(no subject)
Big update ‘cause someone’s gotta have at least marginal interest in what I’ve been up to in Denmark.
So I arrived in Copenhagen a little more than two weeks ago now, and haven’t had the time to fully update. Now I’m remedying that by writing this out while I do have spare time, and it’ll be a long one cause it’s gotta sum up two weeks of pretty busy and interesting times.
Started off in Copenhagen with orientation and what not. Met my host family, which for the most part is one guy in his mid-thirties in an apartment. He’s pretty cool though, a little conservative (by Danish standards-read US democrat) which is weird, incidentally I specifically wrote in my housing application to live with left wing people, because I thought it would be interesting to see how that would be. In any case, it works out. We actually sometimes go to his family’s place a few minutes away.
Classes. Classes are interesting. I have history of copenhagen which is crazy, because I am sstudying in copenhagen, so I’m seeing all this stuff while I’m learning about it. Incidentally, the DIS main building is rin Medieval Copenhagen. So pretty much I’m where Copenhagen was more or less founded. Further incidentally, I live in Roskilde, the former capital, and whereallmost every danish monarch is buried. It’s also where King Valdemar gave Copenhagen to Bishop Absalon. Long story. Also, since there is next to no writing on the City of Copenhagen in English that’s worth reading, we don’t have to write papers, but rather give presentations. The Jews in Europe is the hardest course, involving 2 3000+ word papers, each worth a quarter of my grade, among other thing. It’s nasty, but it’s interesting. And a little depressing. I supppose all courses on this subject matter would be, and I’d be afraid if it were any other way, it’s not happy stuff. Nordic Mythology is perhaps the most notable class. My professor is a full head taller than me, is always sweating profusely, is constantly making jokes and his name is Morten Warmind. It’s almost as though it’s out of Harry Potter. 20th Century Europe is pretty cool as well, and has it’s primary focus on Germany, which is cool because in the past the primary focus in my 20th century classes have been on the US or China.
Weekends. They’ve been busy, and I haven’t had much time to go out and explore the town until this past weekend, where I got out a little. First weekend brought me to Trekroner, with other students living in Roskilde a nearby town for their annual fair, which was interesting. By the way, live Danish comedy shows primarily involve men singing songs originally sung by women, and then kissing audience members. That is, after a brief parody of revivalist Churches. The next day I went to an orientation thing that ended in the Happy Pig, a reasonably popular bar. I got a free hotdog and drink, but left soon after, because even in Denmark, I can be a stick in the mud. Brandon, I feel your pain. Also I went to my host brother’s family’s place, which was cool, they’re fun people. This weekend I went back to Roskilde early on friday, because I had to be awake early on Saturday morning WHEN I WENT TO A MUSEUM BASED ON VIKINGS. It was probably the coolest museum ever, and if I were ten years younger, I wouldn’t have left the play place, which by the way, had legitimately crafted metal weapons in it to play with. We also went to a number of other places including a Bronze Age burial mound, and Trellerborg, a really freaking sweet ancient Viking offensive base. Also, we went to the place Beowulf took place. Grendel’s mom was not seen. Sunday I went to Fredericksborg castle, which was also really cool, and probably the biggest and most ornate castle I’ve been in. It also houses all the shields of the people who’ve won the prize of the Order of the Elephant. Oh yeah, I went to Christiania too, it was disappointing. It would have been more interesting 3 years ago before the Government cracked down on it. Oh yeah, I went to another ancient Viking place too earlier, but with my host family. It was frigging crazy and interesting. There were goats and frogs all over the place.
HISTORY QUIZ FOR HISTORY NERDS: Who is the only American to ever win the Order of the Elephant, Denmark’s most prestiguous award, and why?
Furthermore, there’s other good and interesting stuff in Denmark too. Advertisements for Pirate Porn on the street. Snakes on a Dane. Adult magazines sold openly in 7/11 and other establishments, the Little Mermaid statue which is open for people to stand next to and even touch (and cut the head off of apparently, but that’s another story) crazy castles, goats, frogs (seriously, lots of them).
Being social: It’s hard to do when you live outside of the city, but I’ve made some pretty good friends from Gettysburg and other colleges. And there are lots of pretty girls. Some of whom talk to me. So, yeah, rock on.
I’m glad that things seem to be getting better in Gettysburg. I hope to hear from you soon on AIM or through posts/comments or through email or otherwise. I might post again later if I forgot any critical details.
