i think i'm in love

no, not with a boy. don't be alarmed ;)

i'm in love with my job. with my new friends. my host family. this amazing city. the "real, adult life." The fact that I wake up every morning feeling so happy I could burst! Maybe the fact that I haven't blogged since I started work is a good indicator of what a great time I am having.

Day two of my job we went to Kullen, Sweden on an "orientation study tour." I knew after about 3 hours that my new coworkers and I were going to get along just great. I remember sitting by the bonfire in a rural area of beautiful Sweden, asking myself, can this really be my job? So what do I actually do, you ask? Well, my proper title is "Housing and Student Affairs Assistant." Essentially, my department deals with pretty much everything that is non-academic related. Some of my responsibilities include: supervising the Student Activities Committee (kind of like a student council), counseling students, taking care of housing issues, helping coordinate Arrival Day, publishing the DIS-wide newsletter and a ton of other little tasks. Honestly, I could not ask for a more perfect position. The days go by so quickly because I'm so busy, but I am also having so much fun doing what I do. Needless to say, my busiest week is upon me....Arrival Day in ONE WEEK!! Pictures below are: Sweden, coworkers, Angie (the other housing intern) and me.




My housing has worked out perfectly. I am thrilled to say the apartment I blogged about earlier is officially mine now! It is perfect. Right on the famous Copenhagen lakes, a really great price, 5 minutes from work, huge!, furnished and with one Danish girl and one American girl (another DIS intern). I couldn't ask for better. I am so, so glad I waited, because it is truly my dream apartment. I will post pictures after I move in and get settled (August 20). My new roomie, Erika, and me!


I apologize for my lack of communication with all of you in the States. The time difference and working hours make it hard to catch some of you, but bare with me and know that I am thinking of you all.

Now I am off to go watch the "Copenhagen Challenge," which is similar to the Ironman. Going to be tired just watching them! Vi ses :)

just takes a smile.

how could you not love coming home to this smiling face?

and it all falls into place.

Do you ever have that feeling, that God is just placing everything in your life together like a puzzle? He may be slower than you had hoped in doing so, but in the end, it all works out to be a perfect picture.

This is exactly how I feel right now.

I arrived in Copenhagen two weeks early because I really wanted to get settled before work starts. Little did I know, about 5,000 exchange students would be needing housing in the city around early August. Thus began my fight in the housing war of Copenhagen. Email after email after email. No responses. Then, finally I would get a response, go see the apartment, then be told they had picked someone else. I knew I was being picky with my apartment selection, but I started to really feel like a failure. Nothing was working out and work was to start in only a few days.

When I went into the city the other day, I stopped by DIS and mentioned to my boss I was still looking for an apartment. He said he actually had a couple extra people apply to be a Danish Roommate (one of the housing options at DIS), and could forward them to me. Well I heard back from one of the girls, who has a huge, furnished apartment on the famous lakes of Copenhagen, which is a really great location! She is on vacation right now, but said she could show me the apartment on August 5th. Even though I don't have the apartment for sure, this is the most promising one I've had yet and I feel really good about it! Totally reminds me of the quote..."Good things come to those who wait."

I've also gotten the opportunity to meet up with a lot of my Danish friends, which has been great. It feels like I never left and I am so excited to continue those friendships.

So housing is looking up, most of the other interns are finally arriving, and work starts Monday!

the perfect danish summer day

When I woke up this morning and it was sunny outside, I decided it was time to go out and enjoy the nice weather! So my host sister Laura and I decided to bike into the city and explore.

Now biking in Copenhagen is quite the experience. It is definitely going to take getting used to. It's a little different than at home. And when I say little, I mean it is COMPLETELY different. I feel like I am 16 again, learning how to drive a car. People pass on the left, no right on red (okay, only if no one is looking), raise your hand to stop....and the list of unspoken rules goes on. You really learn how many "unspoken rules" there are in a culture when you enter one completely different than your own.

Our first stop was Assistens Kierkegaard, the park where many famous Danes are buried. We went to see the most famous Dane, writer HC Andersen--he wrote The Little Mermaid and The Ugly Duckling. We also saw the graves for the astronomer Niels Bohr and philosopher Søren Kierkegaard.

