Elissa Goes Abroad

An Albany-based Designer/Photographer/Writer who sometimes finds herself in the midst of an adventure. With a never-satiated wanderlust, traveling is more than just the sights you see; it's the emotions we feel, the senses we engage, the friends we make, the laughs we have, the cultures we experience, the ways we change, and the stories we want to tell the world. Each adventure shapes the way I see the world, and inspires me to show the world how I see it in return.

Showing posts with label Copenhagen. Show all posts

Sunday, October 5, 2014

To Denmark, With Love: A Reflection

Dear Denmark,

I say this time and time again, if six months ago you had asked me if I thought I would be here, if I could do this, I would have instantly told you no. But now it feels like just yesterday I stepped off that plane, shaking and sick to my stomach. My two months flew by, and I have grown so much and understand so much more about myself: my flaws, my skills, my confidences, my abilities, are are much clearer now. I now know that I can be okay, that I can feel at home in a place that isn't my home. I want to do this again.

Denmark, you and I have shared a very important chapter of our lives together. Thanks to the Vejlefiord Rotary Club, I was blessed with the most incredible family, the thing I will miss the most. My family understood I was a introverted recluse from the beginning, and they understood it seems. I battled with this for eight weeks.

This is probably the biggest thing I would do differently. I, much like the rest of my generation, view my technologies and devices as extensions of myself, and I'm addicted to them. Most often, I did as Christina had done in our house (and also as my father had instructed), sitting in public places when on my laptop or phone like the living room. My friends and I sit on our laptops and phones and talk and show things to each other, so I never really considered how doing this would hinder accessibility, and in retrospect I definitely would change that. I feel bad about that, actually. I struggle with making conversation in general, and I know Sophie and Christian suffered from both my reclusive personality, the computer, my flawed ability to converse, and my uncertainty on what to say/do with kids their age. I'm truly sorry if I did not live up to your expectations, but you were two of the sweetest and most amazing kids I've met and you will grow up to be so smart, so funny, so talented, and wonderful people just like your parents.

I will miss you all terribly, the way you made me laugh, and made fun of me trying to say Danish words. I am ever grateful for the experience you have given me. You showed me so much of Denmark, from its family life, to the countryside, to the cuisine, to even a little bit of Deutschland! You told me, that at the rate I was finishing the manual, I'd be staying until Christmas. The fact that you made my last supper a Christmas dinner is a symbol I'll never forget. I look forward to the day we meet again.

I will miss Arense and Christina, my Danish sisters. It is tough knowing that our friendship happened so quickly, shared between experiences and two countries, and although this friendship is far from over, it is anything but over, it will require more effort to maintain. I loved the cities you showed me; you gave me the [real] interaction with college-age individuals I needed, and if I were to repeat this experience, I would have loved to live in Aarhus to experience that social aspect that I generally lacked in Middelfart. We shall see each other again soon, whether in Denmark or in the US.

I will miss my team at Uhrenholt. Truth be told, I was scared to be working in a corporate setting. But you all showed me that a thick style guide doesn't mean one can't have fun with rules. Løne, thank you for providing me with a 104-page project that encouraged me to think outside the box within the box. I am proud of my involvment in it, and I hope that everyone else likes it too.

To the marketing department, I did have a blast working with each and every one of you, even if we sometimes disagreed about English syntax, diction, and grammar. Lars, you in particular are one of the greatest superiors I could have asked for. I'll miss seeing your goofy, charming grin every day. You were/are a great friend with whom conversation is easy; talking about music with you was great. Actually, not just music, everything we talked about was amazing. You accepted my dorkiness for who I was, partially because you're a dork yourself (go buy that LEGO set, already! Who cares if you're 33?) I'll miss you, and blame the volcano on everything that goes wrong, just as we promised.

To Carsten Sigvert and Family, I had a wonderful time spending time with your crew of boys. Victor, Lasse, and Jon are quite the entertaining trio, especially when they/we started making low blows at each other, and I've never felt so equally amused and offended to be an American in their company...that's a good thing. You showed me the lovely vistas of the Vejle area, and the picturesque town of Skagen. I'll have to return someday in the sunlight to see the magical light that all those artists got to experience.

