To dare is to lose one's footing momentarily. Not to dare is to lose oneself ~ Kierkegaard

2006-12-31T10:15:00.000-08:00

2006-12-20T23:53:00.000-08:00

Within the last 36 hours I've stabbed myself in the palm with a sharp pencil, sat on a still plane for 5 hours, spent the night in Heathrow, received 2 (maybe a little less) hours of sleep, released frustration and anger through my tear ducts and have come close to missing Christmas.

Fog has consumed Heathrow airport, so that many flights have been canceled. Yesterday, my flight out of Copenhagen was 5 hours delayed, but we got the joy of spending those 5 hours on the plane while it sat at the gate. Upon arrival in Heathrow, I had to stand in line for 4 hours only for the gal to tell me that they could give me a hotel reservation for a place somewhere in the center of London. I opted for food vouchers and staked my claim to one of the not-so-comfortable lounge charis. I made several calls to British Airways to re-book myself for today (Thursday).

This morning, after a cold, uncomfortable and sleepless night, I made my way up to the counter to check-in only to find an hour long line with one person behind the counter. After standing around for a while, I got a little miffed. I decided to go to the line for first class passengers. While I'm not sitting in first class, I slept on a lounge chair with my scarf covering my face, so I think I deserve first class treatment for my patience. I explained that I only needed a boarding pass, and that I wasn't leaving until I got one.

Here's to hoping that the flight isn't canceled altogether...otherwise, I might be the leading lady for the movie Terminal Part II.

2006-12-10T03:31:00.000-08:00

It's Sunday morning, and I have 9.5 days left. Last night I walked home from Radhusplasen. It wasn't too cold, and Stroget was the place to be seen! The streets were packed with merry shoppers and strollers alike. Many Danes ice skated around in circles at Kongens Nytorv, and one could smell glogg while passing in front of cafes. On my way home I had a small temper tantrum and, fortunately, I kept it to myself. It went something like this: "I don't want to leave! I don't! I don't! I don't want to leave!!"

While I initially confessed that I didn't really love Copenhagen like I love other cities, I have grown quite fond of and attached to this little capital city. So, here's a list of things I'm going to miss about Copenhagen.

First and foremost, I am going to miss feeling completely safe, both in my person and in my belongings. Here, you can be in a bar, leave your purse on your seat and wander off, as you're likely to do. When you return it and all of its contents will still be there. I've even left my wallet on the bartop without worrying.

Second, I am going to miss the public transportation system. At every bus stop there is a list of each and every stop along with the times the buses are to be at that stop, and drivers keep to that timetable. The latest a bus has been, in my experience, is 4 minutes. I am also going to miss how the buses are clean and don't smell. I also enjoy riding on the S-tog, which is the fast, efficient, clean and punctual regional train.

Third, (and this is a tricky one) I am going to miss bartending. In some ways I'm glad that I'll no longer be doing it. Every Friday and Saturday night I have spent in Copenhagen, I have also spent behind the bar, which means I haven't had as much party-fun as most. It's also redundant and can be fairly tedious. However, I am going to miss it, probably because of the people I get to work with, namely Dawn, Bartek and Natasha. I always seem to have fun, and there's never a dull moment when I'm working with any of them. When you get all four of us together, like on Wednesday night for the FCK v. Cel game, patrons better watch out! I am also going to miss it, because I've met a lot of people there. As Dawn says, it's funny when you don't know someone's name but you know what they drink.

Fourth, I am going to miss how clean it is here. The air always feels fresh and is clean. I didn't realize how much so until I went to Istanbul. Along these lines, I am also going to miss not seeing people sleeping on the streets. It's not that I don't like to see homeless people; instead, I like knowing that there aren't any, because the state makes provisions for people who are unemployed, mentally ill, have drug addictions or other socially stigmatizing problems.

Fifth, I am going to miss (I know this is going to sound crazy) how most everything is closed on Sundays. There have been a couple of times where it's annoying, such as last Sunday when I really needed post-it notes to help prepare for my exam. Overall though I like it. Sunday really is the day of rest. It's my movie and stroll through and around town day. There are a couple of grocery stores open, so you have a small window of opportunity to procure consumables. Otherwise, it's take-it-easy day.

