Meet the Hellesens

Glass of wine #1

I’m on the plane having made it through the first 5 hours of my flight. So far I’ve watched Fatal Attraction and the Cosby Show, written two abstracts for an upcoming conference submission deadline, and organized my iPhoto library. I’ve also enjoyed 2 free glasses of wine and a glass of Baileys… one of the joys of international travel! It’s now 2:48am (Copenhagen time), and I have yet to sleep at all or even eat dinner. But before I chomp into my Chipotle burrito (good decision given the meal they served a few hours ago), I wanted to take a moment to introduce you to my Danish family!

Family photo taken at Kasper's 14th birthday (note that I am the shortest one)

The Hellesens were the incredible host family with whom I lived while I studied abroad in Copenhagen in 2012. My experience in Denmark was framed by my relationships with them, and they remain some of the most special people in my life.

Meet Helle and Lars, my Danish mother and father! They are role models for me in every way and I loved every single minute we spent together. They approach parenting and life with energy, compassion, humor, and a love of fun! The result was a home filled with laughter, stimulating conversations, and no shortage of music. 

Meet Mira, my incredibly Danish sister. Pretty much everyone knows that I've always wanted to have a sister, and Mira was my dream-come-true! She helped me master the basics of Danish language and we passed hours and hours doing crafts, dancing, jumping on the trampoline, taking photos, playing games, and just hanging out. She's now turned 14 (where has the time gone?!) and we have a lot of catching up to do. 

Meet Kasper, my awesome Danish brother (the one in red). Now 15 years old, Kasper reminds me a lot of Michael in many ways. He is extremely intelligent, very athletic, and carries himself with confidence and poise. Kasper is going places and I'm not sure whether he will end up being a famous soccer player or a lawyer, but either way, I will always be proud to call him my brother. 

Meet Junior and Baloo, my lovable, cuddly, adorable Danish dogs. Junior is Baloo's biological son, and he is often found resting his head on Baloo as they sleep. We all joked about the fact that I was going to try to kidnap Junior, and if I could have gotten him through customs on my way home, I totally would have!  

Kasper's birthday celebration, spent the Danish way, with family, close friends, and lots of good food!

A little bit of friendly competition at the DIS host family picnic. By the way, Mira and I beat the boys by a long shot!

Photobooth fun with Mira!

Snapchat from Mira this morning!

The only way I was able to physically board the plane back to the US at the end of the semester was to remind myself of two things: 1. Even though the semester was over, I was NOT saying goodbye to my new family forever. 2. I was definitely going to be visiting my Danish home again someday. Both things proved to be true: In addition to snapchats with Mira, emails with Helle, facebook messanges with Lars, and bi-weekly Skype dates, the whole family visited the US last summer! And now, the time has finally come back to my Danish home!

6:20am (Copenhagen time): Brief update. I am at the Frankfurt airport waiting for my connection. The sky is starting to brighten with day light (although I haven't slept in 18+ hours). It might be fatigue setting in, but I'm feeling totally emotionless. I think part of me doesn't actually believe I will be landing in Copenhagen in just under 2 hours, but another part of me is strangely nervous. I know Denmark isn't going to feel the same at all, but I'm not sure what it will feel like. What will it feel like to be back in my old home? Is it going to be hard to find my way around? Am I going to remember any Danish at all? Will the city feel as magical as it once did? I will begin to have these answers soon. In the mean time, I am going to enjoy my complimentary muffin and try to get some sleep on the next flight. More from Copenhagen soon!

p.s. For anyone who needs a laugh, I found "In Flight Yoga" available as part of the entertainment services. Yes, this is a woman sitting in an airplane chair in the middle of a forrest. The "poses" included shoulder raises, neck rolls, and leg lifts. Highlight: a random cat walked through the scene at various points.