To everyone else who helped me experience the amazement here in Denmark. Carsten F., neighbor Carsten, Ella's parents, Henriette, Giada, Egon, and anyone else who I am forgetting off of the top of my head.

A shout out to the Art Squad, especially those in Europe (Tom, Corvin, Demi, Ruben). You guys provided me with the college-age interaction I needed when I wasn't with Christina, Arense, and the Sigvert clan. The talent in Art Squad is inspiring and extraordinary, and I'm proud to call myself part of the crew. I'll miss our nighttime Skype calls; they're going to be more difficult now. Cheeeeeeeeeeeeeeek. Andreas, I'm sad we didn't get acquainted sooner. Would have been great to hang with you in Aarhus during the days I was there. Yet another reason to visit Denmark again, my friend.

Moving on, Arense provided me with a series of questions that she ponders after a trip. After much thinking, these are the responses I came up with.

The best thing: My family, my friends, and my personal growth. The existential moment I experienced during The Little Mermaid ---That moment defined my time here in Denmark; I was surrounded by Danes, in Denmark, watching a famous Danish story told in Danish. It was surreal, and may have been my favorite moment, even if I looked foolish crying during "Part of Your World."

I would also like to cite my first time in Copenhagen as a defining moment. It was the first time that I truly stopped to think in a stressful situation like the one I had been in, and not panic. It proved that I could be okay.

The worst: The street party. It was a lovely setting with lots of nice people, but I didn't entirely get to experience that. It was the most isolating and the time I was most frustrated with not knowing how to speak Danish. It is hard to enter a conversation when you don't know what is being said.

The thing I would do again: I would return to Skagen in a heartbeat to experience that place in the sunlight. I want to see the difference in the waters in color, not just the difference in texture. I would also return again to Copenhagen and do some more of the touristy things as opposed to just wandering around.

What I wouldn't do again: It's not that I wouldn't live there again, because I loved Middelfart...The sights, the harbor, the quaint town, but I wouldn't live in Middelfart. Having no one my age is tough for two months. That contributed to the isolation, and certainly aided me in seeking out the company of the Art Squad a lot. I would try to live in Vejle, Aarhus or Odense. (I don't think I could do Copenhagen well, it's too big.)

The thing I am not going to miss: Huge spiders, not having ice in drinks, Danish Kroner (sorry, too many coins...I can't do it), bicycling everywhere (especially in the rain...I didn't dislike biking, I just love my car). I'll miss taking the train, but not the cost of taking it.

Things I am going to miss: My host family, my friends, my job and coworkers, the wind turbines everywhere, the architecture, the view overlooking Middelfart and Lillebælt on my way home from work, Bettanus the cat noisily climbing through the skylight in the wee hours of the morning when it's raining (and when it's not), sharing music and laughs with Lars, lunchtime walks by the marina with my team, and the salty smell of the ocean wafting through the windows by my desk.

I learned so much in Denmark, but I cannot list it all. I could write you a novel, Denmark, but instead you have 11 other blog entries you can read instead that tell you all of my thoughts, feelings, and analyses.

I think it is time I close this document, Denmark. I think it is safe to say I love you. I didn't fall head over heels for you, but our relationship slowly flourished into something that is definitely love. I'm ready to go home, but I'm not quite ready to leave you. My two months were gone in a flash. In reality, two months isn't really a long time, but as I know all too well, two months is just enough time to fall in love; it just is long enough time for me to put my life in New York on hold and start a new one elsewhere. I developed a new life here, a new routine; an everyday life with friends and family and even myself and growth. But now I must once again leave this life I created in a different land just to unpause the one I suspended in the States. It's sad, and even a little scary to resume the quiet one I led.

Denmark, you have taught me so much about myself, I am sad to see you go. This relationship, although short term, was amazing. Breaking up is always hard to do, but I think we'll both be okay.