Sixth, I am really going to miss how easy school is here. I am getting 12 units when I probably really only deserve 1. I know that once I return, it's going to be difficult to get back into the swing of things. And by "swing" I am referring to job hunting, doing vast amounts of reading, attending classes and having to actually think and concentrate and worrying about the upcoming Bar exam.

Seventh, I am going to miss glogg. Glogg is delicious and warming.

Eighth, I am going to miss the danishes. They're yummy.

(now I'm veering off of things I'm going to miss about Copenhagen specifically into things I'm going to miss about being abroad)

Ninth, I am going to miss how excited people sound when I call them. My calls are much more important when made from Denmark instead of little old San Francisco. Along these lines, I am also going to miss posting to my "travel blog." Back to everyday blog it is. I am also going to miss uploading pictures to my Flickr account after some great stay in some great city.

Tenth, I am REALLY GOING TO MISS taking a week off and having all of Europe before me. From here, it feels as though the world really is my oyster! (I'm still not exactly sure what that phrase means)

Things that I'm not going to miss include the temperature (which is warmer than it was last year) and the lack of daylight hours. I am also not going to miss having to watch Grey's Anatomy on my laptop. Oh, and I'm not going to miss only having a washer with no dryer. Sometimes, you just want your towels to be fluffy.

2006-12-07T11:22:00.000-08:00

Copenhagen in December is enough to ignite the Christmas spirit in anyone. There are all kinds of details that make it special. It all started with the glogg, which is pronounced gluck - at least to this untrained ear. It's mulled wine with raisins and almond slivers floating around. There's also Christmas coffee and Christmas tea. Then, there's all kinds of foodstuffs that make their appearance only at Christmas time. There are balls of marzipan covered in chocolate which are then covered in this hardened powdered sugar. They make my teeth hurt. There also these ginger snap-like cookies that are super thin and delicious. There's also orange sticks covered in chocolate and many more delightful treats. December is definitely the month to eat one's way through Copenhagen.

One of the main squares, Radhusplasen, is decked out with a Christmas tree and lights. Even more impressive is the other square Kongens Nytorv where they have made an ice skating area. Trees are decorated with white lights. The Hotel D'Angleterre is superbly decorated with thousands of white lights as well. Christmas music can be heard in stores.

Christmas time is here!

2006-12-07T10:54:00.000-08:00

Because I am a sucker, I am still working. My boss reassured me I'd get paid before I leave, and with that I won't feel guilty if I end up having to take the money from the safe, if she tries to screw me over.

She put me on the schedule for last (Wednesday) night. There was a soccer match across the street - FCK v. Cel. The pre-game madness was primarily made up of lots of fun Scotsmen drinking it up. There were FCK fans as well, but I sided with the Scots. They are a fun group of drunks; they sang, cheered, laughed, slapped each other on the backs, and drank the evening away. Many were excited that there was a "yank" in the joint, while others held out their hands full of money and told me to take what I needed to pay for their drinks. They were lucky that I'm an honest bartender. After an hour we ran out of glasses, so I went to the other side of the bar to see what I could collect. Unfortunately, the place was so packed that I couldn't get back for some time (there's only one door).

When the game started the joint cleared out, and we rushed around collecting glasses and re-stocking the counter with clean ones; we re-stocked the beer; we fetched more ice from a nearby restaurant; we wiped down tables and gathered some composure. We did all of this to the inspiring tunes of the Scissor Sisters. At the thought that the post-game madness would be half as bad as the pre-game madness, we decided that if you can't beat em, join em. And, with that the drinking began. My shift ended and I stayed an hour drinking and chatting. Not good! By the time I got home I realized how not-sober I was. I fell asleep but woke up at 3:30 still feeling drunk. Because I can't remember anything when I'm drunk, I couldn't remember anything about competition law, which caused large amounts of anxiety. I couldn't fall back asleep and I laid there for four hours waiting to feel sober, but I ended up feeling hungover.

