So I'm done with school and any major trips after the last one. Now I'm just living a normal life in Copenhagen, experiencing a "summer" vacation for a few weeks. That's something I haven't experienced in quite a few summers. I think I know why--I get really bored really easily. I feel like a brat saying that because I'm living in Europe in the center of a major city while most people my age are working full time by now. It's a little different when most of your friends are gone, you have no family, and your boyfriend has exams to still study for. More alone time than I think I have ever had before. I'm starting to really enjoy it though. I will admit that I have been a bit lazy some of the days but I don't really have anything else to do. All of the traveling is done with for me mainly due to a lack of money. The weather was nice for a few days but from now until I leave it will be in the 60s, cloudy, rainy, and windy. If I was motivated enough I would explore other parts of Denmark, but right now I'm content in Copenhagen living in a big city... I've seen the small city parts before and also I did go to the countryside one day for a bbq.
Throughout the whole semester I have been writing about money concerns and now it really is taking it's toll. It's towards the end and I feel like I am really scraping here to just make it home. I am so so sorry if I can't bring gifts home for everyone, which I know I can't. I know there are a lot of people who have been really supportive of me through this semester and I will try to get a little something for people but souveniers especially are expensive here (a plain keychain for $12) so please understand!!
A little (short) recap of what I've been up to for the past week or so:
**Been riding a bike around.. "The Mustang" one day I took it to Fitnessdk, quite a long bike ride and of course I got lost. Saves me more than $60 if I don't have to pay for a metro pass though. Biked to the beach one day, very crowded though so I didn't stay too long
**Tivoli one day--I thought it was pretty good. Not really the experience I was expecting but good. For being the most visited place in Copenhagen I wasn't all that impressed. (If you don't know, Tivoli is an amusement park/gardens place that a lot of concerts are held) I think too nerdy business students shouldn't be allowed to go there alone because conversation always lead to the murky water or how expensive it was for one ride ticket vs. the bracelet, etc etc. At night there were the illuminations though--a light/sound/fire water show which was sweet. Dino loved the Cold Stone ice cream (the only one in Europe).
**On the night of Dino's exam (exam was in the morning) I surprised him with dinner in the park and chocolate fondue. I made spaghetti w/meat sauce (his favorite meal) and we had homemade fondue, which is really fun and easy to make but can't be healthy for you. That night we played cards with a bunch of people upstairs.
**Spent a few days in Helsingor with Dino's family. They were excited to hear about our trip to see their family. One night we made the fondue for his family with melted Toblerones. Other than that we were pretty lazy the whole time, worked out and watched tv.
**After Jonathan finished his exams (a Friday afternoon), we went to Kongens Have (big park) and had a few beers. That night we met up with Dinos friends at A-Bar. A really good night, it was great to mix CBS exchange students with Dino's friends that I have hung out with before.
**Walked to Christiania. Uneventful because I've been there before (twice) and I still think it's a sad place. This is the alternative lifestyle place in Copenhagen mainly just a district where all people want to do is not work and do drugs. Everyone just seems screwed up. I think I might take my kids there to scare them straight to never do drugs.
**Went out for Marcos' last night. Probably one of the best nights in CPH in awhile. It seemed like everyone was there and having a really good time. We all hung out upstairs beforehand just like we used to--drinking and fighting over music that usually ended up being country. Then we all went to Sams Bar (karaoke) and ended up singing "Livin on a Prayer" all of us as a group. We didn't leave there until after 3am and the sun was rising. We thought it would be funny to go to the other dorm by us (Peders) and sing "Happy Birthday" to Rob, and no it wasn't his birthday. One of the first days here we did that to someone in Tordens. We also tried to make a Tordens Pyramid. Ahh.. such a good night!
**Hung out for Ben's last night. No one got any further than 3rd floor common room. We drank Pearly Bay wine, the cheapest wine ever from Netto which we have been drinking alot this semester and had a country power hour.
**Went to the Sex & the City movie. I just love going to the movies lately. I thought it was a little overrated but I still liked it.
And today the exciting news.... DINO IS COMING TO THE USA! He had another interview with the US Embassy and they approved him for a visa this time. He was a lot more prepared for it this time after knowing what they were going to ask and look for from the first one. He booked his flight tonight and will be there from June 19--July 5th!
*************************PICTURES**********************************
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2108592&l=e485b&id=73404302
(and if you're just dying to see the Tordens Pyramid let me know, I don't have the picture on this site but I can get it easily)
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Friday, June 6, 2008
Pictures from Croatia & Montenegro
Split Pictures:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2109997&l=2eadb&id=73404302
Dubrovnik Pictures:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2110040&l=89835&id=73404302
Montenegro Pictures (Budva, Bar, Podgorica, Ulcinj):
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2110168&l=1f60b&id=73404302
enjoy :)
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2109997&l=2eadb&id=73404302
Dubrovnik Pictures:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2110040&l=89835&id=73404302
Montenegro Pictures (Budva, Bar, Podgorica, Ulcinj):
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2110168&l=1f60b&id=73404302
enjoy :)
Monday, June 2, 2008
Croatia & Montenegro
Back again but this time from probably the best trip I've taken all semester. Dino and I traveled to Croatia and Montenegro. We went first to Split (Croatia), then Dubrovnik (Croatia), next up was Budva & Bar (Montenegro), Podgorica (Montenegro), and lastly Tragori (Croatia). The travels through Croatia were very touristy and we barely saw any of the real lifestyles but we stayed with Dino's extended family in Montenegro and got a real-life Montenegrian experience.
