Less than 24 hours left in Copenhagen. I am about to take my last shower in my kollegium room.
Am I sad or excited? Both. The whole idea of leaving and going back to America has been prolonged for so long that I am very ready to just get on the plane. I could definitely stay here longer, but its not that I “don’t want to leave.” However, the past two days it has been really sad thinking about leaving this place across the world that I have made a great home for myself.
I can honestly say that I have had the time of my life this semester and am so satisfied with my experience. Though I was between 5 different countries (none of them being Denmark) a month before my abroad application was due, and it was a bit dark and cold when I arrived, if I could do it all over again I would choose Copenhagen in a heart beat. After all, now it is still light out past 10. The only problem is that even if I get into bed after 4, I am up by 9 because it is so bright in my room.
Anyway, I would like to thank you for keeping up to date with my adventures, I hope you enjoyed reading! Thanks mom and dad for giving the opportunity and resources to be able to have this amazing experience. I can now say that I have lived in a country where I didn’t speak the language.
I have also realized that studying abroad is about learning a different culture, but also to better understand your own.
My flight gets in at 3 tomorrow.
See you soon!
Saturday, May 16, 2009
Oh, by the way- I live…
It was the beginning of the semester and I was walking back from the grocery store with a girl from my Kollegium. She told me that there had been stabbings in our neighborhood and some violence with gangs in our area. I didn’t really know what to think…
A couple days later I was on the bus with a girl I had just meet who lives in my kollegium. She asked me if I too had heard the gunshots at night; I said huh? She said yeah, there are gunshots on the other side of the train tracks (there is a train station next to where I live). I didn’t really know whether or not to believe her.
I later on found out that I do live in the gang area where all of the gang violence is, and it has pretty much been confirmed that there are shootings right next to where I live. Apparently the gang violence has gotten consistently worse in the past 6 months (4 of which I have been living here for). But its hard to evaluate; for Denmark’s standards, this violence has never been seen before and is extremely scary. However, when judging it from a New Yorker’s perspective, or even as an America, unfortunately, it is not anything I should not be use to.
One night I was sitting in my room waiting for my friend to come over and heard loud noises that sounded like gun shots and ran into my bathroom because of the way my room is set up with a screen window it would have been the only safe place. I called her and told her to wait before getting off the bus and coming. I later found out that it was fireworks…woops! But it made me feel better that my neighbor apparently thought the same thing because he said that he ran out of his room with a knife and 911 on his phone.
Did I mention you need a key to get onto anything but the ground floor of my kollegium? Oh did I also mention that I live on the ground floor? The place I live only started getting a little scary when I came home last week to see the door across from me was shattered all over the ground. I ran into one of my friends who told me that apparently two guys had been banging on everyone’s doors last night. They had blood on their shirts and there was blood on the walls as well as kick marks on my neighbor’s door. This all happened at 3 in the morning and I could just say that I was happy I caught the 3:30 bus that night and got back after all of the commotion.
A couple days later I was on the bus with a girl I had just meet who lives in my kollegium. She asked me if I too had heard the gunshots at night; I said huh? She said yeah, there are gunshots on the other side of the train tracks (there is a train station next to where I live). I didn’t really know whether or not to believe her.
I later on found out that I do live in the gang area where all of the gang violence is, and it has pretty much been confirmed that there are shootings right next to where I live. Apparently the gang violence has gotten consistently worse in the past 6 months (4 of which I have been living here for). But its hard to evaluate; for Denmark’s standards, this violence has never been seen before and is extremely scary. However, when judging it from a New Yorker’s perspective, or even as an America, unfortunately, it is not anything I should not be use to.
One night I was sitting in my room waiting for my friend to come over and heard loud noises that sounded like gun shots and ran into my bathroom because of the way my room is set up with a screen window it would have been the only safe place. I called her and told her to wait before getting off the bus and coming. I later found out that it was fireworks…woops! But it made me feel better that my neighbor apparently thought the same thing because he said that he ran out of his room with a knife and 911 on his phone.
