The Little Things

When people talk about their experience at DIS, a lot of times they focus on the epic adventures -- the week-long travel breaks spent in the shadow of the Eiffel tower or trying to right the Leaning Tower of Pisa, bar crawls that last until the early hours of the morning, study tours that take you to countries you have never even heard of before -- but I have found that my experience in Denmark has been equal parts the epic and equal parts a sum of the little things. Yeah, I'll never forget the near death experiences biking in the streets of Vienna or the awe-inspiring sight of the Chain Bridge lit up against the night sky, but I will also forever cherish the memories of chilling with my friends in the common room of the IPC, long discussions over dinner with my visiting family, or even the sleepy commute everyday from Helsingør to Nørreport. Here is a small glimpse into the little things that have come to characterize my life in Denmark:

Sitting around the bonfire at IPC. All we need are some s'mores!

Laughter and beer = perfect ingredients for a hyggeligt night. 

Post-Easter dinner with my visiting family. Nielse did
 a great job color-coordinating the utensils.

Lungfish roe. It doesn't really have much flavor, but
 it is really all about the texture.

Lungfish roe with sour cream, red onions, salt, and pepper on bread.

My visiting family invited me over for dinner last Thursday, and I popped on over after my last class. I was a little pooped after my exam, but their enthusiasm is always catching. They wanted me to try food that was as authentically Danish as possible so we had this lungfish roe, white fish baked with onions and lemon juice, and fresh baked bread with parsley and olive oil. I was in heaven. Then for dessert, we had some kettle corn that my girlfriend had brought upon my request from the States. Apparently, the Danes don't use any kind of seasoning on their popcorn besides salt. Their expressions of confusion, then concern, then begrudging enjoyment were PRICELESS.

After our meal, Kristian brought out some ginger tea, and we ended up talking for at least four hours about topics ranging from why it is acceptable to eat some animals and not others, abortion, immigration, seafood, buffets, the food in Taiwan, tipping practices in the States, religion, and gay marriage. So I came out to my Danish parents, I guess. Way less nerve-wracking than when I told my real parents. Whew. Kristian's stance on love: "Love is beautiful." I agree. 

So yeah, definitely look forward to planning massive expeditions throughout Europe, but also look forward to quiet days-in with a cup of hot chocolate and Baileys, philosophical discussions that make so much more sense after midnight,  and peaceful afternoons cuddling in a hammock because in the end, it's the little things that really add up to the full-blown study abroad experience that you'll never forget.

Random Fun Fridays

Fridays, for me, are a great day to unwind. I spend the morning and early afternoon volunteering at Cafe Paraplyen, have a great traditional Danish meal for lunch, then I can choose to either take the rest of the day off and relax in Helsingor or explore the Copenhagen in my free time. 

Smørrebrød -- the traditional Danish open-faced
sandwich I talk about incessantly.

Stegt flaesk (thick slices of bacon) with potatoes
 in parsley sauce and røbeder (beets) on the side.

I learned how to make a traditional Danish birthday cake (lagkage = layer cake) today. There were two volunteers that I haven't met before, Katerina and Jasper (pronounced "yasper") and they were just a hoot. Jasper would break out into song and everyone in the kitchen would join in. The layers were filled with coffee cream and a prune cream sauce that I thought looked terribly sketch. When we were beating the coffee cream, Jasper snidely remarks, "Looks like shit." BAHAHA. The ladies gave him an exasperated look before giving in and making their best "taking a shit" expressions. 

After all that talk about learning Danish three weeks ago, I finally had the brilliant idea of carrying some pen and paper around in my pocket and writing down the things people were saying to me. Here are some key expressions I learned today:

"Hvordan går det?" -- "How are you?"

"Jeg ved det ikke." -- " I don't know."

"Jeg kan godd lide _____." -- "I like _____."

"Jeg kan ikke lide _____." -- "I don't like _____."

"Hvad laver du?" -- "What are you doing?"

