Settling Down in Denmark

Finally an update. Sorry for the long wait. I just got my computer at work today and before that I only had quick use of my roomates computer so I didn't want to take much time.

Wow who knew so much could happen in a week. But I guess that's what happens when you move to a new country, move out on your own and start a new job. So much to write. But i'll save some so this doesn't turn into an really really long one.

People
So it seems appropriate to start this off my introducing some people. Sorry no pics yet, maybe i'll do that soon.

The Other IAESTE Trainees
Ales is from the Czech Republic and is in software writing. Here is here in Aalborg for 1 year working for one of the companies who writes the software for mobile phones.

Iva is from Serbia and is also in softward writing. She is here for one year and is also working at the same company.

Dorota is from Poland and is just here for 6 weeks and is working for a Civil Engineering company here.

The Dorm
First off is my roomate, Baliz (pronounced Bailey, like the drink). He is from Hungary and just finished his high school. He saw a presentation on the college system here in Denmark and decided this was the place for him. So he will be studying computer science here for the next 2 years. We get along great. We've been playing table tennis and watching movies on his laptop (we watched Fast and the Furious: Tokoyo Drift, it was good).

The building is full of international students. The first sunday I was there we had a dinner getogether and there was 13 of us. Then this latest sunday we had a pizza making night and there was 17 of us. There was 5 Polish, two Mexicans, two Spanish guys, two cute French girls, Serbia, Czech Republic, two Chinese guys, a Japanese guy, my Hungarian roomate, Iranian, a guy from Lebanon...i think that is it for now. There are Danish people staying in the dorm as well but they never come out for the getogethers. So yeah, it's really cool meeting all these people.

The first couple days were a little hard. Everyone speaks English in the dorm, but for the first time I found it a little hard because I was the only one with English as my native language. So everyone else had something in common, english was their second language. So they felt comfortable talking to each other because if they made mistakes it was common. Where as I think some might have been nervous to speak to me as they think their english isn't the best where as mine is....well native. But everything is good now that I've gotten to know them better and have even asked me to help correct their english which always is hard for me to correct them but it's all good. Plus I'm learning more of other languages, especially some french words.


Shopping
Ok, seriously I shouldn't be allowed to go shopping.
1. I like food way too much and I want a lot of things when I go shopping
2. I don't know what things are supposed to cost!! What's a good deal? Especially when the price is doubled and converted to the Danish Kroner.
But like a good boy, i've been writing everything down and prices to eventually get the hang of it.

Cooking
So everyone knows I'm not the best cook....ok so I can barley cook at all. But what I can do is follow directions!! But...the directions are in Danish so I can't even do that. So i've mostly been eating Spaghetti, hot dogs, boiled and fried potatoes, noodles, pre-made pizzas and bacon and eggs.

So if anyone has some simple stupid proof recipes they'd like to send me I would be most obliged. Keep in mind I own a pot, one fork, one knife, a spatula, I borrow Baliz frying pan, and the oven is basically a toaster oven. So there you go. See what you can do for me.

Work
Work is good, actually really good. I have my own office and stuff. I will save the nature of my work for another post. But it's really intersting and everyone here has been really helpful and friendly.

Life in Aalborg
Denmark is another Netherlands. Everything is flat and bikes are everywhere!!!. Seriously, there are more bikes then people, and bikes are worth nothing since there are so much. Coincidentally I got a bike for nothing, it was left in the basement of our building by someone last year who couldn't sell it when they finished last year since bikes are worth nothing. So I ride to work everyday. It's all downhill on the way there, so it takes like 10 mins. About 25 mins on the way home.

The city is nice and small. Around 100,000. Hence you can bike anywhere in town in 15 minutes (unless it's uphill :-) )

We went to a couple out door movies last week which were fun. I saw Kiss Kiss Bang Bang which was a really great, witty, funny movie. And then saw the Legend of Zorro again.

Ok before this post turns outrageously long I'll end it. I will try to have smaller more frequent posts in the future.

Thanks for the comments. Took me a minute to figure out who the Ken was that was posting, had to look at the picture :-) Thanks!!

Logan