I am not a fan of winter. I don't think I will ever like cold short days and long dark nights. And really, I shouldn't complain because this has been the best winter I have experienced in Denmark. But still, the dark days can add to the feeling of low energy. I miss my sunshine....December was a busy month. The nice thing about December is that it's the holiday time. So, you do not notice all of the darkness. Everything is "hyggeligt." There are candles and lights everywhere, the holiday smells and sights fill every the entire city. Everyone is in good spirits. Danes know how to do holidays right. Always full of tradition and family and friends.
I had another Danish Christmas this year. It was a nice time with friends and adopted family. I got to experience more traditions- good food, lots of laughs, and some dancing around the Christmas tree. It was a nice second place, when I can not be with my family.
During the Christmas break in the cafe I took a trip to Poland. I visited Poznan. We calculated that it must have been about 4 years since I was last in Poznan. I had not returned there after I moved to Krakow. There was something familiar, yet so foreign to return there. In a lot of ways all the sights and feel of the city was so normal and so easy for me to adapt back too. But, I have lost the little of the language I knew and all of the sounds around me had me feeling out of place. But, the best thing about the visit was that I got to stay with one of my best friends. And it has been years since we have been together! We got to be lazy and rest and enjoy just sharing our lives together again. It was the getaway I needed.New Years came and went in a blur of laughter, dancing, and friends. We had a very cheesy dinner and then joined a church party with a lot of young people. I got to "jump" into the new year and light some big sparklers! Being a deprived Californian, I did not have much of a chance to set off fireworks. I completely enjoy them every year and this year, in the city, I got to experience the explosions days before and after the new year.
January has brought a month of changes in the cafe. We have readjusted to new workers, new volunteers, and new responsibilities. It has taken time to get into a new flow. But, I think we have finally found a system the regular workers are comfortable with. We have had some awesome events. We had a very yummy Girls Night In last week filled with yummy chocolate fondue, and yes chocolate oreos are awesome dipped in fondue. A couple of weeks ago we had a great game night. It was a lot of fun. We had a wonderful time of competition and teasing. Things are going well and we are keeping really busy. January has been a good month to get us back on the right track. If only it was not so gloomy outside....
