Some things are still the same

I was reading through my writings and journals this afternoon and came across this blog post I wrote at the begining of my freshman year of college. In order to get ever ounce of experience from this journey I have adopted the same general attitude presented in this post for my study abroad here in Copenhagen. I hope you find that my writing from three years ago is as a fine wine... well aged.

“Life is a journey, not a destination.”

This short Gandhi saying is on my door, I see it every time I leave my dorm room. Among many things it is simple, inspirational but most importantly, wise. As I begin my college experience this saying acquires new meaning. It reminds me that life is an experience where people should embrace every opportunity they are given. From frat parties to all night study sessions, college students are provided with a multitude of chances to explore not only who we are, but also our aspirations for the future. In turn we are expected to experience all that we can so that as we go through our college years we become well-rounded citizens of this world.  Therefore, life is all about the journey. Its end result is simply to leave a mark on the world and hopefully make it a better place.  At this point you readers are probably thinking “this is optimistic bull” and maybe it is but I am an optimist at heart so bear with me.

 I came to college not knowing what to expect, living with other people and being entirely responsible for my life was new for me. As was having drunken guys waking me up at 2 in the morning, writing 700 word journals for a first year seminar, and getting sick the first week of school. Possibly the most difficult aspect of college life so far has been adapting to a new climate of thinking, or community of knowers.  Transitioning from an area where I know my way around the town and the people around me to an entirely unfamiliar environment has caused me to adapt and change to the climate around me.  Keeping my door and mind open are necessary ways to meet new people and learn new things.  For now I will continue to observe, make friends, do my homework and live my life to the fullest extent of my abilities. So if you are reading this know that the purpose of life is to take advantage of every chance you have and run with it.

New Adventures in an Old City

Jan 15
I cannot say my travel to Europe was uneventful, after losing (then finding) my passport in the attempt to go through customs in lovely London, having a mini heart-attack thinking my bags got lost, finding out that they'd changed the carousel number, and waiting with some new friends for a taxi big enough for both us and our bags, I finally arrived at my housing in Copenhagen.

The first thing one learns here is how truly COLD it is in the middle of winter and how quickly that cold spreads through your body (unless of course you have an amazingly warm, fur lined coat from your more amazing Mom). In spite of this frigid reception, I have been touring around the city, meeting my fellow students, and learning how to not get lost on the winding streets.
 I've been relatively successful at this endeavor in the just over 24 hrs after my arrival and have already found my way back from the town center via the trains. Fortunately, I've avoided the plague known commonly as jet lag thanks to an AMAZING new home on Tasingegade (not quite pronounced how you think it is). The biggest challenge I've faced thus far has been understanding Danish, they have a few extra vowels and some strange sounds (de = el sound).

Jan 21

After about a week of being here I am beginning to appreiceate the emerging nuances of life in Denmark. Like candles. The danish have a concept of a perfect, cozy atmosphere where people gather and have fun called hygge (prounounced similarly to huge but without the e sound at the end). Fortunately I have been able to tap into this with some of my new friends and fellow students through group dinners, explorations and sorites to a nice (but expensive) neighborhood pub.

Furthermore, I have become considerably more at home with the bus system and am well on my way to knowing were I am in the city at a given point, provided I'm able to see some of the more notable spires of the Copenhagen skyline. For example the Marble Church which is the closest Lutheran (no, NOT Catholic) church to their majesty's royal residence.

 It's been about a week here and I'm already getting a strong feeling that Europe it's fantastic cities like Copenhagen are destined to be my future home. As I stated before, I will try to keep a regular schedule of updates for this travel blog but please be patient :) Thanks for reading and feel free to comment with any questions about what I've been up to on my adventure. 

Study Abroad

Hey folks,
For the next few months I will be studying abroad in Copenhagen.  I will, to the best of my abilities, keep y'all informed as to my adventures whilst there. I hope you, my readers will enjoy what pictures and stories I share here. Thanks for reading, see ya on the other side of The Pond.

Dont Worry...

girl with the beautiful eyes

why do you cry

lady with the beautiful smile

just wait awhile

you will prove them WRONG

just remember it doesn't matter

what the others say

because one great day

you will prove them WRONG

you just need to find

that peace within your mind

when you love you for you

and no one else matters

lady who makes others smile

i know it'll take a while

but you must keep searching

for the worth within

girl who is afraid

just remember,

SOMEDAY 

you will prove them WRONG

I had a rough week this last week and decided to look though some of my old poetry... hope you enjoy it and i hope it touches someone's life, somewhere. 

* just a note, i did write this for women but self-confidence and self-love is an issue for men as well. So i don't intend this to be sexist at all, any reference to woman/girl/lady can easily be substituted to man/boy/gentleman/sir

Spinning

I feel trapped. Caught in this daily grind, between who I am now, who I could be, who I wish I was, and who I want to be. Each of these who's has multiple desires, some that conflict and some that play well together.