Leaving Copenhagen (on Friday the 23rd) was a disaster. Our flight (with Sterling.. who SUCK!) was delayed and we didn't end up getting to Split until 3:00am! Our ride who was supposed to pick us up around 10pm couldn't stay that long so we had to call a taxi which took another 45 minutes and $70 before we got to our hotel by 4:30am. Running on no sleep we were off to discover Split in the one day we had there. Luckily Split can easily be covered in a day if you only do the basics--mainly the "Old Town". As I would later find out, most cities have the old part of their city still intact. Old city of Split on the Dalmatian coast is centred on the Roman era palace of Diocletian, built in 300 AD! I couldn't believe it was that old and still had modern shops and trading going on inside of it. We walked along by the water and the harbor as well, all very beautiful. I loved the mix of old historically rich city with the blue water and mountains in the background. We walked all around and found the soccer stadium. It was closed but we peeked inside... very nice but Dino appreciated it much, much more than I did. Near the stadium we walked down to the shoreline and hung out by the water for a bit. It was so quiet and peaceful and I just can't believe that everyone in the entire world wasn't at this amazing spot! After a quick nap and dinner we were off to see the metropolitan center near our hotel. It was probably the most American shopping experience I've had this semester. A big mall, open late, and the grocery stores had more than 12 things to pick from. Later that night we watched the Eurovision Song Contest. I had never seen it before and it was pretty interesting to see all of the politics involved behind the voting.
The next morning we had an early wake up to meet Dino's family friend, Edi. Edi was going to take us to the bus station to catch our bus to Dubrovnik. He took us out for coffee and seemed to be a really nice guy. He spoke very little English to me that day (we met him on our last day too where he spoke almost all in English) but seemed to be chatting Dinos ear off in Bosnian. Our bus trip to Dubrovnik was 5 hours long and TERRIFYING! In case you don't know, I have a deep rooted fear of being a passenger in pretty much any vehicle. This doesn't sit well when the vehicle is an South-Eastern European tour bus and your driving on a mountain. Pretty much the entire drive was curves and there was hardly any room (I mean inches) between the edge of the road and a deadly drop. I was a mental wreck after about an hour of the ride, gripping the seat and Dino's hand. We stopped off in Bosnia for a break, which was well needed. My only time in Bosnia it would turn out. We had tentatively planned on going to Sarajevo (capital of Bosnia and where Dino is from) but the roads and buses are apparently even worse there and it was going to be 38 degrees (100 degrees Fahrenheit).
In Dubrovnik we had a really nice apartment/room in a sweet little old lady's house. Her name was Marija and I think she was really glad to have some young blood around. Again we didn't have all that much time in Dubrovnik (a day and a half) so we had to cover ground quickly. I think we made good work of it though. That afternoon we went to the Old City of Dubrovnik which was surrounded by fortresses and completely walled in. It was quite a bit bigger than the old city in Split. It was built around 600 AD as a place where the Greeks could seek refuge from the Slavs. The interior was the same concept as in Split--modern shops, restaurants, and even hotels. The harbor was nice and looked up to the mountains. The coolest thing was that we could pay to walk along the top of the city walls. It was a bit scary because it was pretty high up but you could get a view of the entire city (both old and new), as well as the water and mountains. It is a long walk though. Very long. That night we walked along through the Old City and into the modern day town. We ate at this little sandwich place that had HUGE burgers and chicken sandwiches for only 20 Croatian Kuna (around $4). Then we walked back and had a beer at a bar in the Old City. It was clearly all Croatian guys in there (absolutely no women) so we got a few strange looks but it was cool to feel the real Croatian atmosphere. They were all singing Croatian songs loudly together and watching sports. We got our next beers to go and walked to the harbor and sat there for quite awhile.
The next day was beach day! Of course, one of my favorite kinds of days. We went to the beach right outside of the Old City (the one in most photographs and postcards of the place). I guess there's not all that much to say about a day at the beach. The most beautiful beach I've ever been to in my life with crystal clear blue water and sun all on one beach. We did a lot of laying and swimming. They have rock beaches down on the Dalmatia coast though, which hurt like hell. That night we had to catch a bus to Montenegro. The bus ride, again, was pure torture for me. The bus driver was going 90km/hr in a 70km/hr zone, talking on the cell phone, smoking, and chit chatting with passengers. Oh yeah AND changing the radio station too. I was freaked out. When we got there, his uncle picked us up and we went into the city of Budva with him and his girlfriend. His uncle has THREE girlfriends!! Supposedly they don't know about each other but seriously how could you not?? Either way, we went to the old city of Budva (of course there was an old city!) and then to the energetic side of town with a lot of music, food, restaurants, and people. Dino and I were dead tired so we didn't stay all that long. We drove to their summer homes right outside of Bar. Dino's family is rebuilding their summer house and three of his aunts/uncles have their summer houses right in the same neighborhood. We stayed at his uncles (who has apartments for people to rent and he let us stay for free)
The first day in the summer house town (called ''Dobra Vode'' or... good water) was a hot one. Temperature ranging in the 90s so it was nice to have a beach to go to. In the morning we ate breakfast, met his grandpa, and then walked around the neighborhood. Dino's grandpa seems like a nice guy, although again I couldn't really tell because of the language thing. By 10:00 we were on the beach.
Dino took me for a walk around the beach and pointed out all of the changes from over the years they've been spending their summers there. From a quaint private area it's now quickly turning into a tourist attraction. Sad to hear how much things change just in the name of making money. But I guess it is understandable--either they have private beauty and no tourist revenue (large sorce of income in the area) or they share it with other people and turn a profit at the same time.
It was nuts to see how much construction work they were doing. It is an upcoming tourist area so it's not surprising, but it was so hot I couldn't imagine having to wake up and do manual labor for the entire day. Plus their ways of construction were way different than I'm used to. Although I'm no construction expert, it looked like they were building anything everywhere. A lot of cement and fights over electricity, sand, and water pressure.
We ended up staying the whole day at the beach, until 7pm and it was still ''beach weather''. We went back, ate dinner, showered, and went out to a little town called Ulcinj. My shower was OUTSIDE!! The house is under construction and the power was out so we had to shower (with bathing suits on.. of course) from a hose. It was probably one of the coolest things we did because 1) I was showering outside and 2) there was a mountain sunset in the background. Ulcinj was nice..of course, there was an old city but a lively nightlife to go along with it. I was told typical natives walk the strip on a typical summer night. The strip was in fact covered with locals and there was an outdoor soccer game going on down at the sand part of the beach.
