Denmark
Okay, so I have been in Arhus for...almost two weeks. In the beginning there were moments when all I wanted to do was go home, because being lost and confused all the time and speaking no Danish was not very much fun. But things are much better now. I still get lost and speak no Danish (which is an incredibly hard language to learn), but I've realized that the easiest way to get unlost is to ask people. Everybody here is really nice and for the most part understands my English. Plus, a lot of the exchange students are not so lucky as to speak fluent English, so it is even more difficult for them. I am registered and caught up in my classes (even though I missed the first lecture in all of them), and I have food. Phew.
Now I can start to appreciate how FUN this can be. I have 4-day weekends every week, which is good since I have been going out every day/night except for Wednesday (when I took a 4-hour nap). Even though drinks are really expensive in the city, a lot of the clubs/bars have no cover charge most of the time, so if you want to hear live music or go dancing then it's a great deal. If you want to get drunk, you're better off going to a private party or pre-gaming a lot (apparently pre-gaming AND after-gaming are huge, and often lead to a night that ends at 8am). I've been to one "Danish-style" party, and now I can see why Danes are known in Europe for their alcohol consumption. But at the party I also unexpectedly got invited to join a choir, so that's pretty exciting. And I've been to the art museum and had homemade Italian lasagna, and maybe today will go ice skating, with the group of international students that have quickly become my friends. It's ridiculously easy to meet people.
Oh, and my apartment is great. I made French toast (which the French students of course have never heard of) for my Danish roommate...mmmm.
Now I can start to appreciate how FUN this can be. I have 4-day weekends every week, which is good since I have been going out every day/night except for Wednesday (when I took a 4-hour nap). Even though drinks are really expensive in the city, a lot of the clubs/bars have no cover charge most of the time, so if you want to hear live music or go dancing then it's a great deal. If you want to get drunk, you're better off going to a private party or pre-gaming a lot (apparently pre-gaming AND after-gaming are huge, and often lead to a night that ends at 8am). I've been to one "Danish-style" party, and now I can see why Danes are known in Europe for their alcohol consumption. But at the party I also unexpectedly got invited to join a choir, so that's pretty exciting. And I've been to the art museum and had homemade Italian lasagna, and maybe today will go ice skating, with the group of international students that have quickly become my friends. It's ridiculously easy to meet people.
Oh, and my apartment is great. I made French toast (which the French students of course have never heard of) for my Danish roommate...mmmm.