Conquering Cobblestone in Heels

So, last night a big group of us went out to Moose Bar and Surf Bar to celebrate our Friday night. I actually ended up going home really early (even before the night buses started), so I got a full night of sleep and I’m in a very productive mood today. I thought it would be nice to reflect on and share a few memories of my second semester…

• Katrine, Kasper, and Dan coming to Kulørbar with me and dancing the night away. I introduced all three of these Danes to one of the most fun night clubs in København, and I’m proud to say that they LOVED it. Although I may be a study abroad student, even the locals appreciate my taste. Oh, and then collapsing in a heap in the kollegium hallway in a pigpile on top of Dan. Laughing hysterically.
• Finding black and white decorations for my dorm room. I bought black and white print wrapping paper and brought back some lightweight purple and black fabrics from home. My room is so much cozier now with just a few artistic touches. I am going to be so sad to take everything down at the end of the semester – the black little birds, the black and white photos and frames, the Paris-inspired wall-hanging, the purple draping and candles, and my $20 black mattress cover. It feels much homier than last semester, and it fits my style like a glove!
• Teaching the new girls some made-up table-hitting game at Kulørbar … somehow convincing them that I had played it before.
• Jumping on the back of Marianne’s bike – multiple times – to cruise from on downtown spot to another, illegally.
• Watching the entire first season of Prisonbreak with Dan, and then visiting a real Danish prison on my short study tour. Entirely different conceptions of prison.
• Debating about the Danish tax reform initiative that is currently being discussed in Parliament. Dan, Jakob and I discussed the costs and benefits of reducing the student stipend that is tax-funded and how that would affect students’ investment in education. Awesome topic to discuss and I love hearing Jakob’s opinion on everything because he is extremely passionate and thoughtful.
• Meeting a guy from Paradise Hotel (a very sleazy and racy TV show), who then gave me a Corona. My first celeb-sighting in Denmark!
• Dancing the night away at Karel van Mander (formerly Emma Natklub), an ultra-exclusive, ridiculously expensive, get-fingerprinted-at-the-door, no cameras allowed, swanky hotspot near Kongens Nytorv. There were Danish celebrities there and the men’s bathroom had a rose waterfall for them to pee on! Imagine being at a Hollywood bash… that’s what that night felt like, complete with two anorexic Danish twins who looked like Mary Kate and Ashley. Fascinating.
• Everything about my short study tour with the ECH France group. Long bus rides, climbing up and down mudslides, exploring old castles and progressive prisons, allergic reactions to fish, the uber-enthusiastic tour guide in Jelling, Danish shots at the top of the hill, Jakob’s accent, learning Danish songs from Ditte, singing with the high school headmaster at a folk high school (Ry Højskole), exploring Århus and digging deep into my wallet for a delicious but expensive meal, plenty of dancing at Crazy Daisy in Kolding, walking almost an hour to get back to the hostel, getting cars to pull over to give us walking directions, breaking down all barriers and bubble space with Marianne, little kids dressed in red snowsuits learning how to ride tiny bikes, rainy sightseeing, the most fantastic museum I’ve EVER seen (ARoS) with the most thought-provoking exhibitions, hanging out in basically a bomb shelter, being picked by the old tour guide to translate Morse code with Erin, “frat frat frat” chants, naming ourselves Fox, Tiger, and Coyote, debating Gus about women’s self-perception and sexual oppression, being cooler than the other DIS groups, toasting (skål) to anything and everything, bring chased out of an art exhibit because one of the museum staff saw me taking pictures, the mirror room, the ET room, the pornographic table, the big child, the back of the bus vs. the front of the bus, majority apparently doesn’t rule, being asked if I was a famous person at the club, French twists, Poker Face, heart-to-hearts, no sleep, loading up on candy at bus pit stops, counting-off, watching the bus driver make ridiculous 3-point turns, free crates of beer, “I bet you Marianne is…”, and tons of inside jokes.
• Surprising Dan with my ability to read and translate Danish. Incorporating little Danish phrases into my vocabulary.
• Wearing little umbrellas in our hair for Rannva’s birthday.
• Discovering new favorite places in the city and new ways to get around.
• Always missing bus 1A, or running after it so that I can make it to my first class right on time.
• Conquering cobblestone in heels.
• Breaking my black purse because the strap was so worn down. Then somehow turning it into a clutch purse for the remainder of the evening.
• Talking to some rich Danish kid about how much he hates the immigrants (enlightening but terrifying conversation, food for thought).
• Watching all the Americans adjust and gradually learn to lower their voices in public places.
• Making pancakes and cookies from mixes I brought back from the states. Yes, I cheat. It’s the only way I’ll cook.
• Blasting music from my “dkbn” playlist, “Denmark By Night,” which consists mostly of techno and disco songs that Dan shared with me.
• Fruit flies in the kitchen. Eww. Okay, not such a fond thing.
• Banana smoothies every weekend! My favorite thing in the whole wide world.
• The care package my sister sent me, including Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, a sweet mix CD, the cutest card, and a Mr. Potato head sticker book.
• Tearing up at episodes of Extreme Makeover Home Edition, especially the one from Manchester, New Hampshire. Dan thinks I’m such a sap.
• Laughing – a lot.
• Dancing – a lot.

 

That’s all for now, folks.

 

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~ by Elizabeth on February 28, 2009.