The next day we were moving on to yet another city--the capital city of Montenegro--Podgorica. We were going to meet the last of Dino's extended family. First, we stopped at a little store to pick up a few gifts. He has three young cousins that live there permanatly--Edi (3 yrs), Lara (6 yrs) and Eni (10 yrs). We ended up deciding to spoil them a little bit and picked up a big toy truck for Edi and Barbies for the girls. Along with chocolate, Pez, and lip glosses as well. We took an old communist train into Podgorica, it was a little eerie to be in such an old, historic, and still working train. We were greeted by his uncle and cousin Lara and then driven to his grandparents house to meet the rest of the family. The city seems under construction and just driving around was quite a sight. More laborers and construction, poor neighborhoods, and gypsies. Giving the gifts didn't start off too good... Edi started to cry when we gave him the truck because apparently he had just seen a snake get ran over by a truck. Lara was unimpressed by her gifts as well. We spent a lot of time out on the balcony talking and visiting, a little hard for me to join in with but it was interesting to see the family dynamics. His grandparents have had their house since at least his mom was growing up, his grandpa built the house himself.
That night we took the two girls out in the city. At first it was going horribly. We tried a walk through a park, offering anything from ice cream to pizza to toys for the girls to talk to either one of us. I couldn't figure out why they were being so quiet and then Dino told me a nice little story about how much Lara hated his brothers old girlfriend and doesn't like when girls take her cousins away. I was losing hope fast, to the point that Dino even had to call his mom to see what was up! Awhile later for some reason we got on the subject of putting make-up on Dino. I guess that was the answer because after that they couldn't stop talking. Lara ended up really taking a liking to me and I don't think she stopped talking or let my hand go for more than 2 minutes the whole night. Keep in mind she speaks Bosnian so I didn't know what the heck she was saying but she didn't care. Dino could help us but then she wanted to start telling me SECRETS! When we got back the adults thought it was so funny and kept telling her that I didn't know what she was saying. In the city we had seen the famous bridge, the center square with a fountain, and had ice cream at a cafe. We had done a lot of bonding on picking out dresses and make up for Dino. Those girls just adore him, it was so cute to see how much they look up to their cousin. (I think he has a weakness for us girls too)
Our last full day was spent by a river in Podgorica. It was sooo hot I couldn't go another day without air conditioning or water. The water was freezing but I jumped in anyways. It was me, Dino, and Lara that went and she kept taunting us to go in. It felt like I was doing a polar plunge it was so cold. We also saw a cool waterfall and sheep being herded. Who knew sheep really got herded in real life?? That night we met Dino's uncle and (another) girlfriend in the city--walked around and had a soda at ''Cafe Trendy''. Some workers tried to rip me off by selling me a water for 6 euro ($9), luckily Dino heard them and saved me.
The next day was all traveling. We were out the door by 8am and drove with his uncle to Dubrovnik. We had 2 minutes to spare to catch the bus to Split and arrived there around 7pm. Edi (family friend) picked us up there and suddenly couldn't stop speaking English! Of course I loved having someone to communicate with after a full week of only being able to talk to one person really. He's a really interesting guy and very nice to both of us. He has two degrees from universities and has lived a lot of places in Croatia. We met his family and saw his house too--the home was a modest apartment but very nice and his family reminded me of an All-American one. After that we still had awhile before our flight so he took us to Trogir, a small city near Split. It had the same historical harbor city feel but much quieter than cities like Split or Dubrovnik. Not too much time to stick around there because we had a plane back to Copenhagen. All was fine on the flight home.
Overall impressions (not already talked about):
**It seemed like even though people may not have as much as people in other parts of the world, it seemed like they were more generous and wanting to make sure everyone was taken care of. It seems like in US people are more concerned with getting ahead personally. Not necessarily even by taking from other people, but just not going above and beyond doing their share.
**You can really tell that money plays a big part in a countries development. We saw gypsies, actual gypsies, in Podgorica. People that lived in shacks made of tin and scraps of garbage and didn't have enough money for a car so instead used horses and flat beds as their form of transportation. Roads were much less safe than any regulations would ever allow in the US--maybe because of lawsuits? Or do we just have all of the basic needs taken care of that we can concentrate our resources on improving safety? Health issues too--It wasn't unusual to see missing teeth or hear stories of people who needed medical care but those services can cost a large percentage of a family's income so are gone without a lot of time. It's weird to see that lifestyle when in other parts of the world people aren't happy unless they have their weekly teeth whitening appointments or cosmetic surgery.
**The human body must be really adaptable because it was so hot there (100+ degrees and humid) and I thought I was going to die. Natives were wearing jeans and working construction! I could barely leave a dark room sometimes and they were actually doing physical activity outdoors. But they do eat really fatty foods which I think they need to be able to not sweat to death.
**I think maybe it's human nature to never be satisfied. As soon as we came back to Copenhagen, we were on the metro and these little punk boys were drunk and broke the door. We were delayed 10+ minutes and they just laughed and left. Danish kids especially have it pretty darn good. A social welfare system that provides health care, dental care, and they are allowed to do pretty much anything and everything yet still abuse it. I sorta can't blame them though. They don't know any better so of course they will not appreciate anything but just think that of course they will have all of that stuff.
**My favorite foods were cevapcici (sausages), these krem stopi things (wafers with chocolate inside), and the Bake Rolls.
**Best descriptive words for the area (thank you Dino): ''Wild Beauty''
.......thats all I can think of for now, might add more later as time goes by.....
