Humility

So I just have to say that I just spent an hour and a half talking with my family and it was great! Today (tomorrow in the States) is my mom's birthday so: HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!!!! :-)

Today was my 5th day of work and the end of the first week. It went super well. First, the morning started off with Lise, my host, lending me a phone and telling me where I can buy a SIM card so that I will have a mobile while I'm here. Overall it might be a bit expensive but you just "can't live without one" as she said. Plus, when I leave, she will buy the phone off of me to give away/sell when she goes to Tanzania next. So I've been very blessed by that. She also gave me the land line number for the house. I was a bit "late" for work (as in not there right at 9) but still managed to get everything started. Radek, the really nice guy who asked me if I'd like to explore Copenhagen this weekend, was already in and I had to gather up my courage to give him the land line number as well as to tell him that I tried to find him on Facebook last night. He took the number and we talked about the grill out that would be going on later. I spent the rest of the day researching articles and patents, doing more analysis and finishing up the two experiments we started yesterday. All in all, a very productive day.

The grill out was at 3. Esben and I had finished creating a plan for Monday's experiments and so we walked out with Arkady to the grill out. It was beautiful outside. I keep saying that but the weather here this week has really been phenomenal. There were drinks already for sale so I bought an Apple Cider, which was delicious. Kels, I thought of you and the cider you told me to get while I was here. :-) We stood around and chatted; I met maybe one or two other people and eventually Klas (the Swede), Arkady, Esben, and another woman (whose name I was told but I couldn't pronounce it let alone spell it) all sat at one of the tables. The tables are really only meant for 4 so Arkady, Esben and I smooshed on one side. It was nice to just sit and chat and enjoy the outdoors. There was also a "Wheel of Fortune" at the grill out: you paid 10 kroner and spun the wheel. You could win 1 beer, 2 beers, 3 beers, 1 breezer (basically a mixed rum drink in a bottle) or lose. I only spun once and, just like I thought, I lost. Klas was with me and he won twice in a row and gave me a breezer. It was delicious. Shortly after finishing that I decided to have the food: bread, potato salad and a sausage. It tasted very good. Arkady had spun the wheel and won 3 beers, so I got one of those too. Carlsberg is the Danish brew; it wasn't too bad. Granted, I'd already had two drinks so maybe I wouldn't have liked it if I'd had it first, but still. We left the table to go sit on the grass in the sun for a bit longer and, around 7:30, caught the local train to head to a party. While we were waiting for the train I realized my stomach was not exactly feeling so great. Rode the train and started looking for a chance to find a bathroom. We were walking to the party and I stopped to try and control myself but my body simply would have none of that. I lost my dinner in front of four coworkers on a sidewalk in Denmark. Awesome. For those of you who know me well you will not be surprised to know that I was constantly apologizing during this little incident. I was with Arkady, Klas, and two women I'd just met that afternoon: Marie and Melitza. Arkady was out of there asap and actually went to buy me water. Marie and Melitza found tissues and were telling me not to worry. When it was over we laughed about how there was 20 kroner on the ground and I thanked them for being so kind and they said really not to worry. I felt much better after that and we continued on to the party. Arkady joked that obviously we had discovered my limit but we all agree that the alcohol had not been the problem at all. So we think the sausage or the potato salad didn't sit well with me. Anyway, party. I met some people and kind of sat around. I don't know when it was but my stomach was upset again so, in some strange person's bathroom, I lost what little I had left. Yeah, there's something to be said about losing it in front of coworkers and then again at some stranger's house. I am glad to say that was the end. I am still not 100% now but I should be able to sleep through the night and be good tomorrow. I was still able to socialize and if I'd been feeling well I would have stayed much later. Arkady walked me to the train station and stayed with me till the train came. We had a nice little chat and then I was on my way.

I got with no problems and told Jin a bit about my day. She got home late last night after a dinner and canal tour with students in her class at DTU. So we are both tired and have no plans for tomorrow but sleeping. It we are up to it we may go shopping but that's not a high priority. Sunday I may explore Copenhagen again, which will be fun. The longer adventures may start next weekend. I could have potentially gone to Hamburg this weekend but because I'm not feeling well I'm not going to push it.

That is my week! Can you believe it? I've been in Denmark a full week now. As I told my family, I probably won't want to leave when the time comes. Yes, I miss them and I miss my friends and my dog but there is so much more to learn here, so many more people to meet and get to know, so many more things to do. My mom said she got the impression I wouldn't want to leave after talking last week Saturday. :-) Anyway, God is good all the time. He's provided so much for me and yet also been teaching me patience and humility (what else would losing it in public teach you?) as well as reliance on Him to provide.

Your thoughts and prayers are so very appreciated. There are little things that happen throughout the day that remind me of different people back at home. Sometimes I do double takes because I think I see someone from Madison or Abbott or home and then remember that I'm in Denmark. :-)

Hopefully you had a great Friday too!
Until tomorrow,
Bekah
(Actually, it IS tomorrow here but I wanted to say so anyway)