Wednesday was a beautiful day, even by US standards, so after doing a lot of homework in the morning I decided to go for a nice long run, and spent the time exploring my neighborhood.  Believe it or not, for the first time I didn't get lost (which is good because halfway through I realized I had my iPhone for music, but it would be no help in placing an actual call to my host mom).  The rest of that day was spent going grocery shopping, where I actually can tell that my Danish vocabulary is increasing, and then we had a nice dinner of something similar to an alfredo sauce over fresh fetuccini.  It was an overall relaxing day for me, and I spent a lot of it getting ready for class on Thursday.

Yesterday was a very long day, but not necessarily in a bad way.  I got up early and got ready for school, and headed into the city early, grabbing a tea and hanging out in the Library going over the readings before class.  I have figured out that I'm really going to enjoy this semester of classes, especially seeing my professor's views on certain American customs and past (political) actions.  I've learned (especially in my political science class), not to get offended with some of the jokes about America that they tend to say, and in actual reality they are kind of funny.  Even though my professor has smart comments to say, they still respect our country greatly and make sure to acknowledge that fact.  Either way, it's definitely entertaining.

Last night, for the first time, I had a dinner that wasn't necessarily my 'cup of tea.'  I've been very good at not being picky, especially because I never eat ham or pork when I'm in the states, but realized that its a big staple in the Danish diet.  Dinner last night however, was veal and pork meatballs boiled in water with curry sauce served over white rice.  I was able to get down enough bites to be polite, but it wasn't on my list of favorites (although it was probably just the fact that it was baby cow and if I hadn't known, I'd have probably liked it).  Sooner or later I had to run into something I didn't particularly love anyway.  I did find out there are three types of chicken you can eat in Denmark though- the hen, the rooster, and the chick.  I learned the other day that the lunchmeat I've been eating on my sandwich (known to me as general chicken) is the third option.  That one definitely caught me off guard, but luckily they have a pretty big supply of lachs (salmon) that I've been making sandwiches for lunch out of too, and I'm sure i'll get over it and keep eating it anyway.

Today will be my first day of volunteering at Studenterhuset and I can't be more excited!

Til imorgen!

Getting into the swing of things

Monday was my second real day of school, and we definitely hit the ground running.  My lectures are about 1.5 hours long, but its nice because they give a short break in the middle to make them more bearable.  I've also discovered that here at DIS, they really like to do group projects, so for my EU-US relations class I've already been assigned a research project and a group (although we didn't actually get a chance to meet for that yet).  I was a little nervous about my medical ethics class because I am about the furthest thing you can get from being philosophical, but its actually a pretty good class, and I'm doing okay with participating in the class discussions (which are already getting heated about certain topics- that class will definitely keep me awake).  

My European Storytelling class is going to be an interesting situation because my professor actually just talks about the old fairytales/wondertales and then explains how Disney basically butchered them so that they no longer serve their purpose (to educate children of morals by scaring the crap out of them).  I know more than one of us in the class had a very hard time listening to someone telling us our favorite childhood stories are lies haha. Definitely will be an interesting one.

And finally, I had my Human Health and Disease class at the Hospital and we had our very first patient!  We got to take the patient's history and do a full clinical examination all on our own- kind of intimidating for only the second day of class, but the patient was the sweetest old lady who was such a trooper.  I definitely love being able to have the hands-on clinical experience, and I think this class is going to be absolutely amazing!!

After that class, I thought it was a great day... until I realized I got on the right bus... heading in the wrong direction.  My newly developed city girl decided not to panic (due to the fact I had been oblivious and had absolutely no idea where I was) and just get off at the next stop and take a bus going in the other direction.  Of course it doesn't work like that and there's a separate station for the opposite direction that was nowhere to be found, so I basically took a bus to the nearest train station and took that home instead.  Definitely a little mess up, but I got home safe and sound and that's all that matters!

Today was pretty relaxed.  I went into the city pretty early and got a lot of work done while sitting at Studenterhuset just relaxing with my tea.  I also attempted to get my bike, although they didn't have my bike basket and I figured I should wait to pick it up until I had that because me biking in Copenhagen for the first time while holding onto my schoolbag didn't seem like the smartest idea.  I then had my volunteer meeting at Studenterhuset and I am so ridiculously pumped to start working!  Not only will I learn to bartend and be a barista, but we get ridiculously good discounts and free coffee/tea whenever we want, along with free admission to any events they have, and all of this is a result of putting in only 3 shifts a month, anywhere from 12-15 hours.  Definitely can't complain about that one.  And the best part is, when the University of Copenhagen classes start in a week, even more Danish students will be coming in, so I will definitely have more opportunities to meet Danes my age!!!!

Til imorgen!