"Har du brug for hjælp?" -- "Do you need help?"

"Ja tak"/ "Nej tak" -- "Yes, thank you."/ "No, thank you."

"Det ser godt ud" -- "It looks good."

"meget træt" -- very tired

I also learned that older Danes have atrocious handwriting.

The great thing about volunteering at Cafe Paraplyen is that I get to work alongside a very diverse group of people. There are the retired volunteers, the weekend volunteers, and then there are the work training volunteers. Apparently, in Denmark, the physically/mentally disabled undergo some sort of training where they work an increasing amount of hours and days in a week to acclimate to the workplace environment. I have also found that the attitude toward the disabled is very different in Denmark as compared to the United States. While in the United States, it is considered very un-PC to put down the disabled and institutions are made to go out of their way to accommodate the needs of the disabled, in Denmark the general population appears far less sympathetic. I don't often see ramps around public transportation buildings. There is a woman with cystic fibrosis volunteering at the cafe, and no one pays her any special attention, even when she is struggling to pull herself a chair without the aid of her two crutches. I thought maybe it could be a matter of personal pride, but I hesitantly asked her if she needed any help, to which she responded "Yes, thank you." What, Denmark? WHAT. She has been volunteering there for a loooong time and no one ever offers to help her pull out a chair when she is clearly struggling?? Also, one of the volunteers, Mercedes (who is actually native to Hungary), was talking about how she doesn't like one of the other volunteers because she never smiles. I was really shocked and a little appalled because the other volunteer in question was one of the mentally disabled workers enrolled in the training program. Did she expect her to whistle while she worked? 

When we were on our short study tour, we learned that there were not very many specialized psychiatrists in Denmark and that care for patients with these needs often fell to the general practitioners. I find it a little surprising that a country that boasts of such comprehensive national healthcare coverage could neglect to address mental well-being. I don't know if this is because I grew up in the US where psychiatric issues have undergone heavy medicalization in recent years. Anyways, this attitude toward the handicapped is something I am definitely going to observe and analyze more carefully in Denmark. Maybe I will bring it up in Human Health and Disease class and get a native perspective. 

Anyways, my friend from DIS, Shyniece, came to visit me at the Cafe today. She heard that we served some cheap, amazing, traditional Danish food and she knew she wanted in. We had lunch together, then I left my volunteer site a little early to check out Christiania. I don't know if it was because we were there at 2PM on a weekday, but it was rather deserted...but I've been told that it is usually that sketch. I guess I expected it to be kind of like Marijuana Disneyland, with big, clear signs pointing straight to it after getting off at Christianhavn Metro station. After about 30 minutes of searching, followed by some very sheepish asking of the locals, we finally found the shady little entrance...disappointing to say the least. We spent about 15 minutes there before we declared that we were bored and that we were leaving. We then took the metro back to Norreport and hit up the hookah lounge there to salvage the day. The apple hookah tasted a little bit like black licorice...but that's Denmark for you.

You're not allowed to take pictures in Christiania, but here are some random pictures from the past few weeks that have been collecting dust on my memory card:

NBD, just two miniature ponies inside
 a mall at Helsingor.

All dressed up for our Valentine's Day party at the IPC.

The cutest magnet of the Obamas hanging on my visiting family's
fridge. You can dress them up in different clothes.

Day Trip to Sweden

So a bunch of us cool kids at the International People's College (IPC) got tired of sitting around on Sundays, pretending to do work, and we decided to make a trip to Sweden...you know, your average spur of the moment decision. We rounded people up and left at noon, walked down to the ferry station, and were on our way to another country within half an hour. It only cost us 55 kronor each, roundtrip! Actually, it cost less because we bought a 10 single-ride value card (which equals 5 round trips), and shared the savings. Sweet. This is pretty much going to be picture spam:

Saying goodbye to Helsingor

Four DIS and four IPC students embark on a great adventure!
 Fanciest ferry ever. It had a cafe and a convenience store inside.