I am afraid.

Scared that each step I take towards one of these, takes me a step away from all the others. So I'm stuck here spinning in circles, looking for some direction. I know that many of my hopes, dreams and plans will be sacrificed in pursuit of others that will carry me down the path of my future. I hate it! This pulling and stretching and breaking of ME to fit into some mold, just so that I can pursue one of the things any of these who's want of me.

I want to dance till I cant stand,  travel till I've seen the world. I want to learn until my brain is full. 

I need to find love within myself. I need to change the world.

I need to MAKE A DIFFERENCE. 

But most of all I want to be happy with who I AM.

I remember watching someone give a Ted Talk on spoken poetry. She said that any good spoken poem starts with three truths. So here are mine,

1. No matter what I do, the Sun will rise tomorrow.

2. There are expectations for me to be successful financially, academically and socially. 

3. My deepest desire is to change the world.

You get torn apart if you're spread too thin. 

Yet that's the state my mind's been in. 

Having too many interests or cares to stop 

I have no passion that would drive me. 

Instead I dabble, and promise, and try to read further  

Always coming up short 

The strain starts to show

The cracks turn to rips as I think 

'She's Gonna Blow!!'

When you try to solve everyone's problems 

You have no strength left for your own. 

Hmmm..

When I first started this blog I decided that I wouldn't post unless I had something profound to say. This decision led to the sparse offerings that have been presented to you, my readers, this last year of blogging. Suffice to say I am convinced that it is time for a change, henceforth I will blog when I have something profound to say AND when my exhausted mind decides to randomly wander.

I make this decision in the spirit of NaNoWriMo. I'm sure many of you have heard of this movement that's been around for a few years, wherein average people try their hand at writing a 50,000 word novel or story during the month of November. A few of my friends that I see on a fairly regular basis, and I'm sure many of you that I don't, have taken on this arduous task. To those brave writers, I commend you!! It is impressive the amount of dedication it requires to undertake this task ~2000 words per day. Those who attempt this feat are pushed to the limits of their patience, endurance and creative genius in order to add to the literary world. 

Another literature related project I've been involved with is the creation and publication of the CU Literaria Society's 2012 Palimpsest Journal. It is a creative arts journal and I have been plugging it on a few social media sites for the last few months. This awesome journal consists of submissions from all over the world, ranging in formats, including: creative non-fiction, short stories, visual art and even musical scores. Palimpsest is a journal published by the CU Literaria Society.  In addition to this journal I'm helping to organize its publication celebration (Palimpsest Festival) which, if you're in Boulder on the 1st of Dec. you should check out. Its also never to late to start working on a piece to submit for 2013 at palimpsestjournal.com

The Tenth

So here we are, at my tenth blog.
I admit I am disappointed that it has taken me this long to get to this point. I would promise to do better in the future but honestly I know my blogging will continue to be sporadic at best.

Here's my confession, I prefer to put pen to page rather than spend my precious few moments of introspection in front of a computer screen. It is my belief that the art of writing, really, truly using all those things that elementary school teachers taught us about how to write well, is dying. For my own part I have asked my friends to write me letters to utilize my skills at writing a personal, unique letters in this world of Hallmark cards, quick Facebook posts and tweets. I feel that the instant communication enables a departure from that special connection with a particular person that is established when you take the time to sit down and hand write a letter. Granted, the world of instant communication has enabled people to be more involved in each others lives, despite being half a world apart. In my opinion it has also lead to more shallow 'friendships' rather than creating friendships that last a lifetime; it enables people to end friendships with the simple click of a button (or two), with minimal emotional impact.  Therefore, I have decided that if I truly want to develop a friendship with a person, over some sort of distance, I ask them to give me their address and to write me back.

Recently I participated in a project that required a TON of handwriting (readers who know about palimpsestjournal.com will see my handiwork [no pun intended] as part of the published journal cover come Dec. 1). I encountered that horrible monster that most commonly rears its head when you have to hand write multi-page essays for a test: hand cramping. Fortunately my friend Jono (who is left-handed) suggested a solution, writing with my non-dominant hand (for me my left hand). After a few sessions of writing with my left hand, and discovering that cursive is easier and neater than print, my writing became somewhat legible.

So to end this auspicious occasion of my 10th blog I will leave you with a challenge, send me a picture of something you wrote with your non-dominant hand. Don't be afraid, without some practice all non-dominant hand looks like a kindergartener wrote it so there will be no judgement :)

Would anybody noticed if one person just dropped off the face of the earth?

Would their dissappearance cause any commotion, any fuss?

Or would life just keep going on in the fluid motion surrounding us?

So i ask you now to take notice, pay attention.

There may be someone watching.

Desperately waiting for someone, anyone to notice.

Simply acknowledge thier presence.

So this is for those who are clinging to that possibility that someone will spend a moment to see you, talk to you.

We care.

Fairfarren All!!