Saturday I was finally able to get into a groove I was used to: I woke up early, had some breakfast and relaxed, doing reading for school still in my pajamas.  I eventually took a break and got a shower and then made Rice Crispy Treats for the birthday party I would be attending for Sigrun's grandson, Alfred.     We headed over to the party in the afternoon, and I experienced for the first time the Danish birthday traditions.  We all sat down at the table and had hot chocolate with homemade whipped cream and chocolate shavings on top (obviously in my opinion it was amazing).  We then had rolls with butter.  After the rolls were done, we sang happy birthday to Alfred, although the Danish song is, without exaggeration, at least four times longer than the English birthday song.  Also, the traditional Danish birthday cake is more like strawberry shortcake with a filling similar to that in Boston Creme Pie.  I ate every last bite!

After that, Alfred opened his presents then little by little all the guests left until it was just a few of us.  I spent a lot of time becoming Alfred's new friend (with the obvious language barriers), and then we sat down to watch TV, and you can imagine my surprise when "Grease" came on in English and everything!  We just hung out watching that, and I taught Tonje how to do the waterfall braid on her sister's hair.  Definitely a night you can describe as hyggeligt :)

This morning was similar, waking up and doing some work while having a relaxed breakfast.  I also ran to the grocery store for the first time (I should have paid more attention to what the Danish words for various foods were)! I somehow made it out alright though.  I then went into the city and applied for what is equivalent to a Danish Social Security Card, except this card would also provide me with free doctor visits and prescriptions (although free in this case is relative because of the enormous taxes the citizens of Denmark pay for this benefit).  I almost didn't make it on the bus to take us there in time because I decided to try finding my way without a map.  Not the best idea I've had.  After that, I just shopped on the walking street for various essentials I'd been trying to live without.

A view walking home from getting the Danish SSC.

Love how it's a typical Danish view, but is gorgeous.  I'll never get used to it..

When I got home, it was determined that I would be cooking dinner for the night as I had previously offered.  This was determined to be Chicken Parmesan-a dish every guest had never had before! I actually couldn't believe it!  Although the ingredients weren't the specific brand Mom-mom always uses, I was able to make do with the Danish versions and I think it turned out well!  Sigrun had her nephew Nikolas over and it was nice to talk to someone my age- Tonje is still a teenager and is a little shy when it comes to talking to me still.  The night was an overall success, and it has been decided I will cook dinner once a week for everyone, if possible!

Til imorgen :)

A day of relaxation?

Today I didn't have any classes, so I was planning on sleeping in, doing some work for next week, and then going to my Program Social later tonight.  Instead, I woke up at 8 and Sigrun had gotten some homemade Danishes for me to try.  We then got ready for the day and went grocery shopping, because she needed to buy ingredients to make... Chicken Pot Pie!  Is it me, or is it a little ironic that the first hot meal I have with my DANISH host family is chicken pot pie? Definitely not what I was expecting, but I can be sure it's something I will really like.

After getting groceries, we went into Copenhagen and I finally broke and bought a straightener.  After breaking the converter and then breaking the one my mom sent me, I decided my straightener just isn't supposed to function in Denmark.  The rest of the day was just spent catching up on work until my Program Social, which was very classy: there were real glass wine glasses, both red and white wine, different cheeses and crackers, and fruit.  We played a game to meet people and then after that, some people from my specific group in the program decided to explore Copenhagen for a real dinner.  This consisted of us going up to look at random restaurants and looking at the prices on the menu.  Once we found a cheap one, although we couldn't read the actual menu, we just arbitrarily picked an entree and pointed to it for the man.

It is fun to go around Copenhagen and discover new things every day.  After dinner we wandered around in an attempt to discover what is a typical night life.  Sorry today's post was so short but I'm really tired!

Til imorgen!

First Day of School!

"First day of school! First day of school!"  When I woke up this morning, all I could think about was Nemo singing that song over and over.  It was a beautiful morning to wake up to however, so it was definitely starting the day off right. I was so nervous for school, that I got into Copenhagen at 8:57 when my school day doesn't even start until 10:05.  I used this as a (very weak) excuse to stop in Skt. Peder's Bageri (Saint Peter's Bakery) which I was told is rumored to have some of the best Weinerbrod in the area.  Obviously I had to test this theory!  Unfortunately, one of my biggest fears is that I'm going to eat my weight in pastries (and it's not too far flung of a concern)!

When I finally started my school day, it went even better than I could have imagined.  I have four classes back to back.  They are, European Storytelling: From Homer to Harry Potter, Partners and Rivals: EU-US Relations, Medical Ethics, and Human Health and Disease: A Clinical Approach.  One of the things that struck me most in these classes was how relaxed and laid back the environment was and the teachers are.  They all INSIST that you call them by their first names (Something I know I'm going to struggle with), and they understand the American tendency to put serious weight on grades, but want our focus to be more on understanding the material and engaging in it, which is so refreshing to hear.