We are clearly happy to be in Sweden.

Sweden's architecture actually looks fairly similar to Denmark.
Maybe it's a Scandinavian thing? OK, the architecture majors are
 probably shaking their heads at me right now.

The view of Town Hall from the watch tower.

Karnan, the famous defensive watchtower in Helsingborg

Just had to take a moment to appreciate this majestic
statue.

This is the Dunkers Culture House. The modern architecture hints
 at the fun that awaits inside. Definitely worth checking out.

Standing around in front of Town Hall. 

This reminded me of Half Moon Bay...but with snow. 

This simply HAD to be shared.

 As it turns out, most stores in Helsingborg are closed on Sundays. Still, it was fun to just meander around the quiet city. We would point to things in the distance that looked cool and just make our way over. Nothing like an epic snowball fight in the shadow of a historic watchtower to make you feel like you've had the time of your life. Also, things were a little bit cheaper in Sweden. Just remember to get some SEK, or the Swedish krona. We just ended up using our credit cards, but those foreign transaction fees can be a pain in the ass. I can't wait to come back and check out the cafes and chocolatiers!

On the way back to the IPC, we found this shady looking bus parked on the side of the road

"Slikbussen" literally translates to "The Candy Bus". Every American
parent's worst nightmare.

It was literally a bus full of candy. Simon (Germany) was
 over the moon.

All in all, a very successful day! Short study tour starts tomorrow! I better get some sleep. Need to get up at 5:50 AM to make it down to Copenhagen for my first class at 8AM. Sigh.

Disease and Compensation

DISCLAIMER: This post is going to be kind of all over the place because that is how the last couple of days have been. Bear with me here...

I've been sick and out of  commission for the past two days. Coming down with a fever and having to brave a walk home in 25°F weather with the chills is not the business. It did, however, make me very grateful that DIS had urged us to bring cold/flu medications because they aren't as easily purchased here in Denmark. So for future reference, stockpile the meds, the painkillers, the birth control, etc. before you come because it's illegal for it to be mailed to you once you're here! It will definitely come in handy. I was talking to one of my classmates the other day who suffers from insomnia. She didn't bring her serotonin thinking she could get some here. Long story short, the past few days have been miserable for her.

I missed three classes on Thursday, including a special tour of the Radiology department at the Gentofte Hospital with my Human Health and Disease course. I am so disappointed. :< Also, sort of an epic fail as the Medical Practice and Policy program blogger. Sorry!

Spending the day in bed does have its perks though. I got caught up on some TV reading. No joke, a few of my courses assign ~60 pages of reading per class. That's about 200 pages of reading per week. I'm either going to master the art of judicious skimming or die trying.

On the evening of my second day of deathly illness, I finally mustered the strength to wander upstairs for some dinner. I was immediately roped into our weekly Friday party. The student council here at the International People's College (IPC) decided that this week's theme would be a Costume Party. We were directed downstairs to the costume room...and the pillaging begun. Just a few pictures to illustrate the chaos of the night:

Hristijan (Macedonia) as some sort of Greek King,
 Kristyn (DIS) as a Nicaraguan/French Queen 

Leopold (Belgium/Mexico) as a stunning geisha,
Anna (DIS) is either a Russian Bunny or a  Playboy
Assassin?

Tucker (USA), Yuichiro (japan) and Gyurgy (Czech Republic)
as a skiing pimp, terrifying woman, and...Matrix Medusa? respectively.

Can you guess how many males and females are in this picture?

Overall, a good time had by all! :)

Absolutely everything we are wearing in these pictures was found in the magical Costume Rooms. It was like a thrift shop of Macklemore proportions.

Also, woke up in the morning to this brunch spread. Ample compensation, I would say, for these past couple days of misery...

