So after an amazing semester in Denmark, I arrived home on December 18th.  I flew from Copenhagen to Newark, NJ and then to Buffalo, NY.  It was great to see my parents waiting in the airport for me after being away for the whole semester.  Yet, it once again felt bittersweet to leave behind a country that has become so dear to me.  I must admit for the first few days back I experienced both jet lag and slight "reverse culture shock."  Something as simple as traveling to the grocery store seemed strange when the clerk behind the register asked me a question... IN ENGLISH.  It took some time adjusting to being back in the good ol' US of A, but it was very nice to spend the holiday season with friends and family.  I even got to share a lot of the culture I experienced in my time abroad.  For my family I made a traditional Danish Christmas dinner, which consists of duck, browned sugar potatoes, and red cabbage.  It turned out OK, but I am no chef.  For dessert I made traditional Danish abelskiver.  They turned out great!  The best way to describe them is a pancake ball served with powdered sugar and jam.  YUM! 

    Then, before I knew it I was back at SLU!  I came back a little before most students for training for my Community Assistant position.  It was great to reunite with so many friends and co-workers.  I also got to meet a lot of new people during training and there were some interesting new aspects to the program that were added since I left.  Then residents started coming back this past weekend and I have been getting to know the students on my floor.  I am a CA for the Whitman dorm.  I have one floor of First-Years and one floor of upperclassmen.  I am actually the CA of one of my good friends, Evan, who was one of the Admissions interns with me this past summer and who was also in Denmark with me.  I have my first community meeting with the First-Years tonight and I am excited to get to know them.  I have also gotten to see a bunch of my residents from last year as well.

    As for classes... I think I am going to be busy this semester.  I am enrolled in:

• Biophysical Chemistry
• Computer Mediated Communication
• Cultural Studies

• Instrumental Analysis

I think I am going to enjoy all of my classes, but I also foresee a lot of work in my near future.  I actually need to get working on some of it pretty soon.  Yet, as for right now, there is a smile plastered on my face!  Why am I grinning?  Because as I am writing this I am munching on a Buffalo Chicken Quesadilla from the Pub.  It is one of my favorites and is definitely something that is NOT available in Denmark.  I have missed it!  There were many aspects of SLU that I missed during my time abroad and I am taking advantage of everything St. Lawrence has to offer now that I'm back.

    Of course I will miss things from Denmark, but if feels great to be back!  I have compiled two short lists- one of things from Denmark I will miss and the other of things I am excited to take advantage of now that I am back at SLU.

          From Denmark I miss:

1. Danish children with "spikey" blonde hair and blue eyes wearing "onesie" snowsuits.
2. A crazy language that I consistently butchered
3. Carlsberg
4. The S-train that I took everyday
5. A kabob shop right next to school
6. All my new Danish friends and American friends
7. Teenage kids that tuck their jeans into their socks to be "cool"
8. A metropolitan lifestyle

        (This list could go on forever)

          Now that I am back I am excited about:

1. Taking advantage of the outdoors-- going snowshoeing on the golf course
2. New flat-screens in the gym
3. Classes in the Johnson Hall of Science
4. New and Old friends
5. Buffalo Chicken Quesadillas!
6. Hockey games
7. Squirrels - laughing at the big ones that carry slices of pizza around campus
8. Snow

        (This list could go on forever too!)

So I am excited to be back.  Stay tuned for more stories from SLU!