I'm sitting in a rather upscale restaurant on a side street in Brussels writing this, after walking around, expecting to find a cheap in-and-out pizza joint but failing. Just one of the cruel realities I've faced over the past couple days. My few days in Copenhagen were great; I wish I could say the same of Brussels.
I said goodbye to Lars and Cecilie on Monday and checked into a hostel in Copenhagen for two nights. I walked into my room as a Mexican was exiting the shower. I said "do you speak English?" He sassed "do YOU speak English?" We became really good friends despite the probable ten year age difference, eating dinner together and playing pool and cards. By my departure at 5:45AM on the second morning, he seemed like a makeshift big brother, waking up to wish me luck and tell me to be safe, and that things will go well.
I visited a castle north of Copenhagen, situated in a cute little town with an abnormal amount of [sub-par] thrift stores. I stuffed myself with fish and chips, a huge mocha coffee and an incredible Black Forest creme cake.
Later in the evening I went on a run around Christiania, a free hippie and stoner town in the middle of Copenhagen but devoid of the city's laws. One is advised not to take pictures because people are dealing all over the streets; smoking, rolling joints... the air always smells faintly of weed. One has to apply to live there but the draw definitely isn't the living quarters because most of the "houses" look more like junkyards. As a white girl in athletic clothes I took a hurried stroll through and called it good.
On my way back I was surprised that I was almost looking forward to seeing my Mexican buddy and talking to him. And I realize how desperate that sounds, that a person I met just the day before can give me some hope. Which, as I sit here in Brussels by myself, leads me to reason that as amazing as the cities are in Europe, I don't want to experience them alone.
And you might be thinking, why didn't you make a friend in Brussels Lauren? Let me walk you through my first day:
caught a train to Copenhagen airport at 6:20AM (after zero sleep because of a snoring roommate)
Paid twice the price of my budget airline ticket because I didn't do early check-in early enough
nice knife taken away in Security
Paid 17€ for a bus into Brussels
Walked two miles with all my belongings to the hostel
At this point I crashed and woke up two hours later to a wifi-less and electricity-less hostel. I could add more details but I need to save myself some confidence.
"You'll learn so much about yourself" -everyone I've ever talked to about my gap year...
Yeah, I've learned that as independent a person I think I am, I need company to stay sane, people who understand me. In conclusion, after Amsterdam I'm only going to places where I know people.
I'm not giving up on talking to strangers or making new friends. And I don't wish I was back home. I miss it, and native English speakers, but I wouldn't trade this experience for the world. Europe is phenomenal.