Did I mention you need a key to get onto anything but the ground floor of my kollegium? Oh did I also mention that I live on the ground floor? The place I live only started getting a little scary when I came home last week to see the door across from me was shattered all over the ground. I ran into one of my friends who told me that apparently two guys had been banging on everyone’s doors last night. They had blood on their shirts and there was blood on the walls as well as kick marks on my neighbor’s door. This all happened at 3 in the morning and I could just say that I was happy I caught the 3:30 bus that night and got back after all of the commotion.
The Top Two
I have come up with the two most non-Danish daily activities that I do that has made me stand out in society this semester. Besides that I think I have done fairly well to fit in here- most people talk to me in Danish!
1. Grocery store shopping. Danes shop every few days, not in bulk. They don’t even have shopping carts, just baskets. I still did the American thing and went only once in a while to stock up. After a while however I did adjust and did not look like a freak while at the check-out.
2. Crossing the street. Cross when the signal is red? Unheard of here. Not for a New Yorker. Sorry but I continued to cross not only when it was red, but sometimes when there was not even a cross walk! Oh my! I overcame the black confused stares and still continue to do this.
1. Grocery store shopping. Danes shop every few days, not in bulk. They don’t even have shopping carts, just baskets. I still did the American thing and went only once in a while to stock up. After a while however I did adjust and did not look like a freak while at the check-out.
2. Crossing the street. Cross when the signal is red? Unheard of here. Not for a New Yorker. Sorry but I continued to cross not only when it was red, but sometimes when there was not even a cross walk! Oh my! I overcame the black confused stares and still continue to do this.
Running
Since it has been so nice out I have been running almost every day- I LOVE it, but do have some funny stories associated with it.
Once I was running and a bug flew into my mouth, it was pretty gross. I licked my hand to get it off my tongue and a dead bug appeared on my hand. I licked it a few more times to make sure I got all the legs which also came along with smeared blood on my finger- gross!
I run up a hill and turn a sharp corner filled with bushes on my run, which is where I once literally ran into someone else- hard on contact.
Another day I was running belong a soccer field located in a park where lots of families picnic with a bathroom at the corner of the field. But instead a guy was peeing in the bushes beside me.
Once I was running and a bug flew into my mouth, it was pretty gross. I licked my hand to get it off my tongue and a dead bug appeared on my hand. I licked it a few more times to make sure I got all the legs which also came along with smeared blood on my finger- gross!
I run up a hill and turn a sharp corner filled with bushes on my run, which is where I once literally ran into someone else- hard on contact.
Another day I was running belong a soccer field located in a park where lots of families picnic with a bathroom at the corner of the field. But instead a guy was peeing in the bushes beside me.
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Things I miss & am looking forward to...if you would like to join me upon my arrival
American Breakfast
not that I was ever really that big of a fan, but totally craving it and cannot get it- I ordered pancakes in Amsterdam but they were crapes, not cool
Being able to afford diet coke on a daily basis
Z100
Going to temple & connecting with my Jewish roots
Getting a manicure
no I did not do this often, but maybe once in a while; it is not really poplar here and I have only heard of one place that charges about $60
Being able to read nutrition labels- can you believe I went a whole semester without
being able to read the calorie content on the box? I cant!
Looking somewhat fashionable compared to the rest of society
not that I was ever really that big of a fan, but totally craving it and cannot get it- I ordered pancakes in Amsterdam but they were crapes, not cool
Being able to afford diet coke on a daily basis
Z100
Going to temple & connecting with my Jewish roots
Getting a manicure
no I did not do this often, but maybe once in a while; it is not really poplar here and I have only heard of one place that charges about $60
Being able to read nutrition labels- can you believe I went a whole semester without
being able to read the calorie content on the box? I cant!
Looking somewhat fashionable compared to the rest of society
Running
Since it has been so nice out I have been running almost every day- I LOVE it, but do have some funny stories associated with it.
Once I was running and a bug flew into my mouth, it was pretty gross. I licked my hand to get it off my tongue and a dead bug appeared on my hand. I licked it a few more times to make sure I got all the legs which also came along with smeared blood on my finger- gross!
I run up a hill and turn a sharp corner filled with bushes on my run, which is where I once literally ran into someone else- hard on contact.
Another day I was running belong a soccer field located in a park where lots of families picnic with a bathroom at the corner of the field. But instead a guy was peeing in the bushes beside me.
