The inspiration that struck during core course week carried through to progress in my architecture project. I’m really excited about some of my ideas, and looking forward to pinning down the final details this week.
Another exciting development– after some coaxing, I received my parents’ blessing to study here in Copenhagen for the full year. I am so so thankful and happy and excited. I’ve also received the full support of my advisor at Middlebury. He believes staying abroad is in “my best academic interest” as an architecture major. On a more personal level, I think staying abroad is also most beneficial for my happiness and mental health. Even heading into week six, with an architecture project due mid-week, my workload feels manageable and my stress levels lower than they usually are at Midd. My life here feels more balanced.
TUESDAY //
Tuesday we had another LLC event, in coordination with the Culinary LLC. The idea was that we were supposed to combine food and art to create a interesting dining experience. We were split into groups and each given a recipe. The culinaries in my group immediately started the cooking process, less focused on the art component of the presentation. Knowing that I had written my LLC housing essay about him, our coordinator had given us Olafur Eliasson as our artistic inspiration. He is a Danish-Icelandic artist known for his sculpture and installation art that utilizes and is inspired by nature. His “Weather Project” is essentially a giant yellow orb that casts an orange glow across the entire room that houses it, in order to represent the sun. This project, along with “Your Rainbow Panorama” that many of us saw at the ARoS museum, served as inspiration for our pumpkin soup. I had started out without a real plan, just playing with the vegetable peels and ingredients in front on my on the countertop since I wasn't sure what to do cooking wise. Eventually, I made enough progress that people thought it was kind of cool, and they asked me to make a centerpiece. Anyway, the food trash rainbow was a hit and everyone instagrammed it.
Oh, and the soup was actually delicious as well.
WEDNESDAY //
Wednesday was exciting because Helen and I got to cook “family dinner” for the 10 of us that make up the Visual Arts LLC, plus our SRA. Since I only really know how to cook Mexican food, we cooked Mexican food: Tomatillo chicken (minus the tomatillo), lime-cilantro rice, guacamole, roasted corn salsa, and miraculously, corn tortillas!! It was so delicious, and everyone was really grateful, which made me really happy. As soon as I can find pastry dough, I’m going to try making empanadas! And I am still on the hunt for salsa verde.
SATURDAY //
So far, Copenhagen weather has been unusually warm and sunny. To take advantage of that, I planned a picnic in Ørstedparken on Saturday for the people living in my building, and a few others. It was really nice, and we plan to do it regularly until the weather turns. It’s already beginning to feel like fall– theres a dryness in the air, and more telling, my allergies are acting up. It will be interesting to see if I enjoy Copenhagen in the winter as much as I do now. I’ve heard it’s more mild than Vermont winters, so I’m not worried.
SUNDAY //
On Sunday, Helen and I went to a matcha bar (byoh matcha) in Vesterbro for lunch. The woman working the register was very friendly, and told us that sometimes Danish celebrities stop by if they’re in the area. Too bad we’d never be able to recognize them… But they must have good taste because the food, lattes, and matcha ice cream were all delicious.
In the evening, our SRA (social and residential advisor) organized a painting night so we could decorate the apartment. As we were setting up, she told us about how she’s asking housing if she can get a cat for her apartment, which she shares with 4 other students. All 10 of us under her care support the idea, so hopefully we’ll have a cat soon!! Lately most of my creative energy has been channeled into my architecture project, but getting to paint just for fun was very relaxing. I need to remember to make time to do it more often.