In the Islands

It seems like I have more and more to blog about, and less and less time to do so. Things have been hectic, with schoolwork, reading, and travel-related activities. Though I'm quite in denial, I do have work, I do have tests, and I do care. Well kind of. I want to do well in my classes, but I also want to see Denmark, experience different cultures, and travel. Luckily I have been finding the balance, and will hopefully maintain it.

I went to Malmo, a town in Sweden that is very close to Copenhagen. It is an easy day trip, you don't need your passport, and it only costs about $24 round trip. Not to mention that I totally can just run off to Sweden for a day. I went with my friends Deborah and Lisa, and we shared a nice day together. We went shopping at H&M, had lunch at a random coffee shop, and spent time walking around and seeing the city. We chanced upon a gay pride parade, with plenty of 90s music blasting from floats filled with dancing people in sparkly outfits.

On a separate occasion, Lisa, Deborah, and I cooked a lovely dinner together, throwing together our random ingredients with the hopes of creating something delicious. It worked.

This afternoon I'll attend an AQUA concert (yes, the masterminds behind the "Barbie Girl" song), and then hear the live announcement of which city gets to host the 2016 Olympics. Then it is Sukkot, the festival of booths. Then off to Estonia and Finland until next Friday afternoon. Have a great week!

Pacific Distances

One of the strangest parts of being abroad is that I'm not home. This weekend is Labor Day, the ceremonial last weekend of summer before students return to the halls and classrooms. As my friends all return to their respective universities, I'd like to take this time to be nostalgic, miss my friends, and share a bit about my life back in New York.

While I have many amazing friends (many of whom are reading this), I'll share a bit about a time-honored tradition: Anti-Social Lunch. It started on a Tuesday last fall, when my friend Amy (of Baking and Mistaking fame) and I would have a bi-weekly lunch date in the NYU Kosher Cafeteria. Our dear friend Sarah had once expressed her reluctance to eat lunch there, since she was afraid she would not have any friends to sit with. We were fast to invite her, and lunch was a success. And so, a tradition was born.

When Sarah went abroad last spring, we had a small farewell gathering. When Sarah returned I was in Montreal, but she and Amy celebrated on their own. A few short weeks ago, Sarah was leaving for Kazakhstan and I was getting ready to leave for Copenhagen. So the occasion of numerous departures warranted a reunion/good-bye party, which obviously meant a delicious dessert.

It is definitely strange to be in a different city, and to hear many of my friends complaining about the imminent start of classes. But I'm already settled and excited for more adventures in wonderful Copenhagen. Though I might have to wait awhile for my next exciting cake, it will be well worth it.