All my love, tak for alt.

Until next time,

Elissa

Tuesday, September 2, 2014

Denmark Diaries: Long Overdue

Hello everyone,

This is a post long overdue. My weeks have been busy. I've been working mostly, but also some exploring and traveling tossed into the mix. So let's start with the former:

Work has been really great. I've been designing a 80-something page employee handbook. Well, it was 80-something pages when I started, but now It's pushing 100 because of the documents people keep handing me. It's tedious, but for the most part pretty relaxing. Once I figured out the design, it is merely an act of putting it into place on every page. Now, certainly I spend most of my day fighting with InDesign, but in terms of the actual design, it's pretty routine and relaxing. I like that. There's lots of text to work with, but the biggest time-suck is actually the many many graphs, infographics, charts, and tables I have to redesign, work in, and format.

I've also been helping to update packaging files, sales packets, and a "Did You Know" internal campaign which has been fun so far. My first piece for that was actually sent off to print today, so I'll make sure to take one with me when I get one done.

I've had the opportunity to not only go on a photoshoot for the products at the studio (the guy had a Hasselblad--dreamy sigh), but I also go to take some pictures on another shoot too.

My coworkers are wonderful people, and they have made sure to include me in conversation and post-lunchtime walks. My boss/coworker Lars is really great. He's a pleasure to sit next to. He's a wonderful person and a fantastic designer, and is very easy to talk to. We talk about music a lot, sharing artists and songs often, and he has a great sense of humor to boot.

Middelfart Kirke is being
renovated, but unfortunately
for me I cannot see what is
under the scaffolding.

My family has also been amazing. The kids are slowly, but surely, improving their English, and my Danish slower still at improving, but happening all the same. It's definitely not an easy language to learn, that's for sure, but I just recently discovered a website that teaches you for free and that's been elevating my vocabulary level. We have ridden our bicycles to the beach. Christian and I went last week and we discovered a beautiful purple starfish. Sophie took me on another bike tour of the town, and showed me where she sings in the church choir. Middelfart Kirke (Lutheran, like most of the other Danish churches I have encountered), her church, is a beautiful brick church built sometime in the 1200s. There are ships hanging from the barrel vaults, a result of the name (or something of the like) of that particular part of the church being called a ship (or skivet). There were also some whale bones hanging on the back wall of the sanctuary, which had a sign that looked like it read that they were from a whale that was caught in the local fjord or something, but truthfully I forgot to look it up, and I'm too tired and/or too lazy to do it now.

I actually attended church with Sophie by myself last weekend (8/24) to hear her sing, which was an overall interesting experience. As an culturally Jewish American atheist with a Roman Catholic father, it was all sorts of different. Everything was in Danish, but there wasn't any Latin of any kind. At least I can sing along with Latin! Even the priest(?) was dressed differently from what I'd ever seen before. He was very "Shakespearean" I suppose, with the long black robe, buttoned up the front, white cuffs on the sleeves, and a collar that looked like it belonged to good old Billy himself, or on a dog. See my notes for a visual.

Something else I got to experience during that service that I had never done so before was a baptism. There were four baptisms that day. I wish I could have understood a little of what was being said, but it was nice all the same. I had a really nice time listening to Julie sing, listening to Danish, and just relaxing in a beautiful old building.

Koldinghus Palace (and evidently,
I need to clean my sensor)

The day before, on Saturday, the 23rd of August, Ella and Sophie took me out to Kolding and Koldinghus. While built in 1268 by the Danish King Erik Glipping to guard the border between Denmark and the Duchy of Schleswig, the oldest parts of the castle that are still preserved are from the 15th century. According to the pamphlet I'm stealing information from, the castle was rebuilt during the 1500s as a palace, with the tower added in 1600, and in the 1720s it was rebuilt again. In 1808, Spanish soldiers staying in the palace caused a fire that left the castle severely devastated. Reconstruction didn't begin until 1890, and today Koldhinghus is a museum for the castle's history, but also a stunning gallery and exhibition space that creates a dynamic juxtaposition between the ancient and the contemporary.

