Lagkagehuset Love

I am officially IN LOVE with Lagkagehuset. I went there again this morning and tried an herbal tea and a kanelgiffel.

Yes, a kanelgiffel is just a Danish cinnamon roll...but it was LIFE CHANGING! Easily the best thing I have eaten in Copenhagen thus far. And wayyyyy better than any Pillsbury or Dunkin Donuts cinnamon rolls in the States. My herbal tea was equally delicious. But at 43 DKK for those two items...I should probably try to limit my love to a once a week affair. <3

Freezing Cold & Still Sickly

As I have mentioned before, everything in Denmark is rather expensive. Prohibitively so, in the case of a cash-strapped study abroad student still hoping to travel. So after class today my friend Liz & I set out on a mission to find a place to eat, with three main goals:

• Relatively inexpensive (like under 40 DKK)
• Warm food
• Place to sit and eat inside

After 2 1/2 hours of roaming the streets in Copenhagen, we hand not found a single place to eat that met all three goals. Some places we found were over 100 DKK for a pizza! Some places were 30 DKK & under, but those were take away stands outside in the freezing cold. Having set out on this mission around 2:30, at 4:30 we ended up in line at a hot dog stand literally a block from school, where we had started.

My conclusion is this: It is IMPOSSIBLE to find a place to eat in Copenhagen that serves warm food inside while still being reasonably priced.

Also, I have decided that all Danish phrase books/dictionaries should contain a separate section dedicated exclusively to the hot dog stand. The menu is SO confusing and I have found that the operators have the worst English skills. Which to be fair, I should have better Danish skills.

But anyways, Liz pointed to a hot dog that was priced at 27 DKK, and what she got was a bacon wrapped hotdog topped with ketchup, mustard, pickles, onions, and crunchy fried onions all in a bun for 35 DKK. Now she did get what she wanted, just not at the right price. I went up and pointed to THE SAME EXACT PICTURE (asking for it without raw onions), and what I got was a bacon wrapped hot dog with separate piles of ketchup, mustard, and crunchy fried onions all on the side and a tiny bun on the side. Can someone please explain this to me?  I'm confused.

 Either way, I've been home for almost three hours now and I'm still freezing from our unsuccessful trek through the streets of Copenhagen. And I'm out of cough drops. I also don't have any soup...

BUT I'm optimistic that things will get better once my health gets back to normal! We've got lots of candles in our apartment, so it is very hygge in here. And before our disastrous trek, I found a great bakery/cafe right by DIS to get coffee, bread, & sandwiches from. Its called Lagkagehuset. =] 

On My Deathbed

So as you may have noticed, I have been absent from my blog over the weekend. This is mainly because I fell ill this weekend and didn't leave my bed or do much of anything if I could avoid it. For much of the weekend I could barely see out of my left eye because it watered nonstop and grew swollen due to the use of napkins instead of Kleenex (which they do sell here, but they're pricey). Leave it to me (who never gets sick) to get sick during my first weekend in Denmark!

My roommate & I have been to the Netto nearly every day to buy some type of groceries. But of course, it never occurred to us to buy: soup, tea, hot chocolate, sugar, or honey. All things that are VITAL when one is sick! I knew I wouldn't find my favorite Lipton soup in the grocery stores here...but I was able to at least fond one comfort of home: Celestial Seasonings tea, specifically Sleepy Time. Score one for the sickly American! lol

Anyways...on to more exciting things than my sickness. Friday night (before I got sick) we FINALLY went out and experienced the Copenhagen nightlife. Danes do what they call 'warming up' before they head out to a bodega or diskotek, what we in America would call pre-gaming. And its no wonder why. Drinks are expensive at the bars here in Copenhagen (not surprising, since everything is expensive).

Myself, Jacklynn, Jessie, & Kelsey 'warmed up' for about two hours and probably didn't leave to go out until at least 11, each of us sporting a good buzz by that point. We tried in vain to find The Happy Pig, and instead ran into others living in our kollegium. We settled on Compass Bar, which lured us in with student discounts & free entrance. Yeah....my vodka cranberry was 52 DKK and a shot of whiskey was 25 DKK. But at least they had plenty of couches to sit on! lol

I mistakenly wore heeled boots out that night...and walked home in my socks. We didn't meet any Danes, but we had fun. =]

The Official Start to My Semester

Classes started yesterday, which was both exciting and sad. lol. I was deathly afraid of being late to my first class, which was at 8:30 and my commute from Østerbro is approx. 20 minutes. I prefer taking the S-tog from Svanemøllen to Nørreport station then walking to DIS. Less nerve-racking. lol. But I did pretty well. I haven't been late to a class yet.

I'm taking 7 classes this semester, which is a lot by DIS standards. Four of my classes are on Mondays/Thursdays, two are Tuesdays/Fridays (one ends in March when my 7th class starts). So this is what I think of my classes:

Cultural Diversity & Social Capital: This is my core, and my teacher is awesome. He's Danish. Everyone I've talked to is like jealous and thinks he's awesome too. lol. I'm super excited to go to Istanbul.

Sociology of the Family: My teacher is on leave from Wooster College in the States, so she's kind of in the same boat as the rest of us. She's very laid-back.

