"P" Part 2: People sans Pics

PEOPLE: As I prepared to move out of my residence for the summer the quiet hours (my swearing in frustration aside) cleaning the apartment gave me time to reflect a bit on the past year and the people I have met over the last year. By the time I come back to Copenhagen after my summer holiday in Maine, many of them will have left Denmark for their next year of study or to return home.

Its been a vastly different experience than the first year in Japan. Most significant for me was that I didn't understand Danish (and still don't very much - sadly) like I understood Japanese and I knew very little about the culture compared to Japan. The international students I met upon arrival were friendly, some quite nervous, many experiencing a world outside their country's borders for the first time, many just out of under-grad, and few with any work experience. This was very different than the group I spent time with in Japan.

I can say that I have not developed very close ties with too many of my international colleagues with the exception of two wonderful women Jen (Aussie) and Berdie (Dutch) with whom I shared beers, tears, smiles, stories, and Sex and the City. I will see all of my SUFONAMA colleagues at the end of July for a 10 day summer course in Italy - but after that I will part with them too, as I am the only one in our group studying in Sweden next year. Guess one Scandinavian winter is enough for them ;-)

Although its another transition, and the last one was less than a year ago, it feels somehow easier. I don't have to get on a plane to move - and may even be able to convince some one to drive me over to Sweden for the move if I offer to pay the crazy expensive bridge tolls to get over there. Several of the Danish friends I made at the beginning of my studies have been gone for a few months on internships or travelling. I am looking forward to seeing them again in the fall. Jen will still be here and so will some of the other cool women I have developed friendships with, as well as another certain person who has touched my heart here in Denmark.

Like Japan it takes time to get to know people here, I am ever-thankful that I trusted my intuition in February and decided to stay in this area - and maybe even move back to Copenhagen in January for my thesis research.