This past weekend I returned to Copenhagen for a couple hours. My friend Christina was returning from her internship in the USA (and living with my family for a couple of days in the beginning). Her parents invited me a long to welcome her home, but she didn't know I was going to be there. The surprise was wonderful and I got to spend the next day or so with her and her parents. Her parents, before her arrival, took me around Copenhagen to see the sights that I didn't really get to see on my last trip. They took me up to The Little Mermaid, which I only got to see from behind last time, and the Queen's Palace and the other residences of the Danish Royal Family. Christina's [step] father Carsten was a former member of the royal guard, so he knew all the tips and tricks and times that were important to the guard. It was funny for me, when he noticed that the flag was up and then there was not a very big change for the guard, he started asking why the flags were up if no one was home! (But then we saw the crown prince drive in...) He also teased a guard he had pegged as a new guy. The guy smiled at that.

Danish hot dogs, with all
the traditional fixins

After picking the very surprised Christina up, we went out to this hot dog stand behind the airport where you could watch the planes land and take off. I had made a statement earlier that day about how Danish hot dogs could not possibly be better than American hot dogs...but I was wrong. They were the best hot dogs I had ever tasted, and they were far superior to the Icelandic pyslur.

Regardless of our short trip to Copenhagen, it was great to see Christina again. Once back at her parent's house in Skivet (yep, there's the boat again), Carsten took me out to Jelling to see the home of Viking Harald Bluetooth. Here I saw where he and another Viking king, King Gorm, were buried under a giant mound of dirt with a Dannebrog mounted on top. Carsten told me that the the bluetooth [for your phone] was invented by the Danes, named after the aforementioned king, and that the symbol was taken from one of his runes.

The stone of the left is King Harald's
Rune Stone. The one on the right
belongs to King Gorm

Outside the Jelling Kirke (Church), built in 1100 (with an addition that seems to be built in 1813, although none of the literature I found actually mentioned this), there were two large stones that had runes made by King Bluetooth. I learned (did I learn or was it said by my boss Lars?) that they had an architecture contest to see who could build a nice display for the stones to keep them from being defaced, as they had been previously, and to keep them from being eroded by the weather. The solution was one that was definitely reminiscent of Danish design, but also functional. Surrounding this area were large white posts. These tastefully designed posts marked King Harald's palisade. In Viking times, they were three/four meter oak posts, standing side-by-side and totaling 1.4 km.

Following the brief trip to Jelling, Carsten took me to an other place I don't actually know the name of (was it Ravning Enge?). Here there was a partial reconstruction of a bridge the King Harald and the Vikings had built to cross the water that had covered the land when they ruled it. Because the Vikings were merchants (not just ruthless pillagers), this bridge was built for the purpose of trade. The bridge was showed in various stages of construction as it would have been built during the Viking times.

Hotel Haraldskær

After seeing the bridge, Carsten and I returned back to their house for a lovely evening of great food, friends, fondue, and fun. The next day, Christina, Christina's mother, and I went out for a walk to explore Skivet. Skivet appears to be one of Denmark's hillier regions, and it is quite lovely indeed. First they took me to the hotel where Christina's mother works. The historic building, called the Hotel Haraldskær, was built in 1763 (as indicated by the clock face on the front of the building). The basement area held that eerie 18th century demeanor and musty smell. There were additions added to the building around the year 1918, but they tried to maintain the integrity of the historic building. The historic parts of the building still had the 1700s decor and such in places. At the hotel, we stuffed our pockets with hazelnuts to crack at home. After the hotel, we continued on to the old church where Christina had been confirmed long ago. We didn't get to go inside, contrary to it being a Sunday afternoon and the rumor that all Danish churches are always open. But based on its exterior appearance, it was likely from the early centuries of the millennium, much like its other Danish counterparts.

