Welcome to Copenhagen!

Wednesday, July 18:

            Yesterday morning was our last time to be in Stockholm. We got up early in the morning to grab some breakfast and get on the train headed towards Copenhagen. While it was sad for us to leave such a beautiful city, we were excited about our adventures in the coming week.

            The five-hour train ride was fun and relaxing. I was able to get some good sleep, engage in meaningful conversation, and enjoyed seeing the magnificent ocean outside. The train was going 120 + miles per hour at one point! It was very fast.

            When we arrived in Copenhagen, we took a taxi from the train station and went to our hotel and unpacked. Finishing up, we all took a walk outside to get acclimated and look for a few good places to buy meals. Looking at the multi-colored homes was charming. I sat down a while by the dock and had an interesting dialogue with Chris, Michael, and Jordanne about life. It was nice to slow down, relax, and contemplate a little bit. While we were sitting and discussing things, we had the opportunity to witness a sustainable practice; the trash that is deposited in bins here is part of a shoot; it is transported from one end of the street to another location so that trucks do not have to drive by and pick it up!

            The whole group met up again and we took a boat tour arranged by Dr. Whitworth. The tour lasted about 40 minutes and was very impressive! We had the privilege of seeing the major sites of the city and the chance to take some incredible pictures. It is really intriguing and quaint how much of the old architecture of Copenhagen sits side-by-side with the new. They have some stunning bridges, boats, and cathedrals around here. I hope for the possibility of a church tour before I leave! As well on the trip, the tour guide pointed out an environmentally-friendly restaurant built with exquisite glass windows. We even saw rows of windmills on the ride! Copenhagen is well-known for its wind energy. 

            Getting off the boat we segregated into groups and spent the rest of the evening participating in free time. Megan and I found a little café and bought an inexpensive but delicious ham and cheese sandwich. We took pleasure in watching the citizens and tourists walk outside and admired how so many people commute by walking or biking. There are countless bikes and the city has created stoplights specifically for bikes! Finishing up our meal we decided to go window-shopping and take a stroll around some pretty buildings before calling it a day. 

            The thing that provoked me most this evening was when I was walking back to the hotel with the group and noticed a construction fence encompassing an exhibit. Rather than just a typical, unattractive fence, there were images and stories to see and read about the lives of untold people around the world. The narratives were heart-wrenching and definitely made you consider the importance of sustainability. There were young boys who lost their jobs because of the poor control over the fishing industries; there were people in Jordan impacted by war and chemicals; numerous workers are doing labor in Egypt causing deleterious effects to their lungs. It was a painful realization, but also a wake-up call and reminder of how blessed and cared for I am. I never want to take that for granted. Having all that I have right now I am compelled to make the most of my time here and learn ways to provide for others. I want to make a difference so less people in the future have to suffer like the ones in the images I witnessed.