Guest blog from Copenhagen from Global AWAKEnings student Brittany Wallace ’21
Today’s Daily Deac is a guest blog from Brittany Wallace ’21, who is a Global AWAKEnings student in Copenhagen, Denmark
Spring is finally arriving here in Copenhagen, Denmark, which means a few different things. First, it is warm-ish after a long and dark winter, and we finally have a chance to appreciate the sunlight. Second, flowers are blooming across the city, and the trees are becoming green once more. Third, our time here is ending.
It seems unreal to consider that we leave for the United States in less than 3 weeks. After being in Denmark for so long, the city has started to feel like home, and it will be difficult to say goodbye. I do hope this will not be my last time here, and I think I speak for all of us in the Global Awakenings program when I say that this experience has been life-changing and unforgettable. I have come to know and appreciate my friends and fellow students living here with me more than I think would’ve been possible during a typical year. I will miss them all as we part for the summer, but I hope we remain close throughout college and beyond.
This last month has provided a lot of excitement in our household. We just returned this week from a DIS-led trip to Vienna, where we enjoyed symphonies, castles, the Spanish Riding School, and giant schnitzel. Our professors put together a wonderful trip that brought together history, art, music, and architecture while still leaving time for us to appreciate our last excursion out of the country as a class. We even met the students studying at Vienna’s Flow House, who shared stories with us about Wake and their own time abroad.
Wake is doing a fabulous job preparing us for our time on-campus. We recently chatted with a few individuals involved with student life and student activities on campus. There are so many exciting opportunities to look forward to at Wake Forest. Between Greek life, sports, volunteering, clubs, and classes, there will hardly be time to miss Copenhagen.
As we round out the semester, we are all eager to squeeze in some final activities, restaurants, and trips before the flight back. We have one more trip scheduled and an end-of-the-year cookout on the beach to celebrate with our Residential Advisors. The final goodbye with our Danish RA will be sad, but I truly am grateful that he has been a part of this experience with us, and he has proven himself to be an important part of our freshman year and our lives in Copenhagen.
These last weeks will be difficult as I start doing things “for the last time.” I believe I will miss our family dinners the most, despite the banter and squabbles over what is going to be in the tacos and why dinner is an hour late because we didn’t have enough enchilada sauce. However, I am excited to see my family and friends back home, and I am excited to join the community on campus. It’s always hard to let something go, but there is always something new around the corner. I would not trade this year for anything, and I hope those who choose to participate in the Global Awakenings program in the future have as much fun and adventure as I did.
Mange tak for et godt år!