I had been planning for a while that my final week would be busy and productive; I would say that it has turned out to be more busy than productive.
Monday: A great day with my good friend Frederik. He is a nice person and really helped me adjust to life in Denmark when I first came. We spent the day out at his house in the country. We played Backgammon, saw some of the World Cup, watched a funny Swedish film (which with the help of subtitles and a sharp ear I was able to understand.), played a little "football" and just relaxed. It was a great relaxing day, something I can always use.
Tuesday: One final day in Copenhagen. I went together with a girl from New Zealand who had to buy souvenirs for her family. We met up with some other exchange students and then all got lost in the world's largest H&M (it is not really the largest, but it is HUGE!). I bought some final things and even found shoes, which is something I desperately needed. Copenhagen is a beautiful city and feel lucky that I was able to experience it as much as I did. It will for sure be something I miss.
Wednesday: Sankt Hans Dag, the longest day of the year. I had made plans with some of my classmates to get together and have a picnic in the park. It was great weather and fantastic food together with loving friends. It was very nice. Later in the day we took to one of the girls in my class' house. She offered to have people over for a little dinner before the Skt. Hans Dag festivites. We had, once again, great food particularily Danish Strawberry Cake, which I took the pleasure of having thirds on. SO delicious. After dinner we made our way down to the park for the "burning of the witch". In olden days (a LONG time ago) on June 23rd they would burn witches and have a big fire and celebration. No longer are witches burned, but the tradtional fire is still a big affair. I felt a little strange taking pictures of, basically, a bonfire, but I thought the tradition was very interesting. From the park we made our way to a friends house, where...
Thursday: ...we pulled an all-nighter (almost). The reason for this absurd lack of sleep was because at 5 a.m. we had to get up to decorate a truck. Interesting? This is also an old tradition (not as old as the witch burning though) for 2.g and 3.g students on the day before 3.g "graduation". What happens is that each 3.g class gets a large farm/moving type truck, which is then decorated by the class below them (2.g) in outrageous attire. Then the truck drives to each 3.g students' house and has some sort of course, something like a progressive dinner. The courses can be anything from smoothies to sandwiches to fruit to candy. It is a day affair, hence the 5 a.m. starting time. It is appropriate as well because from 4 a.m. to 11 p.m. it is completely light out, making it easier to do something than sleep. After the trucks left was it time to say goodbye to my class. It was easy than I imagined, but harder than I wanted it to be. The fact that we will see each other again (hopefully soon!) comforted the departure. I went home to catch up on my sleep and then went off again to the beach, this time with my exchange student friends. We grilled on the beach and caught some rays, even did some swimming. It was the last time I would see some of them which is hard to think about. The next time I will see the most of them will be at the final camp.
Friday: Tomorrow I am going to start to get all my things in order and make sure my suitcases are the proper weight. I am planning on staying as busy as I can. The busier the better. Maybe a nice head-clearing run is in order.
Saturday: The day I have been thinking about for quite some time. I am not exactly sure what I will be doing in the morning, but in the afternoon my host family and I will drive to Copenhagen and say our goodbyes. It will be neat to see all the exchange students I haven't seen since the start, but it will also be the last time for a lot of things and that is hard to think about. I am hoping it will be a positive, relieving experience, but I am expecting the worst. I know it will be for the best.
Sunday: I fly home at 12:20 p.m. and arrive in New York at 2:45 p.m. EST. Then it ends. I leave the other American students and am on my own. I take a plane from New York to Chicago. If it isn't obvious enough, I am really not sure how to feel about this. It will be nice to be back on American ground, but the thought of that freaks me out a little to. Only time will tell.
Andy E
Monday: A great day with my good friend Frederik. He is a nice person and really helped me adjust to life in Denmark when I first came. We spent the day out at his house in the country. We played Backgammon, saw some of the World Cup, watched a funny Swedish film (which with the help of subtitles and a sharp ear I was able to understand.), played a little "football" and just relaxed. It was a great relaxing day, something I can always use.
Tuesday: One final day in Copenhagen. I went together with a girl from New Zealand who had to buy souvenirs for her family. We met up with some other exchange students and then all got lost in the world's largest H&M (it is not really the largest, but it is HUGE!). I bought some final things and even found shoes, which is something I desperately needed. Copenhagen is a beautiful city and feel lucky that I was able to experience it as much as I did. It will for sure be something I miss.
Wednesday: Sankt Hans Dag, the longest day of the year. I had made plans with some of my classmates to get together and have a picnic in the park. It was great weather and fantastic food together with loving friends. It was very nice. Later in the day we took to one of the girls in my class' house. She offered to have people over for a little dinner before the Skt. Hans Dag festivites. We had, once again, great food particularily Danish Strawberry Cake, which I took the pleasure of having thirds on. SO delicious. After dinner we made our way down to the park for the "burning of the witch". In olden days (a LONG time ago) on June 23rd they would burn witches and have a big fire and celebration. No longer are witches burned, but the tradtional fire is still a big affair. I felt a little strange taking pictures of, basically, a bonfire, but I thought the tradition was very interesting. From the park we made our way to a friends house, where...
Thursday: ...we pulled an all-nighter (almost). The reason for this absurd lack of sleep was because at 5 a.m. we had to get up to decorate a truck. Interesting? This is also an old tradition (not as old as the witch burning though) for 2.g and 3.g students on the day before 3.g "graduation". What happens is that each 3.g class gets a large farm/moving type truck, which is then decorated by the class below them (2.g) in outrageous attire. Then the truck drives to each 3.g students' house and has some sort of course, something like a progressive dinner. The courses can be anything from smoothies to sandwiches to fruit to candy. It is a day affair, hence the 5 a.m. starting time. It is appropriate as well because from 4 a.m. to 11 p.m. it is completely light out, making it easier to do something than sleep. After the trucks left was it time to say goodbye to my class. It was easy than I imagined, but harder than I wanted it to be. The fact that we will see each other again (hopefully soon!) comforted the departure. I went home to catch up on my sleep and then went off again to the beach, this time with my exchange student friends. We grilled on the beach and caught some rays, even did some swimming. It was the last time I would see some of them which is hard to think about. The next time I will see the most of them will be at the final camp.
Friday: Tomorrow I am going to start to get all my things in order and make sure my suitcases are the proper weight. I am planning on staying as busy as I can. The busier the better. Maybe a nice head-clearing run is in order.
Saturday: The day I have been thinking about for quite some time. I am not exactly sure what I will be doing in the morning, but in the afternoon my host family and I will drive to Copenhagen and say our goodbyes. It will be neat to see all the exchange students I haven't seen since the start, but it will also be the last time for a lot of things and that is hard to think about. I am hoping it will be a positive, relieving experience, but I am expecting the worst. I know it will be for the best.
Sunday: I fly home at 12:20 p.m. and arrive in New York at 2:45 p.m. EST. Then it ends. I leave the other American students and am on my own. I take a plane from New York to Chicago. If it isn't obvious enough, I am really not sure how to feel about this. It will be nice to be back on American ground, but the thought of that freaks me out a little to. Only time will tell.
Andy E
Andy,
ReplyDeleteI will be happy to have you home again! I also know that it will be an adjustment for all of us, and you need time and space to make the transition. If you talk to us they way you write your blog, your thoughts and feelings will be clear to us! I love you and am so proud of you, Andy. Keep a smile on your face! Love you more than ants love picnics. Mom
Hope you had a good time in denmark Andy. I haven't been home that much this past year, but it was nice meeting you. Sorry I couldn't be there and say goodbye during the last weeks but exams and rock 'n' roll were just too important :P
ReplyDeleteBest wishes, Theis,