My core course class is one of which I am so extremely excited for.  It is similar to applied physiology with case studies and we will be learning techniques such as taking vitals, inserting IVs, and learning to suture.  Also, this class is taught in an actual hospital by actual doctors: Anita, a General Practitioner, and Jesper, a cardiothorassic surgeon (they also happen to be married).  They teach in such an engaging way, I know it will be so easy to forget the normal pressures of a classroom setting.  In addition, I will be traveling with my class to Svendborg and Ribe in Denmark, and Vienna and Budapest.  There is absolutely no way this class could get better.

I came back home at the end of the day, and by this time it was 6:30, and the rest of the night was spent having a nice relaxed dinner with my host mom and sister, organizing my syllabi and readings for the next week, and making sure everyone in America know's I'm still alive and haven't gotten hit by a Danish biker!

Sorry there are no pictures today, I was more focused on not getting lost and being late to class!

Til imorgen!

That's more like it...

Today I woke up to what every Dane I had ever talked to had been telling me about: a wet, rainy, cold, windy morning.  I was so upset when I saw this, not because of the bad weather (I had prepared myself for its inevitable approach), but because today was my day of orientation for THE AMAZING RACE (aka a scavenger hunt through all of Copenhagen supplemented with free lattes, pastries, and informational lessons at various stops around the way).  If I had thought my Monday "scavenger hunt" was a lesson in city navigation, I was about to be proved seriously wrong.  The great thing about getting lost in a city like Copenhagen however, is that you end up finding the most beautiful churches, monuments, fountains, or quaint homes.  My group was great: we stopped in the Studenterhuset for a quick (free of course) morning pastry and planned out or route.

Among our many destinations were Christiansborg Slotsplads (Danish Parliament), Trinitatis Kirke (Trinity Church), Rosenberg Slot (the summer residence of King Christian IV), Amalienborg (the current royal palace), and Udenrigsministeriet (aka the State Department- try saying that one three times fast).  Along the way we were able to come across the huge sand castle sculpture competition, random trampolines hidden in the ground along the waterfront (definitely a fun distraction), the beautiful section of Copenhagen called Nyhavn, among many other sites.  This was a day to truly expand my appreciation of Copenhagen beyond the little section of the city all the DIS buildings are located in.

Rosenberg Slot

Guard at Rosenberg Palace

Guards at the "Changing of the guards" outside the Queen's section of Amalienborg

The square of the Royal Palace

Nyhavn- This is the picture you most often see on the Danish postcards

Quick picture in Nyhavn on the way to the State Building

Huge Sand castle contest

After the amazing race, I finally got to meet with my section for my program, Medical Practice and Policy.  It was a huge meeting with all the sections, and then we broke into our respective sections and got to know each other on a more personal level.  I am so excited to finally start classes tomorrow, but am definitely intimidated by the workload.  Hopefully I will find a good balance between classes and travel/hanging out with friends and exploring the city.

We then went to the Activites/Immersion Fair where we learned about all these different ways to get involved in Copenhagen.  Tomorrow is my first day of classes so it's off to bed for me!

Til imorgen!

  

"Unskyld meg....."

"Excuse me...."

Definitely my favorite phrase today.  Somehow, I manage to get myself about as lost as possible, and never realize it until I'm completely off the map.  We usually travel with a couple friends from one place in Copenhagen to the other, but we got an hour lunch break so I decided to try to go to the DIS main office to pick up my package with my converter, so I could finally use my straightener!

Somehow, I managed to make it to the main office successfully, and decided I would be able to get back without a map.  Bad idea.  I have definitely learned that when I am with a group of friends, I become one of the least perceptive people I know, and don't pay attention to where I am going.  This is how I managed to end up on the busiest pedestrian street of Copenhagen when I should have been six blocks in the opposite direction.

Luckily, getting lost allowed me to learn just how nice the Danes can really be (and how much they appreciate an attempt at the Danish language, regardless of how much you butcher the words).  Three very helpful and friendly Danes later, I found myself at my destination.  It is seriously lucky for me that so many Danes know the English language, even to enough of an extent to point me in the right direction.

Another thing I'm still getting used to is that it's completely normal to see a bunch of kids my age or even younger sitting on the steps of the fountain carrying a six pack and drinking from it, in the open.  The bikers are serious is Copenhagen, that's the only way to put it.  They ride them as their trip to work, so its not a lovely stroll in the park.  Its also interesting to see how many Danish women bikers have mastered the art of biking in heels, and I'm not talking about "pumps" with a thick one-inch heel.  I'm talking about three inch stilettos- serious stuff.  Fashion is never sacrificed to bike riding.

After all the orientation activities, I had a few hours before my last activity of the day, so my friend, Kaitlin and I hung out in "Studenterhuset," the European version of a campus union.  The only difference is that this one doubles as a cafe and a bar- definitely a place you must experience to truly get the "hyggeligt" feeling.  This is a word in Danish that doesn't really have a true translation but is more of a feeling of coziness- sitting around a coffee table, drinking cafe drinks and relaxing with friends: just enjoying eachother's company.  I could definitely get used to hyggeligt.