I attended my exam. When I sat down, I took my coat off and became distracted when I saw the following on my arm:

3-K 3 D Vo 2G 1 Cog.+ ton
1-G 1 G&T 3K 2 D Vo 1 Lem
2J 8 Tub
1 Cl 1 Tub 2 G 1 Jul

For some reason, patrons are more patient when they have given their orders. So, I took to writing down multiple orders on my arm.

At least I passed my exam...not with flying colors, but an 8 looks the same on my transcript as a 10, so I am not going to worry about it. I've moved past that whole "personal satisfaction and sense of accomplishment." Law school beat it out of me.

2006-12-05T04:02:00.000-08:00

I should be furiously studying for my exam on Thursday. Motivation and ambition are nowhere to be found, so I decided to look up airfare for another voyage to Europe during Spring Break. This will be my last "spring break," so why not make it the first one I actually enjoy. I have never done anything or gone anywhere special for that wonderful week off in March. I always make well-intentioned plans to start preparing for exams, but I have difficulty on the follow through. I know it may seem strange, since I'm currently here, but one can never start planning too early. That, and I only have 2 weeks left, and I'm already sad about that fact. According to my calculations, I can spend 9 days some place, and I'm thinking what better place to do that than PORTUGAL. I am well aware that 9 days is too short a time to see any one country, but Portugal seems like a semi-manageable option for such a short amount of time. At least more manageable than, say, France.

Another option I am considering is spending 9 days in my favorite places in Italy. When I think about doing that I get excited to return, but I also feel a wee bit guilty for not exploring and (probably) falling in love with another corner of the world. Plus, I've always wanted to go to Portugal ever since my grandma went when I was young and brought me back nifty things, like a doll that had a 20-layer skirt. I loved that thing, but I have no idea what happened to it.

I know this is a ridiculous thing to be bothered about, but that's me...ridiculous. I am bummed that my passport didn't get stamped when I went to the Netherlands, Finland and Sweden. When they just ushered me through, I wanted to ask if they could look at my passport and stamp it, but I was too embarrassed. My passport is getting full, and I love that fact! But, I also want it to be accurate.

2006-12-04T05:36:00.000-08:00

One down. Two to go. This morning was my crime and justice exam, and I spent all day yesterday studying. Well, almost all day, because I too a journal writing break, a grocery shopping break, and then finally a tv break. I was nervous going into the exam, because it's an oral exam. It's more difficult, because if you don't know the answer, you have to fess up. You can't sit there and ponder it for a while. I was the very first person, and my nervousness was obvious. I was bright red, and I could feel my hands shaking. I spoke way too quickly; I was inarticulate and far from succinct.

The grading system is strange. It's a scale of 0 to 13. You get a 3 for showing up. You need a 6 to pass, which is the equivalent of a C-. Basically no one gets a 13, and if an instructor does give one, he has to explain it to his higher ups. There is no 12 for some unknown reason. So, basically the scale is 6 to 11 (apparently it's impossible to get less than a 6). My instructor came out and whispered my grade to me: 10. I looked at him and responded, "really???" I then wanted to ask, "are you sure?" but thought better of it.

This surprisingly decent grade makes the next two exams seem a little less scary. I say "a little," because I am aware that this exam was not as difficult as my next 2 will be. Having to study kills most of the joy I get from being in Europe.

T minus 16 days until I come home...

2006-11-27T05:11:00.000-08:00

Yes, I am in front of a computer while I am in Istanbul! Why? Because I need to give my tired legs, ears, eyes and nose a rest. I am sure you can understand the legs part. As for the other three, Istanbul puts me on sensory overload after a couple of days, since all of the sounds, sights and smells are new.