Leaving Copenhagen (on Friday the 23rd) was a disaster. Our flight (with Sterling.. who SUCK!) was delayed and we didn't end up getting to Split until 3:00am! Our ride who was supposed to pick us up around 10pm couldn't stay that long so we had to call a taxi which took another 45 minutes and $70 before we got to our hotel by 4:30am. Running on no sleep we were off to discover Split in the one day we had there. Luckily Split can easily be covered in a day if you only do the basics--mainly the "Old Town". As I would later find out, most cities have the old part of their city still intact. Old city of Split on the Dalmatian coast is centred on the Roman era palace of Diocletian, built in 300 AD! I couldn't believe it was that old and still had modern shops and trading going on inside of it. We walked along by the water and the harbor as well, all very beautiful. I loved the mix of old historically rich city with the blue water and mountains in the background. We walked all around and found the soccer stadium. It was closed but we peeked inside... very nice but Dino appreciated it much, much more than I did. Near the stadium we walked down to the shoreline and hung out by the water for a bit. It was so quiet and peaceful and I just can't believe that everyone in the entire world wasn't at this amazing spot! After a quick nap and dinner we were off to see the metropolitan center near our hotel. It was probably the most American shopping experience I've had this semester. A big mall, open late, and the grocery stores had more than 12 things to pick from. Later that night we watched the Eurovision Song Contest. I had never seen it before and it was pretty interesting to see all of the politics involved behind the voting.
The next morning we had an early wake up to meet Dino's family friend, Edi. Edi was going to take us to the bus station to catch our bus to Dubrovnik. He took us out for coffee and seemed to be a really nice guy. He spoke very little English to me that day (we met him on our last day too where he spoke almost all in English) but seemed to be chatting Dinos ear off in Bosnian. Our bus trip to Dubrovnik was 5 hours long and TERRIFYING! In case you don't know, I have a deep rooted fear of being a passenger in pretty much any vehicle. This doesn't sit well when the vehicle is an South-Eastern European tour bus and your driving on a mountain. Pretty much the entire drive was curves and there was hardly any room (I mean inches) between the edge of the road and a deadly drop. I was a mental wreck after about an hour of the ride, gripping the seat and Dino's hand. We stopped off in Bosnia for a break, which was well needed. My only time in Bosnia it would turn out. We had tentatively planned on going to Sarajevo (capital of Bosnia and where Dino is from) but the roads and buses are apparently even worse there and it was going to be 38 degrees (100 degrees Fahrenheit).
In Dubrovnik we had a really nice apartment/room in a sweet little old lady's house. Her name was Marija and I think she was really glad to have some young blood around. Again we didn't have all that much time in Dubrovnik (a day and a half) so we had to cover ground quickly. I think we made good work of it though. That afternoon we went to the Old City of Dubrovnik which was surrounded by fortresses and completely walled in. It was quite a bit bigger than the old city in Split. It was built around 600 AD as a place where the Greeks could seek refuge from the Slavs. The interior was the same concept as in Split--modern shops, restaurants, and even hotels. The harbor was nice and looked up to the mountains. The coolest thing was that we could pay to walk along the top of the city walls. It was a bit scary because it was pretty high up but you could get a view of the entire city (both old and new), as well as the water and mountains. It is a long walk though. Very long. That night we walked along through the Old City and into the modern day town. We ate at this little sandwich place that had HUGE burgers and chicken sandwiches for only 20 Croatian Kuna (around $4). Then we walked back and had a beer at a bar in the Old City. It was clearly all Croatian guys in there (absolutely no women) so we got a few strange looks but it was cool to feel the real Croatian atmosphere. They were all singing Croatian songs loudly together and watching sports. We got our next beers to go and walked to the harbor and sat there for quite awhile.
The next day was beach day! Of course, one of my favorite kinds of days. We went to the beach right outside of the Old City (the one in most photographs and postcards of the place). I guess there's not all that much to say about a day at the beach. The most beautiful beach I've ever been to in my life with crystal clear blue water and sun all on one beach. We did a lot of laying and swimming. They have rock beaches down on the Dalmatia coast though, which hurt like hell. That night we had to catch a bus to Montenegro. The bus ride, again, was pure torture for me. The bus driver was going 90km/hr in a 70km/hr zone, talking on the cell phone, smoking, and chit chatting with passengers. Oh yeah AND changing the radio station too. I was freaked out. When we got there, his uncle picked us up and we went into the city of Budva with him and his girlfriend. His uncle has THREE girlfriends!! Supposedly they don't know about each other but seriously how could you not?? Either way, we went to the old city of Budva (of course there was an old city!) and then to the energetic side of town with a lot of music, food, restaurants, and people. Dino and I were dead tired so we didn't stay all that long. We drove to their summer homes right outside of Bar. Dino's family is rebuilding their summer house and three of his aunts/uncles have their summer houses right in the same neighborhood. We stayed at his uncles (who has apartments for people to rent and he let us stay for free)
The first day in the summer house town (called ''Dobra Vode'' or... good water) was a hot one. Temperature ranging in the 90s so it was nice to have a beach to go to. In the morning we ate breakfast, met his grandpa, and then walked around the neighborhood. Dino's grandpa seems like a nice guy, although again I couldn't really tell because of the language thing. By 10:00 we were on the beach.
Dino took me for a walk around the beach and pointed out all of the changes from over the years they've been spending their summers there. From a quaint private area it's now quickly turning into a tourist attraction. Sad to hear how much things change just in the name of making money. But I guess it is understandable--either they have private beauty and no tourist revenue (large sorce of income in the area) or they share it with other people and turn a profit at the same time.
It was nuts to see how much construction work they were doing. It is an upcoming tourist area so it's not surprising, but it was so hot I couldn't imagine having to wake up and do manual labor for the entire day. Plus their ways of construction were way different than I'm used to. Although I'm no construction expert, it looked like they were building anything everywhere. A lot of cement and fights over electricity, sand, and water pressure.