After my last information session I rode the train back with a friend who's also on my line- it definitely helps in making the commute seem shorter (although in trains, it is not normal for anyone to talk above a whisper, and if you do, you're immediately characterized as the obnoxious American tourist).  I then did reading for school and helped with dinner.  Dinner today was like a pita pocket with random vegetables and chicken stuffed in it.  And of course there was the "ost" or cheese.  The Danes love their cheese and put it on a very large percentage of their sandwiches.

Tomorrow is my last day of orientation, then my first day of classes!

Til imorgen!

Day 1 of 120. Ready or Not, Here I Come!

As I spend more and more time in Denmark, I feel as though the days get shorter and shorter- and it's not just because of the fact that daylight starts to get shorter!  Today was an absolutely amazing day, although you could also say overwhelming, exhausting, crazy, and slightly intimidating.  Regardless of these things, it does not take away from the fact that I know, ready or not, this new chapter of my life is beginning, and I simply need to hold on and go for quite the ride.

We woke up relatively early (6:50) this morning and I took a shower and got ready for the day.  Something I really have to get used to is the fact that the Danes sit down and take time for every meal- including breakfast.  I am so accustomed to grabbing a breakfast shake or granola bar on the way out the door, that seeing my host mother sitting down with her coffee, waiting for me to sit down and join her for some cereal was very different for me, but relaxing and it actually helped to get me ready for the day.  An interesting thing we had for breakfast was oatmeal, but they have it as you would have cereal- cold with a little milk and sugar on top- definitely different from how I usually do it, but definitely still very good.

After breakfast we dropped Tonje off at school and made our way (by car-although this is a special day and won't be my typical commute) to the Opening Ceremony.  It was a cute program, pretty much your typical orientation Opening Ceremony, except it had the DIS strings playing great music in between each speaker.  It was a nice way to get excited and truly ready for the semester, and not the typical orientation in which I fully expected to want to sleep at the end- quite a nice surprise.

After the orientation came the (in my non-city girl opinion) the absolutely chaotic part of the day.  Somehow I was supposed to make it from one end of the city to the middle of the city, and figure out where I was supposed to go all on my own.  I honestly did not think I was going to ever find my way.  Luckily, the large pack of hundreds of students wasn't hard to miss, and I easily found people who would be in my group, and we struggled through the metro and the cobblestone streets together.

Obviously, we made it okay, and surprisingly were some of the first people to arrive.  At this workshop, called "How to Make Copenhagen Your Home" we learned how to live on a budget, and we were given a list of things to find and a map, and set loose on the poor, unsuspecting city of Copenhagen.  This was a crazy, confusing, fun exercise, and I must say, I'm getting pretty good at using the nice old-fashioned map instead of the quick Google Maps App on my iPhone (which doesn't work without Wifi).  The people in my group were awesome, and we had a great time exploring Copenhagen, getting a little lost, almost hit by bikers every now and then, and learning that you most definitely ONLY walk when the light telling you to walk is green.

You can definitely say it was quite a learning experience and was a great way to discover Copenhagen on our own, while meeting other people at DIS, and learning just how friendly and helpful Danes can actually be (as long as they're not on their bikes).  We got back and had the classic open-faced sandwiches, and then learned a little time-management.

I then picked up my intimidating stack of books- 13 total for four classes- the most I've ever had per class, and somehow managed to make it home on the S-train without getting lost.  We then visited Sigrun's other daughter, Sascha's house so that I could meet her, and finally got home for a later dinner past 9.  I helped clean up with dinner and then finally got around to unpacking and checking out my homework for the first day of class.  This includes more than 150 pages of reading, so I probably should get started on that!

Tomorrow I will be commuting on my own, so I'm saying a little prayed that everything will work out okay!  Sorry, no Danish lesson for today, my lesson for the day was more of everything not to do when trying to find your way through Copenhagen!

Til imorgen!

PS, sorry for the lack of pictures- there will be more soon!

My new family!

This post is going to be very short because it was a very long day and a lot happened, but I am exhausted and have to wake up early tomorrow (so apologies in advance)!

We woke up and went to the airport to send Dani back to the US, unfortunately, and then Soren and I spent some time in a cafe, just to waste some time before I went to meet the DIS representatives.  When we finally got there, we signed in, received very important information, and then sat through an orientation.  After that we sat in a room off to the side all together and chatted while we waited for our host families to arrive.  One by one they called us in to the main room as our families arrived and we met for the first time!  Eventually, it was my turn and I got to meet Sigrun and Tonje for the first time!  They are both so friendly and speak extremely good English, which of course, I was a little nervous about.

When we left the airport, we headed to Hvidovre, my new home for the next four months and stopped along the way to see different places where members of the family lived and similar things.  We then dropped off my bags and walked two minutes down the street to the grocery store.  This was actually a very interesting experience, because it is not that easy to tell what some of the things are, so a lot of translating was occurring.  It was nice of Sigrun to take me shopping because this was our way of figuring out what kind of food I like and they like and deciding what would be good for meals for the day.