Fashion Show: Just Another Day at the IPC

Last night, the students at the IPC put on a "little" fashion show. Quick lesson of the week, IPC don't play, they go all the way. Just a few pictures from the explosive event: 

Chris, who helped coordinate the entire event. To get an idea
of his character, check out his music video on Youtube here.
Also, several of the Japanese students helped put
 together the decorations. When they realized they spelled
 "fashion" wrong, they looked so discouraged that one of
the DIS students exclaimed, "You didn't spell it wrong.
 It's 'FAH SEE YOHN! Much fancier!'"

Maggie (front, Bulgaria) and Henry (back, USA) showing
 off their swag.

Kristyn (DIS) and Alex (Brazil) bringin' down the house.

Every night is party night here at the IPC!

Just a taste of life at the International Højskole. Photo credits go to Pavel!

First Day of School

You know it's been a rough couple of days when waking up at 7:30 AM is considered "sleeping in". Breakfast is served between 7:45-8:15 AM here at the International People's College. When Danish people give you a deadline, they mean it. A gorgeous spread is waiting when you arrive at 7:45 and promptly whisked away at 8:15. People who mosey in late don't get fed and receive no sympathy. It takes some getting used to. As a slow eater myself, finishing a meal in 30 minutes sounds like a precursor for indigestion. I sat down to breakfast this morning with three Japanese, one Czech, one Bulgarian, and one Danish student.    We were told during Orientation that Danes aren't ones to make small talk. I think the same applies to many other cultures as well. I have definitely noticed that when I sit down to meals with the other American DIS students, we are often the only table having conversation while eating. At the IPC, the students come from all over the world, so perhaps the silence can also be attributed to a language barrier or unfamiliarity. I look forward to testing this theory and seeing if conversation over meals will make an emergence once we get to know each other better.

My class schedule today:
Gender and Sexuality in Scandinavia
Sociology of Family
Service Learning Seminar
Human Health and Disease (Core Course)

As a Neuroscience major and a pre-med, it isn't often that I get the chance to take humanities courses, let alone ones that I am actually interested in. My first two classes absolutely blew me away. I don't know if it was because of the small class sizes (around 20), but the professors were very approachable. They seemed to really enjoy the topics they were teaching and genuinely invested in the exploration of our own ideas and interests. Very different from the rote memorization that I am accustomed to. There was this one embarrassing moment where I ran into my Sociology of the Family professor in the stairwell and mistook him for a student. I even asked him if he could get out his ID card and swipe me in! Imagine my horror when I saw him begin to unpack his things in the front of the classroom! In my defense, he was wearing jeans and this amazing pair of blue and black high tops. The Danish classroom is definitely a bit more casual than its American counterpart, but I feel that it helps to facilitate more authentic and uninhibited discussion.

I also received my volunteer assignment today during the service learning seminar. The idea of this class is to enrich the volunteer experience by bringing it to an intellectual level. We are expected to devote three to four hours to our volunteer site each week then meet once a week to discuss what we have done, the difficulties we have faced, the cultural differences we have experienced, etc. I was assigned to Cafe Paraplyen, which translates to Cafe Umbrella. Its mission is to provide discounted meals and activities for those who are either socially or economically disadvantaged. I look forward to seeing how I can get involved!

My core course actually takes place at Gentofte Hospital, a short bus ride away from the DIS.

I found this gem on the bus. I love how ice
cream is such a primary feature of the
Danish diet that it merits its own category.

The bus ride was well worth it because when we arrived at the hospital, there was hot coffee, cookies, fruit, and candy waiting for us.

The doctors said we needed a sugar boost in
 the middle of the afternoon in order to
function. I agree 100%.

Even though it was my fourth class of the day and I was exhausted, this class made me look forward to the rest of the semester. Today I learned that in Denmark, doctors actually do not get paid a lot. They may enjoy a higher status in society because of the nature of their work but in most cases are driven by a legitimate desire to help others, not monetary gain. Also, the ratio of women to men in the medical field is actually in the women's favor! The two doctors that lead the class are both working mothers -- three children each! As a young woman looking into becoming a doctor myself, I hope to learn from their perspective on balancing work, play, and family.  This may be more do-able under the Danish healthcare system because a doctor's workday ends at 3 PM except for days in which they work the night shift. Anyways, I look forward  to weighing the pros and cons of different healthcare systems, especially when we visit Budapest and Vienna! Heeeeyyyy.

