I’m typing this blog post on my phone as I’m sitting on a staircase in one or the DIS buildings. My computer has just crashed (for the third time this morning) and I’m waiting for it to reboot. As strange as this sounds, one of my favorite things about being abroad is looking at the results that being resourceful can bring. Since we are in an unfamiliar environment and without many things we take for granted, even the easiest things can be more challenging than usual.
In an earlier blog post, Ellee had already described how we had to be creative when cooking with limited resources in the kitchen. Today, it was the Danish work-life balance that threw a loop into our plans.
Given that our presentation is tomorrow, it is really crunch time. We had decided to meet at our usual DIS location. However, all but one of the buildings were locked. In the building that was unlocked, none of the rooms were open until 11am. And this was how I ended up working on our project on a staircase in DIS. Furthermore, we could not go anywhere else. The wifi in the hostel has poor connectivity. And practicing our presentation in a coffee shop is just not a feasible option. In fact, most places around Copenhagen are not open very early on Sunday mornings, with many opening at 10am, if not later. As someone who has been up since 6:30am this morning, I find the situation a little frustrating. At the same time, it is a little humorous.
On the bright side, there is good wifi on this staircase and I have somewhere to sit. The working environment is quiet – who else would be here on a Sunday morning? We are quite spoiled at W&L, where the library is open at all hours of the day.
We talk about the Danish work-life balance frequently and the lack of places open on Sunday is one sign of that balance. Most shops, with a few exceptions, around town don’t open until 10 am at the earliest. Ellee was also telling me that there was not a church service earlier than the one she attends at 10 in the morning. Having grown up in a place where the work mentality was to always be on the go, it is strange to be in a city that is somewhat like Lexington on Sundays! But we all have to adapt to our surroundings and environment. Being somewhere unfamiliar simply means that you will just have to be creative and work with what you know and/or have. Often, it is these moments of resourcefulness that are the most memorable after a trip has concluded.