My time this weekend with Christina ended with spontaneous duet of "Let Her Go" by Passenger. We recorded it on my phone without much practice, so it's full of ambient noise, flubs, and coughs, but you can listen to it here anyway!

Other observations about Denmark so far:

Wedding rings on right hand
Very few engagement rings
No colored walls. Only white walls, with color applied through paintings or other things attached to the wall
Calenders start on Mondays. After consulting some of my art friends in different countries, this is pretty much a European thing.
Everyone is named Lars or Carsten. Partially sarcastic comment here.

That about sums up my last couple weeks....off to the next adventure! (Or pages in the manual, you know...whichever).

Until next time,
E

Koldinghus

Sankt Nikolai Kirke,
Kolding, 1200s

Middelfart Kirke

The Royal Houses, CPH

The Royal Guard

The Marble Church, CPH

The Key To The Future

St. Alban's Church,
CPH

Jelling Kirke

Sydhøj, Aka The South Mound

The Palisade Markers

Skivet Kirke, 1200s?

Hotel Haraldskær

Hazelnuts picked at
Hotel Haraldskær

Sunday, August 17, 2014

Denmark Diaries: Copenhagen

Hej!

So this entry will be about my experience in Copenhagen, which was a great one.

I was up bright and early at 4:30 for a 6:15am train. It was my first time in a [large] northern European city, and a city with street names I simply can't pronounce (no I'm not forgetting about Reykjavik, it was a -little- smaller). There were butterflies flitting about in the bottom of my gut. While I was nervous about being in CPH, the nerves weren't about the city. I was meeting a friend for the first time.

As a product of the digital age, I've made many-a-friend whom I've never met. Ten years ago, I made the acquaintance of a lovely Italian girl named Giada. We corresponded frequently (yes, mom and dad, I would like to point out you lectured me once about contacting this girl...). When previous attempt at meet did not happen, because we were far from where the other one was going to be (I, in Italy, she in the Ukraine) we had to wait for the next time one of us traveled either to New York, or to someplace close in Europe.

But when I found out that I might going to Denmark, I contacted her. I knew she lived in Germany and since they (Denmark and Germany) were neighbors, it could be possible if I went. For a couple of months, the idea was bounced around. She said she knew she was going to Denmark at some point, but didn't know when, and I didn't know if I was going at all. When I finally found out, I asked her if she knew, and she said yes, she would be flying into Copenhagen on the 15th of August.

Flashforward to my week here. I had obtained permission to visit her, both from my family and the Rotary Club, and I was finally on the train heading to CPH as the sun is rising. I'm wringing my wrists, watching turbines spin silhouetted in the sunrise, and I'm deep in thought. Ten years has led to this moment. What if I am not as she expected, or vice versa? What if we can't talk with each other like we do online? Or my worst nightmare, what if I simply can't find her in this foreign city? After all, I have a cell phone that can't really dial out because it thinks everything is in the US and adds a +1 to every number, and she happened to have been locked out of her phone.

I thought the latter issue was really going to be a reality. She told me to meet her at the shopping center, and I couldn't find a shopping center outside of Central Station in Copenhagen. After promptly connecting to the Starbucks Wi-Fi, I asked her where to find her... she told me that she was in Frederiksberg. I walked my way to Frederiksberg, which took a lot longer than I hoped because it took me quite a while to figure out where the street signs were and I got lost a couple, or six, times. I stopped only once to take a picture (a near-impossible task for me, mind you >>see photo to the left) and found the cafe we were going to meet at for brunch, but not the shopping center. I wandered around some more, asking directions left and right, but finally, I found the train station, and the shopping center...and there she was.

Conversation was easy and effortless and natural, and my worries dissipated as the day went on. We ate brunch, laughing and chatting about the things that brought us together in the first place. We walked around with no destination in mind, taking in the sights and killing time. Around noon, we hopped a subway to the airport to retrieve her boyfriend Benoit, and after picking him up we headed back into Frederiksberg to drop their stuff and his friends' house/flat/apartment. From there, we knew we wanted to do the boat tour, so we made our way towards Nyhavn to do so.