A Cultural History of Travel: My teacher is German. The class seems like its going to be different than I thought it would...but still interesting.

Art Matters: Contemporary Art in Copenhagen: This. Class. Is. Awesome. Our first day we went to an art exhibit at the Black Diamond. Gregory Crewdson is originally from NY. His exhibit was called 'In a Lonely Place', and it featured three collections, two shot in the States, one specifically in MA (which was cool) and one shot at the famous Cinecittà in Rome. The collections were 'Beneath the Roses', 'Fireflies', and 'Sanctuary'.  Below is the program for the exhibit (featuring one of the photos from his 'Beneath the Roses' collection) and my ticket:

International Advertising in a European Context: My teacher is originally from TX. I'm excited for the class because its in my official major (Marketing) rather than my DIS major (Migration & Conflict). I hope to get a lot out of the experience.

Gender & Sexuality in Scandinavia: This teacher is also originally from the States. Right off the bat, our first assignment for the class is to 'write a sexual fantasy that you consistently find arousing, perhaps the one you think about most often.' (Sorry family!) So...this class should be interesting. lol. I haven't decided if I'm going to do the assignment yet or not (its voluntary AND anonymous). I'm just bummed that the optional study tour to Amsterdam on Perspectives on Prostitution & Human Trafficking was cancelled. =[

But now I'm taking Auschwitz: From Genocide to Memorial (which doesn't start until March) and plan on going on that study tour instead. And that's kind of a run down of my classes!

My roommate and I cooked dinner again last night. I'd call it a success. Jacklynn made the spaghetti and the sautéed green beans with garlic & olive oil, while I cooked the hamburg, garlic, salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper that went into the pasta sauce and baked the baguette with a little bit of olive oil & shredded gouda. =]

I also had my first Danish beer tonight. With my entire Cultural Diversity & Social Capital class as well as with my teacher. It was Royal Classic and it was...okay. lol

Things I Have Learned Thus Far

I have been living in Denmark for about four days now, so I thought it apropos to share some of my observations from life in København:

• D's are not d's in Danish. They are L's. Example: Vestergade is pronounced Vestergale.
• Ø is pronounced like "ooo". Østerbro becomes Ooosterbro.
• It is not Copenhagen. It is København. And 'havn' is pronounced 'houn', sort of like noun.
• Danish public transit is among the quietest in the world. Literally, you could hear a pin drop on the S train. And that's not even in the 'Stillezone'.
• Only a**hole Americans jaywalk. All Danes wait their turn, even when there isn't a single car in sight.
• Danish bikers WILL run you over if you are not careful. 
• But they will never shout, just ring their bike bells at you.
• Coffee is severely overpriced - if you're going to the wrong places.
• Beer is served EVERYWHERE. Coffee shops, bakeries, etc. And cans are not just offered, beer is actually on tap.
• Haircuts (like most everything) are extremely expensive in Denmark.
• Tiger (pronounced tie-yah) is THE place to go for cheap housewares and pretty much anything else. Its like the Danish version of the Dollar Store.
• Every square in the center city looks the same, and therefore it is easy to get lost.

Finally, I have learned that although I am not taking a Danish Language class, I am actually picking up key phrases fairly quickly. I have even been complimented on my accent & pronunciation by real live Danes! lol. Maybe it has something to do with my Danish heritage...

The Amazing Race

So today was my first official full day in Copenhagen. Woke up at 7 am, got ready WITHOUT the use of a straightener or blow dryer (very interesting...hoping to change that situation VERY soon), then followed my fellow DISers to Svanemøllen Station. We had our welcoming ceremony at the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek, which is a museum dedicated entirely to sculpture.

 

After that we broke off into groups to begin The Amazing Race. Basically, we were given a map and a list of destinations and left to navigate our way throughout the city. Pretty cool and yet daunting at the same time. But I enjoyed getting to know my way around the city. Some of the places we visited were: Parliament, the Royal Palace, New King's Square, the Church of our Saviour in Christianshavn, the Royal library (also known as the Black Diamond), and Studenterhuset.

One of the most exciting things that happened to my group today was witnessing the changing of the guards. It was so cool! They marched down the street and played instruments and shouted and twirled their batons.

Also, I got to eat my first REAL danish today! lol

So that was my day. Once we finished the Amazing Race, had some smørrebrød, and picked up our textbooks I got lost in the city with my roommate and another girl from our program. It was bound to happen at some point, and I'm sure it will happen again. Hopefully next time I won't be carrying 20 lbs of textbooks!

Jacklynn (my roommate) and I also went grocery shopping at the Netto. We spent approx. 550 kr on food, and we haven't even bought produce yet...whoops. To make things worse, I  forgot my shopping bags, so we hand to carry everything in Jacklynn's one big bag. It was killer.

We cooked our first meal together, but not having gone to Tiger yet for spices...we had to get creative. What we ended up with was Dijon chicken and fusilli pasta with mornay sauce, garlic, & gouda cheese. It was actually pretty tasty.

