the teddy bears' picnic

I went into the woods today, Hareskoven, for the first time I've been here, despite the fact that it's only a block away. It's been a lazy weekend, and today was cloudy but warm and dry, the perfect opportunity to go on a walk before finals and winter sneak in. I didn't wander too far, for fear of getting lost and then having it get dark, as it does at an absurdly early hour these days. But it was really nice. Sometimes I took a main trail, other times a lightly trodden footpath, and sometimes I just wandered amongst the trees on a soft bed of fallen leaves. There were a good number of people in the woods today, mostly families with kids, but the adorable Danish kids just made me smile; they did not detract in any way from the peacefulness and 'naturalness' of the forest. It was so calming and relaxing and beautiful. I took my camera and my journal with me, and made good use of both.

Despite the warm weather (around 50° F), Christmas is in full bloom in Denmark. I went to three Christmas markets on Saturday. I find a lot of the merchandise to be a bit too Christmas-y - there's not much you can by to use any other time of year - but it's fun and festive. I haven't bought any Christmas presents yet (first I need to get throughbirthdayss in my host family-Siv's is tomorrow), but I'll get around to it. All the Christmas stuff is a bit overwhelming, but the lights everywhere certainly brighten the dark afternoons. There's a practical purpose to starting the Christmas festivities and decorating so soon--this would otherwise be a very depressing time of year.

Now that I've finished the bulk of my academic work here (besides finals), I've been thinking about what comes next. I will certainly be sad to leave this remarkable place, but it will be nice to be back in the states, to see friends and family and be surrounded by a language I understand (Oh, to know what is going on around me!), etc. I'm also pretty set on going to Africa this summer; I filled in a preliminary application to volunteer for two months at a Liberian refugee camp in Ghana. We'll see what happens there, but somehow or another I will end up volunteering or interning in Africa. I feel so ignorant in my dreams of Africa-I'm not interested in a certain place or problem, I'm just this privileged little white girl who thinks she can somehow make a difference on that poor, war-ravaged continent. But I'm tired of academia and the thought that some day I'll make a difference with the things that I've learned. I need to get into the field and put the knowledge and skills I do have, now, to work. I need to do something with my hands and my heart, and not just my head. And this is the time in my life to start.

Glædelig Kalkun Dag

My Thanksgiving this year combined the best of both worlds: good ol' Danish "hygge" and traditional American face-stuffing. Min far made his pumpkin soup when my parents were here last week (was it only last week?) so we started off with that, as usual. Then a nice Danish salad, and then the tidal wave of food. The turkey was delicious, the stuffing was stuffing, the sweet potatoes didn't have enough butter or maple syrup but were tasty nonetheless, the Brussels sprouts were rosenkål, the cranberry sauce was perfectly tart, and very few of the plain old boiled potatoes were eaten (am I forgetting anything? I don't think so.) Less dishes than usual, but less people too. We all ate very heartily, so there were surprisingly few leftovers; still the refridgerator is bursting at the seams. We took a break to dance and play some Danish Pictionary Junior, and then dessert. I made my chocolate cheesecake with a brunkager (gingersnap) crust. For some reason the cake was denser and sweeter than usual, but still absolutely delicious. We also had homemade pumpkin pie and whipped cream, to top everything off. It was a feast of food, a tradition transported, a family festival, a hearty hygge. You get the point.

And now, my papers are finished, my stomach is full, and I have had a delightfully hyggeligt aften. There is MUCH to be thankful for.

a piece of heaven

or, a train ride through god's country

there and back again

It's good to be back in Copenhagen. Fall is fully in swing now (actually, the Christmas season has already started), but it's warmer than Bucharest and Bratislava and dryer and more pleasant than Athens. During the past two weeks, the only sunny days were ones I spent in airports and on airplanes. Despite the cold and rain, I still had a fabulous time. In Athens, I explored the Acropolis and other ruins (for free, as a student in Denmark) and went to the beach, where the water was warm but I would have died if I went swimming because the air was so cold and wet and windy. What stood out most about the Acropolis was the broken umbrellas, more than the ancient ruins that I was too cold to really enjoy and appreciate. Still, I was very much aware of the history around me as I stood on a weathered, rocky outcropping at the base of the Acropolis overlooking the city. It really made me realize that for all that history repeats itself, for all that things can be restored or recreated, nothing will ever be the same.

Bucharest is bleak and sad, in a very post-communist sense, I think. At the same time, it felt surprisingly familiar and safe, especially inside of restaurants and cafes and museums. There were definitely many happy people, but I did notice one ride on the Metro when everyone in our car looked glum and sad. There were plenty of nice buildings falling apart, with yards in disarray. And the amount of neon billboards is almost astounding, and all for international corporations. It's hard to find Romanian beers to try, because pretty much all the restaurants and bars serve Carlsberg and Tuborg. I wish I knew more about recent Romanian history, because the city seems very unsure of its identity. They love the French, and recently unveiled a statue of Charles de Gaulle, who really has no relevance whatsover to the city or country. However, I can see Bucharest being the next Berlin in 15 years. It felt perfectly safe to walk around, at least with someone else, despite all the grafitti and buildings in disrepair, except when we had luggage. Walking out of the airport Dan and I were accosted by illegitimate taxi drivers trying to rip us off. The same happened when we walked by the train station on our way to our hostel. In general, people weren't particularly helpful. A woman who worked at the airport claimed there was no ATM. One young woman who spoke English helped us at first, but when she missed the first bus to town because she was confused about where to catch it, she stopped talking to us completely.

Dan and I expected a similar experience when we got off the plane in Bratislava, but instead we felt a welcome return to the European Union. Everything was clean and in good condition. The cold wet rain we had been experiencing farther south turned into dryer and more fun snow. Bratislava is like a smaller, cheaper, less tourist-filled Prague. The clean streets are filled with random statues, there are enough places of interest to fill more than a day, and a full night out (dinner and drinks) for two can cost about 20 dollars. Basically, Bratislava is a hidden gem of Central Eastern Europe. Dan and I had a snowball fight and built mini snowmen at the castle.

My parents come on Thursday(!!!) so I get to be a tourist again, this time in Wonderful Copenhagen. I'm excited to go to museums and eat at restaurants. Until then, I'm locking myself away to write a paper.