Ghosts of Fridays (Past, Present, and Future)

So yet another Friday day has arrived in this country called Denmark, and again I am wondering what I will be doing this coming Friday night. I still stand by the earlier comments I made regarding how I felt regarding Chabad. However, one cannot bring in the Sabbath by oneself. I am to go without a spiritual community for another three months just because I have some differences of practices and interpretations? Beyond that, what happens afterwards, when I come back to the states? Will I be able to find a community where I am at peace with the practices and beliefs or must I always be wandering from shul to shul?

When in China, I accepted that there would be some things that I would have to give up in terms of my religious practices. As amazing as where I was is, it is not one a community that has a large Jewish population. It was a short ride by plane (or a rather longer ride by train) to the nearest city with a minyan (and that would have been with Chabad). While I was able to keep the fast on Yom Kippur (perhaps the hardest time in recent memory), and did my best to keep what observances I could, I went to China knowing that I was not going to be practicing regularly. With that attitude, I made my peace and went around Southwest China having the time of my life.

When I came to Denmark, I knew that there would not be many options for me to practice. I knew that I would most likely have to go to Chabad. Having gone, I am grateful for the experiences that I have had so far, but I am far from certain that they are experiences that I wish to repeat (almost) every week until I return to the United States. I have heard of a Reform congregation somewhere in the greater Copenhagen area, but they have not made their information as readily accessable as Chabad's is. I will most likely try to find them, but considering my inablity to speak Danish, I know that my search will (in all probability) lead me no where and fast.

My experiences in my travels (both past and present) lead me to wondering what I will do come future Shabbats or holidays. If I do end up in the future where I think I will (back in China or somewhere else in Southeast Asia) I know with all likelihood that I will not be able to keep certain practices. Having come to some understanding of myself in terms of my religious practice, I am no longer certain if that would be a long term option.

I recognize my crises are minor and that I should have no right to rant and ramble as I do. However at least writing this gets things off my chest.