As we stopped to look at the map trying to establish our location, I saw a Ferrari and turned to take a picture. Benoit, perhaps a little bit in an amused tone, told me to turn around. With a quick swivel, I heard the roar of a line of perhaps fifteen or twenty Ferraris making their ostentatious approach. After the conga line of revving engines had faded, we continued. Instead of winding up at Nyhavn for our boat tour, we found another service, right near Børsen, the Stock Exchange, that even went up to the Little Mermaid Statue which was something the other company wouldn't have done. I rather enjoyed seeing the city from the water (that seems to be a common remark, doesn't it?). I think I got a much better vantage point, and since I had/have the biggest blister I have ever had on my foot, I didn't have to walk around to see them. Disadvantage: Couldn't frame the pictures as well as I wanted to, and there were people's heads in the way.

Nyhavn

On this boat ride, I saw things like Christiania, the hippie government-free (reservation?) where marijuana was legal up until last year, nude beaches are a thing, and whatever else it is you do on a hippie reservation. We saw the Royal Library, and it's extension called the Black Diamond. I saw where the Danish Royal Family boards their yacht/schooner. We viewed the Queen's palace, the Opera House, and a canal made to look like the canals of Amsterdam. We did float past Nyhavn, with its beautiful ships docked along its pilings. We cruised past Trekroner Søfort, an old military fort, the home of Eurovision, and some place (that I can't remember the name of) that had a Danish Coast Guard Ship and a giant black submarine on display. And of course, we saw a number of churches that I wished I could have gone inside, but one can't see everything in just one (and perhaps the only) day in Copenhagen.

Anyway, the weather was great, the sights were beautiful, and it was a really enjoyable experience. We sounded like the beginning of a joke. An Italian, a Frenchman, and an American are walking through Copenhagen...

After the boat rides, we meandered back in the direction of Central Station. We were meeting Alex and Cecile, Benoit's friends for dinner not far from H (the station). They picked out a restaurant that, I was informed, was sort of located in the red light district of Copenhagen. Even if he hadn't told me that, I could have figured that out from the sort of shops and establishments we walked past on the way to eat. The restaurant was a great closing to an amazing day. While my comrades got some hamburgers, I opted for something less American (I went more Italian, since I couldn't find anything more Danish on the menu). We toasted our Danish beers to new experiences and new friends, and I was sad to have to leave. Of course, I told Giada that she could visit me any time in the States, and she said she would when she finally made it over there. She travels a lot, that one, so I look forward to the day I can show her around my country.

Now, my overall observations of Copenhagen are a lot like my observations of Rome (which I didn't blog about back when I was there, but I'll write about it anyway). It didn't have a whole lot of charm to it, really. It was beautiful, certainly, but perhaps I just don't like big cities. I much rather enjoy the environment of where I'm staying now in Middelfart. But interestingly enough, pertaining to the reservation I commented on in my last post, I thought people in Copenhagen were much more receptive of strangers than those in Middelfart. People actually stopped to ask me if I was lost or needed help on a number of occasions without being prompted or asked. Here in Middelfart, people are less likely to return a smile if you smile at them.

Everything was expensive in CPH, but that was expected. What I didn't expect was the number of 7-Elevens (albeit fake 7-Elevens since they didn't even have Big Gulps), and how early everything seemed to close in the train station on a Saturday night. Cecile and Alex surprised me when they said that they avoid public transportation (the surprise) and bike everywhere (not surprise). Let's see, what else...I already mentioned the street signs being very difficult to find (how does anyone see them in those tiny point sizes...for display type I mean?)

Other than that, nothing truly stood out to me as being so remarkable culturally about Copenhagen. While I understand Copenhagen as a city is much older, I kept thinking to myself that Albany would have resembled Copenhagen in a way if the late Baroque-era architecture had not been torn down (late 16th century, early 17th for those not educated in art history).

I do believe that's about it for my thoughts, if I think of anything else, I'll add it in. For now, have some pictures.

Until next time,
E