Changed.

Wow, the day (or night I should say) has finally come. At noon tomorrow I'll board a plane bound for Washington, D.C. and will say "see you soon" (not good-bye) to a city that changed my perspective on the world and changed me as a person. It may seem funny that I'm writing this entry now instead of when I'm home. However, I know that in the craze of seeing family, doing last minute Christmas shopping, and just enjoying the beautiful Christmas cheer of Upstate NY, I won't be able to get the right words out.

This past week was bittersweet and still eye-opening. I handed in my last paper on Monday night and enjoyed myself for the next six days. Kulor Tuesday was fun as always and on Thursday I spent the day Christmas shopping, walking around, and eating some delicious food with Syd (which turned into another sleep over). Friday was the DIS concluding ceremony and reception and was actually great. I was able to say good-bye to a lot of people as well as one of my favorite professors. I'll have to say it was the weirdest saying good-bye to my friend David, who I sat next to on the plane on the way to Europe. It feels like just yesterday I was meeting him for the first time and we were talking about how excited we were to arrive in Copenhagen. Friday night was my last "night out" in Copenhagen. Syd and I went to a place called Froken Nielson, which is open bar after paying a fee to get in and then headed over to A-Bar to dance the night away in Copenhagen one last time. It feels like just yesterday we were going out together for the first time in Copenhagen and suddenly four months just snuck right up on me.

Tonight Syd, Natasha, Natasha's friend Karen, and I had a nice hygge dinner at my apartment. I could not have asked for a more relaxed final night. We had a delicious dinner and then watched the Danish version of The Voice, which was both hilarious and impressive. Afterwards we sat around and talked over some apple crisp. Saying good-bye to Syd was difficult and just something I did not want to do. Despite the fact I'll be seeing her in less than a month back at Tufts, she was such a huge part of my experience. She was always my go-to person, someone I grew to be really close to and respect and a good 90% of my greatest memories involved have her in them.

The title of this post is "Changed" and for good reason. I will be arriving in the United States a different individual, with a new outlook on worldly issues and those around me. It might sound cliche to say but I suppose you need to experience a new culture in order to understand. I came to Copenhagen not knowing anyone and knowing hardly anything about Denmark and its capital. I know now that when I go home and someone brings up Denmark or Copenhagen, I'll be jumping in to talk about the city that became my home so quickly. I'm excited to tell my family about my experiences and what I've learned. More importantly, I'm beyond excited to see them. As most of you know I'm very close with my family. This is something I have come to treasure from being abroad. While it is difficult to leave the country that changed my life for the better, it is in fact time to go home and see my family and let them know how much I love and appreciate them.

While abroad I became involved, immersed myself in everything I could, made friends from all over the world, and gained recognition for it in the end, which exceeded my expectations. I can never say I became "Danish" but I can say I took advantage of everything DIS, Copenhagen, and Europe had to offer. I visited many countries, ate different cuisines, visited dozens of museums and monuments,  watched the sun come out on several nights out, and made friends who have taught me about the importance of meaningful relationships. I learned about others, myself, and this huge world we live in. Five months ago I wrote about the little things I would miss at Tufts. Now I'm thinking about the little things I'll be missing about Copenhagen when I return to the states: the friendliness of Danes, the walks around the center of the city, church bells ringing every 15 minutes, exchanging stories with Natasha, and the apartment I've become so fond of. However, in the end, I can leave Denmark knowing I'm leaving with a bang.

I know tomorrow won't be the easiest of days (traveling with two huge suitcases never is). More so, I know that saying good-bye to Natasha at the airport will be difficult. Living with someone for four months forces you to become close and establish trust with one another and not seeing her every day will odd and sad. I was blessed to have her as my roommate. However, despite the fact that I'll be saying good-bye to one home, I'll be smiling when I land in Syracuse and go to my first home. I'll be smiling even more knowing that just about three weeks later I'll be headed to my second home at Tufts. My mom makes Christmas pretty magical at our house, with everything from beautiful decorations to an amazing Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Knowing that I'm going home to that is pretty amazing. Having this "home" in Copenhagen has made me appreciate my home in Syracuse a lot more. I can't express how excited I am to hug my parents, joke around with my siblings, and spend the holidays with Dan (he has no idea how great a Grosack Christmas is). I get giddy at the thought of going to Wegmans with my brother, Christmas shopping around town, and sitting with my parents at night talking in front of the fireplace. Of course this year did not go exactly as planned but my first post was about adjusting to change and going with it and that's exactly what I did and things turned out better than I could have ever imagined. I saw the world and now I plan on using what I've learned to change it for the better.

Hej Hej, Copenhagen. I can never thank you enough.

These Are a Few of My Favorite Things

It is hard to fathom that in ten days I will be on a plane from Copenhagen to D.C., en route to the beautiful land of Syracuse (which was just rated the #1 snowiest city, I'll have you know). When I ask my friends about their feelings towards returning home, the answer is short and simple: bittersweet. In my mind, that is the ideal word to describe my feelings. Last week was much more stressful than the others with numerous papers and random assignments and after having a nice weekend to breathe, I'm enjoying all of the time I have left in this beautiful and vibrant city.

As you all know, I have a younger brother, Nate, who is a freshman in college at Wake Forest. Of all of the people I've missed, he is definitely at the top of the list. He is such a caring, intelligent, funny, and genuine person and someone I'm proud to call a brother and best friend. Unfortunately Nate recently and suddenly lost one of his friends at Wake Forest and it was yet another wake-up call to how precious life truly is and how important it is to be thankful and appreciative of all individuals and moments in life. This entry doesn't have to do with details about an exciting trip across Europe or a visit from someone I care about. But as the holidays draw near, it is hard not to think about all of the things that have become "favorites" on my journey in Denmark and throughout Europe. Additionally, I've grown to think about how appreciative I am of every individual who has gotten me through the hard times and cheered me on during the good ones. Rather, as I sit in my hyyge-esque room, candles lit and Christmas music playing, I've come to realize how much more grateful and humble this experience has made me and how much it has made me appreciate so many things and people I once took for granted, both in the States and in Denmark.