We then ate lunch and actually went to the gym!  Sigrun has a family membership so I get to go there for no extra charge which is awesome!  At the gym we met Lone, Sigrun's sister in law.  When we got back, we went for a tour of the apartment building where I learned how the laundry system works (actually fairly complicated) and where I can store my bike for safekeeping.  We then had dinner and after dinner, Sigrun took me into Copenhagen on the train to my first classroom, so I could figure out how to get to and from school every day.

This actually took allll day and I am just now able to sit down and will be going to sleep very soon because Opening Ceremony is early tomorrow morning.  I am expecting to unpack sometime tomorrow hopefully and truly get settled in my new home.  More to come tomorrow!!

Til imorgen!

København!

Today, we brought it back to where it all began and explored Denmark's largest city, København (or to us Americans Copenhagen), where I will be spending the next four months of my life.  In just one city, you can be taken back hundreds of years and then flash forward to the current day with modern shops and buildings.  They have a long pedestrian street in the middle of the city with shopping on either side, and cute booths set up along the way with food to snack on.  It was here where I found what will be the death of me- Danish Pancakes with Nutella and bananas- heaven!  

We took a canal tour of København and saw many important ministries, churches, the Navy yard, the Queen's residence, the Little Mermaid, and other typical tourist sites throughout the city (but by boat of course)! Søren was an Admiral in the Royal Navy so he was able to add a lot of interesting background information to the whole tour.  

After the cruise, the rest of the day was spent wandering around the city and window shopping until we finally made our way to Tivoli Gardens.  It is similar to happening upon Central Park in the middle of New York, except much smaller, and it has some carnival rides.  It has beautiful gardens and the most extensive lights at night.  I got to ride a roller coaster and bumper cars with Claus which was such a fun time, and then at the end of the day we had a farewell dinner at Grøften, one of the restaurants inside Tivoli.  

Tivoli by day

Tivoli by night

I must say, this week has been an amazing experience for me, and I have met the best people ever, and am so grateful to be able to call them my family.  The Danes as a whole are the most hospitable, genuine, caring people, and I am so glad to have this opportunity to spend time with them and to meet more Danes in the next four months.  This experience is going to be truly amazing, and regardless of what the Danes tell me, the wind, rain, and darkness will not be something that will keep me from having what I'm sure will be the best time of my life.  

Tomorrow I am officially registering with DIS and meeting my host mom, Sigrun.  I am so nervous to be suddenly thrown in to this new environment with people I don't know, but I am sure that after a little adjustment, it will end up being an experience I will never forget! 

Til imorgen!!

"At Rejse Er At Leve" -H.C.Andersen

Hans Christian Andersen's Hus (house)

Hans Christian Andersen's "Thumbelina" (or "Tommelise" in Danish)

"To travel is to live" is a famous quote by Hans Christian Andersen which basically described today and this whole week for me.  The day was spent traveling from Tomas' house in Northern Jutland, Nr Halne, all the way back to Nykøbing.  On the way, we stopped in Odense, which is where Hans 
Christian Andersen was born and called his home all his life.  It is the third largest city in Denmark,
and you would never actually know.  It is beautiful, and at the center where his house is, is filled with
only pedestrian streets which are all cobblestone.  His house can now be toured and is part of a museum
dedicated to his life and his work.  

After Odense, we went south toward Tåsinge and the town of Lindet, where the famous person Elvira 
Magidan and her Swedish lover are buried.  It is a long story, but basically follows the star-crossed lovers 
tale of Romeo and Juliet, although they were actual people, and they were 21 and 35 and were forbidden
to see each other, and he deserted the Swedish army to run away with her (a Danish dancer).  

We then took a ferry from Spodsbjerg (Langeland - actually "long land or island") to Tårs.  This was a
huge boat that fit so many cars, and it had an upper deck where you could sit inside or outside and order
food or drinks.  Due to the fact that Denmark is composed of over 400 islands, ferryboats are actually a 
very common way of travel. 

When we were on the ferry, I came to realize just how many windmills there are in Denmark.  Just looking out over the coastline, we could count over 30, and I remembered reading in one of the DIS handbooks that wind energy accounts for 20% of all of Denmark's energy, in addition to the burning of waste and collecting the energy from that.  In fact, on the way to the ferry, we passed the building for Vesta, the largest windmill company in the world (and it actually has offices in CA also)!

After the ferry we continued on to Nykøbing for a classic Danish dinner (which obviously 

included pork and potatoes along with hot red cabbage)  with Søren, Gitte, Claus, Kitte, and 

Tomas.  It was nice to be able to just be with everyone and share stories of the trip.  Also, we were able 

to talk about family history which is hard to do when the conversation is from the US to Denmark.  

Many Danes (including my family members) speak English very well, but struggle much more when it 

comes to actually sitting down and writing it.  At the end of dinner (which included dessert and then tea 

coffee with candies after it) we took out a map that we bought along our trip and highlighted everywhere

we went and the important things we saw along the way.  It is amazing that in five short days, we were 

able to see basically all of Denmark, and three of the four largest cities in Denmark.  

