OUR FIRST GOING OUT EXPERIENCE!
So we had a confusing 48 hours of planning our trip out due to bus schedules and train schedules but it was worth it!
Commuting. Commuting. Commuting.
So I went downtown for classes. Then waited around until 4:30 for my program social for Justice and Human Rights. They supplied us with beer and sandwiches and we all...well..socialized. It was actually really fun and I got to know a lot of people in my program really well. Also, I learned that sandwiches in Denmark are just not going to be my favorite thing. Then David from Vanderbilt (this is how I keep people I've met straight in my head) and I walked to the train station and went home. Ate more at dinner than I have since I've been here. Got ready. Went back to the city.
We get into the city.Meet at Mcdonalds of course and decide where to go from there. We find a bus we think will take us to the area of this cheap bar we have heard so much about. Fail. Went into the other cheap bar we found the other day with the chatty bartender. He wasn't there and it was very clear we were in a Danish bar. Asked for directions. Got lots of answers. Walked to a lovely respectable place called "Billy Booze"...meaning cheap booze in Danish. And it lives up to its name.
We check our coats and purses. 20 Kr each which is only like 8 dollars all together. But I still can't wait for the weather to be warm so we can go out without the "coats, hats, scarves, and gloves" getup.
Buy drinks. Try to find a place to sit. Not happening. So we stand by the vending machine on the dance floor and take in the scenery. DANISH DISCO. While everyone else was at the very American bar we could not locate, we were bravely tackling the authentic Danish disco. Well, with very American music.
Drinks on Drinks on Drinks. Lots of very blonde tall me making Danish comments about my height. With hand motions to signify that I was small. Yea, yea, yea Captain Obvious. We can't all be ginormous.
Lots of people speaking Spanish to me. They didn't think I was American but thought I was from Spain. I will take it. However, after the conversation went past "Hola, mellamo Callie." I was forced to tell them I was from the U.S.
We danced, talked, socialized. Then it was time to face the reality that we weren't getting home at a decent hour. So we made our way to the checked coats and purses station where I was pushed, picked up and moved, and shoved by lots of bigger people. Needless to say I was a frustrated small person. I feel like I will inevitably develop "Little Man Syndrome" in this country. Luckily, Sam retrieved our belongings after what seemed like eternity and we started the cold walk. Sarah had to hurry to make her train and Sam and I went to a Burger King to use the bathroom. You have to pay 5 kroner here to use the bathroom which is ridiculous butttttt if you catch someone coming out you can just grab the door before it shuts and viola! Free bathroom.
Then we continued to the train station. Where we learned that we had JUST missed the A train we needed and would have to wait another hour for the next one.
Mcdonalds time! I know...I'm in a foreign country and I shouldn't be craving a double cheeseburger but ...well...I AM. So we use our time to stand in a line of intoxicated people at 2:30am and grab two cheeseburgers ( because they don't sell double cheeseburgers here). We sit on the cold ground of the train station and eat our cheeseburgers and watch the beginning of one night stands occur. Fascinating. I'm actually really shocked that anyone who has to take the train out of the city can succeed in a one night stand without the one they are pursuing falling asleep and having to deem their attempt a fail. But, hey, it works here.
Train comes finally. We are super chatty on the train but luckily Danes are more chatty on a Friday night/morning so we were not alone in our chattiness. I get off the train with a dozen other people at 4:00am. Walk my 30 minute journey home in the freezing cold. Finally I arrive and quietly end my night.
SUCCESS. Now to do it all over again tonight! Only this time, we are going to meet up with others in Vaeløse, a town very close to Sam and I, to go to a pub and then make our way into the city. Then we are going to make the long journey to Helsingnor to Sarah's host family's house for the night. Commuting is just the lifestyle here. Learning to go with it.
Wish you were here.
Saturday, January 28, 2012
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Just A Funny Story
First order of business...if you haven't seen on Facebook/twitter, I made it home by myself today. No phone calls, no getting lost ( not really really lost ) and no one had to come pick me up at a random place late at night. I am beyond excited. SUCCESS. Copenhagen 3 Callie 1. I'll take it.