Once I was running and a bug flew into my mouth, it was pretty gross. I licked my hand to get it off my tongue and a dead bug appeared on my hand. I licked it a few more times to make sure I got all the legs which also came along with smeared blood on my finger- gross!
I run up a hill and turn a sharp corner filled with bushes on my run, which is where I once literally ran into someone else- hard on contact.
Another day I was running belong a soccer field located in a park where lots of families picnic with a bathroom at the corner of the field. But instead a guy was peeing in the bushes beside me.
Friday, May 8, 2009
ICE Bar, the oldest amusement park/roller coaster in the world and Tivoli
Last weekend I went to the Copenhagen Ice Bar. The entire bar is made out of ice, even the cups! They gave us big capes to wear to keep us warm too.
Today I went to the oldest amusement park in the world, Bakken. It is also home to the oldest roller coaster in the world. It is actually a really long, fun, wooden ride and even has a driver in the last car! This amusement park was more like Six Flags, while Tivoli (the more famous amusement park in the center of Copenhagen I went to with my parents) is more similar to Disney.
Today I went to the oldest amusement park in the world, Bakken. It is also home to the oldest roller coaster in the world. It is actually a really long, fun, wooden ride and even has a driver in the last car! This amusement park was more like Six Flags, while Tivoli (the more famous amusement park in the center of Copenhagen I went to with my parents) is more similar to Disney.
Laundromat Café & Ketchup
There is this really cute café near where I live called the Laundromat Café that I have been going to study for finals. It’s a café, but they also have laundry there too! I was wondering why I was able to get so much work and studying done, usually at home I can never go to Starbucks to do work. Then I realized- its because everyone is speaking Danish. It is a lot easier to concentrate when people are speaking a different language and you can’t ease drop! Yes, I am taking Danish, but not that good.
On another note, I am out of ketchup but too cheap to buy another bottle because I am leaving in one week! (This one lasted me my entire stay). Meanwhile in Denmark you can’t just make a Burger King bag and take a bunch of ketchup packets- you pay for them here. So I think I will get creative like my friend who does not like the ketchup here (it does taste different) and use tomato sauce; or use salsa like I do with everything else (Salsa and carrots is a GREAT snack).
On another note, I am out of ketchup but too cheap to buy another bottle because I am leaving in one week! (This one lasted me my entire stay). Meanwhile in Denmark you can’t just make a Burger King bag and take a bunch of ketchup packets- you pay for them here. So I think I will get creative like my friend who does not like the ketchup here (it does taste different) and use tomato sauce; or use salsa like I do with everything else (Salsa and carrots is a GREAT snack).
The Queens Birthday
Flags were on all of the busses, it was great! Soldiers marched down streets of Copenhagen for the changing of the guards- as they do every day, but many came to watch. There was a big crowd around to see the Queens of course. However, I pointed out to my parents the apparent difference in culture. In the states if everyone was crowding around to see something, there would be no space to move! Here however, everyone remains in their own personal bubble here and do not stand close to each other. If the ball fell in Denmark on New Years Eve there still would not be a true crowd!
Danish Culture
Danes have a very different culture and are brought up differently than Americans. While Americans are raised to think they are something special, Danes are told they are no better than anyone else. This is also shown in their school system; there are no honors or advanced classes. Everyone is in the same class, not exceptions.
Additionally, Danes do not brag. You will not find a grandmother bragging about any accomplishments, gymnastics competition, modeling, or good grades as mine does. Did I mention Americans are different?
Additionally, Danes do not brag. You will not find a grandmother bragging about any accomplishments, gymnastics competition, modeling, or good grades as mine does. Did I mention Americans are different?
Monday, May 4, 2009
Hamburg, Germany
It was finally time for the day I had been dreading yet eager to experience. It was time to travel to Hamburg, Germany to see a concentration camp with my Holocaust and Genocide class.
We would leave Friday at 5:30 and arrive in Hamburg at 11 that night. This included about 4 hours of driving and a 45-minute ferry ride. Saturday morning we woke up at 8 (some people hung over from going out with the teachers the night before- I was smart enough to know it would be a long enough day as it was) and first went to a school where 20 children were murdered right before the end of the war (the Germans killed them because they did not want any trace of the medical experiments they had performed on them during the war). There was a museum inside but we did not have enough time to go in so we just stood outside and had a 15-minute lecture.