Pssssst, the doctors also informed us that we will gain hands-on experience such as learning how to put in an IV over the course of the semester. The pre-med geek in me is doing mental backflips of excitement. Yee! I can't wait!

Anyways, I just verbally vomited all over this blog. Justified, I hope, since it's the first day of school. Tomorrow, I only have Neuroscience of Fear but since I'll be making the commute all the way down to Copenhagen anyways, I might as well take the chance to explore the city some more. Time to charge my camera battery and start Googling sights in Copenhagen. Woot!!

Hello There, Denmark!

After over 15 hours of flight time and layovers in Seattle and Iceland, I have finally arrived in Denmark! Was so exhausted yesterday, I barely had the energy to unpack. When we were greeted by a hot meal consisting of rotisserie chicken, sea-salt encrusted baked potatoes, and roast broccoli/cauliflower, I knew I had definitely chosen the right place for housing this semester.

At first, I was skeptical about living a 45-minute commute away from the DIS in Copenhagen. But the appeal of socializing with other international students studying abroad in Denmark and the sense of community that comes with life in a Folkehøjskole definitely overruled my fears. I made the journey to Copenhagen from Helsingør today for Orientation, and my fears have been assuaged! The train ride is so peaceful and quiet, I can definitely see myself using that time to write blogs, reflect on the epicness of each day spent in Denmark, or even just to nap. Also, living in the IPC (International People's College) comes with the perk of an unlimited transportation pass to all zones. This definitely comes in handy if you're like me and have a penchant for getting lost. Got on the wrong train heading in the opposite direction? No problem, just step off at the next station and try again! (True story.)

Woke up at 6:30 AM this morning to eat breakfast and catch the bus. The alarm was originally set for 6AM, but when it went off, both my roommate and I sat up, looked at each other, and with no words exchanged,I reset it for 6:30.

 Breakfast was an amazing mix of unfamiliar cereals, fresh baked bread with Nutella and raspberry jam, yogurt from a carton, and coffee. I definitely look forward to starting my morning with this every day.

Copenhagen, Biking Capital of the World!

At the Opening Ceremony, Director Uhrskov gave an amazing talk that made me really excited to explore Europe and immerse myself in the Danish culture. The open and engaging nature of the DIS program is definitely going to encourage me to step out of my comfort zone and develop the "real identity" that the Director mentioned.

After the ceremony, we were directed to the Amazing Race in Copenhagen. Three hours of walking throughout the city in the snow? Should have been agonizing, but the sights were so amazing, I hardly noticed the jet lag. (The fatigue is settling in, however, as I type. Ow, my feet.) Below, a few pictures of the places we went.

The equestrian statue in front of the
Danish Parliament

The altar at the front of the Church of Our
Savior. If you have the chance to visit,  try
 to count how many elephants there are total.

"Copenhagen" = "Merchant's Harbor"

If you look closely, you can see the two armed guards who
circle the many buildings of the Danish Royal Palace.

Yeah, lots of walking today. Also, we were promised free Danishes at the end of our adventure, but they ran out by the time we got there!! All the disappointment!

Picked up a hefty stack of books at the library this evening. I guess I better get crackin' on that required reading... :\

So exhausted! Got back and had dinner at around 6:30 PM -- that's 12 hours we've been up, out and about.  My roommate and I are now relaxing in the room and refusing to let ourselves sleep until a reasonable hour. I can't wait until I kick this jet lag so I can stop feeling like a social zombie and start actually getting to know all the other students here. 

Orientation: Day Two starts again at 6:30 AM tomorrow morning. Wish me luck!