So I get out of class and I start my trek to Nørreport Station. The wind here literally could blow me over. But I bundle. NOTE: Something else I'm learning is how to bundle and look Copenhagen cute.
I realize as I'm walking that it is the first time since I've been in Denmark that I haven't been extremely stressed out trying to find somewhere or asking for directions of street names I can't pronounce. I soak up the city and it finally starts to sink in that I'm in one of the best cities in the world. It's absolutely gorgeous.
As I'm taking all of this in I happen to accidentally make eye contact with a 6"5 blond hair blue eyed twenty something male. I immediately curse myself under my breathe. I know better by now not to make eye contact!!
So I keep walking. When I feel someone tap my backpack. I'M BEING MUGGED!!
This was my first thought. I mean someone on the train already took my lunch. What else?
I turn around and it's the same extremely Danish looking male I accidentally made eye contact with.
Dane: lkajsdfhlshjdflhdf (Danish words)
Me: uhhhhhhhhhhh. I'm sorry I don't speak Danish.
Dane: Oh oh your American!?
Me: uhhhhhh yes.
Dane: Are you studying here? (other words blah blah blah.)
ALL I CAN THINK IS HE IS MUGGING ME.
Me: I'm studying history here.
Dane: words words words
WHAT IS GOING ON!? I pull my belongings extremely close to me.
Dane: words words words words (something about his father being an architect and building something that may have been important..)
WHAT IF HE TAKES MY BACKPACK! My buss pass is worth over 300 dollars.
Me: uh huh...ohhhh ahhhh, that sounds great.
Dane: Give me your number.
Me: Excuse me?
Dane: So we can get together. You know...talk.
Me: Oh no thank you, I have to get to the train.
Dane: Oh oh ok, well hug?
HUG? YOU'LL TAKE MY BACKPACK!
Me: Uh no thank you.
Dane: No hug? Ok...
I run away. In a hurry. I get to the train and immediately start looking through my things to make sure I have everything. I start thinking...this guy was perfectly normal. Sure his English sounded like a GPS but he wasn't trying to mug me.
The point is, I would like to thank my mother for always making me think I'm going to get taken or mugged because I have "no street smarts" so now I'm paranoid and probably the most attractive person I've ever seen outside of a movie thinks I'm not a hugger. Although, who asks for a hug from a stranger? hmm.
Wish you were here.
So I get out of class and I start my trek to Nørreport Station. The wind here literally could blow me over. But I bundle. NOTE: Something else I'm learning is how to bundle and look Copenhagen cute.
I realize as I'm walking that it is the first time since I've been in Denmark that I haven't been extremely stressed out trying to find somewhere or asking for directions of street names I can't pronounce. I soak up the city and it finally starts to sink in that I'm in one of the best cities in the world. It's absolutely gorgeous.
As I'm taking all of this in I happen to accidentally make eye contact with a 6"5 blond hair blue eyed twenty something male. I immediately curse myself under my breathe. I know better by now not to make eye contact!!
So I keep walking. When I feel someone tap my backpack. I'M BEING MUGGED!!
This was my first thought. I mean someone on the train already took my lunch. What else?
I turn around and it's the same extremely Danish looking male I accidentally made eye contact with.
Dane: lkajsdfhlshjdflhdf (Danish words)
Me: uhhhhhhhhhhh. I'm sorry I don't speak Danish.
Dane: Oh oh your American!?
Me: uhhhhhh yes.
Dane: Are you studying here? (other words blah blah blah.)
ALL I CAN THINK IS HE IS MUGGING ME.
Me: I'm studying history here.
Dane: words words words
WHAT IS GOING ON!? I pull my belongings extremely close to me.
Dane: words words words words (something about his father being an architect and building something that may have been important..)
WHAT IF HE TAKES MY BACKPACK! My buss pass is worth over 300 dollars.
Me: uh huh...ohhhh ahhhh, that sounds great.
