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Sunday, December 21, 2008

Randomosity

-Many of the bathrooms here are coed. And not unisex so they are private and can be used by men and women separately like in gas stations, but men and women piss along side each other. It's always interesting when I am adjusting my tights and some man comes out of the stall.

-"Fart" means speed. So on all the buses and maps or anything having to do with speed, it says FART. I am NEVER going to get over that. Its funny. I go out of my way to play the card game speed so I can say "Skal vi spille fart?" (Shall we play speed?) Heheee.

-From what I have noticed a lot of Danes are scared of heights and hate roller coasters a lot. I think its interesting since Denmark has no mountains and the 2 roller coasters they do have in the DK are pathetic. I wonder if there is a connection between all of this.

-Some of my photos were purchased by my school as promotional materials. Yeehaw free money!

-People are so good looking here! I could be dressed to the nines and a girl with mono and leprosy could come on the bus in her pajamas and look better than me.

-I feel like there are a ton of Seven Elevens here! There are about 100 in the entire country which is probably statistically remarkable except I don't do math so I don't know for sure.

-There is also McDonalds, Burger King, Blockbuster, Ben and Jerry's, Build a Bear, and other names that we are familiar with back home. There is IKEA and H&M too but those are Swedish. Oh and one Starbucks in the airport where it costs an official 10 dollars for a coffee. If only I had enough money and enjoyed those shitty build a bears I could live an all American life over here. I wonder if Ben and Jerry's will give out free ice cream on free day in April?

-My 18 year old host brother just dropped out of Denmark's equivalent of high school and, while he is being urged to get a job, this is a completely acceptable path to take.

-Many Danish people I have encountered are really talented at musical instruments and art. Its so strange. Everyone just picks up guitars and can cut paper like nobody's business.

-There are people lighting off fireworks outside right now. Yay Christmas!

-In Denmark porn and nudity is very acceptable. There is nudity in advertisements and displays that the entire public eye can see. At the movie store the porn is right out in the open for anyone to get, right next to the latest new releases. A little shocking at first I must admit. I guess that there are certain types of porn in Denmark like fecal porn, beastiality and other hard core bondage pornography that is illegal in other countries so people come here for it. Also, those specialties are legally offered in prostitution so there is a good sex business in CPH.

-I might switch into the red room now that my roommate moved out. Its such a hard choice though since this has been MY room for the last 4 months and I swear I will want it back when the new girl comes. Red is a lot more cozy but the blue is more conducive to studying...

-My mom sent me some of her Christmas cookies in the mail (HELL YEAH!)

-Many Danes have a hard time pronouncing V's. Its hilarious to hear them say "Wisit" And "Wiking" instead of "visit" and "viking". I should probably stop making fun of my host family...

-I really love Danish movies. They have a particular style with really dark fucked up situations that end up being endearingly comical and turn out all right in the end. Still fucked up, but all right. The acting is simple, real, and the stories give really good insight to human nature. Watching the films really helps me with my Danish.

-All of my friends have left Denmark. I am so happy to be a full year student and thankful that my program is for full years. Other people who had to leave claimed that they really just couldn't spend an entire year abroad so I am happy that I can. I won't graduate ever, but whatever. At least I am not paying 50,000 a year like them!

-The hardest part about being here is not being able to just pick up the phone and call people whenever I want. I use facebook instead of my cell phone and I just miss talking to Joshey because he really doesn't email much.

-I always have had issues with interrupting people in conversations because DUH what I have to say is just way more important than anything you have to say ever. But this has gotten even worse here since I never know when I can say something to people if they are speaking in Danish. Its really hard to find the best time to interrupt or ask a question when I don't know what they are saying at all!

-Sometimes I wish people didn't speak any English here. I am sure I would be much more fluent if I was forced to always speak Danish. A friend of Taylor's came to visit and she is studying in France. She has spent a few months in France before now but is basically fluent. Her boyfriend is French and speaks no English so her sex life does depend upon her French skills, but why can't I manage better? I want to speak Danish soooo badly. English is a gift and a curse.

Thursday, December 4, 2008

Dilemma

Next spring I don't know what I want to do in terms of traveling. Well I mean, ideally I do know, but I have to make a choice and a compromise for time and money's sake.

(I spend one week in (probably) London with my class, then have two weeks free) (Turkey and skiing are what I really have my eyes on...)
MY OPTIONS:
a) Turkey for a week. This costs 1195 US dollars. You take a class for half the semester (1 credit) and learn all about Turkey so the trip actually has a context. Everyone I talked to LOVED this trip and my roommate went on it and raves about it too. I heard the class isn't too hard or time consuming but I really am not good with history and shit. I am really fascinated by the middle east and this trip could kind of be a gateway to that world and the weather will be WARM!
b) Skiing trip to the French Alps for a week for 995 US dollars. I haven't skied in a few years unfortunately so I would hate to get up (or I guess down?) there and realize I can't do it anymore or something but I love and miss skiing so much and the snow up here is supposed to be phenomenal. The ski trip, because it will be in a resort environment might have more expenses attached to the trip, but it sounds legit.
c) There is a volunteering trip around 500 US dollars where you go and volunteer in central Europe for a week. Not the most touristy, "travelly" or typically "fun" thing to do, but it is cheaper and I do love volunteering and haven't got to do any since I've been here. It would be really great for my resume also...
d) Russia. This is similar to the Turkey trip where you take a class for half a semester and then go on the trip. I think it costs the same as Turkey. I have heard from others that this trip isn't as good as Turkey and you kind of have to really WANT to got to Russia because its depressing as shit and the weather sucks. When will I ever go to Russia though? (I'm pretty positive you need special visas and crap to even go there) So that would be really exciting to go there and have a class to protect me, haha. I have kind of ruled this one out since Turkey and Skiing are way cooler to me right now, but just throwing this out there.
e) I could just travel on my own some more. I really want to do some Nordic and Scandinavian countries before I leave...so a week doing that could be well spent. (However, I do plan on taking more smaller trips next semester to Norway and Finland, etc. I am doing shitty in school while going to every class so I might as well go take a couple of four day weekends and experience something while doing shitty)
f) OR I could just stay in Copenhagen and save some dinero. Maybe Greta or someone else can visit during that week and I can just chill here.

On all of these trips 2 meals a day, museums, lodging, transportation, expenses, equipment etc. are included and typically DIS hooks us up in real nice and fun places since they subsidize a lot of the price.
I don't have that much money and have to somehow make it until May so I will probably have to decide only on one trip. HELP ME! give me some feedback friends! And if you are really curious here is the link to the website with all the info. The pictures of skiing the French Alps are pretty goddamn mouthwatering!
http://www.dis.dk/Students/optional.php
http://www.dis.dk/Students/adventure.php


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