So I arrived in Copenhagen a little more than two weeks ago now, and haven’t had the time to fully update. Now I’m remedying that by writing this out while I do have spare time, and it’ll be a long one cause it’s gotta sum up two weeks of pretty busy and interesting times.
Started off in Copenhagen with orientation and what not. Met my host family, which for the most part is one guy in his mid-thirties in an apartment. He’s pretty cool though, a little conservative (by Danish standards-read US democrat) which is weird, incidentally I specifically wrote in my housing application to live with left wing people, because I thought it would be interesting to see how that would be. In any case, it works out. We actually sometimes go to his family’s place a few minutes away.
Classes. Classes are interesting. I have history of copenhagen which is crazy, because I am sstudying in copenhagen, so I’m seeing all this stuff while I’m learning about it. Incidentally, the DIS main building is rin Medieval Copenhagen. So pretty much I’m where Copenhagen was more or less founded. Further incidentally, I live in Roskilde, the former capital, and whereallmost every danish monarch is buried. It’s also where King Valdemar gave Copenhagen to Bishop Absalon. Long story. Also, since there is next to no writing on the City of Copenhagen in English that’s worth reading, we don’t have to write papers, but rather give presentations. The Jews in Europe is the hardest course, involving 2 3000+ word papers, each worth a quarter of my grade, among other thing. It’s nasty, but it’s interesting. And a little depressing. I supppose all courses on this subject matter would be, and I’d be afraid if it were any other way, it’s not happy stuff. Nordic Mythology is perhaps the most notable class. My professor is a full head taller than me, is always sweating profusely, is constantly making jokes and his name is Morten Warmind. It’s almost as though it’s out of Harry Potter. 20th Century Europe is pretty cool as well, and has it’s primary focus on Germany, which is cool because in the past the primary focus in my 20th century classes have been on the US or China.
Weekends. They’ve been busy, and I haven’t had much time to go out and explore the town until this past weekend, where I got out a little. First weekend brought me to Trekroner, with other students living in Roskilde a nearby town for their annual fair, which was interesting. By the way, live Danish comedy shows primarily involve men singing songs originally sung by women, and then kissing audience members. That is, after a brief parody of revivalist Churches. The next day I went to an orientation thing that ended in the Happy Pig, a reasonably popular bar. I got a free hotdog and drink, but left soon after, because even in Denmark, I can be a stick in the mud. Brandon, I feel your pain. Also I went to my host brother’s family’s place, which was cool, they’re fun people. This weekend I went back to Roskilde early on friday, because I had to be awake early on Saturday morning WHEN I WENT TO A MUSEUM BASED ON VIKINGS. It was probably the coolest museum ever, and if I were ten years younger, I wouldn’t have left the play place, which by the way, had legitimately crafted metal weapons in it to play with. We also went to a number of other places including a Bronze Age burial mound, and Trellerborg, a really freaking sweet ancient Viking offensive base. Also, we went to the place Beowulf took place. Grendel’s mom was not seen. Sunday I went to Fredericksborg castle, which was also really cool, and probably the biggest and most ornate castle I’ve been in. It also houses all the shields of the people who’ve won the prize of the Order of the Elephant. Oh yeah, I went to Christiania too, it was disappointing. It would have been more interesting 3 years ago before the Government cracked down on it. Oh yeah, I went to another ancient Viking place too earlier, but with my host family. It was frigging crazy and interesting. There were goats and frogs all over the place.
HISTORY QUIZ FOR HISTORY NERDS: Who is the only American to ever win the Order of the Elephant, Denmark’s most prestiguous award, and why?
Furthermore, there’s other good and interesting stuff in Denmark too. Advertisements for Pirate Porn on the street. Snakes on a Dane. Adult magazines sold openly in 7/11 and other establishments, the Little Mermaid statue which is open for people to stand next to and even touch (and cut the head off of apparently, but that’s another story) crazy castles, goats, frogs (seriously, lots of them).
Being social: It’s hard to do when you live outside of the city, but I’ve made some pretty good friends from Gettysburg and other colleges. And there are lots of pretty girls. Some of whom talk to me. So, yeah, rock on.
I’m glad that things seem to be getting better in Gettysburg. I hope to hear from you soon on AIM or through posts/comments or through email or otherwise. I might post again later if I forgot any critical details.