Dane: Give me your number.
Me: Excuse me?
Dane: So we can get together. You know...talk.
Me: Oh no thank you, I have to get to the train.
Dane: Oh oh ok, well hug?
HUG? YOU'LL TAKE MY BACKPACK!
Me: Uh no thank you.
Dane: No hug? Ok...
I run away. In a hurry. I get to the train and immediately start looking through my things to make sure I have everything. I start thinking...this guy was perfectly normal. Sure his English sounded like a GPS but he wasn't trying to mug me.
The point is, I would like to thank my mother for always making me think I'm going to get taken or mugged because I have "no street smarts" so now I'm paranoid and probably the most attractive person I've ever seen outside of a movie thinks I'm not a hugger. Although, who asks for a hug from a stranger? hmm.
Wish you were here.
Things I'm Learning in Koebenhavn
1.) To sit in silence most everywhere I am. Unless I'm with other Americans. Or in a bar.
-The Danes are quiet and reserved people. They don't particularly like when Sam and I whisper on the train.
2.) Bus numbers are important. That is all.
3.) Open faced sandwiches are right up there with broccoli on my scale of my favorite food. (For those of you who don't know, broccoli is in the negatives on my scale.)
4.) To divide every price on a menu by 5 in less than a few minutes. (I know 5 is not a hard number to divide by but when you are in a hurry it gets a little stressful people.)
5.) Where to pick up my free danish. This should actually be #1.
6.) Where the chatty bar tender is who sells beer for only 30kr which happens to be not too far from the school so its easy enough for me to find.
7.) How to track down wifi in the city most places. (I'm not getting emails in Danish for signing up for random internet thingys.)
8.) Wearing tights under my jeans is somewhat uncomfortable and makes it difficult to keep my jeans from sliding down but it keeps me warm and that is my main concern right now.
9.) No matter what country I'm in, I'm short. But here...I'm really short.
10.) To walk down the street making eye contact with no one. Which because of #9, this isn't too difficult for me considering I'm not eye level with most Danes.
11.) Dressing in all black is the way to go. Colors seem to just make me stand out and people speak English to you. Which I love English, believe me, but when people automatically assume you speak English here in foreignland, you are not fitting in.
12.) I'm terrible with names. I've met a million people since Saturday in the airport and I can only remember a handful of names. I need to start doing those brain exercises. I shall look for an app.
13.) Hot dog stands are going to be my saving grace.
14.) To not put my lunch in the very front mesh part of my backpack. It will get stolen by an interesting looking man on the train. (I can practically see my mother shaking her head saying " I told you you aren't street smart.") However, he could have stolen all of my lunch and he only chose to take the sandwich and left the banana and the orange. I am appreciative good sir.
15.) Danish people love American politics. In fact, a Danish person should just run for the U.S. presidency because I'm almost positive they know more than any American.
That's all for now. I'm off to track down where my class is. Wish me luck.
Wish you were here.
-The Danes are quiet and reserved people. They don't particularly like when Sam and I whisper on the train.
2.) Bus numbers are important. That is all.
3.) Open faced sandwiches are right up there with broccoli on my scale of my favorite food. (For those of you who don't know, broccoli is in the negatives on my scale.)
4.) To divide every price on a menu by 5 in less than a few minutes. (I know 5 is not a hard number to divide by but when you are in a hurry it gets a little stressful people.)
5.) Where to pick up my free danish. This should actually be #1.
6.) Where the chatty bar tender is who sells beer for only 30kr which happens to be not too far from the school so its easy enough for me to find.
7.) How to track down wifi in the city most places. (I'm not getting emails in Danish for signing up for random internet thingys.)
8.) Wearing tights under my jeans is somewhat uncomfortable and makes it difficult to keep my jeans from sliding down but it keeps me warm and that is my main concern right now.
9.) No matter what country I'm in, I'm short. But here...I'm really short.
10.) To walk down the street making eye contact with no one. Which because of #9, this isn't too difficult for me considering I'm not eye level with most Danes.