We ended up staying the whole day at the beach, until 7pm and it was still ''beach weather''. We went back, ate dinner, showered, and went out to a little town called Ulcinj. My shower was OUTSIDE!! The house is under construction and the power was out so we had to shower (with bathing suits on.. of course) from a hose. It was probably one of the coolest things we did because 1) I was showering outside and 2) there was a mountain sunset in the background. Ulcinj was nice..of course, there was an old city but a lively nightlife to go along with it. I was told typical natives walk the strip on a typical summer night. The strip was in fact covered with locals and there was an outdoor soccer game going on down at the sand part of the beach.
The next day we were moving on to yet another city--the capital city of Montenegro--Podgorica. We were going to meet the last of Dino's extended family. First, we stopped at a little store to pick up a few gifts. He has three young cousins that live there permanatly--Edi (3 yrs), Lara (6 yrs) and Eni (10 yrs). We ended up deciding to spoil them a little bit and picked up a big toy truck for Edi and Barbies for the girls. Along with chocolate, Pez, and lip glosses as well. We took an old communist train into Podgorica, it was a little eerie to be in such an old, historic, and still working train. We were greeted by his uncle and cousin Lara and then driven to his grandparents house to meet the rest of the family. The city seems under construction and just driving around was quite a sight. More laborers and construction, poor neighborhoods, and gypsies. Giving the gifts didn't start off too good... Edi started to cry when we gave him the truck because apparently he had just seen a snake get ran over by a truck. Lara was unimpressed by her gifts as well. We spent a lot of time out on the balcony talking and visiting, a little hard for me to join in with but it was interesting to see the family dynamics. His grandparents have had their house since at least his mom was growing up, his grandpa built the house himself.
That night we took the two girls out in the city. At first it was going horribly. We tried a walk through a park, offering anything from ice cream to pizza to toys for the girls to talk to either one of us. I couldn't figure out why they were being so quiet and then Dino told me a nice little story about how much Lara hated his brothers old girlfriend and doesn't like when girls take her cousins away. I was losing hope fast, to the point that Dino even had to call his mom to see what was up! Awhile later for some reason we got on the subject of putting make-up on Dino. I guess that was the answer because after that they couldn't stop talking. Lara ended up really taking a liking to me and I don't think she stopped talking or let my hand go for more than 2 minutes the whole night. Keep in mind she speaks Bosnian so I didn't know what the heck she was saying but she didn't care. Dino could help us but then she wanted to start telling me SECRETS! When we got back the adults thought it was so funny and kept telling her that I didn't know what she was saying. In the city we had seen the famous bridge, the center square with a fountain, and had ice cream at a cafe. We had done a lot of bonding on picking out dresses and make up for Dino. Those girls just adore him, it was so cute to see how much they look up to their cousin. (I think he has a weakness for us girls too)
Our last full day was spent by a river in Podgorica. It was sooo hot I couldn't go another day without air conditioning or water. The water was freezing but I jumped in anyways. It was me, Dino, and Lara that went and she kept taunting us to go in. It felt like I was doing a polar plunge it was so cold. We also saw a cool waterfall and sheep being herded. Who knew sheep really got herded in real life?? That night we met Dino's uncle and (another) girlfriend in the city--walked around and had a soda at ''Cafe Trendy''. Some workers tried to rip me off by selling me a water for 6 euro ($9), luckily Dino heard them and saved me.
The next day was all traveling. We were out the door by 8am and drove with his uncle to Dubrovnik. We had 2 minutes to spare to catch the bus to Split and arrived there around 7pm. Edi (family friend) picked us up there and suddenly couldn't stop speaking English! Of course I loved having someone to communicate with after a full week of only being able to talk to one person really. He's a really interesting guy and very nice to both of us. He has two degrees from universities and has lived a lot of places in Croatia. We met his family and saw his house too--the home was a modest apartment but very nice and his family reminded me of an All-American one. After that we still had awhile before our flight so he took us to Trogir, a small city near Split. It had the same historical harbor city feel but much quieter than cities like Split or Dubrovnik. Not too much time to stick around there because we had a plane back to Copenhagen. All was fine on the flight home.
Overall impressions (not already talked about):
**It seemed like even though people may not have as much as people in other parts of the world, it seemed like they were more generous and wanting to make sure everyone was taken care of. It seems like in US people are more concerned with getting ahead personally. Not necessarily even by taking from other people, but just not going above and beyond doing their share.
**You can really tell that money plays a big part in a countries development. We saw gypsies, actual gypsies, in Podgorica. People that lived in shacks made of tin and scraps of garbage and didn't have enough money for a car so instead used horses and flat beds as their form of transportation. Roads were much less safe than any regulations would ever allow in the US--maybe because of lawsuits? Or do we just have all of the basic needs taken care of that we can concentrate our resources on improving safety? Health issues too--It wasn't unusual to see missing teeth or hear stories of people who needed medical care but those services can cost a large percentage of a family's income so are gone without a lot of time. It's weird to see that lifestyle when in other parts of the world people aren't happy unless they have their weekly teeth whitening appointments or cosmetic surgery.
**The human body must be really adaptable because it was so hot there (100+ degrees and humid) and I thought I was going to die. Natives were wearing jeans and working construction! I could barely leave a dark room sometimes and they were actually doing physical activity outdoors. But they do eat really fatty foods which I think they need to be able to not sweat to death.
**I think maybe it's human nature to never be satisfied. As soon as we came back to Copenhagen, we were on the metro and these little punk boys were drunk and broke the door. We were delayed 10+ minutes and they just laughed and left. Danish kids especially have it pretty darn good. A social welfare system that provides health care, dental care, and they are allowed to do pretty much anything and everything yet still abuse it. I sorta can't blame them though. They don't know any better so of course they will not appreciate anything but just think that of course they will have all of that stuff.
**My favorite foods were cevapcici (sausages), these krem stopi things (wafers with chocolate inside), and the Bake Rolls.
**Best descriptive words for the area (thank you Dino): ''Wild Beauty''
.......thats all I can think of for now, might add more later as time goes by.....