So far I have seen the Blue Mosque, Ayasofya, Basilica Cistern, Hippodrome, Grand Bazaar, Spice Bazaar, Book Bazaar, Topkapi Palace, Archeological Museums, Yeni Camii (New Mosque), Suleymaniye Mosque, Beyazit Mosque and the Train Station. I have stopped for Turkish tea and Turkish Delight or Baklava breaks here and there (perhaps more frequently) and am enjoying getting cups of freshly squeezed pomegranate juice. Sometimes I mix it up and get 3/4 pomegranate and 1/4 grapefruit. However, only chumps have to pay for their Turkish tea. All I have to do is pause in front of a store, and the guy comes out, asks if I would like some tea and voila! If I pop into a place for a piece of baklava, I usually get a cup of tea as well. Turkish baklava, by the way, kicks Greek baklava's butt. It is way better, and it literally drips of honey. I have yet to find hummus as good as Tariq's though.

Yesterday's highlight was the Treasury of Topkapi Palace. There I saw an 84 carat diamond and multiple emeralds the size of my fist. There was a throne that was adorned with over 1000 rubies and 25,000 pearls. Also in the Treasury were things like teacup holders with each holder containing over 300 diamonds, water pitchers and plates made from gold and decorated with diamonds and mother of pearl, daggers, swords and their sheaths decorated with diamonds, emeralds, rubies and pearls. I cannot imagine the Palace in all of its splendor, and after my visit I really wished I had been a sultan!

My guidebook says that the thing to not miss is a Hamam or Turkish Bath. I have been reluctant to go, since there are 2 unappealing things about it. First, a woman bathes you...kind of weird. Second, it sounds like it hurts, and I have sensitive skin. I don't want to spend my remaining days in Istanbul in pain. But, after some persuasion I am going to the hamam and, in fact, I am going to one that is over 400 years old!

2006-11-25T08:34:00.000-08:00

There is so much I want to write, and there isn't enough time to do it. Today was my first day in Istanbul. I arrived last night, and by the time I hit the pavement it was 8 p.m. I walked around to get a feel for Sultanahamet, and immediately fell in love with Istanbul - or at least Sultanahamet. It is beautiful, busy, noisy, dirty and about as historic as it gets. Every time I passed by the Blue Mosque and Ayasofya (aka Hagia Sofia), I became overwhelmed with the sense of history that this place has. I really cannot fathom it.

Today I woke up at 6 a.m. to the call to prayer. I was groggy, so I was a little confused at first, but I quickly realized what it was and then quickly appreciated how incredibly lucky I am. It sounded as though it was coming right in front of my window. That is because I am very close to the Blue Mosque. I stayed still, stared out of my window and tried to commit how I felt to memory. It was a sound I cannot describe; it gave me goosebumps! If I could somehow bring back how I felt this morning at 6 a.m. as a souvenir for everyone, that's what everyone would be getting.

I hit the streets early this morning. I saw quite a few sights. I went into the Blue Mosque. I knew that I had to take my shoes off. I even got a picture of the instructions that say "Never Step on the Prayer Rug" and took a picture of it for Susan. The guy watching the door wasn't going to make me wear a scarf, but I insisted. I then headed to Ayasofya and marveled at it for a solid 2 hours. There isn't much inside, but it's an architectural masterpiece. That, and I stood in the Upper Gallery looking out over the whole of it trying to imagine the history of it. My history book helped.

I then made my way to the Basilica Cistern. From there it was up the main street and into the Grand Bazaar. Needless to say I was horribly lost. Again, it is indescribable. It is covered, but it is a maze of twists and turns that go on and on. The only helpful thing is that is compartmentalized by goods. So, if I see a bunch of leather goods, I can look up on the map to find out generally where in the Grand Bazaar I am.

I slowly made my way to Suleymaniye Mosque, which is absolutely beautiful. I was kicked out when the call to prayer sounded, so I rushed out (I didn't bother to put my shoes back on) to watch all of the men wash their hands and feet.

