How to: make a home in a new country

Hi friends.

As much as it pains me to say, this is my last blog post from the wonderful city of Copenhagen. Unfortunately for you I won’t quite be signing off yet as I have some post semester travel and I will be posting about that and also documenting some pre-departure stuff such as “What I wish I hadn’t packed” and “How I paid for a semester abroad”. Hopefully you’ll still tune in for that!

Anyways, this blog post is about how Copenhagen has shaped up to be home for me for the last 4 months. I truly cannot fathom how quickly everything has flown past me, at the beginning I felt like I had nothing but time, and now I’m counting down the minutes.

I’m no stranger to packing up my life and moving to somewhere where not a single person knows my name. That’s what I did when I decided to go to the University of Tulsa, and coming from a very close knit family, the move was throughly jarring. However, I learned about myself in that move, and ultimately, my choice in my university is what facilitated and encouraged my semester abroad.

So how does one just pack up and move to another country, let alone make themselves a home and find happiness there? I’m no expert but I think I might be able to give you a little insight.

Be courageous.

Honestly, we never really give ourselves enough credit for the things that we really can achieve. The first step to making a home abroad is to GO ABROAD. Don’t be afraid of what you’re leaving behind. Don’t lament it too much. Home will be waiting for you when you get back. Take the first steps and remind yourself that you can do it.

Be friendly.

I seriously don’t quite know how to make adult friends. College is this weird thing where everyone just kind of sees the same people and we all vaguely know each other and you have a cluster of people you see often. You know that thing that people sometimes say along the lines of, “if I could do that again with all of the knowledge I have now…” Meeting people while studying abroad is like that. It’s like college orientation all over again, except a little less awkward. Don’t forget that everyone is in the same boat as you!

Be open to a new experience.

One of the best things I opted in for was a visiting host family. I cannot explain to you how terrified I was to be going to this random family’s house 30 minutes away from our flat, but it was one of the most rewarding things I’ve ever participated in. We met less often than I would’ve liked due to scheduling conflicts, but every single time I came over for dinner was a blast. They were even kind enough to invite Ian over for dinner when he was here and always sent me home with lots of goodies to eat. Being able to be in a family setting while abroad was undoubtedly one of the most comforting things I had here in Copenhagen. Just as my family back home, leaving is always difficult because the conversation never seemed to end. They even took me to a real life Scandi IKEA and explained every detail to me, making sure to include that IKEA owns their own wind mill and powers their store in some part with energy from that.

Part of the IKEA showroom.

Be patient.

Public transit isn’t really your best friend, but more like a frenemy that drives you to work. I was lucky enough to live in the city center, but had to commute to the hospital for MPP. I found the commute to give me a sense of normality and of (fake) productivity, but it was nice. However, transit in Copenhagen can really take you for a ride, and instead of a comfy S-tog ride on the A line towards Farum, you’re crammed into the 6A bus being threatened to be pushed out of the door and left at the station at each stop, all the while having to pee.

In a more eloquent sense, be patient in waiting for the cobblestone to feel normal on your feet. Be patient in waiting for the sun to come out because this is Scandinavia, not Arizona. Be patient in waiting for strangers to become familiar and welcoming faces. The feeling of home doesn’t manifest over night, but one day you’ll be walking to your favorite cafe or your friend’s apartment and you’ll realize that you’ve made a home for yourself here.

One of the very first photos I took out of our kitchen window.

Be unashamed in the things you enjoy.

On my last night in Copenhagen, I saw snow falling for the first time with Kripa, who is also a SoCal native. We ran out of the big green doors of our LLC screeching and squealing at the wispy flakes whirling around us and people who walked past us laughed at the sight. There have been many times through the semester that I’ve been in embarrassing positions because of something I wanted to do or a photo that I wanted but I’m really glad I went ahead and did those things anyways because I got the experience and a funny story about how I embarrassed myself in front of random strangers I will never see again.

Two SoCal girls see snow falling for the first time

Be a tourist!

Don’t forget to do the touristy things in your city. I didn’t get to all of them, but the ones that I did were worth all the effort. Most people I spoke to had a bucket list of things they wanted to see, as did I, which made prioritizing what touristy stuff I wanted to do easier. If you’re especially lucky, getting to show a friend or family member around your city is a great way to play tourist and see it through different eyes and fall in love with it all over again.

Church of Our Savior

THE STREET TRAMPOLINES

Nyhavn at Christmas time

Christmas on Stroget

Tivoli

More Christmas Tivoli!

Kastellet

So tiny…so underwhelming

Nyhavn at Christmas time

Tivoli

Copenhagen Contemporary

The fabled creme brulee donut at Paper Island

Be loving and kind.

Being kind to another person, whether friend or stranger just plain makes you feel good. I made an effort to help anyone who looked or sounded puzzled over public transit and what better way to feel more part of the city than to help someone who is lost in it? Whether stranger or friend, reaching out to those who are in need around you makes you feel part of something, and this can be as little as helping someone get on the right train, helping your flatmates put away the dishes in the dish washer, or even volunteering in the city.

Just be a pal.

Unlike college, my friends were spread out all over the city and even outside of it. To hangout and be together actually required effort, planning and communication. To find people to live with that you genuinely love and enjoy being around requires you to be that. To find people who enjoy traveling with you and will remember the time that you sang 80’s songs on a paddle boat, almost died in the midst of a tropical storm, mocked every statue you guys came across, spoke Spanglish to get food half off, got on a tram hoping it goes in the right direction and hurrying off at the next stop to catch the one that IS going in the right direction, and all of the mildly hysterical slap happy laughter at the end of each trip as you recount all of the things you maybe shouldn’t have done.

PH LLC recreates the Last Supper at our last brunch. 

Friendsgiving with my MPP section.