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Quick Post before Croatia, Montenegro & Bosnia trip
Just wanted to write a little so I can start fresh after my trip. To be honest, I have done nothing really but party these past few days. People are dropping like flies and we're going out every night to "celebrate" (even though it's not really a celebration..). I am packing for my trip tonight in hopes to be able to have a mildly decent day tomorrow before leaving. Last night I went to a wine/cheese night before going out. It was really nice, tried wines from all over the world and had homemade cheese fondu. Something I really want to try and organize when I get home. Everyone paid 100dkk, chose either red or white wines and got to sample three different wines. There were printouts with the bio of the wines next to each bottle so you could start to get a feel for what tastes you like the most. I don't think I like flint stone in my wine. There was also one final dessert wine, which was nice--a muscat it's called...? Anyways, for Marc and Alis last night (Tuesday) we had a BBQ in Tordens and then Wall Street after that. Last night was Hannah's last night so we had wine/cheese night and then LA Bar. Here are some pictures (last link, only updated):
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2108592&l=e485b&id=73404302
Info on my upcoming travel plans:
Friday & Saturday--Split (Croatia)
Sunday & Monday--Dubrovnik (Croatia)
Tuesday & Wednesday--Montenegro
Thursday--Sarajevo (Bosnia)
Friday--Bus from Bosnia to Split, back in CPH around 1am Saturday morning
There will be a lot of bus traveling so we can make it to all of these places but I am so excited to see them I couldn't stand doing less bus while not being able to see all of these places. Dino's family is paying for all of our accommodations, which is quite nice of them. We are staying in their summer home while in Montenegro and they have rented us nice apartments by the coast for the other days.
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2108592&l=e485b&id=73404302
Info on my upcoming travel plans:
Friday & Saturday--Split (Croatia)
Sunday & Monday--Dubrovnik (Croatia)
Tuesday & Wednesday--Montenegro
Thursday--Sarajevo (Bosnia)
Friday--Bus from Bosnia to Split, back in CPH around 1am Saturday morning
There will be a lot of bus traveling so we can make it to all of these places but I am so excited to see them I couldn't stand doing less bus while not being able to see all of these places. Dino's family is paying for all of our accommodations, which is quite nice of them. We are staying in their summer home while in Montenegro and they have rented us nice apartments by the coast for the other days.
Sunday, May 18, 2008
New Pictures!
Copenhagen Spring Pictures:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2107400&l=f4b0b&id=73404302
More Spring Pictures:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2108592&l=e485b&id=73404302
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2107400&l=f4b0b&id=73404302
More Spring Pictures:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2108592&l=e485b&id=73404302
Can't everyone stop leaving?!
So since the last post I think I'm really starting to feel the depth of how much a study abroad experience can affect a person. People are starting to leave Copenhagen for good. To be honest, I know this means there is a very slim chance that I will ever see them again. People that were my whole world for these past few months are just gone. I feel like I have gotten so close to people here I just can't imagine this being taken away so quickly. Does this really have to end? I have become wrapped up in the carefree lifestyle of barbecues, beaches, friends and fun. I guess friends is quite the understatement. Having come here with nobody along for the ride these people have truly become family to me. I know I'm being a bit dramatic or emotional about this, but it really feels like a shot to my life that this has to end. WHY DOES THIS HAVE TO END?!?!!? Everything was just perfect when my friends were just a call or a floor code away. Or when I could just look out the window and see if the grill was on or not. I can only really remember the past few weeks right now, but the entire experience was beyond amazing. Even the crappier stuff I got through with help and support from friends here or family back home.
A few things I will miss dearly (and I'm not even gone yet..not even close!):
Brewsters loud footsteps and hot chili sauce on everything, calling Jos and Brewster "The Brewsters", Hideaki's loud phone calls with his girlfriend or him scaring Dinos friends, Ubah eating ice all the time (for some reason), never seeing Ariane (like never), Alex and his Borat suit or bizarre sober confessions. Jonathan's bickering about American/British English and long talks about anything, drunk Yasha, Grimey, the phrase "304", "205" and "207" (how we answer the phone), Ben constantly telling me I'm not funny but still letting me talk to him about nearly anything and anytime, Josef always telling me what the biggest thing in Copenhagen is, Marc being the perfect dad on spring break, Marcos and his grilled banana/chocolate, Hannah's stories, and the list goes on and on and on... these are only a few of the people in my residence.
Pearly bay, Kulor bar, being called "Jo Zibell" or "Ms. Arbell"
Just a few random thoughts I wanted to post before I forget them. No need to say that there will be tons more added through this next month.
Okay, back onto my journal portion of my blog:
**Thursday was studying studying studying then Ubah's going away dinner. She cooked Indian food and it was amazing! So sad to be saying goodbye
**Friday was my exam. Four hours but it wasn't too bad, International Management, only two questions but could be long/involved answers. After that we sat outside, went to Aldi, then had a bbq in the backyard. That night we all went out to an international students party at a club called Rename in honor of Brewster's last night with us in Copenhagen. It was nice to see so many exchange students again!
**Saturday--Brewster left, we were all crowded in his room for about 1/2 hr saying our final goodbyes, etc. I ended up moving into his room so me and Elyse could each have our own rooms instead of being cramped in one. Saturday night we hung out on 3rd floor common room for awhile and then Dino and I went to Copenhagen Casino with his friends. It was expensive and we played the 1dkk slots. It was my first casino experience, so I was glad I went.
Today (Sunday)--We were going to go to Tivoli but the weather was so cold. Ended up getting pizza and hanging out with people all day. Finished moving and then said my goodbyes to Ben. Luckily he isn't leaving for good yet, I don't know if I could deal with so many people leaving right away!
