A letter to Copenhagen

Dear Copenhagen, 

My life has been a rollercoaster since we first met. Looking back, I think my adaptation was fast and slow at the same time. By "fast" I mean I had to basically adapt very quickly to living by myself for the first time and to every practical side of it. It was a huge step for me, specially being an only child who is very much attached to her parents. By "slow" I mean it was a slow process in terms of: making (good) friends, riding a bike everyday, language (this still applies, as my vocabulary boils down to "Hej", "Tak" and "Undskyld"). 

I'm still trying to figure out if you like me or dislike me. It seems like we have sort of a love-hate relationship. You've made me go through some of the happiest and saddest moments of my life. Moments where I felt like I was going to have a mental breakdown and felt like just giving up from everything (very stress and homesick induced), where you put so much on my plate that I didn't know what to do or where to turn... but you also made me feel so happy that my face hurt from smiling, and so amazed by your beauty that I almost felt like I was living in a dream or in a movie. 

I can't quantify how much you've made me grow and how stronger and proud of myself I feel after these first 5 months with you. At the most serious moments, even if I just felt like crying and running away from my problems, I kept going. There were times where problems were just piling up and nothing seemed to go right but I kept going. The love I feel for you keeps me going. This city and its people keeps me going. (I have to mention that I now have a group of friends that are a big big help and a big part of making my life here easier and better. I can't thank you enough). 

Like Morrissey, I've got a job, but then I felt miserable (and exhausted) so I quit my job. Started danish classes but had to quit (or let's say, interrupt) because it was all too much at the same time, with my internship (and working in a restaurant) and I couldn't keep up. All this while trying to find a new home, as my life wasn't already stressful enough. But I did it, and I found an amazing place to live by myself, despite this hectic house market you have. Then, when I least expected, you gave me love, something I had already given up on. And so many happy and dream-like moments followed. You gave me opportunities to grab and new friendships, nice events, parties, concerts, flea markets, festivals to volunteer in. Your cultural life is amazing. Coming from a small town, it's a breath of fresh air for me to live in such a rich and interesting capital, with so much to do. 

Right now, it seems like you hate me again. Is it because I was away for two weeks? I'm sorry, I needed a break and I was desperate to see my beloved family and friends again (if I think about it, it was the longest I was outside my country and far from my loved ones). It wasn't as enjoyable and long as I would have wanted, and it feels as strange to be back here as it was when I arrived in Portugal. I will be honest, I didn't want to go back to you so soon. I didn't want to go back to you without a prospect of a new job or a new home for the next few months, with a lot less money in my pocket, with most of my friends and my boyfriend away. I cried, I cried a lot. The future with you is so uncertain and that uncertainty makes me really scared. But here I am. And I'm starting to feel a little bit better, slowly. This past week was my first week being back at work on my internship and it was totally crazy, and totally busy. As the whole month of August will be. But I will manage it the best way I can. It's my last month and I need to leave a good impression and to leave this job on the right foot.   

Dear Copenhagen, I now consider you my second home and I don't want to leave you just yet. Please, will you give me a chance?

Until next time,

Inês

My birthday

My birthday this year was completely different from every other I've had so far. Apart from being in a totally different place, it was also the first time I spent it alone. Scary? Sad? No, not at all. It felt good, liberating and just plain awesome to have such a different day. Did I miss my family and friends? Absolutely. Although I was so busy all day I didn't even think too much about it, to be honest. I just really enjoyed my time alone, which is a thing I wish everyone would be able to do: just enjoying your own company. It's a thing I'm learning about myself: I really love spending time alone. Going for walks, going to the cinema, going shopping... You only ever get your time spent and managed as you really want to when you're by yourself. You get things done at your own pace, you go to places and do the things YOU like, without depending on anyone else's wishes. 

So yesterday I was given the day off (!!!) and I just hopped on a train to spend all my day at the Louisiana Museum of Art, in Humlebaek, just 30 minutes north of Copenhagen. Best decision ever, I had the greatest time doing one of my favorite things: looking at art! Just the place itself is worth a visit really. If you don't believe me, just look at the pictures below.

The weather was lovely, despite the cold.

Please go to their store and get lost. I think I might have spent too much time in it but I couldn't help it. And I'm a sucker for tote bags so I bought one as a little birthday present. Getting quite a collection of them actually...

Don't get me started on the sculpture garden... I can see myself spending a whole afternoon here doing a picnic and basking in the sunlight.

My yummy lunch by the sun.

It was so good to see the ocean again.

Spring is starting to show!

And now for some art:

These were part of a new exhibition called "Eye Attack", based on works between the 50's and the 60's of the so called Op Art (Optical Art) and Kinetic Art, ones that appeal to your senses and that are essentially sensorial and visual experiences. Amazing works from more than 40 artists! Just be aware you might feel a little dizzy because of the hypnotic effects... I didn't but I know people who did.

Dreaming of having a living room like this... :)

Some photos from the "Illumination" exhibition below:

Of course I had to take lots of self portraits here, how can you not? I REALLY wanted to see this is one more than any other piece in the museum. After losing the exibithion dedicated to the artist, with many more works, by just a couple of weeks, I felt really sad. But then I realized that one of her installations is still there in the museum's permament collection. So yay! 

If you don't know this installation, it is called Gleaming Lights of the Souls by the artist Yayoi Kusama. Simply outstanding. Google her work, it's brilliant. 

It was past 7 when I left this place, feeling as I needed to sleep 10 hours but also like I've just had one of the best birthdays in my life. And just before getting dark, I was greeted by this sky. A lovely end of the day. 

Bye Louisiana, see you very soon.

Inês