To each and every one of my friends from Copenhagen, tusind tak. Thank you for making this a semester full of growth, laughter, and joy. Thanks for being my sunshine in in the gloomy Scandinavian weather. I love you all so much, this simply isn’t goodbye, but a “see you later”.

Wish you were here,

Rigel

How to: maintain a long distance relationship while abroad

One of the scariest parts about going abroad for me was leaving my partner behind in the states. Ian and I were practically living together during the school year and had really only spent time apart during winter and summer break. I came to see him in Tulsa for 2 weeks before I left, where I helped him move into his new apartment for the school year. I don’t think it made things any easier, but I really enjoyed getting to be part of the process and getting to spend time with him before I left.

Before we really agreed to be in a serious relationship I told him of my intentions to go abroad and since we were really close at the time, that he would have to be okay with being apart from me that long. He agreed to it and that was that, and now about a year later here I am, sitting in Copenhagen.

It feels like so long ago that we agreed to be okay with this, and there was a lot of crying and uncertainty on my part before I left that I would really actually thrive while abroad, and saying goodbye was terribly difficult. We spent our last night together debating about which variation of my black shirts I would bring (spoiler: I brought all of them), and watching Star Wars and the next morning he dropped me off at the airport and that was that.

We technically had been long distance over the summer and that was also really difficult. Maintaining long distance friendships is something I’m no stranger to, my best childhood friend and I haven’t lived in the same state together since we were 7, and I’m still pretty close to my good friends from high school. However, an LDR is a whole different ball game.

Establish your expectations!

It’s important to talk about what you expect from each other before you even leave. This can include many things – from how often and how long you expect to talk, how you want to talk, etc. This prevents a lot of small arguments that could crop up before hand. An unsaid facet to this is to speak up if you think an expectation is too great and may not be met! If your partner expects that you’ll call every night and you know that it’s impossible, then you should communicate this.

Mind the time difference and your schedules.

Really though, the whole “let’s talk everyday” is a recipe for trouble for most people, especially considering the time difference and how much both of you have going on during the semester. Whether your partner is in school, is working or both, it’s really difficult to find a time that works sometimes.

Even in the best of times, sometimes something just comes up, and it can become really difficult to deal with the disappointment of not being able to talk to your partner. It’s best to be realistic with your expectations but also understanding of your partner if something does come up.

Ian and I had planned on talking in the evening my time every Tuesday and Thursday and this worked out for us really well in the beginning, and then he was offered an amazing internship that would now take up that time. I can’t say I reacted with the most grace ever, but ultimately I knew that it would be okay. I altered my expectations and now we try our best to let the other know when some free time might come up to chat for a little bit.

Find support!

Chances are, there’s many people who are also in long distance relationships while abroad. Find friends who can relate to you and understand your struggle. I’ve been really lucky that many of my friends here know and understand my struggle and can emphasize with me when I’m sad simply because I miss my partner. It really helps to know you’re never really truly alone.

Create “dates” and things to look forward to.

Sometimes things can feel like they’re dragging on and that the time between now and when you’ll see them again seems like eternity. One way to make it feel less like a chasm is to plan dates and things to look forward to. Sometimes for us this is as simple as picking a movie to watch together at a certain time and just being together.

Speaking of looking forward to – Ian’s parents were gracious enough to have him come to Copenhagen to visit me for the semester! He came for a week over Thanksgiving break and we were able to spend 5 days in Copenhagen and 2 days in Berlin.

Knowing he was coming made it feel significantly better, but understandably not everyone gets this. However, you do get to return home to them soon.

Cherish every little moment

Being away from your partner is difficult. But looking back at the last year, Ian and I have spent more time apart than we have together and yet I still beam with happiness thinking about how much we’ve grown together.

I’m grateful for all the meals we’ve shared, whether at a nice restaurant or takeout in our bed with Netflix on.

The infamous creme brulee donut at Paper Island

Spatzel and a burger in Berlin

hot chocolate and cake at La Glace!

Duck it delivery from Wolt to our hotel

I’m grateful that I got to play tourist and show him around the wonderful city that I’ve been living in for the last few months.

Copenhagen contemporary

Tivoli

Norrebro lakes

Tivoli

Kastellet

So tiny…so underwhelming

Street trampolines!

I’m grateful that he got to see my day to day life, my commute from my apartment to the hospital I have class in, to see interactions with my friends and my flatmates, and to understand how all of this has made me grow.
I’m grateful to have taken him on a whirlwind 2 day trip like I have on several weekends during my time here and get to show him one of my favorite European cities.

East Side Gallery

Me at the Brandenburg Gate

Memorial for the Murdered Jews of Europe

Berliner Dom at Museum Island

Ian at the top of the Reichstag

East Side Gallery

I’m grateful for a partner who is patient, kind, understanding, and who is waiting for me to come home.

Wish you were here,

Rigel

 

 

Waddling our way through Spain and Portugal

So, long time no see. This last week has been incredibly i n s a n e. As I may have said, DIS gives students a week to travel and sight see in Europe, and this last week was my travel week. I intended to right a blog post on it, but I just never found the time, as you can see.

And, to be quite honest, I still haven’t quite got my life together hahaha. I came home late Sunday night after a 5 hour train ride from Hamburg, promptly fell asleep, and upon return I tried my best to adult. I unpacked and threw my clothes in the laundry, which is a real accomplishment for me because I’m really known to live out of my suitcase for as long as humanly possible. Upon return there were several tests and assignments that were needing to be tended to, so I was absent from my blog for even longer. So sorry about that.

The sun is setting in Denmark around 16.30 (4:30pm) now, and it’s really made me feel a little robbed. My friend Jordan remarked that I look a little tanner now, and I’m lamenting my loss of sunlight honestly. As an Arizonan, it’s really jarring. It’s also fairly chilly now, so we’ll see how I adjust to all of this new found information.

Anyway, my travel week was to various locations in Spain and Portugal. The itinerary was packed and crazy, but I don’t regret a single moment. My body aches and my mind is really fatigued, but I knew I needed to give you guys a peek, so here’s how we waddled our way through our travel break with random photo dumps.

