Last Thursday was Thanksgiving, and it’s obviously very different being abroad during this uniquely American holiday. This was the first time that I was not sitting with my family around a table groaning with the weight of my mother’s delicious cooking (although apparently my family went to someone else’s house for the holiday this year, so that made me feel a little bit better). Luckily, being in a program with a bunch of other Americans during this holiday increases the likelihood that you will be invited to a Thanksgiving dinner hosted by a friend. I was able to attend an early Thanksgiving dinner the Sunday before with my friend Bethany, her host family, and some other great guests. The food was delicious - classics from turkey to mashed potatoes and gravy to apple pie for dessert! - and the company was awesome. We all went around and shared the things we’re thankful for. I am definitely thankful for the good community of people I’ve found here in Denmark. I’m thankful that it was such a wonderful night, and I’m glad that even though I’m not at home, I was still able to have a little Thanksgiving in Denmark. Studying abroad with an American program is also really great because it means I’m one of the only of my friends abroad who actually got a Thanksgiving break. I decided to take advantage of the time off and do a little traveling to see friends in other parts of the continent. Around noon on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, I hopped on a plane to Edinburgh and got to spend a little time with my best friend from home, Olivia. It was great because it was also her birthday, so I got to spend it with her. She turned 21, and we celebrated with a little wine and cheese party (because we’re so classy, obviously). Olivia was an excellent tour guide, and Edinburgh is an amazing city. There’s so much more I know I haven’t seen, since I barely got two days to be there, but the parts I did explore were wonderful, and I can’t wait to go back someday! On Friday afternoon, I left Edinburgh to fly into Paris, and then took a bus to Lille, France. I was here to visit my penpal, Amandine, for the first time. First of all, I think it’s just amazing that it’s possible to make friends with someone who lives on a completely different continent but you find that there are so many ways for you to connect with one another. To actually meet in person was really great, and I loved meeting her and her friends. I was only in Lille from Friday night to Sunday afternoon, but we packed a lot of fun into that small space of time. We watched good movies - we spent Friday night watching Mulan in French, and then Saturday I met a bunch of Amandine’s friends before we all went to see Fantastic Beasts. I also enjoyed a lot of good food. Pain au chocolat from the bakery, and a tarte sucre. Delicious! We also made crêpes on Sunday afternoon and had a lot of fun trying to flip them over in the pain (none fell on the floor, so I’d say it was a success!). As with Edinburgh, I know that I only scratched the surface of Lille, but it’s also such a nice and beautiful city, especially as it gets closer to Christmas time. I got to walk the streets of Old Lille with all of the Christmas lights and a giant ferris wheel that I got to take a ride in. We also walked through the Christmas market, and the delicious smells alone were enough to make me wish I could stay there forever. I loved every minute of it, and I definitely want to come back some day. I should say that the only disappointing thing about visiting France is that I realized despite five years of studying French, I am not as good at the language as I hoped I’d be. I guess that’s what happens when you don’t practice or listen to it for a long while. I guess I’ll have to brush up for next time! All of my DIS breaks have been amazing, but this was probably my favorite one. I got to see old friends as well as meet some cool new people. I got to see two amazing cities decked out in Christmas cheer. I got to eat really good food. I got to have fun, and isn’t that the point of study abroad? It’s weird that I only really have two weeks left before I go home. This journey is almost over, but I’ve definitely gained memories I know will last a lifetime.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorOn ne voit bien qu'avec le cœur. Part of my heart I'm leaving behind in the United States. Join me as I take the rest on an amazing adventure to Copenhagen, Denmark! ArchivesCategories
All
Google Chrome users will need an extension for the RSS feed
|