The Danes take every opportunity they can to sit outside and eat their meals, or at least the tea and coffee

after meals.  Because the weather in Denmark is so variable, they take advantage of the good weather 

while they have it.  I've also learned to expect for breakfast and lunch to consist of bread with some kind 

of topping.  Its made me decide that it is definitely a good thing I decided to rent a bike while I'm in 

Denmark, or I most definitely will be having to buy a new wardrobe!

Today I learned a lot from Tomas about how the education system works in Denmark.  All kids go to 

school up to 9th grade, and some stay up to 10th grade.  After 9th/10th grade, they attend "gymnasium" 

which is another three years of schooling similar to our "high school." After that, if grades are high 

enough, they can try to go to a University or specialization school where they can learn their trade.  

My only other word for the day is færge which means "ferry," and the days of the week which, for the 

most part, sound like the English words except for Wednesday, "Onsdag" and Saturday, "lørdag," where

you can tell "dag" is day, so you hear many people saying to each other "god dag" which is "good day."

Northen Jutland!

Early this morning, Dani and I woke up and took the train from Skanderborg to Aalborg where Henrietta picked us us.  Aalborg is the fourth largest town in Denmark and has the "huge" population of 126,000 people living in it.  It is an industrial port city and has a beautiful harbor that is just now being redone.

We walked around the city and I was once again amazed with how different the concept of a "city" here is than it is at home.  To me, the city is Philadelphia with huge skyscrapers, busy roads, obnoxious taxi drivers and hundreds of people everywhere (although there are obviously so many things about Philadelphia that I love).  Here, on the other hand, the cities are so old and have so much history it is amazing.  Right in the middle of the city is a beautiful old monastery from 1400 that was constructed to care for orphans, and in the middle of one of the roads, there was construction for a place where they had originally planned to do roadwork and they actually found human skeletons which was definitely different.  No matter where you look, you see bikers in Denmark in all forms of attire, and in the city they are there in the hundreds.  Also, in the middle of the city there are many streets just for pedestrians with shops and restaurants on either side.  I love the cities here in Denmark!

We left the city and headed to Henrietta and Tomas' house and on the way stopped to feed Henrietta's horse, Lukas.  We continued on to their house and had some coffee and tea, something that seems to happen often here in Denmark, and then Tomas came home from work.  We spent a lot of time just hanging out and remembering the fun times we had when Tomas has visited us in the United States.  We then traveled north to Blokhus, a cute little town on the west coast.  We were supposed to go to Skagen, but it started raining and would be too hard to walk out on the beach to see where the North and Baltic Seas meet.  In the town of Blokhus there is an area where you can drive on the beach with your car and park, and many people come from all over Europe, mostly Sweden, Germany, and Norway and bring campers for the day.

You cannot sleep with the camper on the beach, but there are also these little houses that you can rent without water or electricity, but the visitors use them to get out of the sun (or more often rain since it is Denmark)!  No one is allowed to sleep on the beach in Denmark, though.

When living in Denmark, things are a little more expensive than what it seems in the United States.  This is because they have something called the VAT or value added tax, which is a tax already calculated in to the price of certain goods.  The Danish kroner conversion is 6 Dkk for every US dollar approximately, so I've really been doing a lot of math lately to make sure I'm not spending too much money!  The craziest thing I think, is the cost to buy cars here.  They VAT on a car end up being almost 200% of the car's actual value when all is said and done, so if you were to buy a car for $15,000 in the US, you would actually pay $50,000, and the VAT is more for bigger cars.  For that reason alone, the majority of cars in Denmark are very small.  Also, the gasoline prices are about double here than they are in the US, so the smaller cars get better mpg than the larger cars.  

And finally, for the Danish lesson, which is more about pronunciation than the words themselves.  The letters "g" and "h" are not pronounced in the language and an -er ending on a word sounds like "uh."  A "d" in words sounds almost like the "th" sound. The æ vowel sounds like the "e" in met, and å sounds like the all.  These pronunciations are all very important when Henrietta was helping me pronounce the name of the town where I'll be living with my host mom, Hvidovre.  Try saying it yourself - it's not what you think, even with the explanation!  (something like Veeth-ore-uh).  Also, when you say bye, you also say what sounds like "hi hi" but it is actually spelled "hej hej," so "j" sounds like "y." You can also say farvel (with a silent f) to say goodbye.  Finally, to be polite, you should know the words "undskyld" (un-skewlth-sorry) for when you run in to people on the train and in the city!

Til imorgen!

Jesper and Helle's house in Dørup 

(many Danish homes fly this version of the Danish flag every day)

Today was a great day in Dørup.  We woke up early enough to see Tobias and Emma off to school
 (Emma to 6th grade and Tobias to Kindergarten).  After that, we took Helle's horse, Octen to his trainer. 
He is a competition trotter and has won three races so far.  It was in a beautiful town just outside of Dørup.