1 – Holding your pee waddle

If you didn’t already know, in addition to water not being free, in most places the bathroom isn’t either. Public places like train stations usually have a small fee to use the bathroom. So you have to pay to intake water and expel it in Europe, wooo. We found ourselves doing the “have-to-pee-right-this-second” waddle many times throughout our journey, and it was hilarious and humbling all at the same time. Why pay when you can waddle desperately back to your AirBnb?

2 – “It was colder than I expected but I won’t admit it” waddle

I know mom, I should’ve brought a jacket. The days were sooo wonderfully warm and sunny though, and it was just such a bother to drag a jacket with us all day long. So, like the reckless young adults we are: we just didn’t. It was fine most nights, but man, some of them really really tested us. Especially our first night back to Copenhagen, as we weren’t going to back a bunch of cold weather clothes for a trip that had not a single day under 60 degrees F.

3 -“It’s raining and I’ve slipped on the cobblestone/tile more times than I can count” waddle

Lisbon’s tiles were eye catching, and complimentary to Barcelona’s colorful Gaudi, but man, the tiles and cobblestone on the ground were not friendly to our strides, and there was precarious waddling to get up and down the hills without actually busting our asses. This waddle consists of a lot of short, controlled strides and angry locals murmuring behind you for being an amateur.

This one is also applicable when you find yourself in the middle of a tropical storm headed to Cabo da Roca, the most Western Point in Europe. There was a lot of nervous laughter on our bus over as there was lighting and thunder at the same time, signaling that the storm was directly over head. This waddle was prevalent as we ran around trying to see the sights without getting hit by lightning and slip on the mud, but our luck turned around and the clouds broke for about half an hour, and we even got a rainbow!

4 – The Hangry waddle

If you’ve never done this one in your life: you’re lying. The one where you cross your arms and don’t speak to anyone in your group because someone might get murdered. There were more than a few of these moments on the trip, and in Spain we learned a very valuable lesson: the city has a siesta, and this means that when for some reason, you decide that lunch is to be served at 3pm, everything will be closed.

There was a sign at the THIRD tapas bar we tried to go to that actually asked people to be considerate of sleeping neighbors. The Hangry waddle was out in full force on our last day in Madrid, but that’s okay, we eventually scouted tapas and a whole jar of sangria.

We also remedied our tensions with a sunset and a view from the top of Madrid, which was a fitting way to end our time in Spain.

5 – “I’m trying to take a photo and walk at the same time” waddle

My personal favorite, and maybe my predominant gait at all times. Really I could only marvel at some of the amazing sights that we saw. This was especially the case when Tejas took us on a 10 minute tour of Valencia which he thought was marvelous and I almost had a heart attack, as we arrived to our train to Madrid 5 minutes before it left.

There were many occasions where we would just gasp and laugh because how did we get so lucky to travel and see what we saw? It really blows my mind. From all the Gaudi and gothic architecture in Barcelona, to Valencia’s vaguely Rome-esque vibe, to Madrid’s hustle and bustle, Lisbon’s peaks and valleys, and Sintra’s breathtaking views, it’s a lot to process.

One of these days when I’m not slammed with work I will hopefully have some more reflective writing to give you guys about this trip, because man was it the trip of a lifetime. But for now, enjoy this little peak into what a week of sights and sounds was like. I’m so excited to be back in Copenhagen.

Wish you were here,

Rigel

How to: be “spontaneous”

If I’m being quite frank, I planned to go to Prague after study tour in what was a whirl wind of a bus ride during core course week with a few girls I hardly even knew. A few texts back and forth and our airbnb was booked without a train or plane ride to and from Prague.

Even getting my ticket booked was kind of a disaster, Norwegian Air bugged out but charged my card and I was a nervous mess about it, but upon calling them I got a refund and managed to snag a ticket for cheaper than I had booked it the first time. It was a long road to getting a train to Prague from Vienna because there was one that left earlier that was a bit cheaper, and DIS said we couldn’t leave before the group collectively left for the airport. Ultimately we were grateful for a little extra downtime to relax and see Vienna.

Although study tour is really cool and our itineraries are really good, it can feel a little bit like you’re in a high school teen tour. If I’m being down right honest, I had no idea what to see or do in Prague. I usually extensively research the places that I’m going to before I go, but I was down right exhausted from study tour and figured it’d work itself out. A friend of mine who studied abroad sent me a list of things to do there, and it really facilitated the process of deciding what to do, but man were we really grateful for the opportunity to just do our own thing.

Getting to Prague

The train ride filled me with dread because I was afraid we wouldn’t be able to get a seat and would have to sit on the floor for the 4 hour journey after being exhausted from study tour, but it worked out that the train was particularly empty that night. Everything after that point seemed to just fall into place so wonderfully. We got an Uber from the central station who was chatty and lively, gave us some recommendations and told us how to say thank you in Czech (which we promptly forgot, forgive me.) Our host greeted us at the door to an apartment with AN ELEVATOR (our LLC doesn’t have one and I dread lugging my suitcase up each time), and to a wonderful room with a remote control light switch. We had a restful sleep and a slow morning, and we were off on our first adventure.

Hangry: the driving force

The original plan was to meet for brunch at the Prague Castle as it was a good halfway between our two airbnbs. Getting a metro pass was kind of confusing for all of us, and time slipped away and suddenly it was almost 13.00. At this point Julia and I had climbed up the hill (to a beautiful view and a peek into the oldest Czech vineyard) and the climb back down made us realize that we were really really hungry. Someone had suggested Cafe Savoy which I was recommended to go with a reservation to, and she was right because after ~15 minute walk there, we were greeted with a 30-50 minute wait to be seated. That was a fat NOPE, and we found ourselves at Cafe Lounge, where I had amazing batch brew coffee and poached eggs and avocado salsa on “prague bread” for less than $9.

