Vi ses senere, Minnesota!

Okay, so I did have to use Google Translate to figure out how to say “see you later” in Danish, but I promise I will learn for real next week. And from here on out, I won’t have to use a translate app to put Danish on this page. My apologies, though, because that wasn’t exactly a very streamlined introduction. I just wanted to mention that right off the bat. Anyways, hi! My name is Clara, in case you forgot, or didn’t know who is writing.

Perhaps this blog seems a bit random, cheesy, extra, embarrassing? I don’t know. Not that it’s embarrassing to make a blog, but I didn’t want people to think I was being weird. I really shouldn’t care about that. Regardless, hopefully you are here because you know me (if you don’t, I feel like that’s creepy—following a random girl around her daily life?) and because you want to know what I’m up to. If you are my boyfriend, parent, grandparent, aunt (or great aunt), uncle, brother, friend, teammate, neighbor, or just a general fan of me, I’m so glad you’re here! In fact, you are the reason I’m here, and I’m doing this for you. The least I can do in return for all of the support you have given me is provide you with some pretty pictures and my extensive commentary. This was also my workaround for the at least ten people who asked me to text them with updates and photos. Now I have one place for everybody :)

Selfishly, this is good for me, too. I wanted to document this experience in its entirety, not just the moments where everything is going perfectly. I will also never turn down a chance to write, especially about myself and my surroundings. I think it’s good for me to have a creative outlet, and I hope that’s what this will be. You can expect some updates on daily life: how my classes are going, the people I’m meeting, the workouts I’m doing, etc. Plus, maybe some more specific topics, like all of the different coffee I’m trying, restaurants, what the weather is like, how my mental health is doing, etc.

I could also tell you about how the Danish healthcare system works, the social infrastructure in place that shapes health outcomes, or how food allergies are handled, yada yada... If that’s too academic for you, feel free to skip. And that goes for anything—no pressure to read anything I write! We are all incredibly busy people. Take what seems interesting to you and leave what doesn’t. I promise I won’t be offended.

I think that’s all for now. More coming soon as I settle into my new apartment, with my new roommate, in an overwhelmingly new city. If you’re reading this, I love you! Change is scary, but what is life without change and new experiences? We adapt, of course. Even when we yearn for home.

Homeward bound (in Copenhagen),

Clara