After training, we got a call from Tobias' school saying he has a stomachache and we went to pick him up. 
Danish schools are unlike anything in the United States.  In Kindergarten, none of the children have shoes 
on and they are all doing their own separate thing.  Some of them were playing outside and didn't have shirts
on either.  The entire atmosphere was very casual, it was relaxing and interesting to think that many Danish 
children like school-maybe because it actually is a low stress environment?  

We brought Tobias home and Helle opened her shop which is a little boutique that also sells fresh tea and 
coffee in addition to household trinkets, some apparel, among other things.  Many of the items for sale are 
homemade from people in the area.  My sister and I spent a good amount of time in there, shopping for gifts
for people back in the States. 

The outside of Sofi, Helle's shop

Around 2:00 we went to pick Emma up from school and looked in one of her classrooms which is very neat
and every classroom has a SmartBoard in it.  It has a very modern design and is very organized.  After 
bringing Emma home, we relaxed until dinnertime when we had Røget Skinke, or smoked ham, boiled potatoes, and other vegetables.  We then played a quick game of football (soccer to the Americans) and then went to get an ice cream.

The Danish cuisine here is different from American food that I am used to eating (as you would expect).  Breakfast is typically rolls with butter, jelly, Nutella (my absolute favorite) and other preserves.  So far, I have no eaten cereal or "hot breakfasts."  We do usually have a small glass of juice and tea of coffee at every breakfast.  Lunch is without a doubt an open-faced sandwich with cheeses, meats, and other butters.  We had some salmon that we put on the sliced rolls along with the Frikkadeller (both meat and fish-fiske in Danish).  Dinner has varied depending on where we are, but it is always a time when everyone comes together and catches up on their days.

I very quickly became extremely comfortable here and have already made plans to come back later in the semester to help at the end of November with the Christmas season.  Part of the farm consists of Christmas trees, so it will be fun to help with the shop and see more traditions.

Today started off early in Nykobing and we traveled to the beautiful little town of Sakskøbing.  We walked around that town and got to see the house in which my great-grandmother was born, and then the church where she was baptized.  I was fascinated to learn that in every Danish church you enter, there is a ship hanging from the ceiling, pointing in the right direction to head to the altar.  

After Sakskøbing, we drove back toward Nykobing and stopped at a little church where my great-great-grandparents were married, and outside I experienced for the first time a Danish "cemetery."
These cemeteries are a very interesting thing the Danes do that I had a little difficulty understanding. Surrounding the church, it looks like there are so many mini gardens, but really the area is divided into little plots of land that families of the deceased pay for and then put a gravestone that is surrounded by a hedgerow or bushes.  They also add flowers and other statues and even benches for when people visit the site.  After the family stops paying for the plot of land, the gravestone can either be kept and put in another place where they are much more closely placed, or broken down into little stone.

Once we got back to Nykobing, we went to "Middelalder Centret," which is an equivalent of a Renaissance fair.  There we learned what it was like to live in Denmark in the 1400's, and I actually was selected from the crowd to help launch the "trebuchet,"the Danish equivalent of a catapult.  (They can obviously spot the Americans in the crowd, and then enjoy trying to get me to figure out what to do from instructions in Danish- needless to say, it was still a great time)!  After the Trebuchet firing, we watched a jousting tournament in which our knight won!

We then walked around downtown Nykobing for a little bit of time and then boarded a train, and went all the way to Skanderborg, on the mainland of Jutland.  This train ride really exposed me to just how much Lolland and southern Jutland (as far as I can tell) is countryside.  Everywhere you look there are fields for miles all golden with wheat, some of which are being harvested, while others are in the process of being harvested.  Another Here we met my mother's cousin, Jesper, his wife Helle, and his two children Emma (11) and Tobias who just turned four today!  By the time we arrived it was almost 21:00, but we still had a late dinner of smørrebrød, or open faced sandwiches.  On the bread, we had frikkadeller, which is a "Danish meatball" but doesn't have any actual pasta sauce on it!  It was a long, fun filled day, and we will be up tomorrow for another one!

til imorgen!
PS, I finally figured out how to add pictures so hopefully they help where my descriptions are lacking)

So much has happened since I last wrote in this!  Yesterday (or early today if you count days as everytime you fall asleep for a substantial amount of time) I left the United States and officially began my four month stay in Denmark.  My mom got sick at the last minute and could not fly with my sister and I, but was able to get a refund of her ticket and hopefully will be coming to visit me in November when she has a break from work.  The flight was very long-my first international flight-and I didn't sleep much, just because there was a lot of hustle and bustle in the plane at all times.  Our flight landed in Oslo, Norway where we just barely made our connecting flight to Copenhagen.