11.) Dressing in all black is the way to go. Colors seem to just make me stand out and people speak English to you. Which I love English, believe me, but when people automatically assume you speak English here in foreignland, you are not fitting in.
12.) I'm terrible with names. I've met a million people since Saturday in the airport and I can only remember a handful of names. I need to start doing those brain exercises. I shall look for an app.
13.) Hot dog stands are going to be my saving grace.
14.) To not put my lunch in the very front mesh part of my backpack. It will get stolen by an interesting looking man on the train. (I can practically see my mother shaking her head saying " I told you you aren't street smart.") However, he could have stolen all of my lunch and he only chose to take the sandwich and left the banana and the orange. I am appreciative good sir.
15.) Danish people love American politics. In fact, a Danish person should just run for the U.S. presidency because I'm almost positive they know more than any American.
That's all for now. I'm off to track down where my class is. Wish me luck.
Wish you were here.
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
It Will Go Down in History as the Day of Being Lost
....Where to even begin? I was lost the entire day yesterday.
What do you get when DIS pairs up 6 jet lagged, hungry, American girls with high gaps and a map? Lost leaders. They basically say "Go find these specific places in the city. You have 3 hours to go get lost and find your way back!"
PAUSE.
Those reading this who know me, please just take a moment to picture me freezing and lost in the city with a map.
PLAY.
Needless to say we missed a few of our "specific places" and were 30 minutes late getting back. However, we were the first group back which I was very proud of. I basically followed the rest of the grumpy group around looking at pretty buildings and trying not to focus on the fact the my body was freezing. But it was nice to walk around and see the sights and learn some of the history of the city.
For example there are three major "gates" in the city. They were built to connect each other by bridges in the medieval times. They now still exist and while they are very close to each other they each have completely different characteristics. We also learned about some of the architecture as well as some of the issues with Danish taxes and more about the community.
We also had to go to a grocery store and find thins like turkey sandwich meat, specific breads, orange juice, etc. NOTE: Orange juice in Danish is applesinjuice. Mean trick Danes. Mean trick.
So then after my extremely long day was over I met up with Sam and Sarah!!! I haven't talked that much since I left my house on Friday morning. It was sooo good to see familiar faces. We talked non-stop and found a little bar to sit down at. 11 American dollars for a beer. Mean trick Danes. Mean trick.
Then there was the unfortunate task of getting home. So the metro Sarah needed in her far away land was on the other side of the street from us. So the three of us split up and Sam and I were on the same train. I got to my stop, couldn't figure out how to get the door to open, and the train didn't let me off. Let the sinking feeling in my stomach begin. I start to panic a little. Sam and I agree the train has to turn around. Well little did I know that wouldn't be for another hour so I'm waiting and waiting and waiting. Get tired of waiting. A bus comes to the stop, I get on the bus and ask if he knows where blahblahblahdanishwords is. He says I'm pretty far but he can take me to another stop that will take me there. OK. Fail. That dude had no idea where I was going. I end up roaming around a bus station for over an hour (1:00 am) calling my host family. Host family comes to get me. Exhausted and freezing.
Transportation fail day 1.
Today my core class, Justice and Human Rights, had an introduction session. The two professors were previous Danish Marines and now they work in the legal areas of the army concerning armed conflicts. They seem really great but really strict. They have no problem telling you you don't meet their standards. Also, he asked the class how many of us were bringing these grades back to the U.S on our transcripts. Only 5 people raised their hands. I was one of them. ::Sigh:: It sounds like it's going to be a challenging/rewarding class though and I'm actually ready to start classes.
Tomorrow is yet another orientation day and then classes start Thursday.
My sisters birthday is only 15 minutes away here! <3
Wish you were here.
What do you get when DIS pairs up 6 jet lagged, hungry, American girls with high gaps and a map? Lost leaders. They basically say "Go find these specific places in the city. You have 3 hours to go get lost and find your way back!"
PAUSE.
Those reading this who know me, please just take a moment to picture me freezing and lost in the city with a map.