I decided I wanted to show Laura "my hood" in Copenhagen, so we stopped by the DIS building. I hadn't had a chance to go by the office yet, so we popped in and I got to meet some of my new colleagues and see the office I'll be working in! It was so exciting to meet everyone and show Laura what my work will be like. I also wanted to take her to my favorite spot in Copenhagen...a very hyggeligt cafe called The Living Room. It was so cool to go back there, since I spent many afternoons in there when I was a student.

Outside in the square, we found some of the painted elephants that have been placed around Copenhagen and enjoyed a nice stroll on the famous walking street in Copenhagen, Strøget. We even came across a sweet outdoor photography exhibit!



This has gotta be the good life.... :)

dette er min familie

So I thought I should introduce the people who I have spent most of my time with while I've been in Denmark...my host family :) They are one of a kind and so gracious to let me live in their home until I have found an apartment in the city (which is proving to be a feat in itself...).

The story begins when I was a student at DIS and people who didn't have host families could sign up for a "visiting family." You wouldn't live with them, but you could go to their home and experience Danish family life. I got my assigned family and all I really knew about them was from a picture they sent me of them standing in their garden. I was so nervous the first time I came to their home, not knowing exactly what was or wasn't polite in their culture. Over the course of the semester I came to their house 3 times, enjoyed meals and laughed about the little things. They seem to enjoy my mispronunciation of simple Danish words! We kept in touch over email after I left Denmark and when I found out I would be coming back, I emailed them to ask if it would be possible for me to stay with them while I looked for an apartment. They said, "selvfølgelig," my favorite Danish word---of course.

Meet Anders-mig far

He is the sweetest man you will ever meet. He always makes sure that I am comfortable and wants me to know that, "you live here, now, kelli." We always enjoy an afternoon coffee, eftermiddags kaffe, and conversate simply. He doesn't speak a ton of English, so he teaches me simple Danish words and I try to teach him English. We laugh at the silly things together because stupid things are a lot funnier when you can't entirely communicate in words. The most recent laugh was about my "Do it like DIS" shirt from work. He says..."Do it like DIZZZZZ." So great.

Meet Tove-mig mor

She is so kind and is always looking out for what is best for me. I love going to the grocery store around the corner with her and picking out what to eat for dinner. She teaches me Danish words for things I may need and translates people's conversations. She has been actively helping me with apartment searching, listening to my concerns and telling me what she thinks is the best. She is also an amazing cook! We have planned to go have a beer on Nyhavn (the famous harbor) when it is sunny this week.

Meet Kirsten-mig store søster
Kirsten is one of their older daughters who has been living with them for the past month, due to a recent illness. It is unfortunate circumstances that brings her home, but I am glad that I have someone else around the house while Tove and Anders are at work. We always joke around about how lazy we are and how we basically have sleeping contests of who can sleep in later. She has also been a big help in finding an apartment, always encouraging me to keep looking when I get frustrated. We made the best homemade chocolate chip cookies the other day after deciding we couldn't just keep laying on the couches. Since I don't have a sister, its so much fun to have host sisters!

Meet Laura-mig store søster

She is their youngest daughter and the sweetest girl ever! She doesn't live at home anymore, so I have only been able to see her once since I've been here, but we got to be friends when I was a student. I always have a great time hanging out with her and I am so excited to continue our friendship while I'm back!

They also have another daughter, Kirsten's twin, Mette. I haven't been able to meet her yet, but hopefully soon! This family is so amazing and I am so lucky to have them in my life.

my second home.

It feels so good to be back! Honestly, it feels like I never left. Once I stepped into the Copenhagen airport, I felt like I was coming back to my second home. Except now the weather is much nicer :)

The journey here was not bad at all. I had layovers in New York and Iceland, which actually turned out to be quite nice, so I could get up and move around and have a break from the plane. My smiling host dad, Anders, picked me up at the airport with a Danish flag in hand. That is a tradition in Denmark, when someone arrives, to greet them with a flag. It is so neat when you arrive at the airport and all the Danes are standing there waving their Danish flags as their loved ones arrive. Both of my bags also made it, contrary to the bad luck I had when I came before.

