Classes start tomorrow. Finally. My reading for my Jews class is from a book published by Beacon Press. The small world continues. We went on a tour of Carlsberg Brewery today. You don't get to see actual beer making, it's more of a Carlsberg-is-the-best promotion and museum. It was cool though, and it was followed by beer and sandwiches. Their lager has a nice caramel taste. They use Tork paper towel dispensers in their bathrooms, just like Star Island. I finally know what it must be like for other people when I'm on the island and their stuck on the mainland unable to reach me. This week feels so long mostly for that reason; the only person on island I've really communicated with at all is Jeff, because he spends all his time online in a little closet. Of course, I would yell at anyone else if they tried to talk to me on AIM while they were on Star Island. But then I would go ahead and talk to them. My parents are there too though, so the lack of contact is even more evident. I haven't talked to them since I said goodbye in Newark.
I'm mostly looking forward to classes because I want to know who are the people are be seeing regularly. I'm so ready for some solid friends and community, but that always takes time. After the tour tonight I hung out with a bunch of people by the fountain in the square and wandered around a bit. It was nice. And like being able to hang out with new people and introduce myself and make new friends. But I miss the intimacy of Star, where you know you'll be seeing everyone regularly so you might as well become friends, and where everyone lives so close together that there are always people easily accessible for hanging out. But I like Copenhagen and DIS. It should be a good term.
In heaven and hell there ain't no beer. So you better drink it all while you're here.
Thursday, August 31, 2006
Wednesday, August 30, 2006
new rules, new letters, and the other end of the alphabet
Having finally learned a bit of Danish (Jeg er i Danmark. Jeg bor hos en familie. Jeg hedder Ariel.), I'm really interested in the phonetics of the language, because they are SO different from English. I though I was pretty on top of all the "a" vowel sounds, but boy was I wrong. Practice makes perfect though, so who knows how many things I'll be able to easily pronounce by the time I leave. The Danish letter Å, which comes after Z and makes an O sound, is creating some problems for me, because it's often typed out as "aa." So instead of being first in alphabetical order, I have all but once been last. Of course, when we line up for things in different alphabetical sections, like today for textbooks, the alphabet only goes to Z. But instead of being in the A-G line, I was supposed to be in the R-Z line. Thanks a lot Denmark. I'm getting married and changing my name before I come back here. I like knowing for certain where to find myself. Or maybe I'll just join the one A Aronsons. But then I wouldn't be first alphabetically anymore. Oh the tragedy.
Everyone keeps telling us that the Danes are often perceived as rude because they don't have a word for "please." I'm kind of disgusted by the emphasis the people who perceive the Danes as such put on that simple little word. Of course the way something is said says more about politeness than the words themselves. Everything I hear about Danish manners and such I like (except their punctuality). They're sarcastic but also really honest and straightforward. So much more genuine. In America, people throw words around too much. Words like please, people don't mean them when they use them. It's just habit and "good manners" and a way of pleading.
The Danes keep to themselves, but I feel comfortable smiling to people I pass in the street. They give off much more welcoming vibes than the New Yorkers I see on the train and subway. I don't know yet how much of København I could walk around in a day, but at least the parts I've explored so far just feel small and cozy. Even though I can't read any of the signs, I'm not overwhelmed.
Unlike Star Island, where nude sunbathing is explicitly forbidden, in Copenhagen it is legal in the parks and on the beaches. I've been doing a lot of Star Island/Copenhagen comparisons, even though they're really not at all alike. For example, at DIS, you can only smoke outside by ashtrays. And the facilities manager has to clean them up, instead of me doing it (imagine Skip Holt emptying butt cans). It's nice to have Laura here to talk about Star Island with. I was wearing my Star sweatshirt when I got here, and another DIS student asked me if I knew Zach Bouricius and Tom McCarran. Small world. And Laura met a friend of Amber's and a friend of Bethy's today. It really is just impossible to escape that place. And I like that. It's nice to live in a place where I can sunbathe topless without having to worry about the politics involved. Not that I would, but it's a matter of principle. The Danes are the happiest people in the world, and Pelicans would be a lot happier if they were left alone to sunbathe at Lovers without having to worry about getting in trouble. That kind of thing is SO good for developing positive body image and comfort with one's body.
Everyone keeps telling us that the Danes are often perceived as rude because they don't have a word for "please." I'm kind of disgusted by the emphasis the people who perceive the Danes as such put on that simple little word. Of course the way something is said says more about politeness than the words themselves. Everything I hear about Danish manners and such I like (except their punctuality). They're sarcastic but also really honest and straightforward. So much more genuine. In America, people throw words around too much. Words like please, people don't mean them when they use them. It's just habit and "good manners" and a way of pleading.
The Danes keep to themselves, but I feel comfortable smiling to people I pass in the street. They give off much more welcoming vibes than the New Yorkers I see on the train and subway. I don't know yet how much of København I could walk around in a day, but at least the parts I've explored so far just feel small and cozy. Even though I can't read any of the signs, I'm not overwhelmed.
Unlike Star Island, where nude sunbathing is explicitly forbidden, in Copenhagen it is legal in the parks and on the beaches. I've been doing a lot of Star Island/Copenhagen comparisons, even though they're really not at all alike. For example, at DIS, you can only smoke outside by ashtrays. And the facilities manager has to clean them up, instead of me doing it (imagine Skip Holt emptying butt cans). It's nice to have Laura here to talk about Star Island with. I was wearing my Star sweatshirt when I got here, and another DIS student asked me if I knew Zach Bouricius and Tom McCarran. Small world. And Laura met a friend of Amber's and a friend of Bethy's today. It really is just impossible to escape that place. And I like that. It's nice to live in a place where I can sunbathe topless without having to worry about the politics involved. Not that I would, but it's a matter of principle. The Danes are the happiest people in the world, and Pelicans would be a lot happier if they were left alone to sunbathe at Lovers without having to worry about getting in trouble. That kind of thing is SO good for developing positive body image and comfort with one's body.
Tuesday, August 29, 2006
where the minimum wage (for 18+) is 93 kr
Well, I'm kind of overwhelmed by all the DIS activities that have me meeting many American students my age who I may never see again, but I'm really liking my host family. Tonight Siv's best friend came over for dinner. At the meal we all talked about minimum wage and some Danish political issues and youth drinking and racism in Denmark. These are the kinds of things I want to hear about. So I'm tired, but it's great. We had a bus tour of Copenhagen today, which was nice, I saw some of the important sites, like the little mermaid. But afterwards I took a "scenic" route back to the train station from DIS and walked down some pretty happening blocks which gave me a better sense of the city. I really like it. And I got a complimentary chocolate with my coffee. I love people who love chocolate as much as I do. I'm trying to get a sense of the value of kroner. Until then, I'm probably paying way too much for everything. But that's what I get for studying in one of the world's most expensive cities (and the happiest- I wonder what that says about money).
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