We had no regrets about where our hungry feet led us this time. We looked on Google Maps (honestly, where anyone would be without it? lost.), and we had the perfect loop around the city.

• John Lennon Wall
• Nerudova Street – part of the main shopping street called Mala Strana
• The Prague Castle
• Old Town Square

John Lennon Wall

Another view up the street

Julia and I in Prague

Some of the buildings on Nerudova Street

View from the top

Emma – climbing on walls and being majestic

Prague Castle

Cathedral

Cathedral

Old Town Square and the Town Hall

All of these just aligned themselves in a way that ultimately landed us back at our friends’ airbnb, where we had drinks before going to a bar that was recommended to me. It’s called AnonymouS bar where all of the bar tenders wear the V for Vendetta mask and have a secret menu that you have to ask about. It was a little weird to find and maybe even a little gimmicky, (definitely expensive), but the cocktail I had was suberb. I was told there was a way you could get a cocktail where you smell different perfumes and based on the scents you like they would make you a drink, but the bartender then told me that wasn’t a thing. He just asked me what I liked (mojitos, moscow mules, white russians?) and said he’d surprise me.

Secret menu at AnonymouS bar

The drink I had was really sketchy because the only thing I heard him say was “egg whites” and the alarm bells were ringing in my head, but it was really wonderful. It was fruity, kind of milky, and definitely had coffee in it but it wasn’t heavy like White Russians tend to be. I didn’t become ill from the egg whites, and it was really unlike anything I’ve ever had before. If spending a lot of money on alcohol is not your jam though: don’t come here. It’s definitely pricey even for just a beer or something.

Driving force #2: Paddle Boats

Afterwards, we parted ways and took a really long tram ride back to our airbnb (the metro makes it a lot faster, but stops running at midnight). The stop was right outside the apartment, and we enjoyed another restful night of sleep. Our only tentative plan the next morning was to not buy breakfast out and to meet at the Charles Bridge.

Julia and I wandered over to the neighborhood Billa and got yummy bread and hummus, and some apples. We haphazardly ate our breakfast while listening to some violinists on the bridge and overlooking the wonderful view.

 

Upon meeting with our friends, we took our time making our way across the bridge, which was unfortunately packed with tourists. It was recommended to me to walk it at 4am when it’s empty, but we really just didn’t get a chance. Maybe you’ll be able to! The views from the bridge were marvelous and fall was in the air.

Margo – being Dora the Explorer

Fall foliage from the bridge

We planned on getting lunch at Peklo, which is an underground restaurant by the castle, but the wait to get our food was over an hour again and we were starving. We ended up at Cafe Savoy again, seated and realizing we actually didn’t like anything on the menu. We scrambled to get out of there undetected (and were probably stupidly obvious), but ended up being saved by Yelp. We then moved on to our only actual plan of the day: PADDLE BOATS. Margo suggested we go around sunset, and we got lost enough trying to find them that we got the timing perfectly.

Sunset

On the river

We played old music (note: Africa by Toto, Don’t Stop Believing by Journey, etc.), and jammed out for an hour, and it was just the most amazing time. I felt so content, I couldn’t stop giggling I think. It was magical and dreamy, kind of Hogwarts-esque.

Hogwarts

We returned to our friends airbnb with groceries and wine that ended up costing us $3 each, and had a good roasted veggie meal. It was a wonderful way to end the most amazing weekend trip. I think Prague stole a little piece of my heart that weekend, and even though it was packed with tourists, I feel like I tunnel visioned on my friends and the sights and sounds.

Wish you were here,

Rigel

MPP takes on Budapest and Vienna

DIS sends every core course on long study tours, in addition to core course week. Click core course week if you’re curious what that was like! I’ll do a separate post on the academic side of our visits, because it’s lengthy and fairly nuanced in nature. Basically the whole week was a freaking trek, my feet have never hurt so badly, AND a few of us took a trip to Prague afterward. It was insane, but worth every moment. I got the chance to further get to know the wonderful people in my section, and my favorite thing about us is that we’re all SO different but we still somehow fit together, and it’s really awesome to be able to sit next to someone different and have a completely different kind of conversation. So much love for MPP Section C.

Fisherman’s Bastion

Budapest captured my heart the first time I came to visit. That wasn’t lost on anyone on this trip because I would not shut my mouth about it, to be honest. But really, there’s something about this city in it’s authenticity and in it’s history that enraptures me every single time.

If you didn’t know, Budapest is separated by the Danube into two sides: Buda and Pest. It used to be three different cities, Buda, Obuda, and Pest, but has since come together. Pest is the flat side of the city, where most of the touristy stuff is and the “downtown” area resides. Buda is hilly and mostly residential, but still absurdly beautiful. We stayed on the Pest side, which is where most tourists stayed. DIS threw in a walking tour and a visit to the Szechenyi Baths for us.

 

 

Holocaust memorial

St. Stephen’s Basilica

The walking tour was a little odd because it was very niche and focused on the historic Jewish quarter, but it was still pretty cool as I had seen the city before. After a three hour walking tour, we went to the Gellert Baths, which are indoor baths on the Buda side situated on the same hill the Citadella sits on. Some people wanted to bathe and I suggested the others who didn’t climb to the Citadella.

 

 

Schezenyi

Gellert is different from Szechenyi because it’s indoor and modeled like a cathedral. It’s beautiful and nostalgic, it feels like you’ve been transported to an ancient place. I would highly recommend it, maybe even over Szechenyi even though I’ve been to those twice.

We had a free 6 hours to see ALLL the sights and sounds on our last day. It was a whirlwind, but so satisfying. We climbed to the Buda Castle, grabbed to go pizza and sat in the square facing the Fisherman’s Bastion and the Matthias Church. I felt so much content in that moment, I really could’ve sat there all day.