I wouldn't be sitting here without the support and encouragement of my parents, two individuals who have emphasized acceptance of others and being grateful as key facets of life. They have been with me through every smile, tear drop, exam, paper, trip, and event. While saying good-bye to Copenhagen will be difficult, the end factor of jumping into my parents' arms is pretty extraordinary. Additionally, I realize how important my three awesome and hilarious brothers are to me. While abroad I did not get to talk to them as much as when I'm in the States. From this I realize how much I adore and miss Matt's never-ending humor, Michael and Lauren's words of encouragement, and just being able to text and call Nate whenever something funny has happened (on top of being pretty inseparable). Not only would I not be where I am today without all of them but I would not be the person I am. In addition to my family are the individuals at home who have supported me and encouraged me through this process and adventure (especially you, Danny). Any rough patch or not-so-great-day was made better by them and by knowing that I still have such a solid and amazing group of people to go home to at Tufts. I can't wait to share stories with them and see how their year has played out thus far. I've been so fortunate to stay in touch with all of my best friends who are also studying in Europe and learning more about the world around them as well as themselves. Although I wish I could have seen Hannah, Shauna, Jacob, and Stephanie this semester, I'm proud to call them my good friends and learn from them based on what they have experienced abroad. I'm beyond grateful that I was able to experience both Copenhagen and Madrid with Shelby, someone I truly admire and love and someone I know I'll be friends with for life. On top of those individuals, I've met the most amazing people here in my studies abroad, both DIS students and Danes. They've taught me so much about taking in every moment abroad and loving all that Copenhagen has to offer. There are simply too many names to list off but I'm thankful for every individual I've met in the past four months, whether we've met in Turkey, Sweden, Spain, or Denmark. Last but not least, this entire experience would not have been the same had I not been graced with such a kind, funny, and loving roommate. Natasha has been such a blessing and of all the "shocks" that I will be encountering upon returning to the U.S., I'm pretty sure not living with her will be the biggest. She has has my back here the entire time and was so patient when I was adjusting to life in Copenhagen. I truly hope every person who studies abroad and lives with a roommate of a different culture is as lucky as I have been.

But of course, this entry is also a fun one to reflect on things that have grown to become "favorites" of mine. Of course I could name 100 things already. However, just to name a few:

1. Getting hygge with it. Hygge translates into "cozy" in Danish. It is a concept/somewhat of an activity here in Denmark in which you light candles with friends, whether at home or in a bar/restaurant/cafe, and eat, drink, and talk. Denmark is actually the number one manufacturer of candles and now I can see why. Almost every restaurant or cafe is lit by candles and the atmosphere is quaint and joyful, especially during the holiday seasons. Whenever I had friends or family visit, they always commented on how nice and cozy places were. It is something I have grown so accustomed to and while I can already think of cozy restaurants in Syracuse and Boston, they don't quite compare to the ones in Copenhagen. What I've grown to love about this place is how easy going and relaxed everyone is. We get to be so busy and preoccupied with things in the US that we forget how fun and relaxing it is to just sit with friends and have a drink or a meal.

2. Bakeries. Ah, that smell. So sweet and delectable. I never walked more than two minutes without passing a bakery or coffee shop and taking in the unforgettable smell of pastries that have just emerged from the oven. It has become such a familiar smell and I still find it impossible to believe that I won't be able to go to my favorite, hole-in-the-wall bakery for a pastry and spicy chai latte.

3. Kulor Tuesdays. Everyone hears me talking about this place and for good reason. When I think about next semester, I don't think about the impending mounds of pages I'll have to read or how I'll be spending five or six nights studying in the library until midnight. No, I think to myself, "What am I going to do without Kulor on Tuesday night?" Given that we did not have classes on Wednesdays, "Kulor Tuesdays" became such a norm. Regardless of the fact that all of the DIS students were there every Tuesday, it was such a nice break during the week to let loose and experience Copenhagen nightlife...on a Tuesday. The atmosphere is grade, the price is reasonable and you get unlimited beer. What's not to love?

4. The apartment. I can't emphasize how much I've grown to love this apartment. It might be small, but it's the perfect size for two people. It's cozy and has everything I need. After a long day of classes or whenever I needed some "me" time, I knew I could simply relax and feel good in this apartment. Whenever I hosted friends, they always commented on what a great location it is and how adorable it is. Upon returning from trips around Europe, I always looked forward to walking in the door and feeling like I was home.

5. Danes. Maybe I'm bias because I've lived here for four months, but I've grown to really love Danes and how friendly and intelligent they are. Whether I was at a bar, DIS, club, or just strolling along Stroget, I always met a friendly Dane who was curious about my culture and was always willing to help. I've been so fortunate to meet many Danes here and think they are truly terrific people.

As I said, the list goes on and on. However, these are just a few highlights and I know that in the coming weeks as I sit at home thinking about Copenhagen, I'll write more about the things I miss and grew to love over my four months here. This weekend (my last full one in CPH) will be spent going out with friends, walking around the city, and taking in every last piece of Copenhagen I possibly can. No, this is not my final entry. In fact, I've grown to love blogging regardless of who does or does not read my blog. It has turned into such a peaceful outlet for letting others catch a glimpse at my life abroad and even if I'm at Tufts next semester, I know I'll have more adventures with new and unique people so why not continue blogging?

Here's to my last week in Copenhagen! This girl is going to live it up.