Contrasts

It's funny how my new habits here at UWC RBC became an integrated part of me faster than I ever imagined. I wake up in a different bed with a different view with a different daily schedule ahead of me together with totally different people. Still I do this every day with the most natural feel you can imagine. This is my life. Totally different. 

This is why is turned my world upside down when I am confronted with my "old life". A life I lived no more than three months ago but still seems do distant from my present. 

Last weekend I went back to Denmark to attend my grandfathers funeral. I popped my UWC boble, a bobble both protective and capturing for me, and took a walk down memory lane. 

While walking down Vesterbrogade, staying at my grandmother's and drinking beers with my friends, I was confronted with all these old memories. Good memories, memories of events, jokes and feelings but also a memory of who I used to be. I mean, I'm still me, I said that a lot to my friends; "I'm still the same", "everything is as it used to be" and in many ways this is true. Still something has changed. 

Coming back to campus after five days away was just as interesting. Life had moved on without me and it actually took me some time to get comfortable with my old "new me". My bed felt a little bit more unfamiliar without my grandmothers bedsheets, the view a little more exotic and the schedule even more difficult to get used to than before. When it comes to the people everything strangely enough felt the same. This week I manage to live within my bobble and at the same time creating a small breathing valve back to Denmark in form of a skype-date with my old friend like in the "old days", and it all felt completely comfortable and natural. 

I think it is important to acknowledge these contrasts. I needed to experience both extremes within a short time period in order to navigate in both and still have a sense of who I am in them. The truth is that I am not the same. Everything is not as it used to be, but this is okay. Only when I accepted this, I could relax and concentrate on just being where I was instead of cooping and fitting in. 

Since my little awakening I have been more and more aware of these contrasts. Visiting my host family, all similarities and differences again became very clear and even though a had a really great time, it made me more homesick than ever. In a good way. I am now more capable of appreciating the good aspects of both lives and combining them into a more homogeneous me. 

Anyhow, I had some great weeks, and I of course you can not finish this post without a few pictures! 

Woops, a little selfie in the big massage-chair I found in the airport...

REUNION! The old Copenhagen-crew gathered!

Danish-dotted friends with Danish cristmas brew!

Flowers on my grandfathers grave. I consitered whether to share this picture or not, but it was indeed a very beautifull day and very important for me. 

Back in Freiburg on a hiking trip with my host family.