Number of weeks living in Denmark: 58 (and only 1 left!)
Weather: Sunny, blue skies (oh, happy day!) and 50 F
What I’m loving
- The sun is (sometimes) back! It’s still been a weird spring weather-wise with random rain, lots of wind and not as much sun as I would like, but it’s still here and it’s glorious! I also got to host some of my best friends recently, and I’m so glad the sun came out lots while they were here.
- Bun and cheese (boller med ost). This is a super popular breakfast or lunch in Denmark with their best buns, slathered in salted butter and topped with 1 or 2 large pieces of cheese (usually a Gouda). It’s the perfect snack or meal, and after introducing it to my visiting friends recently, I’m craving it all the time! It’s also a cheap meal at anywhere from $4-6.
- Soaking up our last few weeks in Denmark. After a wonderful 14 months here, we’re moving back to Raleigh, NC mid-May. It’s been a wonderful Scandinavian/European adventure living in Denmark, my son is bilingual in Danish and we will cherish all the fun we’ve had in this beautiful country. But, we really feel family and friends calling us back home. The winter was SO hard (isolating, cold, snowy, so much sickness), so while I’m going to miss European food and architecture, I will not miss the weather and wind. Other than maybe the cool, breezy summer days.
What I miss
- Mexican food. I’m dying for white cheese dip and chips and a tangy margarita on the rocks.
- Breweries. While there are several breweries here, the “brewery scene” is much different than in the states, mainly because we’re in a big city. We don’t have any near us, and the ones here don’t have a ton of space for kids to run around, etc.
- Family and friends! We just can’t wait to be reunited with our close friends and family and to fill up our social calendar with lots of parties and events. While we’ve had lots of solid family time during our season abroad, we’re a little socially deprived.
What’s hard
It’s become rather difficult “living” in two different places. For the past few months, we’ve been closing chapters and saying goodbyes in Copenhagen, while finding new spots (daycare, home, job, etc.) back in Raleigh. I’ve made so many strides at being present in life during this season, but it’s a struggle to be fully present with all of the to-dos of making (another) international move. But, I’m doing my best to hop around as needed and feel all the feels as I’m reminiscing how we’ve all grown in Denmark and all that we have to look forward to in Raleigh.
What’s surprising
I’m surprised by how quickly we’ve settled into our routines here. I mean, my 2.5-year-old son understands Danish, a tricky language he knew nothing about 12 months ago! I’m proud of our flexibility as a family and how we’ve adjusted and problem-solved so many things. And now I’m reminding myself that we’ll adjust to a new routine and way of life after the move, though it feels daunting some days. While there’s so much I look forward to (breweries, Mexican food, family dinners, hot summer swims), I’m going to miss hearing church bells as I walk James to school, taking the train wherever I want to go, and all the amazing pastries and bread.
What’s tasty
- Vanilla buttermilk cake with chocolate icing from this month’s Bake from Scratch mag (I subscribe on Libby)
- Stir fry to clean out the fridge
- Rhubarb anything and everything
- My cardamom bollers (Danish buns that I made myself!)
A big thanks for following along with us on this incredible journey living in Denmark!