I learned a very valuable lesson in the first 2 hours of my walking around last night. That being to not smile at people on the street. Why? Because, I'd say that 98% of the people out are men and smiling provokes them, which they don't need. I cannot walk slowly, sit down or stand still without someone coming up to me and asking me where I am from, what my name is, whether I'd like to have some tea, whether I'd like to meet for dinner, whether I'd like to come into their store/cafe/restaurant. Granted everyone just wants to sell me something, so I know that I am not in danger. I feel safe, but it is tiring dodging Turkish men. If I am wanting to get some place in 10 minutes, I will need to leave at least 15 minutes before, so as to make it on time. I have made up an imaginary travel partner, who I am always on my way to meet. He's kind of like my imaginary boyfriend that I made up to avoid having to reject the regulars at the pub. It's the path of least resistance and you can't offend anyone by saying that you're on your way to meet someone.

2006-11-21T07:33:00.000-08:00

Stockholm is a delight particularly to the traveler who starts to feel as though she has lost her wanderlust spirit. I adore this city, and I don't want to leave even though I have another day here. I am a bit disappointed that I even went to Helsinki when I could have spent the entire week here. However, I have little time to spend, so I am not going to waste it on regret. Stockholm is beautiful, picturesque, charming, clean and fun to explore. Stockholm is made up of 14 islands with over 50 bridges. You can imagine the fun I am having with that! I am island hopping all of the time, and my camera is always out. Despite the inclement weather, I went on a boat cruise today. I am amazed that I get motion sickness on muni but not on a topsy-turvy boat. There's much to see both in the way of actual sights and the city itself.

The major department store - NK (dubbed 'No Kroner left') has it's christmas displays all set up in its windows, and I have yet to out grow getting sentimental at the sight of window displays. Streets are decorated for christmas. Lights are strung up along the streets. Christmas trees are in the squares. Miniature christmas trees sit outside storefronts. Christmas music can be heard. Cafes are serving glögg, which is like mulled wine but better. They have julborg here too! I love this city and what's more is that I love it during the Christmas season.

The only downside to Stockholm is that it gets dark at 3, and I don't mean that it starts to get dark. By 3 o'clock in the afternoon it looks like it is 9 o'clock at night, and it kind of feels that way. No matter, because I love Stockholm regardless.

I love Budapest, and while I'd like to think I could live there, I probably couldn't in reality. Same with Amsterdam. However, Stockholm is a city that I could conceivably call home. More to come later...

2006-11-19T02:58:00.000-08:00

I bet you all thought I dropped off the face of the world...NOT SO! Although it kind of feels that way in the land of reindeer and Nokia, aka Finland. I am now at the terminal waiting to board my boat to Stockholm after spending the last 3.5 days in Helsinki. To be honest, 3.5 days is about 2 days too long. There isn't much to see in Helsinki, which may explain why my guide gives it short shrift. Regardless, I still like the name of the city, and I'm close to Russia. Those two things combined have to count for something. Helsinki is cold, and I now have an appreciation for how quickly extremely cold air can cause pain. I had to upgrade my tights to Finnish-style tights, i.e., wool tights, and I love how warm my ear muffs keep my ears! After my first two days here, I had become so accustomed to being cold that when I returned to my hovel (crappy hotel) last night, I was informed that my radiator wasn't working and that they were looking for a space heater for me. I responded that I just thought it was normal for them to keep the temperatures in the rooms so cold. After all, Finns go ice hole swimming! (I didn't say that last part). They found me a space heater and suggested that I leave it on all night. Unfortunately, I couldn't do that, because I was worried it would start a fire.

Not only is Helsinki cold, it is also foggy (more so than San Francisco!), dark and gloomy. It doesn't feel like there is a daytime here, just a lighter version of night...not quite the opposite of nighttime. I didn't try the reindeer, but I did try some local berry compote. That was good! They also have something called cloudberry schnapps, and while not exactly easy to drink, it is quite effective. I can see why Finns are such fans of vodka (and alcohol in general) and dancing...they're 2 things that get and keep you warm!

Stockholm here I come!

2006-11-12T07:48:00.000-08:00

Last night was my unofficial last night as a bartender. I say "unofficial," because I have to kind of lie to my boss and pretend that I'm also working in December. If I don't, my boss is likely to avoid paying me.