A few things I will miss dearly (and I'm not even gone yet..not even close!):
Brewsters loud footsteps and hot chili sauce on everything, calling Jos and Brewster "The Brewsters", Hideaki's loud phone calls with his girlfriend or him scaring Dinos friends, Ubah eating ice all the time (for some reason), never seeing Ariane (like never), Alex and his Borat suit or bizarre sober confessions. Jonathan's bickering about American/British English and long talks about anything, drunk Yasha, Grimey, the phrase "304", "205" and "207" (how we answer the phone), Ben constantly telling me I'm not funny but still letting me talk to him about nearly anything and anytime, Josef always telling me what the biggest thing in Copenhagen is, Marc being the perfect dad on spring break, Marcos and his grilled banana/chocolate, Hannah's stories, and the list goes on and on and on... these are only a few of the people in my residence.
Pearly bay, Kulor bar, being called "Jo Zibell" or "Ms. Arbell"
Just a few random thoughts I wanted to post before I forget them. No need to say that there will be tons more added through this next month.
Okay, back onto my journal portion of my blog:
**Thursday was studying studying studying then Ubah's going away dinner. She cooked Indian food and it was amazing! So sad to be saying goodbye
**Friday was my exam. Four hours but it wasn't too bad, International Management, only two questions but could be long/involved answers. After that we sat outside, went to Aldi, then had a bbq in the backyard. That night we all went out to an international students party at a club called Rename in honor of Brewster's last night with us in Copenhagen. It was nice to see so many exchange students again!
**Saturday--Brewster left, we were all crowded in his room for about 1/2 hr saying our final goodbyes, etc. I ended up moving into his room so me and Elyse could each have our own rooms instead of being cramped in one. Saturday night we hung out on 3rd floor common room for awhile and then Dino and I went to Copenhagen Casino with his friends. It was expensive and we played the 1dkk slots. It was my first casino experience, so I was glad I went.
Today (Sunday)--We were going to go to Tivoli but the weather was so cold. Ended up getting pizza and hanging out with people all day. Finished moving and then said my goodbyes to Ben. Luckily he isn't leaving for good yet, I don't know if I could deal with so many people leaving right away!
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Nice weather is finally here
This past week a lot has happened... here's a quick recap
**Tuesday, May 6th--Dino and I went to the American Embassy to get his stuff settled for his visa to come visit me in the States. It was a big, gray, ugly building with a small waiting room which was also the room that they do the interviews in so you could hear everything. We had to wait an hour and a half before it was time for his interview! When the lady asked him how he knew me he told her we were friends, but I think she caught on. She probed a little harder and he finally admitted that we were "sorta dating" the entire waiting room heard and burst out laughing. It was pretty funny, I've never seen Dino that embarrassed before. Later that day, I went to a park that I had found on the way to the Embassy and studied for my final. I would say there was more napping/tanning than studying.
**Wednesday, May 7th--Today we went to the oldest amusement park in the world which is right outside of Copenhagen. It's called Bakken and is right in with a big nature park. You walk a ways into this park and then finally BAM there are rides, candy stands, restaurants, everything. We ended up buying the unlimited rides bracelet (200dkk) and made good use of it. I think we went on this one that reminded me of the tilt-a-whirl about a million times, each time better than the last. There were bumper cars, race cars, haunted houses, everything.
**Thursday, May 8th--Went back to the park and found a nice place to get to serious studying. I ended up staying there for quite awhile. That night there was a barbecue for one of the girls' birthdays in Tordens. There is a really nice grill and sitting area in our courtyard so a bunch of people from the dorm were there, lasted almost til midnight outside before it was too cold/dark.
**Friday, May 9th--It was such a nice day I decided I would try my hand at a run outside. Considering I love sun but hate running it turned into more of a walk/tan than anything else. After that I was hustled out to go to the beach with Marc Larivee, Chris Brewster, Ben Murphy, and Jonathan Jones (friends from Tordens... I was asked to use their full names so they could google themselves..idiots, I know). Dino met us a little later on. It's so sad to think that this is one of our last outings together!!!!!!! People start leaving on the 17th (one left on the 10th). After that we picked up some grill food and had another dorm-wide bbq. People from other dorms joined us too, turned into a good gathering with lots of people I haven't seen in awhile.
**Saturday, May 10th--Had an early library session to try and stay on track with my studying then I met Brewster, Ben, and Marc in Kings Park for the Whit Carnival celebration. It wasnt the actual carnival part of it, but the parade was on Stroget so a ton of people gathered there. I went with Alex and his friend who was visiting. We got some beer and sat and enjoyed the weather. Another barbecue that night... smaller this time and at some point I got a brilliant idea to go visit Dino and his family in Helsingor. I ended up getting there around midnight...
**Sunday, May 11th--Mothers Day. Dino and I got his mom some flowers and I wrote out a card for her (in Bosnian). They don't really celebrate Mothers Day that much in Danish or Bosnian cultures so I think she was really surprised and happy to be getting flowers. Later that day we went to the beach in Helsingor which was right on the coast and you could see Sweden across the way. Another barbecue.. Bosnian this time though. Pretty much that just entails a lot of food.. the chevapcici sausages, hamburgers, chicken, salads, fruit, everything. That night we rented some movies and had a quiet night
**Monday, May 12th--Another Danish holiday. I don't know or care anymore what all of these holidays are. To me it just seems like another vacation day for them. We worked out, watched movies, then got ready for ANOTHER BBQ! This was definitely the most interesting of them all, and I promise they do stop after this one. It was a BBQ with Dino's friends, the same ones we played basketball with a few months ago. I would say there were about 10 people in all. I can't really find words to describe how I felt during most of the time there, everyone was speaking Danish and making jokes in Danish and laughing in Danish (if that's possible). Dino seemed to be having such a great time with his friends that I felt a little forgotten about, like I was just dumped into this weird sea full of Danish speaking people. Almost a cruel joke because it seemed like they were having so much fun and I could see the fun, feel the fun, but not understand ANY of it. While the food was cooking, a group of people were outside and I got to talking to Dino's friend Stasha. He was so nice and really seemed to take an interest in what I had to say. He spoke almost perfect English and went out of his way to make me feel welcomed. Throughout the dinner whenever there would be a funny joke he (or sometimes a few of the other guys) would translate and make sure I wasn't left out. It was such a nice gesture to try and make sure I could laugh with them but it was hard because jokes don't translate all that well and it felt like the spotlight was on me because everyone else had their laughs already and were waiting on me to react. I really appreciate having the opportunity to have been at a true Danish house and experience a true Danish gathering (even though most of them are foreigners too) because with the exchange program you really don't get integrated into Danish culture, more into being only with other exchange kids. Other elements of human interaction and connections that I hadn't noticed before were more evident--you could tell who were the funny ones and the quieter ones. The experience really did shake me a little bit though.
