The Beauty of Denmark (and stories about Copenhagen)

Just wanted to say sooorrryyyyy, as I realised I didn't write about my trip to København with all the other exchange students in Denmark. Please note here; it gets VERY confusing relaying the same stories to different people more than several times, so please - for the sake of NOT hearing a half hearted story, keep reading my blog! I promise it to be more entertaining than emails or chat messages. And if you don't find it interesting here - then don't even bother asking me on Facebook! I love you, I just don't love repetition so much.

So, foregoing the weekend to the big city - my mood was rather ill hearted towards the Get2Gether. Why you ask? It was a weekend of FITNESS of course! Seriously, who in their right mind would choose to send 200 (severely unfit) exchange students to a gym to work out ALL weekend. Hmmm, what was on the agenda? Cycle classes, body pump, step etc etc. Let me stop your train of thoughts here however my friends - I did survive. I did NOT bitch or complain all weekend in fact. It was (dare I say it) quite enjoyable! Just the fact of being with some of (if not my very) favourite people made it a fantastic weekend. The gym classes weren't as excruciating as first anticipated and there was an abundance of food with THE most amazing chocolate brownies I have ever had in my life. I will never forget those brownies. The biggest down fall of the weekend was the issue of sleeping ON THE FLOOR OF A GYM. I can promise you that it was not pleasant and the farthest place for comfortable sleeping possible. My ladies and I pitched out fort in the far corner of the gym, believing that (as the nerds we are) it would be the quietest place possible. Oh, did we think wrong. Turns out we put placed sleeping bags right next to the South Americans. Worst mistake ever. It is true; they party all day and all night. 7am to 6am. Then they shower and dress for about an hour and continue to party all over again. We had flashing lights and a rather massive music speaker 2 metres from our heads. May I point out that many of them didn't bring sleeping bags/blankets or pillows - yet they brought a music system - riddle me that!!! It was at this point (well even more so at about midnight when Bridg, Anya, Rach and I were going to bed while the others still partied to 5am) that I (or we) really solidified our position as nerds. Well, I like to think of ourselves as the more 'mature' of the group.. we're cool right? RIGHT?!

Here's some PICTURES! :D

My lovely lady Anya and I

The gym where we slept - it had lots of privacy as you can see

I kid you not - he said it! He said "anything from the trolley dears?". AND he did it without a prompt from us! Most epic moment ever! Then we had a discussion about his daughter and how we were going to turn her into an Australian loving HP nerd like ourselves (Katie and I). We also spoke about Irish/Scottish accents and how we can't tell the difference. Then he gave us free chocolate. I felt accomplished.

Matt and Katie

Anya, Rachel, Bridget and Jacob (I am so short!!!)

I may be under the influence of a 'high' just by living here in Denmark - yet I am certain that it is one of the most beautiful places in the world. On Saturday I went for a walk through the park near my house... After a few days of (what I believed to be) myself decaying under the severe pressure of a cold - the fresh air really did do me good. That along with the beautiful scenery put me in very high spirits.

These are just some photos... I think that EVERY photo I took was beautiful, but I could only upload so many. It's times like these that i freaking love me new camera!!!

(please not how awkward it was for me to take a photo of some random person's house! but it was just so adorable!)

To my very great pleasure - I have found it so very easy to make friends with the Danes during my stay here in Frederikshavn - Denmark. Truthfully, this surprises me as I had often been told that they can be very shy and 'closed' people. I could not find this statement any farther from the truth! At once my class mates welcomed me into their group of friends. My host family(ies) are always so considerate - I feel so much at home, even when I am meeting them for the first time; I know that I do belong here. It is such a good feeling to have when you are so far from home. The reassurance of family here is so very important! I dare to say that strangers and friends are so alike! I feel welcome wherever I go - but that could just be my new attitude of "I'm Australian, what are they going to do?". I am feeling a little too invincible I think! Although it is an amazingly liberating feeling. I really do struggle to find the words to phrase how I feel about the people here in Denmark. They are everything and more of what I could only have hoped for. I feel more like a Dane than I do an Australian to be honest. Within just a month of my stay here in Denmark, I have made friends that I never want to forget. Friends that took me five years to find in Australia, instantly appeared before me in this lovely little country. I feel surrounded by love, trust, real friendship - a TRUE mutual understanding. And much to my pleasure, some of these friends are even going back to Australia with me.

On which note yet of different value - I believe the people here in Denmark think I am a lot cooler than I actually am! I am a nerd/loser - I can accept it. I hope they are not fooled by my Australian disguise of chillness.

I miss my family like crazy! I can't wait to see all my friends again. This trip only makes me love you more. I beg you to stay safe and well, you are always in my thoughts.