Church of Matthias

We took our required tourist photos and headed down through the bridge and to the Parliament. That building blows me away every time, it really is just so damn majestic. We then took the tram to the Central Market. The 2 tram in Budapest is a great scenic tram as it goes along the Danube and you get a great glimpse of everything. We spent an hour wandering the massive halls of the Central Market, where most of my friends picked up trinkets and such. We then made our way to the House of Terror, which is a museum dedicated to the history of the Nazi and Soviet Occupation of Hungary. It’s built on what used to be the KGB headquarters, and continues to be my favorite museum to date. It’s really awesome because every single detail is thought out, and it’s emotionally and psychologically provoking. It’s definitely a must see if you find yourself in Budapest.

House of Terror

View from the Buda Castle

Alex mocking a statue

Belvedere

We then took a train to Vienna, which was a pleasant and fairly painless journey. We were falling asleep all over the place out of exhaustion at this point, but Vienna demands your attention in it’s power. It’s grandiose and ornate, something out of a book that talks about royals. It holds Mozart and Freud under it’s belt and the city doesn’t let you forget that.

This is even reflected in the interactions we had: we were told to partake in their “cafe culture” which meant sitting in a lavish cafe and eating cake. It made us feel fairly out of place and was pretty expensive.

Inside the “saloon”

We had a chocolate cake that was the original “sachre torte”, which wasn’t what we were expecting because it had apricot in it.

 

St. Stephen’s Cathedral

St. Stephen’s Cathedral

We had a wine tasting on DIS, which was promptly followed by an aimless walk around the city center at night, where I got to know the girls I was going to Prague with a little more.

The Radhus – “town hall” being ruined by the lights shining from some random video game convention going on in front.

Meghan – amateur sommelier

The next day was the last official day of study tour, which found us at our last stop: the Belvedere. This museum was a microcosm of Vienna’s opulence (the view from inside is the postcard), but was a great way to end our last day there. It was a beautiful museum which housed Gustav Klint’s famous “The Kiss”.

 

Alex and I in Vienna

Thruple at the Belvedre

My favorite thing about doing these two cities together is that they are so close to each other, but are so different. This is in due part to the fact that Hungary was under Soviet Occupation for many years, but I think the cities are a great combination. Budapest will forever have a place in my heart for it’s authenticity but also the memories that I’ve made there with both of the groups of people I went with. Vienna will too, even though it’s view of the Danube isn’t as great. I think I will return there when I’m old and enjoy fancy cake more. A group of my friends and I continued on to Prague, which will be a separate post because it was magical.

The Danube in Vienna, we could’ve just picked a bad spot. 😉

So in all, I’m grateful to have experienced the two cities together, and to learn more about them in a different lens. It was great to get to know my classmates better and see a new place with them. I think I sorted through over 2,000 photos to write this blog post, but now I’ll get to cherish it forever.

Wish you were here,

Rigel

Living and Loving in Copenhagen – LLC

In the words of Leslie Knope: “We need to remember what’s important in life: friends, waffles, work. Or waffles, friends, work. Doesn’t matter, but work is third.”

Study abroad is a huge mesh of things you have to juggle all at once. DIS gives us tons of time to travel and to be out and about in Europe, but their slogan is “Scandinavia {COPENHAGEN!!!} as your home, Europe as your classroom.” I live in fear of never really making Copenhagen my home, especially considering how much time we actually spend out of the country. However, I’m lucky because I get the added bonus of living in an LLC, or a Living and Learning Community. If you read my blog post “She’s beauty, she’s grace, she’ll fall on her face” you can get a little more introduction about what my LLC is about in it’s focus (Public Health), but I wanted to tell you more about the living and community aspect in this blog post.

This weekend we were supposed to go camping in the Western Zealand but the temperature dropped beyond a level that our wonderful coordinator Camilla was comfortable with, especially with a lot of us having caught a cold. Probably due to the fact that we all share just about everything. We instead came up with a different game plan.

SOCIAL EVENTS

We have non-mandatory social events that our SRA sets up for us with our social budget. This Friday we went to Tivoli. Before we went to Tivoli, we had dinner at the glass garden. Literally anything for dinner will cost you about the price of your arm, so I had food at home, and got an Irish coffee while out instead! Here it is with Kacey’s vegan gelato. That’s right. VEGAN GELATO. Look at the joy on her face! I originally was worried we’d have trouble finding things that Kacey can eat but she never has a difficult time finding something vegan and I frequently find myself in amazement at how easy she makes it. If you wanna know more about vegan food you can check out her blog, where she does “What I ate Wednesdays”.

 

If you’ve ever considered coming to Copenhagen or ever read any kind of guidebook about it, you know about the Tivoli Gardens. We got an admission ticket and paid for our own tickets to get on rides. Definitely worth just the price of admission is the walk around the gardens and the views.

 

Tivoli

We went before sunset so got to experience it during daylight hours and after. I would recommend allotting enough time to make a full day ride pass worth it if you’re interested in the rides. We went on the swing ride and got to see an amazing view of the city, if not absolutely terrifying. We didn’t stay very long, but the rest of the LLC stayed for the Nik & Jay concert.

As an LLC we’re going to a candy factory on Wednesday, and these events help make me feel a part of a community despite the fact that I don’t have classes with hardly anyone in the LLC, so I only really see them at home. It’s really nice to have a group of people to come home to.

“REQUIRED” LLC EVENTS

In addition to LLC events that are social in nature, we have required ones every week that are educational – “learning” events. This one is a little special because every LLC has a “retreat”. Our original plans were cancelled because we’re weenies to the cold, and while I’m disappointed, I’m not complaining because I’m definitely a weenie to the cold. Instead we went to Klampenborg, and walked around Dyrhaven, which used to be hunting grounds for the royals, and we saw, as you guessed it – DEER.