My family had a room all ready for me, to unpack everything and make it my own hyggelig space :) My host family is so, so great to me. They have given me my own key to the house and even a bike (which is a hot commodity in Denmark). I am loving the simple things about being back in Denmark.... Little Danish lessons with my family. Walking to the store and cooking with my mom. Having coffee in the living room with my dad. Searching for an apartment with my sister. And most of all, enjoying blue skies and 70 degree weather!

I am sad to report that the two apartment options I thought I had did not work out, but that just means there is something else out there better for me. Anders told me..."of course you stay here as long as you need to, until you find the right fit." So it makes me feel good that I won't be homeless! I just love the loyalty of the Danes. They live quite simple lives, but they hold such a strong loyalty to their friends and family.

I know I am exactly where I am meant to be right now. And that is such a great feeling! :)

en hyggelig eventyr

When I left Copenhagen in May of 2010, I just felt like I wasn't finished. I hadn't gotten to explore all the places that I had intended. I never got to have my picnic in King's Garden. I was getting around the city like a true Dane. I finally learned that you have to go to the grocery store almost every day. My relationships were growing and I felt like I was in the best place I had ever been in my life.

It was not until after I got home that I realized how much I really missed Copenhagen. I missed the fact that every day was an adventure. It sounds odd, but I feel like I am wired to be in an international community, whether it is living abroad or befriending foreigners in America. I decided to help out with the international students at Elon last fall, so I could still feel internationally connected. It was this experience that confirmed my feelings that international education may be the career path for me.

The rest of this story has formed like a puzzle, each little piece coming together to work out perfectly. I decided to apply for an internship at the school where I studied in Copenhagen, the Danish Institute for Study Abroad. I won't go into all the details in between, but I got an interview for the Housing & Student Affairs position, and found out on February 24th that I got the job!! Not many college grads can say they got their dream job right after college....but this is honestly a dream come true! One of my friends asked me the other day, if I could live ANYWHERE right now..where would it be? My immediate answer was Copenhagen.

It was fate that I was to move back to Copenhagen. Not only because I love the city and the people, but also because it would be the ideal stepping stone toward a career in international education. So here I sit, on July 14, just a mere three days away from moving day! I cannot believe it is finally here.

So let me say thank you to everyone who has supported me in this new adventure. I can't thank everyone enough for all the love and encouragement I have received. So follow me now on "en hyggelig eventyr"--a pleasant adventure :)

its a busy, busy life.

I sit here, in Mcewen School of Communications-my second home-and study for my last final of the semester.

Wow.

I am 5 months away from graduating from college. Now that is a hard pill to swallow. Yet I find myself more and more excited everyday for what lies ahead. Perhaps going back to Denmark, moving to Europe with Sarah Nierste, or relocating to the windy city of Chicago with Carolyn. Who knows where I will actually end up, but I know wherever I go it will be the start to an amazing new chapter in my life.

Never thought I would say this, but I am ready for real life. I am ready for a big girl job. With a big girl apartment. In a big girl city. On a big girl salary. It's true. Real life is coming and I cannot WAIT.

I want to highlight some of the awesome things of the semester on my next posts. A montage of senior year memories, if you will.

memories.

Well, tomorrow marks the beginning of October. *enter my favorite month EVER*

October is filled with fun and surprises around every corner. Every weekend is full of plans with friends and family and I am SO excited for this month to begin. Here is a short run down of my plans for October:
October 1-3 Parents Weekend
October 8-10 Beach Retreat (I have to give a senior talk this year...eek!)
October 15-19 Fall break trip to NYC with Helen and the amazing Turner Family
October 22-24 Homecoming! Yay alumni!
October 27 My 22nd Birthday! Wow...I'm getting old.
October 28-30 Chaperone the Atlanta trip with the freshmen Communication Fellows
October 31 Experience the craziness that is UNC Franklin Street on Halloween

Despite the fact that October holds much promise, senior year has already proven great times. Quick snapshot:

-Being hypnotized by Tom Deluca at one of the welcome back events by the Student Union Board
-Getting to know the amazing international students at Elon this year, who have named me "international mom"
-Playing BINGO with the international students and being the first out of 200 people to get BINGO, which came with a prize of chips and salsa *they know me too well*
-Having awesome Bible studies of Isaiah with my amazing small group, Naps with Nehemiah
-Planning out our senior CRUISE for Spring Break
-Getting a baller group, Mack Communications, for my Strategic Campaigns course
-Having random dance parties in Little Gray
-Lunch with the Communications Advisory Board, network network network
-Finding gems at the thrift store for the 90s party

-Studying notecards with Carolyn for loooong hours for media law
-Supporting an AOII sister with leukemia through various fundraisers with all of my sisters

-Getting a visit from one of my great friends, Suz, who lived in Denmark with me


Sadly, an Elon freshmen passed away last week when she collapsed on her way to class and then died in the ambulance on the way to the hospital. It is such a sad story, but reminds us all that life is precious. No matter how insignificant the day may seem, it is another day alive. Another day to be thankful for everything that you have been given. Another day to live to the fullest, because life is precious and full of great memories.

senior year.

Holy shenanigans, today is my last day of summer before SENIOR YEAR OF COLLEGE, therefore, my last technical day of "summer" ever in my life. Wow. This is my best hand sign for 2011.

The start of senior year has been awesome! I got back to Elon on Wednesday to immediately start helping with the international student orientation. After my experience abroad, I knew I wanted to get more involved with the international community at Elon and I got the opportunity to help with their initial orientation into the University. There are students from Kenya, Ghana, Syria, China, Switzerland, Sweden, Poland, Spain, Italy, Canada, and even Afghanistan. It was so awesome getting to know them and it made me feel like I was still abroad :)

Little Gray is finally complete! Victoria and I are still living here and we added two of our best friends and suite mates from sophomore year, Lauren and Sarah. I am so blessed to have always had such great living arrangements and I am so excited about our house this year!

So with only 3 classes, meaning 12 hours that begin at 10:30 at the earliest, here is to sleeping in and senior year!

eat pray love.

It's all the hype now. The book, turned movie, is definitely a hot topic with the recent movie release. So with the recent excitement, I decided I should finally read the book, which has been recommended to me by several of my friends for a couple years now.

SERIOUSLY, READ IT!!!

Literally, I have connected with this book. It sounds weird, but I feel as though her journey is almost identical to my recent self-reflection (sans all the meditation and yogic theology). After spending 4 months abroad, I can appreciate her travel diaries and self discoveries so much more. There is honestly something about being abroad that brings about a new reflection.

Being in Denmark and traveling around Europe taught me SO much. Not only did it teach me more about the world in which we live, but it taught me so much more about myself. I notice the changes in myself so much more now that I'm back in my own environment.

Maybe it is being a senior in college and really thinking about where I want to go and what I want to do with the rest of my life as well. All I know is I have been thinking about a lot of things lately and I find it so ironic that I am reading this book at the same time. So maybe I'm not crazy with all of my thoughts and this is a sign that it is just another stage of my life.

What a divine sign it is.

august.

Sunday morning arrives, I check my phone and what do I see......AUGUST 1, 2010. WHOA, WHAT?! It's August???

Maybe some of you had similar reactions to mine when you woke up to find that the summer months are quickly coming to an end. I literally feel like I left Denmark yesterday, much less two months ago.

This summer has been quite monotonous compared to my crazy four months abroad, but enjoyable nonetheless. I have kept my days busy livin' in my sweet maroon polo as a tour guide in the Elon Office of Admissions which brings fun stories everyday. I love meeting perspective students and families and talking about how much I love Elon.

People always ask me, why did you choose Elon? If you could do it all over again, would you? Honestly, I can answer this with a big YES! I have had sooo many amazing experiences at Elon and I know a lot of them wouldn't have been possible unless I had attended this University. From my internship experience, to study abroad, to my service learning class, to going to LA for "class" my freshmen year, it really has been unforgettable.

I never thought I would say these words, but I am so ready for class to start. Yes, yes I know, what student ever wants summer to end? But honestly, I do. I cannot wait to start my senior year, get back into my Elon classes, and see all my friends who I haven't seen since last December!