Next we made a short stop to see a building that still had punctures from the bombing during World War II. We then went to the city square to see a church, and had a little over an hour to walk around and grab lunch.
At 12 we headed to Nuengamme, the concentration camp we would be visiting. It was not what I expected at all. First off out your guide was great but I’m not sure she knew we were a Holocaust and genocide class; I did not learn as much as I thought I would. She is a historian and has a very interesting background. Her grandfather was an SS soldier. She also informed us that it is complete bull shit if anyone tells us people were forced into the position, it was a chosen profession. She used the term bullshit once more, it is the response she stressed to anyone in the town would claim they did not know about the camp during its existence.
Anyway, it was s beautiful day and there where a few beautiful flower bushes, which confused me- it was not the feeling one should get when visiting a concentration camp. The barracks had been taken down after the war because the camp was turned into a prison until 20 years later when it became a memorial for the Holocaust. There were extensive exhibits that were well done with a lot of material about the camp but nothing too much to see, or at least not as much as I though I would see.
I think it is good that they still have the camp in its somewhat presence because I saw a few other tours that I assumed to be “class trips.” I think for schools in the area it is a very important trip to take and I was glad to see it was there for them to visit, especially because our tour guide informed us of the 5 percent of Neo Nazis that still exist in Germany. Additionally, there are conservatives who agree with some of their standpoints; which is why I think it was good for other schools in the area to be visiting.
One girl on my class described her reaction well, “it was hard to connect with.” Another point to explain my feelings towards the camp was that my teacher said one year he was at another camp and there was a survivor who said, “they have grass here now? I don’t remember there being any grass, if there was grass back then we would have ate it.” However, I would like to mention that my teacher said the camps in Poland are very different than the ones in Germany.
We would leave Friday at 5:30 and arrive in Hamburg at 11 that night. This included about 4 hours of driving and a 45-minute ferry ride. Saturday morning we woke up at 8 (some people hung over from going out with the teachers the night before- I was smart enough to know it would be a long enough day as it was) and first went to a school where 20 children were murdered right before the end of the war (the Germans killed them because they did not want any trace of the medical experiments they had performed on them during the war). There was a museum inside but we did not have enough time to go in so we just stood outside and had a 15-minute lecture.
Next we made a short stop to see a building that still had punctures from the bombing during World War II. We then went to the city square to see a church, and had a little over an hour to walk around and grab lunch.
At 12 we headed to Nuengamme, the concentration camp we would be visiting. It was not what I expected at all. First off out your guide was great but I’m not sure she knew we were a Holocaust and genocide class; I did not learn as much as I thought I would. She is a historian and has a very interesting background. Her grandfather was an SS soldier. She also informed us that it is complete bull shit if anyone tells us people were forced into the position, it was a chosen profession. She used the term bullshit once more, it is the response she stressed to anyone in the town would claim they did not know about the camp during its existence.
Anyway, it was s beautiful day and there where a few beautiful flower bushes, which confused me- it was not the feeling one should get when visiting a concentration camp. The barracks had been taken down after the war because the camp was turned into a prison until 20 years later when it became a memorial for the Holocaust. There were extensive exhibits that were well done with a lot of material about the camp but nothing too much to see, or at least not as much as I though I would see.
I think it is good that they still have the camp in its somewhat presence because I saw a few other tours that I assumed to be “class trips.” I think for schools in the area it is a very important trip to take and I was glad to see it was there for them to visit, especially because our tour guide informed us of the 5 percent of Neo Nazis that still exist in Germany. Additionally, there are conservatives who agree with some of their standpoints; which is why I think it was good for other schools in the area to be visiting.
One girl on my class described her reaction well, “it was hard to connect with.” Another point to explain my feelings towards the camp was that my teacher said one year he was at another camp and there was a survivor who said, “they have grass here now? I don’t remember there being any grass, if there was grass back then we would have ate it.” However, I would like to mention that my teacher said the camps in Poland are very different than the ones in Germany.
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