them but not being in MHK! 

We got to her (beautiful) home, and I saw her parents again, who look exactly the same as I remembered (and seriously, they look so young, I don’t understand). They had homemade Swedish meatballs, potatoes, gravy, and lingonberry sauce waiting for dinner, and it was all so homey and nice and comforting. Like a second home, really. I went to bed so content, and slept better than I had since I left the USA. 

The next morning, Ellen and I took a bike ride around the town, going to a house of the lady that made the first cookbook in Sweden (her name was Cajsa), going through parks which were voted #1 parks in the whole country, biking past castles, her old high school, and finally meeting up and having afternoon coffee (or Swedish fika) with her good friend Hanna. We walked home after fika and went out for dinner, and then met up with other friends for draaaaaanks. 

Left the next day at around noon. Before leaving, Ellen and I biked to the grocery store to mail out a few postcards and pick up some stuff for breakfast. Since the picture description doesn’t really do the breakfast justice (neither will this actually), I’ll try to supplement the photo with an explanation of what is actually in the photo (and also because I love food): ciabatta rolls, tomatoes, cinnamon rolls, gingerbread cinnamon rolls, grapes, kiwis, brie, swiss, cheddar, ham, liver paste, eggs, butter, fil (Swedish sour milk), almost-cooked eggs, yogurt, orange juice, tea, coffee. I’m also probably leaving things out but DAMN it was good. Then it was adios (or hej hej) and I was on a train yet again, København-bound. Also, for those of you who were wondering, Danish and Swedish are most definitely not the same thing. 

Until next time, Ellen and family! I hope we meet again soon :)