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i almost forgot i went to denmark.

I realized I actually didn't write anything about my weekend in Denmark. I completely forgot to tell anyone that I went. It was a REALLY chill weekend, hanging out with friends from Gustavus, staying in my friends apartment near Copenhagen, exploring the city, having home-cooked meals, and going out in Copenhagen at night. Not a single map was opened, not a single tour was taken...we just spent time together and  enjoyed the beauty of being Gusties and being in Copenhagen together. I loved it.

However, the thing that made my trip to Copenhagen so significant was the fact that I went ALONE. I met friends there, yeah (they were SAINTS and picked me up at the airport), but I travelled to Rome and flew to Denmark ALONE. I've never done anything like it before. I mean I've flown alone before, in the U.S, but never in a different country. I was nervous. I had to take a really early morning bus from Perugia to Rome on the Friday morning after thanksgiving...then spend like three or four hours in the Rome Fiumicino airport alone, then fly to Copenhagen alone, and then wander aimlessly until I found my beautiful, amazing friends. I've literally never been happier to see friends before. Ever. I don't have a phone that works outside of Italy, so I was SO nervous that I wouldn't find them in the airport, and then I'd be stranded in Copenhagen, alone. But no, my friends are awesome and were there, waiting cheerfully as soon as I got off the plane. :)

So that went smoothly. However, on the way back, I was even less excited, because I was leaving my friends, and was going to be spending the night alone in the Rome Fiumicino airport upon my return to Italia. So Peter took me to the Copenhagen airport in time for my 6:20pm flight on Sunday night, at the end of a short but wonderful weekend, and I caught my flight back to Rome. However, I didn't land in Rome until after 9pm, and the last bus/train back to Perugia leave before 9. SO I was stuck. It would have been a waste of money to get a hostel, and totally dangerous for me to have tried to get there in Rome alone at night. So I got some snacks, pulled out my blankets (I thought ahead), hugged my backpack with my LIFE, and slept. In the Rome airport. Alone. On a chair. Clinging to my backpack for dear life (AIN'T NO PICK-POCKETERS GONNA GET THIS GIRL). It was not my favorite moment of the whole semester, but I DID IT. I have never spent so much time alone in my life. With literally no contact, with anyone. It was definitely a moment of growth for me. I learned that I can, in fact, handle being alone with my thoughts for over 10 hours, surrounded by people who don't speak the same language as me. It wasn't horrible, and it definitely made me a stronger person.

WHAT AN EXPERIENCE.

Fun fact: No pictures were taken in Denmark. Literally none. So realistically, there's no proof that it happened. Which is probably why I forgot to tell people I went. But it was one the best weekends of my semester because it was SO relaxing and SUCH a learning experience. I had to be so independent, and I'm SO proud of myself!

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