Only 52 days left?! Where has the time gone?

Yes, I actually counted how many days I have left here and am in disbelief that it's only 52. I have no idea where the time has gone. The college years are beyond amazing, yet they go faster and faster each year. Not okay, in my opinion. I just want to be able to take everyone I've met here home with me (both Danish friends and American friends).

Nothing too exciting has happened in the past week or so but I think that's just in preparation for the crazy and fun two weeks that are about to come. My brother and Lauren arrive on Friday afternoon and I have to constantly remind myself that I'll be with them in Europe and that they will get a glimpse into my life abroad. I'm so excited to go out with them and just be with family (plus I can't wait to see Lauren's beautiful engagement ring). I'll be traveling with them to Stockholm for three days and then I'll come back to Copenhagen to greet Elena, one of my best friends from home who is studying abroad for the semester in France. We both agreed that we're going to have more of a "date night" her first night here since both of us will be exhausted from traveling. However, I can't wait to show her how amazing Copenhagen nightlife is come Saturday. The next Tuesday I'm jetting off to Madrid to spend five days with Shelby and see how she has been living for the past two months. Despite the fact that I saw her about a month ago, I can't wait to see her again and spend more time with her. The weekend she spent in Copenhagen went by way too fast. Once my trip to Madrid is over, I get to see Danny ten days later. I can't even describe how excited I am for him to be here. It's a mix between pure excitement and disbelief that I'm actually going to be with him in Copenhagen. I feel so blessed and happy to be able to spend time with so many people who mean so much to me. In addition, I'm so thankful for everyone who is visiting Copenhagen. I'm pretty lucky.

I've already started looking at classes for next semester at Tufts (WOW) and I'm excited and anxious to see what next semester will offer. I already have an idea of the classes I'd like to take and they seem really interesting. I'm looking forward to just being back on campus and having Boston right outside my window. I of course love Copenhagen, but I will admit I miss Boston quite a bit. Being here has made me appreciate the fact that I go to school so close to such an amazing and vibrant city. I plan on really getting to know the city next semester, even if it means walking around by myself on a Saturday (I've become a big fan of doing that here).

It is obvious that my plans changed a bit this year as I'll be returning to Tufts. People sometimes ask me, "Aren't you mad that you're not staying a whole year anymore?" and if we're going to play the honest game, I'm not. I came to Copenhagen on a pretty big whim. It was really a matter of my future sister-in-law saying, "You should look into Copenhagen, you'd like it." I did and got in to a fantastic and life-changing program. I had never been to Copenhagen before and knew no Danish. It was simply a place on a map to me. Now it has become the place that changed my life and made me realize in order to really be content in life, you have to make your own decisions based on what you want and are passionate about. Coming here has made me more independent, more passionate about my field of study, and more appreciative of the people in my life and the abilities I have. At first when I decided to go back to Tufts, I was a little frantic and uneasy. I talked to my mom and dad over and over. Finally, my dad said something I'll never forget: "Laura, don't worry about anyone else around you. You do you." So it's true, maybe my plans did change a bit, however, what I look forward to most about next semester is taking everything I've learned here and applying it to home. Maybe this means changing my perspective when reading about Islam or different religions. Maybe it means sitting next to a person I wouldn't normally talk to in class. Maybe it even means putting aside time for myself to just "do me" and not worry about what everyone around me is doing or not doing. It all sounds cliche, I'm well aware. However, I think too often we become worried about what others think, say, and do and forget that they're not the ones living our life, we are. I'm thrilled to be returning to Tufts with a new perspective on just about everything. I'm thrilled to be able to see some great friends who will be on campus. Additionally, I'm thrilled for my good friends who will be abroad second semester, learning about themselves and hopefully gaining new perspectives as well.

I plan on loving every minute of the next 52 days. This has been quite an adventure already and I know the adventure will continue even after I land in the U.S. in December (can't wait to see you, Mama and Papa Grosack).

That's all for now. I can't wait to post about what I'm sure will be an unforgettable travel break. Hej Hej!