PLAY.
Needless to say we missed a few of our "specific places" and were 30 minutes late getting back. However, we were the first group back which I was very proud of. I basically followed the rest of the grumpy group around looking at pretty buildings and trying not to focus on the fact the my body was freezing. But it was nice to walk around and see the sights and learn some of the history of the city.
For example there are three major "gates" in the city. They were built to connect each other by bridges in the medieval times. They now still exist and while they are very close to each other they each have completely different characteristics. We also learned about some of the architecture as well as some of the issues with Danish taxes and more about the community.
We also had to go to a grocery store and find thins like turkey sandwich meat, specific breads, orange juice, etc. NOTE: Orange juice in Danish is applesinjuice. Mean trick Danes. Mean trick.
So then after my extremely long day was over I met up with Sam and Sarah!!! I haven't talked that much since I left my house on Friday morning. It was sooo good to see familiar faces. We talked non-stop and found a little bar to sit down at. 11 American dollars for a beer. Mean trick Danes. Mean trick.
Then there was the unfortunate task of getting home. So the metro Sarah needed in her far away land was on the other side of the street from us. So the three of us split up and Sam and I were on the same train. I got to my stop, couldn't figure out how to get the door to open, and the train didn't let me off. Let the sinking feeling in my stomach begin. I start to panic a little. Sam and I agree the train has to turn around. Well little did I know that wouldn't be for another hour so I'm waiting and waiting and waiting. Get tired of waiting. A bus comes to the stop, I get on the bus and ask if he knows where blahblahblahdanishwords is. He says I'm pretty far but he can take me to another stop that will take me there. OK. Fail. That dude had no idea where I was going. I end up roaming around a bus station for over an hour (1:00 am) calling my host family. Host family comes to get me. Exhausted and freezing.
Transportation fail day 1.
Today my core class, Justice and Human Rights, had an introduction session. The two professors were previous Danish Marines and now they work in the legal areas of the army concerning armed conflicts. They seem really great but really strict. They have no problem telling you you don't meet their standards. Also, he asked the class how many of us were bringing these grades back to the U.S on our transcripts. Only 5 people raised their hands. I was one of them. ::Sigh:: It sounds like it's going to be a challenging/rewarding class though and I'm actually ready to start classes.
Tomorrow is yet another orientation day and then classes start Thursday.
My sisters birthday is only 15 minutes away here! <3
Wish you were here.
Sunday, January 22, 2012
Everything on My Screen Is in Danish!
"Is this your first time in Europe?"
"Yes! It is!"
"It's an honor to give you your passport its first stamp. Welcome to Denmark."
I am finally in Copenhagen. It seems like I have been waiting for this for so long. Oh wait, I have. And boy was it a journey.
After running around trying to pick up last minute things on Friday night and shoving them in my already very full bags I could finally call myself packed. This was around 2:30. Except then I couldn't sleep, of course. So I tossed and turned until 6:30am. It was finally time to head to the airport.
After saying the goodbyes, which are never easy, I go through security and have a nice long chat with the security man about his awful time in Germany and how he asked to be put in Korea instead. I thanked him for his words of encouragement.
My flight gets delayed.
My flight gets delayed again.
Come on Yeager Airport.
Finally board plane. But this wasn't just any plane. It was the loudest damn plane I've ever had the honor of being a passenger of. Oh, and this planes stewardess...Stacy...woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning. Maybe she even woke up on the floor for all I know. She was not nice.
Land in D.C.
So, I quickly maneuvered my way through Dulles Airport. I mean so quickly that I actually debated stopping and patting myself on the back for the duration of my layover. NOTE: Not getting lost is a huge accomplishment for me, let me have my moment.
I make my way to my gate where I see a little circle of what appears to be college age people judging from the north face backpacks, leggings, and rain boots. (We basically all looked identical right down to the huge smiles on our faces.) So I channeled my inner Paige ( who is my super outgoing, sorority, cheerleading, best friend) and introduced myself.
"Hi Y'all are you guys DIS people!?"