Overall, a great first day. I'm loving the city, minus all of the construction. =]

The Journey

Sorry I have been absent from here the last few days, but traveling and getting settled has been CRAZY! As you know, Saturday was my departure day. I spent the morning stuffing items into barely definable places and kneeling on top of my suitcases to make them close. I also spent a great deal of time wrestling with my TSA-approved luggage locks. In the end, this is what I wound up with:

 

Two suitcases (each just barely under 50 lbs), a rolling duffel carry on (10 lbs overweight), and my massive purse. 

My grandmother, great grandmother, aunt & I all piled into the car with my luggage to make the journey to Logan Airport. We got there 3 1/2 hours before takeoff, so they stayed with me for an hour, which was nice. Then we said our tearful goodbyes. Once through security, I instantly located swarms of other DIS students on my same flight. I swear, our plane was 95% study abroad students & like 5% other travelers. 

My flight went from Boston to Reykjavik, Iceland to Copenhagen, Denmark. The first leg of the trip it was boiling hot on the plane. Then on the second leg I was freezing!

DIS was great about picking us up at the airport, and luckily my luggage arrived in Copenhagen intact. I got my first look at Østerbro Kollegium, what I will be calling home for the next four months. My roommate was there when I arrived, helping me into the room because I apparently can't open a door. lol. Its a cute little studio apartment, with two windows and a windowed door that opens out to nothing? Kind of dangerous...but whatevs. None of the furniture or bedding is matched and we are seriously lacking in storage space and hooks to hang things on the wall. But its cozy. (Pictures to come)

I Dag er Dagen

AKA: Today is the day. The day I've been waiting for. The day I have been talking about for months, ever since I booked my flight.

And you know what? I'm scared. Scared and nervous and excited and sick to my stomach at the thought of leaving my family and friends. Somehow I don't think I would be as scared if my great grandmother wasn't as old as she is (we're very close) or if my best friend wasn't leaving for Basic Training in Texas for eight months three days after I come home from this adventure.

For months I have been saying goodbye to people. I've said "oh, I'm moving to Denmark" more times than I can count. I've heard "Be safe" even more times than that. Its not moving to a new country that frightens me. Its the leaving part.

But you know what? I've wanted this for as long as I can remember. Once I leave the comfort of my family and get dropped off at the airport, my excitement will kick in. I never thought I'd be going to Denmark, but I always knew that I'd study abroad in Europe. Knowing that I'm going to a country that I have actual documented roots in is incredibly exciting!

So to my family & friends I say, 'Jeg elsker dig.'

And to my flight buddies and my future travel buddies I say,

'Det glaeder mig at traeffe dig.'

Tre Dage...

Three days left until I board my plane to Denmark...

And yet all I have packed at this point is socks, underwear, mini toiletries, and jewelry. Seriously considering JUST taking these items because there is no way that everything else is going to fit. And also, I just don't have the patience for this whole packing thing. My Packing Genie is currently going to school in Virginia (aka 600 miles away).

I could really use Mary Poppins' overnight bag or Hermoine Granger's spell-casted purse right about now. Even if I do manage to fit everything into my bags within the next 3 days, there is absolutely NO WAY that I will be able to make it work all over again four months from now. Especially not with the things I will have bought during my travels. This is my absolute least favorite part about traveling.

On a brighter note, I found out today that I might get to see my dad before I leave. He travels for work and lives in Texas, so I haven't seen him since last Christmas. But there's a chance that he'll be in New England on Friday. =] Seeing one out of two parents before I move to a new country, not bad. lol

Packing Will Be the Death of Me

There are only four days left until I board the plane that will take me to Denmark. I shall be gone for four months, and am allowed 2 checked bags, a carry on, & a purse (Thank you Icelandair!). Think I've packed anything yet? NOPE!

So far I have put pretty green zebra striped ribbons on my handles, packed my 3-1-1 liquid carry on products, and labled my luggage tags. GO ME! Hahahaha...I'm screwed.

S'now Goodbyes

When asked by family what I wanted for Christmas, I of course said money. I'm going to need lots of it to make the most out of this amazing opportunity, so therefore cash gifts were my #1 priority. However, I also needed a new pair of winter boots. Not serious ones, but stylish ones like UGGS only 100,000x less ugly.

So when my stepdad asked me what I wanted, I made the mistake of telling him about said boots. Being an avid hunter and fisherman and all around practical guy, he was all about the "Are they warm?!" "Are they thick, heavy, and ready for a trek through the Arctic Circle???" BIG mistake. He immediately erupted in impassioned and erratic rants about how he was NOT going to send his only daughter halfway across the world to a Scandinavian country without proper footwear!

And so this is the story about how I ended up with the most badass, heavy duty, no fuss, no muss, practical winter boots known to man:

 

Check these puppies out. I didn't even know shoes like this existed. But then again, he DID shop at Dick's Sporting Goods. Leave it to Barry. =P

But this post is not about my stepdad nor the shoes, really. This post is about how I live in New England, and yet today, January 16th/17th is the FIRST time at all this season that I have had a reason to wear said boots. 

IT IS FINALLY SNOWING!!!!!!!

All November, December, January long I have been wishing for snow. And it has finally arrived! Its almost as if New England is giving me a proper goodbye. <3