DISNEY on Ice!! :D

Wednesday: We had a group dinner with the people on the floor. It was ok. Actually, everyone spoke in Danish for 2 hours, except occasionally the people I was sitting near would say “Oh, we are just talking about …etc.” But they didn’t actually hold a conversation in English. It got really boring after a while and my fake smile started to get tired. I wish I could pick up the language easier… it would be so great to follow along with conversations.

Thursday. Hmm. Nothing. I think.

Friday/Today!! Andrea, Cayley & I went to Odense this morning at 7.59 am. We literally sprinted to catch the train and got on as it was leaving. It was hilarious. It felt like the scene on Home Alone when everyone is running desperately to make the flight. We got to Odense about 9.45 and we started the walking tour. We say a beautiful cathedral, a famous shop known for selling “old tools and toys”… it was an interesting store that was packed to the ceiling with cool random old things. The next stop was Hans Christian Andersons Hus (House) that was also a museum. It was very interesting—it was filled with information about his life, but I was disappointed that the creativity behind his famous fairy tales (The Little Mermaid, Thumbelina) wasn’t a focal point. However, it did say that he considered himself an “Ugly Duckling” because he was always desperate for companionship but he never really got that fulfilled. The Ugly Duckling story was also inspired because he was not well accepted in Denmark until his later years. It was neat.
We had lunch at a Mexican restaurant… I was sooo psyched until we got there and they didn’t have quesadillas or soft shell tacos!! I got nachos. They were good. But I really wanted a quesadilla. I have been really craving Juano’s. I don’t even normally like Juano’s- I just go to humor Brady. But now I want it.
Then, drum roll…. We went to Disney on Ice! Mom’s good friend, Joan Rustvang has a daughter, Erin, who is a skater in the show. Erin was able to get us complimentary tickets. She is so great!! The show was amazing, but we were shocked when the music began and we couldn’t understand the words… the entire thing was in Danish. All the songs were translated into Danish. It was hilarious, the 3 of us laughed a lot right away… we sang along in English as best we could, but it would have been fun if it was all in English. Erin was Belle, The Fairy Godmother, and a few other smaller roles, she was excellent and I felt soooo cool to know her! We met up with her at the hotel after the show to visit a bit. She is a complete sweetheart, and so talented.

We caught a train home around 8 and we were back in Arhus by 10. It was a quick day, but Odense didn’t have that much to see.

I think my immune system hates me. I am still not feeling good and my nose burns from blowing it constantly. I just want to feel good.

I had an interesting epiphany today kind of. The people here don’t know the Jamie that you at home know. They don’t see me as loud, weird or crazy--- they see me as mellow, laid back and kind of a home-body. It kind of bothered me… but I haven’t really met anyone that I ‘click’ with… there isn’t really anyone that brings out that part of me here- I haven’t met anyone that could match what bridget, Brady or Jess offer me in their weirdness. I didn’t know how much I relied on the comfort of friends to be myself. Its been a little disorienting knowing that I am not completely me.
I have also been realizing how much I love hanging out with myself. I spend time with people, but I have grown to adore coming home, sitting in my room reading, writing, e-mailing, watching TV on my computer… all alone. For the first time in years I am free of commitment. Being in the US is so busy- if I am not hanging out with someone, family or friends, I am on the phone with someone trying to maintain long distance relationships… but here- I can be kind of selfish. I get to hang out alone whenever I want and not feel that guilty. Sometimes I do because I wonder if I should be working on building relationships here… but lately I have realized that maybe part of the purpose of me being here isn’t necessarily more relationships. I think its largely about doing some self discovery by really spending some time alone… but more importantly I am really finding that I am supposed to be strengthening the most important relationship in my life…. My relationship with God. Its been refreshing being so open to do that- to do devotions, to reflect, to journal and to consider who He wants me to be, and what my priorities in life are. I have never really been so free of obligations to do that. And its been great. Lonely at times, but in all, it is so good for me.