STOP.
Now if you know me, you can probably hear my voice saying that very enthusiastic sentence with a very southern twang. They sure did. 99.9% of them were from the North and replied with "Oh my god you are so adorable!"...no more comment on that.
PLAY.
We all introduced ourselves, talked about our majors, schools, and so on. It made the extremely long layover fly by. I met so many really nice students and it made me feel good to meet people before DIS throughs us all together for a crammed orientation. Finally it was time to board our flight to Copenhagen. I am looking at the numbers as I go down and I start seeing the very back of the plane...I look at the last seat in the whole planes number and wouldn't you guess it it was 46 which was the exact match to the seat number on my boarding pass!
STOP.
Alright, so I could do the American thing and complain about every little thing on this 8 hour plane ride like the fact that I was the middle seat with a person in front of me apparently not noticing that I was behind him and leaning his seat down so he was completely vertical. Or, oh , I could mention the fact that I was right next to the bathroom so they couldn't turn the lights out where we were and that awful flushing noise that happened 57 times from D.C. to Copenhagen. I know this because I kept a tally because my movie screen didn't work most of the flight and I did not sleep.
BUT. I'm not going to do that. Because I'm in Copenhagen and I'm beyond excited.
PLAY.
After the long flight with the beautiful blonde hair blue eyed stewardesses who had a wardrobe change every 2 hours, we got our passport stamped and proceeded to baggage claim where DIS staff directed us to busses. Those with a Danish roommate or hostess family, like myself, were bussed to a hotel in the middle of Copenhagen, given lots and lots of information, and finally picked up by our host families. There Neil, my host dad, and Simone, my host brother, stood with huge smiles.
PAUSE.
Simone. 15. Tall. Blonde. Double the energy I have on my most hyper days, which some of you know, is a LOT. His favorite topic? Soccer and Handball. We've been watching soccer youtube videos for hours. He also thinks it's hilarious to speak Danish and watch my facial expressions as I try to decipher each word.
PLAY.
We talk the whole way to the house and they give me a mini tour of the city which actually does not seem as complicated as my nightmares. I get a tour of the house, which does have heated floors, and I unpack my bags which was really just me trying to keep my eyes open. JET LAG to the max.
I met the rest of my host family later and they all seem really great. They've been giving me a run down of the train and bus stops because the maps are just not cutting it. It is now 6:42 here and we are preparing to eat dinner. My first Danish family dinner of many!
Living with a host family makes me think of my own family and a little hint of homesickness kicks in. However, I have a feeling it was a great decision and I'm excited to have this really feel like home for the next four months. This week is going to be a little crazy with the time adjustment, orientation schedules, and classes starting but you'll hear more from me soon! Dinner time. Nomnomnom
Wish you were here.
P.S. Everything is in Danish as far as all the buttons to click to post the blog so if the random button I choose ends up being the wrong one no one will ever get to read this wonderful, sleep deprived post. Wah.
"Yes! It is!"
"It's an honor to give you your passport its first stamp. Welcome to Denmark."
I am finally in Copenhagen. It seems like I have been waiting for this for so long. Oh wait, I have. And boy was it a journey.
After running around trying to pick up last minute things on Friday night and shoving them in my already very full bags I could finally call myself packed. This was around 2:30. Except then I couldn't sleep, of course. So I tossed and turned until 6:30am. It was finally time to head to the airport.
After saying the goodbyes, which are never easy, I go through security and have a nice long chat with the security man about his awful time in Germany and how he asked to be put in Korea instead. I thanked him for his words of encouragement.
My flight gets delayed.
My flight gets delayed again.
Come on Yeager Airport.
Finally board plane. But this wasn't just any plane. It was the loudest damn plane I've ever had the honor of being a passenger of. Oh, and this planes stewardess...Stacy...woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning. Maybe she even woke up on the floor for all I know. She was not nice.
Land in D.C.
So, I quickly maneuvered my way through Dulles Airport. I mean so quickly that I actually debated stopping and patting myself on the back for the duration of my layover. NOTE: Not getting lost is a huge accomplishment for me, let me have my moment.
