Misfit Collections

I thought my earlier post today was a subtle insight into my own Danish lifestyle (simplicity, to a fault?). For this reason, I decided to post another list that could also shed light on my current transitional state (for those of you who do not know, I am moving back to Oregon in about 1.5 weeks).

Collections of items that, for a variety of reasons, I do not know what to do with:

• 3 half used candles: a bit strange to give away, but a shame to throw out

• 4 piles of Swedish, Russian, Czech, and Euro change: too much to be a souvenir, not enough to exchange

• 10 months worth of bank statements and pay stubs: how long do you have to keep financial documents from a nation you no longer live in?

• More than 15 scarves: I will never need this many scarves living in any other city

• 11 Netto and Fakta bags: too useful to throw out, but every one else I know in this city has their own growing collection

• 18 maps to Copenhagen, Prague, Moscow, Saint Petersburg, Malmö, Århus, Cesky Krumlov, and Sorø: can one throw away maps? Can one fit them in their overpacked suitcases?

• 3 vowels that I can half pronounce but will likely never use again

• Countless friends and acquaintances that I will always want to stay in contact with, but likely never will

• 1 city that I know like the back of my hand, but will no longer call home