So the countdown now begins for August 31, the first day of my last year at Elon......*gasp*

reality check.

This past weekend I took a road trip with my good friend Sarah Foushee to see our other friend from school, Catherine Pearson. Catherine graduated in 2009 and has a job down in Atlanta, so she invited us to come stay with her for the weekend.

It was a great weekend filled with a Braves game, a farmers market the size of Sam's Club, beautiful fireworks and plenty of pool time--not to mention plenty of "mericuh" references. Yet not only was the weekend enjoyable because I got to spend it with two great friends, but it was also the first time I have really taken the opportunity to think about where my life is headed in the near future.

REALITY CHECK: I am a SENIOR in COLLEGE?! Whoa. When did this happen?? A lot of people go into senior year depressed that the best four years of their life are about to end. While this can be true, the ending is only the start of a fabulous new beginning. I hope that I can enjoy my senior year to the fullest, but I also pray that I can remain excited and hopeful for the rest of my future.

The world is literally at my fingertips and I am SO pumped for that!!

on to the next adventure.

I have begun a new chapter in my life--and my blog for that matter. With this big change, I struggled with the fact that I would probably need to change the title of my blog. Could I really leave my title "Denmark: Adventures Abroad" forever? Or should I move on and delete those letters which have encompassed the past four months of my life.

Moving on is hard. I am the kind of person who doesn't like to move on when I have a good thing going. Adjusting back to life in America has been a lot tougher than I thought it would be. I miss every little thing about my time in Copenhagen, especially the people. But should I really spend my entire summer being depressed about leaving Copenhagen? As much as I want to meddle in my own self-pity, I know this is not the way I need to spend my time.

Therefore, I am learning (very slowly) that life does go on and different parts of life may be more exciting than others, but that doesn't mean you can't enjoy them all the same. They are just different kinds of enjoyment, and that's okay.

I know this doesn't really make sense to most people, but its a hard thing to describe. In essence, this summer is starting off bitter-sweet, but hopefully it will be more sweet than bitter. One amazing chapter in my life has ended, but that just means another door has opened.

Therefore, I have changed my title to "life is beautiful," because it is. I pray that I can make the most of mine.

Here are some pictures of friends and family since I've been home!

last night.

Well, it is officially my last night in Copenhagen. I don't think it has hit me yet, nor do I think it will until I finally reach American soil. This has been such an unbelievable experience and I wouldn't change it for the world.


To all my new American friends that I met in Copenhagen, I know we share a bond that no one else can understand. To all my new international friends from Keops, thanks for teaching me more than I ever thought possible. To all my Danish friends, thanks for welcoming me and making me feel at home in Copenhagen. I will definitely be back at some point in the future. To all my friends at home, thanks for keeping up with me and making me feel loved even across the world. I cannot wait to see you all! To my family, thanks for supporting me through the past 4 months. Thank goodness for Skype. To all my blog readers, thank YOU so much for following my adventures and caring about my life. I have had such a great time writing this blog, and even if my adventures will never be as awesome as the past 4 months, I hope to continue posting because writing it has been so enjoyable.

Here is to the best four months of my life! Vi ses Copenhagen, hello America!

Quick sidenote: Margot and I hit up Tivoli on Saturday and then Troels and I biked to Amager beach yesterday. Therefore, I officially completed 9 of my 10 bucket list goals. The only one I did not achieve was the picnic in King's Gardens.....weather still sucks. But 9/10 is pretty good if I do say so myself :)

last night in keops.

Tonight is officially my final night in my room in Keops and it is such a sad feeling.

I really hate goodbyes and I have already had to do a lot of them in the past two days.

Therefore, this is not goodbye, just see you later, Copenhagen.

You have taught me many things the past 4 months and I will truly leave a part of my heart with you here.

13.

It is May 13th.

