vivi torontali

Not caught up? Read Episodes 1-12 here.

When I started writing this blog three months ago, I could only try to predict all the things I would write about one day. I didn’t think our moving boxes would come in so soon, nor did I think my family would have so much trouble ordering bikes. I especially didn’t expect to be working in the center of Copenhagen for a small business that gives me opportunities to create promotional content on top of creating aesthetic and delicious food. But don’t be fooled, it’s not all sunshine and rainbows. I’ve missed out on a lot of sleep this past week from opening the store early in the morning and also staying up late because of a football (soccer) game. Over the years I got pretty good at balancing work and life, but I am not as good at balancing sleep and action. 

The first week at any job is always a challenge, and my experience was no exception. All week I was trying to find the right balance between asking for instruction, being a valuable asset to the crew, and simply staying out of the way. I thrive when I can take my time and focus on fine details, not so much when I need to buzz around and be speedy. After a while it gets frustrating to be told that I’m doing something wrong, or that I should step away from washing dishes because I’m not fast enough, or that I shouldn’t be making a customer’s coffee order because I wasn’t taught how to do it yet. It was a difficult week for me mentally rather than physically, and I’m hoping it gets a little easier going forward now that I know a little more. Also I shattered my first glass cup so I suppose that has to count as somewhat of a rite of passage. I choose my words as carefully as I can when writing about negative experiences because I know who reads this blog, but it’s also important to me to remain transparent and genuine. I suppose all I can do is hope not to concern anyone more than necessary. All in all I remain optimistic of my future in the café and in life in general, just in case you’re wondering.

I was given an exciting opportunity to film and edit some promotional content for the café. My assignment was to go around Copenhagen’s iconic landmarks and film the food and drinks as if I were a newly arrived tourist. My mom was my videographer much like she is my photographer for this blog, and we got some pretty cool shots. My parents, dog and I stopped by the café so I could prepare some cheesecake, sandwiches and juice while they went out back to find the giant bunny rabbit. Unfortunately the bunny wasn’t outside but Nudli got to meet some of my coworkers. We then went to Rosenborg Castle, the Round Tower, the King’s Square, Nyhavn and Christiansborg Palace. By the time we got enough successful shots and walked to all the places, the food got soggy and inedible. After a while we were all tired and hungry so we called it a day. My next assignment is to edit the videos into a 30-second reel to post on Instagram. You can follow the café here if you’re interested to see how those turn out. I will also attach the finished videos in my next blog post so those of you without Instagram can see it as well.

In other news regarding exciting job opportunities, my dad has been working for the king. From our little island of Zealand, there are two ways to get from Denmark to Sweden quite easily: one is a bridge from Copenhagen to Malmö, and the other is a 10 minute ferry from Helsingør to Helsingborg. My dad was sent to Kronborg Castle (built in the 1420s) in Helsingør to create a silicone mold from old, damaged decorations around the castle. His job is to create a replica of the decoration so the king’s stonemason can make a new product out of it. The castle and the town are absolutely stunning, as is the view across the water to Sweden. One day we’ll go on an adventure there as a family and you can read all about it, but that’s for a future episode.

My sister also got a new job! Unfortunately my mom is still looking for work, but the rest of us are getting settled nicely. As I mentioned in Episode 1: Leaving a life behind, my sister Lilla is currently working as an admissions counselor for her alma mater, Regis College. A while ago she applied for an admissions counselor position for a fully remote university called Minerva, and she went through four rounds of interviews only to be denied the job. They liked her so much, though, that they reached out to her again a month or two ago saying they have another opportunity in the financial aid department. She went through another three rounds of interviews and they ended up offering her the position! She submitted her resignation notice to Regis a while ago now, and she will start at Minerva on September 15th. She also sold her car to a member of the same family that bought my parents’ cars, so the Torontali family vehicles will remain united. Because the dates have been solidified and her digital marketing business is going well, Lilla was able to book her flight to Copenhagen to officially move in with us on September 27th. 

When opportunity strikes to yell at some footballers from the stands, sleep-action balance becomes nothing more than a pipe dream. This past week I was able to attend a (European) football game, Brøndby vs. Strasbourg. Brøndby is not known for winning games, if they can even score a goal at all, but they are well-known for their incredibly loyal and enthusiastic fanbase. During my time in New Zealand I was able to see some rugby games, and they were always fun no matter how little I knew about the sport. The only time I was bored at a game was when the New Zealand national women’s team, the Black Ferns, were winning 63-7 against Australia. After a while the wins came too easily so my friends and I left early. However, there’s something about the chants, traditions and atmospheres that keep me coming back for more. At the end of the night, Brøndby lost their own home game 3-2. The only ones to go home happy that night were the tiny sliver of fans in the stadium wearing all black in support of France, when the rest of the sea of fans, all in blue and gold, went home devastated. I was never a football/soccer girlie, and you don’t need to know why I was there in the first place, but I’m happy we scored a goal and ecstatic that we scored two. I arrived home at midnight and woke up at six to open the café. The struggle is real.

In my last episode I wrote that I hope to finish the Duolingo Danish course by the time I write and post this episode. Sadly that has not happened yet, but I did start my seven day free trial. I have four units left, so please keep rooting for me. This owl makes me rage like no other. If by the next episode I have not finished it yet, feel free to yell at me in the comments (nothing too mean please). Indtil næste gang, tak og vi ses!