 

Dyrehaven

Quite the sight, and although my feet were killing me and I was oddly sweaty, I was satisfied with the sights and sounds. After walking around in the park, we went to the beach and had a good ol’ bonfire.

We really struggled to keep our fire going but Annabelle was our hero and fanned the flames to keep them going. Here she is hiding in a random hole on a hill with our Bio-Ethanol.

We made snobrod with home made dough. The concept is to roll out the dough thinly, and wrap it around a stick with a diameter wide enough so that you can put jams or hotdogs in. I learned how to whittle a stick, and that I’m terrible at being outdoorsy.

 

 

I definitely made mine too thick at the top, but it didn’t have eggs in it and I didn’t cook it for the recommended 18 minutes (according to Balkiss.) I enjoyed my suspicious “cooked” hotdogs cold because I was also done fighting the fire and crying because of smoke in my eyes, but hey, it was delicious and I had more hot cocoa than everyone else. We then wandered over to the water which was surprisingly tepid. Not warm, but not freezing. There were children swimming and plenty of dogs to swoon over.

 

Bellevue Park

I was overjoyed to see the beach and listen to the sounds of water crashing onto shore (one of my favorite noises).

We finished off the trip by trying to light a fire that said “PH” on the beach but were fairly unsuccessful, here’s a timelapse of our very sad attempt.

 

Living in an LLC is not always rosy. Sometimes I feel pressured to always be hanging out, but at the same time I’m always greeted by someone in the common areas and am never alone. You can’t lie and say that after too much time with your family you don’t contemplate murder, but at the end of the day you still (hopefully) love them. If you’re looking to make yourself a part of a community of likeminded but diverse people, consider living in an LLC, or if you’re not studying at DIS or anything, join a club that interests you and be a part of a community. It’s an amazing feeling.

So in all, as a few of us get ready to take advantage of a sunny, unusually warm day in Copenhagen to go to the beach again, I’m grateful to be surrounded by the people I am, and to make meaningful and genuine connections.

Wish you were here,

Rigel

She’s beauty, she’s grace, she’ll fall on her face.

I am extraordinarily lucky to be living in a Living and Learning Community, or for short an LLC. Specifically, I live in the Public Health one, in a very central area of Copenhagen, and I am enamored with my space. What you get out of study abroad is what you make of it, so choosing to live in an LLC just seemed really right to me.

It would give me a community of people with like minded interests, which really makes the “ice breakers!!!” part of orientations and the first part of becoming acclimated to a new place so much easier. It would give me an opportunity to explore Copenhagen and Denmark from a different lens, and with one that I have a particular interest in. Looking at things from a Public Health perspective is not something that you can achieve without copious amounts of research, but each LLC comes with both an SRA and a Coordinator who are knowledgable in the area of “learning” that the LLC focuses on.

Balkiss, our SRA is doing his Master’s on Public Health, and Camilla, our coordinator is an anthropologist and a nutritionist who has worked all over the world, from Asia to Europe. Our group in and of itself is diverse in backgrounds and interests, with some of us doing Medical Practice and Policy, some in Public Health, and a couple in Psychopharmacology. We all hail from different parts of the US and bring something different to the plate. We have events that are geared towards learning more about public health in Denmark that we go to every Thursday, and today was our first one.

What did we do you ask? Well…we did parkour. I think parkour definitely has a weird stigma around it in the US, with many thinking it’s obnoxious or geeky, but here it’s an outlet for not only people who want to get a good workout in, it’s quickly becoming an outlet for young adults and teens who come from troubled homes and backgrounds, to release their tensions. Considering there is no sign up fee, or no particular place you have to go to do it, it seems like the perfect challenge, both mentally and physically to find how you can get from one spot to another.

In all honesty, I was really dreading it. I’m not in the best shape, the rain has been making my knees hurt, and I’m afraid of heights. But I think I can speak for the whole of our LLC when I say we all really enjoyed ourselves. Our instructor took it slow but also gave us just the right amount of push to challenge us. I somehow ended up on a wall, and I’m still amazed by this feat. We don’t have to talk about how I got down.

I can see how the use of the spaces around the city make this such an accessible sport, especially to those who may not be able to afford a gym membership or maybe even basketballs and footballs. It’s an ode to the holistic mindset that the Danes take towards their health and well being. Our instructor taught us not only the physical challenges that come with parkour, he also taught us about how much it also challenges your mind. You must always be thinking of where your feet and your hands will go. How will slight shifts and mere inches change your course of action? It provides an outlet for creativity too, as one person doesn’t have to get from point A to point B in the same manner.

In that spirit, my friend Kacey and I took a different route on our way home from the Osterbro stadium and somehow wandered into a quaint alleyway that allowed us to slow down and reflect on the day. It was illuminated by the dusk and softened the colors of the bright houses. On our way out we found a bus that would take us back to our flat and somehow hopped on the same one that our flatmates had gotten on. It was a tight fit and I definitely got sandwiched in between the doors a couple times, but we made it on and got home.

Today I’m grateful for my health and for my ability to even be able to do parkour. I’m grateful for the community of people I live with and am so excited to see how we all grow together in the next couple months. I don’t know if I’ll be feeling as elated when I wake up and feel all of the muscles I exerted today, but I am grateful for this experience.

Wish you were here,

Rigel

Take the time to waste a moment – a hygge day

The sound of rain hitting the windows and running in the gutters woke me from slumber today, and the warmth of my duvet was just right in comparison to the chill of our room. Even if you know absolutely nothing about Danish culture, you probably know about the concept of hygge. Before even wanting to study abroad in Denmark, hygge has always been something I’ve endeavored to include in my day to day life, however little.

