Saturday, January 29, 2011

Dad-less in Denmark

HEJ NULL!!!

I am rather frustrated at the moment, as I have spent all night trying to get a video uploaded of my trip to Ikea. Apparently the HighDef quaily of my little Canon is too much for Blogger. I'll try again tomorrow, AND post some more pitchas!

After 2 days without it in my own room, my ethernet cord WORKS!!! I've probably used up half my phone minutes talking to Tom, the internet guy (whom I consider one of my friends since we've spoken so much - plus he thinks my last name is cool) and with his help I am now free to spend many hours on Facebook and Skype, such glorious inventions for the student abroad!!!

And when I say it was only 2 days without the net outloud, it makes me sound like an web addict. But really, when you're an ocean away from home, it's actually so comforting to be able to connect with friends and familay via computer!

Especially when you're alone over the ocean...my daddio left on Wednesday!

At 10:01, we said goodbye on the train platform, and my dad, Mr. Paul Ivany, cried. He didn't break down or anything, but there were definite tears in his eyes and a specific kind of silence in him that I had never really experienced before. And as I stood there and watched his train pull away from the station, I didn't cry or run after the train like the end scene of a hollywood movie, but a voice in my head announced loud and clear, "Well, this is it."

It was actually the most surreal feeling ever. I felt like I was being abandoned, like it wasn't fair for my Dad to just leave me there in a strange country!! But I also felt a massive pang of...I don't even KNOW what! Freedom? Adventure? Intense independence?? Sort of like the feeling you get when you're opening up the page of a new book. If it's a thick one, you know it's going to take a while to finish it, but you're really excited to see how the plot unfolds, and how the characters work together to create something magical. You're ready to get lost in it's pages, to take on a new persepective, to learn something...
I think I shall call this book, The Adventures of Young Ivany in Europe. AH! I'm forseeing a best-seller.

In all truthfulness though, I battled the strong holds of homesickness the day my Pappy left. I kept myself busy setting up my room, and I alsonwent shoe shopping with one of my housemates! Her name is Sophie and she lives in Denmark, just 2 hours away from here. But not having internet to talk to my friends at home was tough. So, I just fell asleep to the sounds of Sandra Bullock acting as Miss. Congeniality. I was actually SO surprised - I ended up sleeping for 12 hours without waking up at all. Waking up was wierd, however. I was like, "OH YEAHHH I'm in Denmark." HA! how often do you get to say that?! The first night and morning alone in a foreign country wasn't as bad as I thought it would be!


And some other good news. I have MET some of the other international students at my school. LAWD JESUS AMEN!

Just like it's comforting to have access to the internet, I was actually EUPHORIC when I got in touch with Emily, another girl from Canada here! (She goes to Carleton Univeristy.) I remember I was at a bus stop when my phone finally reached hers. I'm pretty sure I made a sound of pure joy out loud when I hung up with her. FINALLY, someone to talk to here! Someone who is experiencing similar things!!

I ended up sleeping over at her place and used her roommates internet for the night. Ha! It's funny, being there, I felt like I had known her forever, just because we're from the same country. It's so wierd how such a general factor that like made me feel way less homesick.

But tonight, I boldly ventured out of Canada and into Belgium, England, the US, Romania, Germany and Slovakia.
When I was at Emily's house yesterday, she kindly added me to the International Students' Facebook group. (Way to be with the times, Kimberly.) So this morning before my Ikea trip, I decided to contact some people in the group and see if anyone was up to anything on this eve! I was a little hesitant. I normally just prefer meeting people face-to-face and actually judge the person based on human interaction - (haha) - but! I decided this weekend should not be spent by myself, so I went for it. And it was probably thee best decision ever:

It's 1:33 a.m., and I just came back from the loveliest dinner party at another dorm room in the massive complex where I live. I met about 10 other people in my program, we ate couscous and ice cream together, and we talked about hipsters and languages and told each other stories from our own countries...like we've known each other for years! How amazing is it that 10 people from all over the world can sit on a do

And tomorrow, we're going downtown.

AH, yes. Chapter one of this novel is pulling me right in.

P.S - An older Danish gentlemen asked ME for directions at the bus stop today!!! In 5 months it's my goal to be able to provide help...in fluent Danish. Oh yes. It will happen.

2 comments:

  1. Yeah, that 'specific kind of silence' is a particular kind of Ivany thing when we know words just won't work and, even if we did speak, we'd turn into blubbering fools.

    "A Specific Kind of Silence" Hmmm... I think I found the title of my next book!! It'll go with my new Country and Western hurtin' song "I Cried All The Way To Skanderborg"!! Sigh...

    Dads and their daughters...

    You go, girl! Live it all. Meet everyone. Go everywhere. Drink it all in. And make sure you clean the oven on your day or they'll ding you for 300 kroner!

    Daddio

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