The smells of Spring arrived. Especially the smell of the ocean. And even the mud here has a salty scent. It is part of me, though this is the first year I truly appreciated it. In fact, I used to think of Denmark as kind of bland in terms of its scenery. But I find it so inexplicably gorgeous this spring.
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| Nordstrand 2011 rielyst.dk |
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| Solnedgang rielyst.dk |
Sometimes paintings capture the feeling of a place a lot better than photos.
And there are reasons I feel this way.
I enjoy my job. The kids are happy. We have friends. The weather is perfect. We can bike and take trains everywhere. We are safe.
The trail running community here is exploding. And I got to be part of a podcast recording "Trailcast" about trail running in Denmark. How exciting to talk about running in pregnancy, overtraining and trail running in a place where the subject is really on fire.
Trailcast |
| Lars Michael Sørensen and me after recording the podcast in Kongenshave. One of us dressed up. |
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| Ever wonder what kind of equipment is used to make a podcast? |
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| "The Lakes" by Nørreport in Copenhagen. They are beautiful in the spring. Even they smell salty. |
I got tears in my eyes today as I was sitting discussing Denmark with my PhD advisor, from his office over looking a park in Frederiksberg. Actually it wasn't a park, but everything looks like a park here, even in the middle of Copenhagen. "I love Denmark. I feel so at home here. I'm going to apply for citizenship as soon as I can." Sometimes I get so overwhelmed with emotion. Then he started joking about the fact that you can't discuss politics or healthcare or even evolution with Americans. America sure is divided, isn't it?
Why does Natty have to move back to the US? Why does SR have to go, too?
It is not looking good for me finishing my PhD from the US- so will SR and I be living apart for a few months this fall? The future is so uncertain. I really just hope we can find a stable, happy place for the boys!
The US & The Boston Marathon
I feel terrible (and afraid!) of what is happening in the US these days. The Boston Marathon was such a terrible tragedy. Two days of tears welling up in my eyes when I read descriptions and saw photos and videos of what happened.
A friend of mine posted on Facebook - "How much of the footage from the Boston Marathon bombing do you let your kids watch?" - I'll write my answer here and that is NONE OF IT. The only thing we ever watch on tv is Eurosport anyway. And you have to imagine one of the reasons the criminal/s targeted the Boston Marathon is everyone would SEE it.
It was an unthikable act of crime that has nothing to do with the amazing sport that unifies people from all over the world. Yet, I have had nightmares every night since (about running- which for so many of us is a sacred place in our mind!).
I think a lot of us feel like we want to do something to help make it all better. I wish I had another answer besides being the change you want to see in the world.
I have already seen pictures and adds for T-shirts about the Boston Marathon bombing. My gut feeling is it sickens me that companies would try to advertise and/or make money off of the merchandise of a tragedy.
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| In my opinion, buying t-shirts doesn't solve anything. Simply give money to a cause you believe in instead. |
I say "just don't do it". Find another way to help America and the world recover from this event. Go on a run with your kid. Appreciate what you have in life. That's what I need to go do right now.
5 comments:
Curious about what it is that makes you feel more Danish than American, other than the fact that you like living there.
Second question -- why wouldn't you want to live where SR can be closer to his kids (particularly since it seems from his blog that it eats him up when he's not near and since he's missing out in his son's upbringing?)
Danni- good questions!
First of all, as soon as my PhD project permits me to move, I will. The most important is we are together.
The thing that makes me feel more Danish than American is I think of this as my home more than any place in the US. And I feel my outlook on life and viewpoint is more Danish than it is Ameriacn and I guess that is a product of living here for so long and being married to SR.
To answer more directly the second question: I DO want to live where SR can be close to both Natty and Andreas and where I can be close to them, too! But that doesn't mean I don't love living here. You know -sometimes you just have to get these feelings out in writing. I've always been a pretty open person, I guess :o).
1) I can 100% relate to feeling more part of another country than American (or whatever one's native country is). It's a strange feeling to feel foreign in a country where you've grown up and homesick for a country that is not, technically, your own.
2) Have been waiting anxiously for my favorite running blogs to write about Boston. So many feelings, including, but not limited to: the juxtaposition of the euphoria of finishing a marathon and the terror that must have been felt at the finish; the love and appreciation I have for spectators who tirelessly hurl encouraging, heartfelt words at runners; how the running community feels like my universal family; that said universal family is comprised of some of the kindest, greatest people I know...so, so sad.
I was at Boston on Monday, and I agree on the t-shirts, and the commemorative races popping up. I call it disaster porn, and I don't want to be part of it. I already WAS part of it. Then I try to remind myself everyone needs something different to feel better, and those things just don't make ME feel better. I don't know.
We also didn't tell our kids about it at all. They were with my sister and know mommy ran the Boston Marathon, and that's it.
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