If you don’t know about hygge: it is a Scandinavian concept of coziness and comfort that lead to a feeling of contentment. Think warm fireplaces with giant knit blankets while the snow falls on the ground outside. In Denmark, I’ve even heard people describe things using hygge, such as “If you could do this for me that would be very hygge.” That isn’t exactly what I think of when I think hygge, but I believe it’s very reflective of how integrated it is into Danish culture. To me it’s a welcome departure from the hustle and bustle of American life and culture. It may be difficult for me to incorporate it into every single facet of my life considering I come from the valley in Arizona, where we don’t experience an actual winter, but the sentiment is one that I wish everyone would include into their lives. Here’s my interpretation:  how can you make choices, regardless of how small, to lead to those feelings of content?

Today, I made many choices that lead to those feelings of content, and all of them were centered around taking the time to slow down, and just take it in. I planned on getting out of bed early this morning, and then going out and shopping around the boutiques in the city. The calming sounds of rain and the perfect temperature kept me in bed for hours though, not even sleeping, just enjoying the sounds and the warmth of my bed. I got up slowly and made myself coffee and chatted with my flatmates as I waited to head off for a field study.

At DIS, Wednesdays are reserved for field studies with your classes, with each class getting 2 field studies per semester. Again, an ode to their dedication to have students be as hands on as possible. Today my Complexity of Cancer class took a trip out to Naestved, Denmark, about an hour and half bus ride out of the city. I had also fully intended on using my time on the bus to study. I was quickly distracted by the sights of the highway and the more rural/suburban sites of Denmark though. I’ve always enjoyed commutes on buses and trains, they provide the perfect nap or opportunity to think and reflect. The new Kings of Leon album WALLS has really been my jam as of late, and “Waste a Moment” was the perfect reminder to me that it was okay to just watch the sights fly by as we made our way to our destination. Again, another hygge moment of content to just watch the country fly by as I indulged in my music.

We were visiting a “cancer coping center” called LIVSrum, which translates into the room of life. The concept was borrowed from the Maggie’s Houses in the UK, and aims to create a space of openness and liveliness to not only cancer patients, but to all those affected by a cancer diagnosis. It’s unlike anything I’ve ever seen in the US, where there is no talk of treatment or diagnosis, but is purely a space to practice mindfulness and a place where people can just be. Our point of contact was a woman by the name of Hanne who had been a registered nurse and had earned her masters in psychology. She was doing counseling for marriages and families here, one of the only formal services the LIVSrum provides. She gave us a great explanation of the point of the space.

We all have a designated role for home and for work. Sometimes we completely like the two to be separate, or sometimes they overlap. Either way, they both have definitive roles in our lives, and when one gets a diagnosis for cancer, these roles invariably change. We all also have a “third space”, which can be anything from a cafe, to the library, to the movies. Just somewhere for us to go to just be, away from the more rigid roles and expectations of both home and work. When you get cancer, suddenly home and works’ roles have changed AND accessibility to your third space is minimized or completely inaccessible. LIVSrum and Maggie’s houses aim to create a “third space” for those affected by cancer to meet other people who understand their circumstances, to find a place to relax, or to simply just be. She emphasized that no one at LIVSrum asks why you’re there, and that all are welcome.

Every detail had been thought out, down to the details of it’s architecture and design. The houses were built with large glass doors, large windows, and a lot of white space, to invite natural light and incite a feeling of openness. The interior design was akin to the Danish concept of hygge, and the temptation to sit down and knit in the sun-washed rooms was difficult to ignore. It’s easy to see how this space is a necessary amenity to patients and their loved ones who must be so overwhelmed by the bustle of the hospital and their treatments. It aims to be completely separate from the hospital and caters only to the mindfulness that is required to fight cancer as best as one can.

An interesting fact she told me was that the Danish Cancer Society is a big contribution to their funding, and that they spend about 60% on research and 40% on initiatives like this one. Being involved in cancer research back home, I know it’s a costly and extensive process. To me it seems to be an insight to how the Danes see healthcare differently than the US does, with more of an emphasis on mindfulness and mental health, in addition to physiological health. There are grassroot efforts to provide these “spaces” for those affected by cancer in the US like support groups, but there is hardly top down effort from bigger agencies with more purchasing power to actually create a bigger, more impactful space like the LIVSrum.

I did not feel solemn or saddened to be in the LIVSrum, although it is a space that is intended for people who are affected by cancer. I felt comforted and warmth, especially when greeted by the smiling faces of the women’s breast cancer support group that was meeting. None of the people we saw at LIVSrum seemed sad or solemn. They seemed empowered by the ability to just sit down and relax It seems that the LIVSrum succeeded in their goals to create a space that felt safe, inclusive, and warm, which can sometimes be a far cry from the cold clinics within hospitals. Each have their place of importance, just as it is necessary to hustle in life, there also needs to be room for hygge, for coziness and feelings of content. I’m grateful for the existence of this space for people who so direly need it. I’m grateful for the reminder to slow down and just take the time to waste a moment, because life is so unpredictable.

Wish you were here,

Rigel

P.S. Sorry about the lack of pictures, I didn’t wish to intrude into this space.

P.P.S. WALLS is a seriously good album, you should check it out.

First day jitters – a lesson on selfcare

Do you recall the last time you we’re anxious for your first day of school? Maybe it was ages ago, back in your elementary years. Maybe it was the day before your first day of college, even though you had gone to find your lecture hall the day before, and the day before that.

Your first day sets the tone for the semester sometimes. It affects your mood and how you view your whole day. Will the time you spend worry about it seem silly, or will it feel like you worried for all the right reasons?

Personally, I’ve always looked forward to first days. I usually find that while they can look like and feel like a mountain, they’re usually open arms. Don’t get me wrong, I was plenty anxious about my first day in class. Will I walk into the wrong classroom? What if I’m late, even though I live across the street from the buildings I need to be in? What if I absolutely don’t belong and I hate the classes I’m in, and am stuck in a foreign country for 4 months?!

