I’m currently experiencing that same mix of excitement and fear that I have felt every time a new experience begins to dawn on me. I felt this same feeling when I went off to college, when I went on my first service trip, and on the first day of my internship. If I had to sum it up in a few words I’d say, “I’m not ready but I also can’t wait”. I’m excited to discover a new city, country, and culture but nervous to make new friends, travel without my family and have new professors. This dichotomy of yearning to start this next chapter while also being nervous to turn the page will inevitably rule my life for the next few weeks. This is because in exactly 17 days, 9 hours, and 43 minutes from now I will be taking off from Newark airport on a plane bound for Copenhagen to study abroad for an entire 4 months. Also, in exactly 17 days, 9 hours, and 44 minutes I will be convinced I left my wallet at home (it will be in the front pocket of my backpack).

Now that you’re all well acquainted with my inner most thoughts, I think it’s time I make a proper introduction. My name is Alana, I’m a junior at Fordham University in NYC where I study Political Science and Urban Studies. I grew up in a suburban small town of less than 2 sq. miles in northern NJ. The thing I’m going to miss more than anything while I’m studying abroad is my 1-year old cockapoo Casey (pictured below). I’m convinced that since my family got him last May, 85% of our conversations have revolved around him. Here are some other important things you need to know about me

• I read the news obsessively but refuse to pay for a subscription to any paper
• I could eat only chocolate croissants and cheese Danishes for the rest of my life and be quite happy
• I’ve watched the entirety of The West Wing and Gilmore Girls so many times that I’m convinced I could be cast in a one-woman stage production of each.
  • Also, I never understood why people always think those characters speak so fast- I talk at a Lorelai Gilmore pace and anything less is simply too slow
• My one and only tattoo is a lyric from an animated musical version of Tom Sawyer
• The 2004 rom-com The Prince and Me starring Julia Stiles gave me my first glimpse of Copenhagen. It sparked a years’ long interest in the country and culture and without watching it, I probably never would have picked to study abroad there.

And here is what I’m most excited to do in once I get to Copenhagen!

• Take the amazing classes I signed up for (European Game of Politics: Crisis and Survival, Equality in Scandinavia, Getting There: Transportation in Urban Europe, Shadow Wars: Fake News and Hybrid Warfare, Criminology and Criminal Justice in Scandinavia)
• See the Christiansborg Palace, go to Tivoli Gardens, and visit the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art
• Experience the transit system (no delayed NJ Transit or signal failures on the 4,5,6 – inconceivable!)
• Travel to other Danish and European cities (Zurich, Budapest, and Prague here I come!)

Now that you know me a little better, let’s talk about how I see myself using this blog! Firstly, I’m hoping to keep to a weekly schedule with a new blog post every Sunday evening. I’ll keep you updated on any new restaurants I try, the new places I go, and what my classes are like! I’ll also want to be candid with you all so I’ll keep you posted on the challenging parts of adjusting to life abroad too. I’m also hoping to keep a bit of a photo album going on here so you can really see all that I’m experiencing in! And finally, at the end of the semester, I hope to show you all my travel vlog! I absolutely can’t wait to start this journey and I hope you’ll join me on what is sure to be a brilliant, wonderful, most likely crazy semester in Copenhagen!