'Farvel'

CPH
27 degrees, snowing

Here I am, 120 days later, writing to you on my last night in Denmark.  What a country.  What a semester.
I don't think it is possible to sum everything up here.  Instead I will tell you about something the Danes call 'hygge' which just might be my favorite thing I'll take away from my time here.  There is no direct translation into english which makes it an even more Danish concept.  It is a noun, an adjective, a verb, a concept, a state of mind, a feeling, a habit.  In its most basic form it is a cozy warm feeling.  But, it is so much more than that.

Hygge is spending the evening sitting around the dinner table with family or friends just enjoying each others company.  It's delicious smells and tastes. It's living in the moment and really appreciating all the good things in your life.  It's books and wool socks.  It's walking through the snow on a cold cold day and having hot chocolate waiting for you at the end of the journey. It's candles and blankets.  It's catching up with old friends.  All of these things and SO many more can be described as hyggeligt.

And sometimes it's not as obvious as lighting candles and wrapping yourself in a blanket.  Sometimes the hygge sneaks up on you.  Sometimes it's just walking down the street and realizing 'Hey! I am in Denmark and what an amazing place this is.'

I hope to come back here someday but until then,

I wish you all the hygge in the world
thanks for reading

Allison