Another Blonde in Denmark: Feverish Musings & A Picture Story

The Danish influenza was inevitable. My roommate was down and out with it last week and as soon as I started hearing scattered whispers of it throughout the DIS buildings, I knew that it would very shortly be upon me. I was holding my breath in vain. If there is a germ to catch, I will catch it, without question. Such a weakling. It truly never fails. So while my social life has hit the pause button and the Danish nightlife is dangling tantalizingly out of my reach for the time being, these past couple days in bed have given me some much needed time to catch up on my journaling and organize my academic life (& my life altogether). Ibuprofen/yo-j cocktails are the only cocktails I see in my immediate future.

I must say that so far, I am extremely impressed by the DIS program. I'm not sure exactly what I expected from my first couple of introductory weeks in Copenhagen. I suppose I envisioned more time spent wandering aimlessly, trying to figure out the streets, the stores, the language, on my own. But DIS put together a very impressive orientation schedule filled with endless activities; survival danish classes, a scavenger hunt to help orient us in the city, field trips to castles, dinners with our Danish teachers. Every second has been filled with new experiences and danishes. One of the very first (and truly most vital) things we were taught in Danish is how to say:

I would like a danish.
Jeg vil gerne have et stykke weinerbrød.
(Yai vi ger-na hay et stooka veener-brohhhth)

This silly little "ø" is just impossible. It comes from the back of the throat, in a really awkward, gurgly sort of way. I sound like I'm gagging. My danish teacher assures me that by looking in the mirror when you practice it, you will improve. But I'm very certain that if I looked in the mirror, it would then sound AND look like I was gagging.

Here are few of the best photos from orientation week and the following first week of classes:

Danish design at its best in the "Black Diamond" Royal Library. This is where I plan to spend time cramming (when necessary).

Our scavenger hunt group hit the postcard worthy area of Nyhavn at just the right moment for sunset shots.

Kongens Have (The King's Gardens) ... venturing away from the scavenger map, I found my favorite place in Copenhagen.

The director of DIS, Anders Urskov, waits in the cold with everyone else to introduce us to Rosenborg Palace ... and to point us in the direction of free soup!