My uncle's cousins, Claus and Søren picked us up at Kastrup, and we started our drive to Nykobing, where they both live with their wives, Kitte and Gitte, respectively.  On the way, we stopped at Køge and experienced our first open-faced sandwiches (mine had lox, scarmbled eggs, caviar, onions, and tomatoes- relatively harmless, while Claus chose to have raw meat topped with a raw egg- a somewhat more intimidating choice for me)!  I'm very slowly getting used to people speaking to me in Danish, me trying very badly to reply in simple English, them realizing I'm an American, and then having to try to speak back in English. In fact, Claus and Søren took turns translating all of the 23 options for open-faced sandwiches to me and my sister.  

We got to Søren's house in Nykobing, unpacked, and took a quick nap before we went to the old town of Nykobing where Claus lives, and walked around, seeing the old and new water towers, a beautiful old church, and one of the last two sugar beet processing facilities left in Denmark.  Dinner was very good, we had Hakkebøf, which is basically a Danish meatball with "soft" (aka fried) onions on top, boiled potatoes, cucumber salad, and tomato and mozzarella salad.  Our desert was the famous rødgrød med flød, which is basically a red berry pudding with sugar and cream.  Kitte, Claus' wife added almonds also which was a nice touch.After dinner, we went through old pictures of Claus and Søren (and the rest of their family) many visits to the United States and just shared old memories.  It was a nice relaxing break at the end of a very long day. 

I am, unfortunately coming to Denmark with almost no background in the language, other than being aware of the fact that in addition to our English vowels, they use vowels such as ø, æ, and å.  Now, let me tell you, I'm not sure how much exposure you've had to the Danish language but pronouncing these correctly is harder than taking the square root of 123942 in your head.  Just attempting to replicate the words they say to me causes everyone, especially the Danes, to burst out laughing.  

Since my Danish is so bad, I have decided to learn a few new words every day.  Tak- means thank you, and if you want to thank someone for a meal, you say "tak for mad."  The most important thing I learned today with regard to the Danish language is that if you just ate a huge meal and are no longer hungry, in English you say, "I'm full" while in Danish, it sounds like "I'm fuld" which means "I'm drunk."  Claus and Søren advised me to just speak in Danish and say I'm no longer hungry by saying "I'm maet."

That is all for tonight, my jet lag is really kicking in!
Til imorgen! 
(until tomorrow!)

It's official.  Thursday, I finally found out I have a host family!  I will be living in a town called Hvidovre, just a ten minute commute by train to Copenhagen and the DIS offices.  Yesterday I got an email from my host mom, Sigrun.  It honestly made my day hearing about my adopted family for the next four months!  Sigrun has two daughters, Tonje 14, and Sascha, 30.  Sascha is married to Kasper and has two children, Emma 4, and Alfred 2.  Sigrun recently informed me that my first real Danish party will be Alfred's birthday party on August 23!

I made it through the MCAT yesterday and today is cram day for me for packing.  I've laid out all my clothes ranging from shorts and capris to thick sweaters.  Now all I have to do is figure out how to fit it all in my luggage which would be a miracle!  Another important thing I will be packing is a large backpack for when I travel throughout Europe on my two travel week breaks.  My sister traveled throughout Europe two summers ago and said this backpack is a must-have! Also, the converters and adapters are important so I can use all my electronics from the States while I am over in Denmark.

Last night I had all my (very large) family over for an early birthday party (since I will be turning 21 on September 11) and a going away party so I could say bye to everyone before I leave.  It was great seeing my family one last time but it definitely was a wake-up call that this is it! In 24 hours I will be at the airport ready to board my flight to Copenhagen!

T-minus Six Days and Counting!

"Less is more" is what everyone keeps telling me.  I have exactly six days until I leave the United States and fly to Copenhagen where I'll be spending the next four months of my life.  I have absolutely no idea what to pack for Denmark's seemingly unpredictable weather.  Today I went shopping with my mom and sister to buy some rain boots, a trench coat, and other warm clothes to wear during the cooler months in Denmark, but have figured out I'll most likely have to see what the weather is like for myself and maybe buy some clothes when I get there.

I'm flying out a week early with my sister, Dani and mom.  We'll be spending the week before DIS starts traveling through Denmark visiting my Danish relatives.  I can't wait to fly out and see them for the first time in a few years!  As leaving day gets closer and closer I'm getting more and more excited!  I've been trying to make sure I have all my converters so I can use all my electronics in Denmark and finally figured out how I'd be communicating with everyone back home.

I'm still waiting to hear about my housing and have been compulsively checking my email every ten minutes, even though it's two o'clock in the morning with the time change.  My first choice for housing is a host family, and I cannot wait to hear if I actually get one! I want to be able to completely immerse myself in the Danish culture and really learn about my heritage.

Between now and Sunday I will be running errands all over, getting last minute things for Denmark, and I'll be taking the MCAT's on Friday, a test even worse than the SAT's if that were even imaginable.  The idea that the MCAT will be done in less than a week and I will be in Denmark is everything that is getting my through this last week!  I never thought it would be possible to be a premed student and study abroad, especially in a place as great as Denmark.  It is everything I could ask for in my college experience and cannot wait for it to begin!