Tuesday, May 13th--Came back from Helsingor, studied at CBS, workout, then made dinner. Nothing too exciting to report. After dinner Dino and I walked this trail near Osterport station and found a preserved army fortress.
Wednesday, May 14th--See above. Exam Friday
**Tuesday, May 6th--Dino and I went to the American Embassy to get his stuff settled for his visa to come visit me in the States. It was a big, gray, ugly building with a small waiting room which was also the room that they do the interviews in so you could hear everything. We had to wait an hour and a half before it was time for his interview! When the lady asked him how he knew me he told her we were friends, but I think she caught on. She probed a little harder and he finally admitted that we were "sorta dating" the entire waiting room heard and burst out laughing. It was pretty funny, I've never seen Dino that embarrassed before. Later that day, I went to a park that I had found on the way to the Embassy and studied for my final. I would say there was more napping/tanning than studying.
**Wednesday, May 7th--Today we went to the oldest amusement park in the world which is right outside of Copenhagen. It's called Bakken and is right in with a big nature park. You walk a ways into this park and then finally BAM there are rides, candy stands, restaurants, everything. We ended up buying the unlimited rides bracelet (200dkk) and made good use of it. I think we went on this one that reminded me of the tilt-a-whirl about a million times, each time better than the last. There were bumper cars, race cars, haunted houses, everything.
**Thursday, May 8th--Went back to the park and found a nice place to get to serious studying. I ended up staying there for quite awhile. That night there was a barbecue for one of the girls' birthdays in Tordens. There is a really nice grill and sitting area in our courtyard so a bunch of people from the dorm were there, lasted almost til midnight outside before it was too cold/dark.
**Friday, May 9th--It was such a nice day I decided I would try my hand at a run outside. Considering I love sun but hate running it turned into more of a walk/tan than anything else. After that I was hustled out to go to the beach with Marc Larivee, Chris Brewster, Ben Murphy, and Jonathan Jones (friends from Tordens... I was asked to use their full names so they could google themselves..idiots, I know). Dino met us a little later on. It's so sad to think that this is one of our last outings together!!!!!!! People start leaving on the 17th (one left on the 10th). After that we picked up some grill food and had another dorm-wide bbq. People from other dorms joined us too, turned into a good gathering with lots of people I haven't seen in awhile.
**Saturday, May 10th--Had an early library session to try and stay on track with my studying then I met Brewster, Ben, and Marc in Kings Park for the Whit Carnival celebration. It wasnt the actual carnival part of it, but the parade was on Stroget so a ton of people gathered there. I went with Alex and his friend who was visiting. We got some beer and sat and enjoyed the weather. Another barbecue that night... smaller this time and at some point I got a brilliant idea to go visit Dino and his family in Helsingor. I ended up getting there around midnight...
**Sunday, May 11th--Mothers Day. Dino and I got his mom some flowers and I wrote out a card for her (in Bosnian). They don't really celebrate Mothers Day that much in Danish or Bosnian cultures so I think she was really surprised and happy to be getting flowers. Later that day we went to the beach in Helsingor which was right on the coast and you could see Sweden across the way. Another barbecue.. Bosnian this time though. Pretty much that just entails a lot of food.. the chevapcici sausages, hamburgers, chicken, salads, fruit, everything. That night we rented some movies and had a quiet night
**Monday, May 12th--Another Danish holiday. I don't know or care anymore what all of these holidays are. To me it just seems like another vacation day for them. We worked out, watched movies, then got ready for ANOTHER BBQ! This was definitely the most interesting of them all, and I promise they do stop after this one. It was a BBQ with Dino's friends, the same ones we played basketball with a few months ago. I would say there were about 10 people in all. I can't really find words to describe how I felt during most of the time there, everyone was speaking Danish and making jokes in Danish and laughing in Danish (if that's possible). Dino seemed to be having such a great time with his friends that I felt a little forgotten about, like I was just dumped into this weird sea full of Danish speaking people. Almost a cruel joke because it seemed like they were having so much fun and I could see the fun, feel the fun, but not understand ANY of it. While the food was cooking, a group of people were outside and I got to talking to Dino's friend Stasha. He was so nice and really seemed to take an interest in what I had to say. He spoke almost perfect English and went out of his way to make me feel welcomed. Throughout the dinner whenever there would be a funny joke he (or sometimes a few of the other guys) would translate and make sure I wasn't left out. It was such a nice gesture to try and make sure I could laugh with them but it was hard because jokes don't translate all that well and it felt like the spotlight was on me because everyone else had their laughs already and were waiting on me to react. I really appreciate having the opportunity to have been at a true Danish house and experience a true Danish gathering (even though most of them are foreigners too) because with the exchange program you really don't get integrated into Danish culture, more into being only with other exchange kids. Other elements of human interaction and connections that I hadn't noticed before were more evident--you could tell who were the funny ones and the quieter ones. The experience really did shake me a little bit though.
Tuesday, May 13th--Came back from Helsingor, studied at CBS, workout, then made dinner. Nothing too exciting to report. After dinner Dino and I walked this trail near Osterport station and found a preserved army fortress.
Wednesday, May 14th--See above. Exam Friday
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