My roommates, Caroline and Victoria, made me a stack of index cards, one for each day I was abroad, before I left. I promised myself I wouldn't look ahead, so each day I am surprised by a new quote, funny memory or crazy challenge. May 13th says "Think of your 13 favorite things about your time in Denmark." So I am going to go David Letterman on you and countdown:

13. Burger Monday's at Peder Oxe
12. Cheap avocados=lots of guacamole
11. My precious visiting family
10. Frikadeller
9. Beautiful Danish people
8. Crazy nights at Kulør Bar
7. 7:30 Dinners with Keops Family
6. Challenging myself on a daily basis
5. Hang gliding in Interlaken
4. Traveling all over Europe
3. Snails & The Living Room
2. Hygge
1. The absolute amazing people I have met.

one week.

I can't believe it. Can I really be leaving in a week? I feel like I just stepped off the plane yesterday!

Today was a great day. I finished my last two finals, Virtual Worlds and Copenhagen History. I feel like I did well on both, which is a satisfying feeling :) It's hard to believe I won't be in school again until September. AND I will be a SENIOR IN COLLEGE?! WHAT?

After finishing my finals, I headed to Vanløse to have my final dinner with my visiting family. Their daughter Laura even came home again to say bye to me. They are absolutely precious and have been so sweet to me during my time in Copenhagen. I got to show them pictures from my travel break and from my recent DIS Adventure trips to Sweden and Bornholm. They also made me a traditional Danish dinner with pork, red cabbage, brown sauce and potatoes. It was delicious as always! We even sat on the porch for a while, despite the still cold weather. Tove and I made a deal at the beginning of the semester that we would sit on the porch before I left, and a Dane never breaks their promise!

They are thinking about coming to America sometime in the near future and I told them they definitely should. It would be so neat to show them my home in America. My two families could meet!

It was hard to say goodbye to them; the first of many hard goodbyes this week. Although the end is near and I am starting to feel quite sad, I am still trying to make the most of my last week in Copenhagen--checking things off my list! So far, I have been to the Danish Design Museum and the Glyptotek and gotten all my souvenirs. Tomorrow is Tivoli, Wednesday Snails and The Living Room!

ten days.

With ten days left in Copenhagen, here is my list of the ten things I want to do before I leave:

1. Go on a canal tour.
2. Have a picnic in King's Gardens.
3. Go to Amager beach.
4. Ride a bike through the city.
5. Go to Tivoli.
6. Go to the Danish Design Museum.
7. Get souvenirs.
8. Stay out until 5 am like the Danes.
9. Go to the hyggeligt Living Room at least 2 more times.
10. Spend quality time with all of my amazing friends.

I will keep you updated on how many of these I achieve :)

adventure phase 2.

As a continuation of my last post on adventure, I shall tell you a little about my latest adventure....biking on the island of Bornholm!

Bornholm is an island located off the southern tip of Sweden, but it is actually owned by Denmark. The island is painted with beautiful fields and colorful houses. It really is the quintessence of serenity. The "Bornholm Bike Trip" is one of the many adventure trips that DIS offers, one of my favorite things about the program. It affords students like me the opportunity to escape the city and take on adventures we wouldn't normally have the chance to.


Despite the beauty of the island and the awesome sights we got to see, I think the best part about this trip were the 5 other Keops members who went on the trip with me. SHOUT OUTS to Emily, Margot, Maddy, Brittany and Mike. We literally laughed the entire four days about so many different things and it was great to spend time with each and every one of these fun people. Keops people have truly become my family here :)

We started the weekend off on the overnight ferry on Thursday night that would depart from Køge at 11:30 p.m. and drop us off at Bornholm at 6 a.m. It was a rough night of "sleep" on the hard floor, to say the least. After breakfast and a quick power nap in an actual bed at the hostel, we decided to go on "The Wilderness Route," which we essentially tweeked to our own liking. We battled a flat tire, 20 mph winds and pouring rain, yet still got to see the sun, beautiful round churches and old windmills (and ate delicious ice cream). It was a great day of biking, but definitely physically challenging by the 30th kilometer.

Day Two we decided to bike to the local glass blowing studio and then we indulged in another picnic lunch by the water. We also got the chance to go see some cliffs by the coast and lay in the grassy field, while basking in the sun. We enjoyed more ice cream after we had to turn in our bikes and then waited at the hostel until the bus came to take us back to the overnight ferry for our return to Copenhagen.

Beautiful weekend with beautiful people in a beautiful place, making memories that I will never forget.