I make my way to my gate where I see a little circle of what appears to be college age people judging from the north face backpacks, leggings, and rain boots. (We basically all looked identical right down to the huge smiles on our faces.) So I channeled my inner Paige ( who is my super outgoing, sorority, cheerleading, best friend) and introduced myself.
"Hi Y'all are you guys DIS people!?"
STOP.
Now if you know me, you can probably hear my voice saying that very enthusiastic sentence with a very southern twang. They sure did. 99.9% of them were from the North and replied with "Oh my god you are so adorable!"...no more comment on that.
PLAY.
We all introduced ourselves, talked about our majors, schools, and so on. It made the extremely long layover fly by. I met so many really nice students and it made me feel good to meet people before DIS throughs us all together for a crammed orientation. Finally it was time to board our flight to Copenhagen. I am looking at the numbers as I go down and I start seeing the very back of the plane...I look at the last seat in the whole planes number and wouldn't you guess it it was 46 which was the exact match to the seat number on my boarding pass!
STOP.
Alright, so I could do the American thing and complain about every little thing on this 8 hour plane ride like the fact that I was the middle seat with a person in front of me apparently not noticing that I was behind him and leaning his seat down so he was completely vertical. Or, oh , I could mention the fact that I was right next to the bathroom so they couldn't turn the lights out where we were and that awful flushing noise that happened 57 times from D.C. to Copenhagen. I know this because I kept a tally because my movie screen didn't work most of the flight and I did not sleep.
BUT. I'm not going to do that. Because I'm in Copenhagen and I'm beyond excited.
PLAY.
After the long flight with the beautiful blonde hair blue eyed stewardesses who had a wardrobe change every 2 hours, we got our passport stamped and proceeded to baggage claim where DIS staff directed us to busses. Those with a Danish roommate or hostess family, like myself, were bussed to a hotel in the middle of Copenhagen, given lots and lots of information, and finally picked up by our host families. There Neil, my host dad, and Simone, my host brother, stood with huge smiles.
PAUSE.
Simone. 15. Tall. Blonde. Double the energy I have on my most hyper days, which some of you know, is a LOT. His favorite topic? Soccer and Handball. We've been watching soccer youtube videos for hours. He also thinks it's hilarious to speak Danish and watch my facial expressions as I try to decipher each word.
PLAY.
We talk the whole way to the house and they give me a mini tour of the city which actually does not seem as complicated as my nightmares. I get a tour of the house, which does have heated floors, and I unpack my bags which was really just me trying to keep my eyes open. JET LAG to the max.
I met the rest of my host family later and they all seem really great. They've been giving me a run down of the train and bus stops because the maps are just not cutting it. It is now 6:42 here and we are preparing to eat dinner. My first Danish family dinner of many!
Living with a host family makes me think of my own family and a little hint of homesickness kicks in. However, I have a feeling it was a great decision and I'm excited to have this really feel like home for the next four months. This week is going to be a little crazy with the time adjustment, orientation schedules, and classes starting but you'll hear more from me soon! Dinner time. Nomnomnom
Wish you were here.
P.S. Everything is in Danish as far as all the buttons to click to post the blog so if the random button I choose ends up being the wrong one no one will ever get to read this wonderful, sleep deprived post. Wah.
Thursday, January 12, 2012
9 Days and So Much To Do
Well my very dear and dedicated reader, I have 9 days until I board my flight from good ol West Virginia and embark on my 16 hour journey to the Copenhagen airport. Arriving at a startling 7:15 in the morning, I hope the DIS staff is ready to feed me or have a very grumpy American on their hands.
This is my second attempt at blogging. Last summer when I was living in the very lively Lynchburg, Virginia doing summer research I thought I would fill a blog with my daily activities. Needless to say I decided to spare the internet world with vivid accounts of flipping through deed books, entering data, and watching hours of Netflix. I know I know, you are now wishing I would not have kept those colorful days for myself and shared them with you all. I'm selfish what can I say. I have learned the error of my ways and have decided to share the next four months of my life in Copenhagen, Denmark with all of you. I can practically see you're excitement through the screen.
