I've been staring at the blank interface for a few minutes now, trying to think of a way to start my study abroad blog without appearing cheesy or hackneyed. Unfortunately, I've probably done both by now. Oops. So now that that's out of the way, we can get down to business...
Welcome to my blog!
As you should already know, I'm spending the fall semester of my junior year in Copenhagen, Denmark. I decided to keep a blog for several reasons. First, I can keep my mom constantly informed of my adventures (hi, mommy!). Second, I can reflect on said adventures and remember this chapter of my life when I am old and senile and puttering around my condo in Boca, making chicken soup for my 9 grandchildren and 17 cats (this is inevitable). Third, I won't have to repeat the same stories a jillion times or clog your inbox with impersonal group e-mails.
That doesn't mean I don't want to hear from you, of course! I hope this blog becomes as much of a dialogue as possible. Leave me comments! Tell me what was boring, what amused you, what you want to hear more of. And tell me about your life! Please! I'm going to miss being a direct part of it! (and since I sent you the link to this blog, that is the absolute gospel truth.)
Every day since I was accepted to DIS (Denmark's International School), I've been fielding the same questions every day. So here are the FAQs:
Person: Oh, you're going to Denmark! That's so... different! Why did you choose that?
Me: Honestly, more process of elimination than anything else. I wanted to go to a non English-speaking country and also fulfill my major requirements. Denmark was the only place outside of England and Australia that had quality film and psych classes so... here I am!
Person (clearly bored and unimpressed): Cool. So, do you, uh, speak any... uh... any... what language do they speak there?
Me: No.
Person: So you're going to learn... Denmarkian/Dutch/Swiss/German?
Me: Danish. Yeah. I'm taking an intro class, everyone in the program does.
Person (relieved): Do you have any friends going?
Me: Shockingly enough, I managed to wrench myself from Kait's side for more than 5 minutes and am going alone. I decided that, at 20 years old, I am finally able to travel sans chaperone.
Person (missing the sarcasm): Wow! that's so brave of you!
Me: Yep. Gotta cut the cord sometime.
Person: Where are you staying?
Me: With a host family (mother, father, and 2 little boys) in a small town called Dragor on the island of Amager - about 15 km from downtown Copenhagen.
Person: Wonderful! You're going to have such a wonderful adventure! So, uh, what is Denmark known for?
Me: I have been compiling a mental list all summer. It includes...
- Danish pastries
- Great Danes
- Hamlet
- Beowulf
- The Little Mermaid (pre-Disneyification)
- saving the Jews during the Nazi occupation in WWII
- herring
- notable artists and thinkers such as Hans Christen Andersen, Soren Kierkegaard, Jesper Knudsen, Carl Dreier, Lars von Trier, Niels Bohr
- slightly less notable artist Brigitte Nielsen (that big blonde lady who used to be with Flava Flav)
- '90s pop sensation Aqua ("Barbie Girl" - holla!)
- Tivoli Gardens
- Lego Land
- fjords
- castles
- socialism
- high taxes
- blonde-ness
Person: Bitchin'. Have fun!
Me: Oh, I will...
