My Home away from Home

I'm not sure that I have any particularly interesting updates from this week. I've been here long enough now that the mundane moments seem utterly normal, unworthy of my description. But perhaps that is not for me to decide.

We celebrated May's birthday on Thursday, a whole day of activities, starting with a 7am yoga class, coffee at Lille Fugl, and lunch in the Meatpacking District, followed by a mandatory dance to 22 by Taylor Swift. We biked fearlessly through a rainstorm, walking into Absalon for dinner as if we had jumped into the pool with our jeans on, somehow convincing the hundred-plus people sitting in the dining room to sing Happy Birthday with us. Ended the night with an apartment full of people and conversations lasting long past sunset.

I had dinner with my host family on Friday evening, complete with a dog walk in the rain (who's surprised?), and a game of Settlers of Catan (the Danish version, of course). I left that evening feeling grateful for people who are nice enough to open their home to me, and with a stomach full of Swedish candy. Earlier that night over a game of cards, Nicolai was telling me all about his unit in school on the 'American Dream'. It was hard for me to think of the words to describe it to him. Freedom and independence look so different depending on who you're talking to.

I relaxed most of the weekend; lifted some weights, struggled through a yoga class focused on hip mobility, and ended Sunday with the sauna and some stir fry. I'm currently writing from the Western countryside of Denmark, but more on that later. For now, I came to the realization that you haven't seen my apartment yet. Here are some photos, just for you!

We spend a lot of time in these few square feet, making anything from oatmeal to a boiling cup of tea, to squash risotto, to apple crisp. It's not much, but we make it work—it’s everything we need.

The yellow chairs have really grown on me. At first, I wasn't sure, but I really do appreciate the pop of color. Here, we eat, play cards, light a candle, do homework, spread out the contents of the day.

Towel storage? On the shelf. Sock bin? On the shelf. Books? On the shelf. Purses and Baggus? On the shelf. Boots? On the shelf.

Overview of the main space: BedroomLivingRoomDiningRoomKitchen (room).

A space that I like to call the get ready room. Too small for a bedroom, too big for a closet. Complete with two small wardrobes, desks that we most definitely use for makeup and not homework, and the luggage closet.

And finally, our bathroom, where the floor is always wet (gotta love European bathrooms)! Good lighting in here, might I add.

Hope this was amusing for you. Maybe this was a bit of a boring post? Maybe not? Take what resonates with you. I'll be back with some riveting stories of the Danish countryside coming soon! Hopefully this gave you some peace of mind that I’m no longer living in the grime that was here at the beginning, that I’ve made a home in this space, and that you can picture me having a cup of tea on the balcony.

XOXO,

Clara