This last year has been a doozy. I am thankful and excited to start my 2012 off in "The Happiest Country in the World" even if I do have a fear of freezing over there. I am looking forward to immersing myself in Danish culture, traveling to as many places as my wallet will let me, and gaining new life experiences. A few of my other goals: Going to a major festival in Europe, become a secret wine snob, uncover the mysterious of the transportation systems that have been haunting my dreams, meet as many interesting people as possible without being "Taken" (since Leeam Neeson is sadly not my father), take as many pictures as possible, and feel like a Dane when I leave . NOTE: For the last one...basically I don't want to have to use a map to get to and from school. What can I say, I aim low when it comes to directions.
With nine long days to go I have suddenly realized the "To Do Before You Leave" list is growing longer and longer. NOTE: Yes, I make lists...often of the same things more than once and will probably make quite a few lists in my bogs. It has less to do with being organized and more to do with making myself feel productive.
After realizing I was on the wrong DIS Facebook group page thanks to Sam and Sarah ( who will also be making the journey to Denmark this semester) I have no successfully joined the right group and gained quite a bit of helpful knowledge on things such as converters, who will be on my flight, where everyone is traveling, and who else out there has no idea what they are doing. I found it comforting and often amusing that some are even more clueless than I.
For the next 9 days I will plan to complete last minute shopping, packing my life into two suitcases as well as a carry on and a backpack ( beating the system), saying good-byes, and piles of laundry. (Not in the order I suppose) I look forward to posting all about my adventures in Europe and will go ahead and thank you for you're support and will see many of you in June! =)
NOTE: Expect censoring for the older generations out there reading (aka my mother and grandmother).
This is my second attempt at blogging. Last summer when I was living in the very lively Lynchburg, Virginia doing summer research I thought I would fill a blog with my daily activities. Needless to say I decided to spare the internet world with vivid accounts of flipping through deed books, entering data, and watching hours of Netflix. I know I know, you are now wishing I would not have kept those colorful days for myself and shared them with you all. I'm selfish what can I say. I have learned the error of my ways and have decided to share the next four months of my life in Copenhagen, Denmark with all of you. I can practically see you're excitement through the screen.
This last year has been a doozy. I am thankful and excited to start my 2012 off in "The Happiest Country in the World" even if I do have a fear of freezing over there. I am looking forward to immersing myself in Danish culture, traveling to as many places as my wallet will let me, and gaining new life experiences. A few of my other goals: Going to a major festival in Europe, become a secret wine snob, uncover the mysterious of the transportation systems that have been haunting my dreams, meet as many interesting people as possible without being "Taken" (since Leeam Neeson is sadly not my father), take as many pictures as possible, and feel like a Dane when I leave . NOTE: For the last one...basically I don't want to have to use a map to get to and from school. What can I say, I aim low when it comes to directions.
With nine long days to go I have suddenly realized the "To Do Before You Leave" list is growing longer and longer. NOTE: Yes, I make lists...often of the same things more than once and will probably make quite a few lists in my bogs. It has less to do with being organized and more to do with making myself feel productive.
After realizing I was on the wrong DIS Facebook group page thanks to Sam and Sarah ( who will also be making the journey to Denmark this semester) I have no successfully joined the right group and gained quite a bit of helpful knowledge on things such as converters, who will be on my flight, where everyone is traveling, and who else out there has no idea what they are doing. I found it comforting and often amusing that some are even more clueless than I.
For the next 9 days I will plan to complete last minute shopping, packing my life into two suitcases as well as a carry on and a backpack ( beating the system), saying good-byes, and piles of laundry. (Not in the order I suppose) I look forward to posting all about my adventures in Europe and will go ahead and thank you for you're support and will see many of you in June! =)
NOTE: Expect censoring for the older generations out there reading (aka my mother and grandmother).
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