I’ve been finding it difficult to turn my mind off. Last night, I put my phone away, and went to bed early. I had spent the day with a foggy mind and was making careless mistakes like walking into the bike lane and forgetting words. I allowed myself a slow morning, which can be dangerous if you’re still jetlagged. I took the time to shower, get ready, tidy up my space. As I made my coffee for breakfast, I was greeted by some of my friends in the LLC who invited me to go to brunch. Holding my impossibly hot cup of coffee, I was tempted to down it and head out with them. Just as many before me, and many after me, I was afraid if I didn’t come to every social gathering: I would forever be the person left out. But I was already socially exhausted, I still had readings to do before classes started, and most importantly: I still had a coffee to drink. I passed on the brunch. I had my coffee with toast while I read for my Medical Ethics class, and for a while it was just me in this sunny kitchen, and for the first time since arrival, I felt at home and relaxed.

My Medical Ethics reading ended up being much more nuanced of a read than I had anticipated. I’m really glad I took the time to read early, so that I could plan the rest of my day. My flatmates got back from brunch and, surprise: sat and talked to me! Sometimes that feeling of having to always say yes can feel like so much pressure, that saying no feels impossible. Especially when it comes to a new social circle.

In the afternoon I went to program orientation, where I found myself alone in the streets. As I began my walk back home, I saw a couple stores on my way home that I wanted to pop into, and let my feet carry me in. The Danish are definitely not as friendly as US workers are, and don’t ask you if you need anything in the store (they do have signs telling you to ask if you do though). I didn’t buy anything, but walking around, popping into new places and getting back to my room by myself AND without a GPS this time felt like such a momentus victory, and solidified the feeling of “home”.

I came home and found a million people in our kitchen, and suddenly had an inkling for a burger from a place our SRA had recommended before. Yelp had a deal if you checked in, and I strapped on my boots and got going. I brought back a European fanta and a burger, which, if you haven’t tried European fanta and you’re ever in Europe, you MUST. A friend showed me the difference and it’s astounding. The burger and the bag made me feel a little homesick, but the comfort food and not having to try to cook while 3 other people cook was well worth it.

I ended up taking about 4 hours to read my medical ethics readings. They were densely packed and had a lot of information. If I had made myself socialize like I wanted to I’m doubtful if it would’ve gotten done tonight. I would’ve had an insanely packed morning before my classes and I would’ve been really stressed out. My anxiety would be through the roof. By allowing myself the time to take care of myself and get extra sleep, to let go of some of the stress by taking it slow, I truly got to recharge. By saying no to some of the social gatherings going on today I was able to clear my mind and get things done. What is difficult in study abroad is balance: here you are in this new environment, and you have so many things to juggle, but don’t forget: you come first.

I’ve done some really cool things while being here, but taking this day to myself has been one of the best ones so far. I feel refreshed and ready for classes to start tomorrow, and I’m oddly not anxious at all. I know many of my peers are feeling as I am, and I hope all of them know it’s okay to take a day off too.

I am bursting at the seems to start classes. I meet my host family tomorrow night and am riding the metro for the first time too! It’ll be a busy day, but one long awaited. Once I’ve settled into a routine, I plan on exploring Copenhagen, while the weather is still beautiful. I can’t wait to tell you about it.

Wish you were here,

Rigel

Resfeber – A Weekend Recap

Resfeber is the Danish word for “travel fever”. It is typically characterized by restlessness and is usually resolved after one arrives to their travel destination. Although I have only been living here for two days, resfeber has still yet to leave my system.

I’m no stranger to homesickness, as you know from my first blog post. Going to a university where I could only see my family twice a year made me think it wouldn’t be so bad here, but the reality is some days feel really lonely.

It’s really easy to get caught up on the frustrating details, which I felt I spent a lot of the weekend doing: the uneven cobblestone makes my knees hurt, the weather is weird (raining one moment, muggy and sunny the next, cold wind after), and my room is on the fourth floor with no elevator. It’s really easy to get caught up in your life back home: I have to resist the urge to retreat into my room to facetime my family or my boyfriend when my floormates are socializing in the common room, I have to resist the urge to constantly check my phone to see what everyone back home is up to, checking the world clock to see when people will be awake.

In addition to my homesickness, it’s pretty typical for me to feel extra isolated during the orientation period because I have a difficult time socializing in large groups. Thankfully, DIS took my housing application into regard and chose a housing option that I feel is a really good fit for me. I live in a Living and Learning Community (LLC), with a focus on Public Health. It really helps to have a common interest, and our group is diverse in both background and in concentration of study. We have a weekly meeting and have different social events throughout the semester. I will definitely be blogging about those, so make sure to check in! My group makes me feel at home, but I still feel that nagging feeling of not wanting to miss out (FOMO, anyone?) and thus feeling the need to really put myself out there. I’m excited for classes to start, with hopes that settling into a routine will calm my restlessness.

Many of the challenges of studying abroad and adjusting to your new environment are typically problems that you face internally. They’re also something that people tend to hide from the public eye and brush off when brought up. I wanted to share this part of my experience with you because I think it’s important to showcase all aspects of it, even the gloomy ones.

However, Copenhagen is quickly burrowing a place in my heart. Although the bicyclists have endangered my life more times than cars have, they’re an endearing part of living here, and central to the Danish identity. Our local grocery store is open 24/7 and we have many stories of us unfortunate Americans forgetting to buy a plastic bag or to bring a reusable one. I love the waterfronts and the parks within the city. I love the narrow streets and the eclectic colors of the buildings, contrasted with the minimalist interior design. I’m excited to experience more of this city and really find my place within it.

Orientation has begun and classes start on Thursday, and I get to meet my visiting host family. Our LLC has a jumpstart event on Saturday.

My class schedule looks amazing and is an incredible fit for my pre-health academic goals. It’ll be a refreshing semester with a more pragmatic application of the foundation I have built in my undergraduate career. I cannot wait to write to you about the rest of this week. I’ll talk more about my classes and my living situation. Maybe I can give you a coffee recommendation by then.

Really wishing you were here,

Rigel