While I should be catching up on reading and whatnot, I'm instead reading up on Helsinki and Stockholm. My grandma sent me some ear muffs, and I'm hoping to receive them before I leave for the land of reindeer. When I was a kid, I had a pair of ear muffs, but I kind of thought they were toys, like something to put on your head to look silly. I didn't actually realize that people wore/wear them to keep their ears warm. (I never claimed to be a bright child). Even though I've only seen a couple of people wear them here, when I am cold, I don't particularly care whether what's keeping me warm is fashionable.

2006-11-07T11:02:00.000-08:00

The last week and a half was a busy one for bartenders. Not last Saturday but the one before was a Bruce Springstein concert across the street, which meant that I returned a measley 12 hours after I left the previous night (technically Saturday morning). Who knew The Boss had such a following in Denmark? Buses of Jutland-ers arrived around 4, and I think they were all in McGrath's. The following Wednesday was a big soccer match (again, across the street); it was FCK versus Manchester United, and a bunch of hooligans (as Danes call them) from England (Manchester I presume) flew in for the game. Fortunately, while my boss is rarely smart enough to make sure we have enough beer and change, she hired 2 bouncers for the night. Then Friday rolled around and at 9 p.m. the Christmas beer was available for consumption. Tuborg releases a special beer every Christmas (and apparently every Easter as well), and it's a big deal. I got a neat santa hat that is blue with a bulb at the end that changes colors. I like it and wore it all night long.

Then Saturday night rolled around. There were no concerts, soccer matches or special beers, so I thought it would be a rather quiet night (at least in comparison). I was wrong! Around 2 a.m. a group of people came in, and I could tell immediately that they were going to be the problem group, and sure enough my intuition was correct. We did last call at 4, and by 4:30 we started the closing process. By 4:50 the registers were counted and closed, and that is when one of the girls asked if she could get vodka to go. She was severely disappointed when I explained to her (3 times) that I couldn't sell any of them anything. Even without drinks they lingered about being loud and obnoxious. Natasha, my co-bartender, turned off all the lights to get them to leave, but we had to turn on the front ones so that they could make their way out. Most of them did, except a guy and a girl who were looking for a bag. I took the opportunity to grab the guy's glass, which was half-filled with beer. I poured it out, which did not make him very happy. He became belligerent and demanded I give him another beer. I refused and told him to leave. He, of course, refused and became even more belligerent. His girlfriend, who was just as drunk, tried to get him to leave. There was quite a bit of yelling going back and forth between us. She kept yelling at me to pour him another beer, and Natasha and I kept responding with the equivalent of "fuck off." Seeing that yelling was fairly ineffective, we decided to call the cops. They didn't like that very much so they decided to reach over the bar and smash about 50 glasses. She then went around and turned on all the taps, letting beer flow onto the counters. The girl finally stormed out, but the guy, not being all that bright, refused to leave until he got his beer. He eventually left once he realized that either way he wasn't getting a beer. Unfortunately, Natasha and I were stuck with sweeping up glass and re-cleaning the bar while waiting for the police to arrive. Even worse, was Ian who was stuck making sure the losers didn't come back and start more trouble.

I then had to go in the following night for the BIG soccer match between FCK and Bromby (I think that's how it is spelled), which are both Copenhagen teams making it the worst rivalry. Again, we hired 2 bouncers. I wish we had bouncers every night!

2006-11-01T01:51:00.000-08:00

It's Wednesday, November 1, and this morning is marked by Copenhagen's first snow of the season. What's more important is that this morning was the first time I've ever seen snow fall. I ran around to all of the windows to watch it. I LOVE it. I was a bit worried about surviving here when it started to snow, and I still am. It's pretty though, and it's fun to watch it fall. I made the mistake of opening my window to take a picture (um, it's the first time I've seen it snow!!), and I was quickly reminded that if it's snowing, it's quite cold. In fact, it's freezing cold (I am SO clever). I have to go outside eventually, but I am putting that off as long as possible.

2006-11-01T01:41:00.000-08:00

It is official! I am going to Istanbul. There were 2 deciding factors really. First, I remembered that I moved out of the first place that has felt like home over the lasat 6 years to come to Copenhagen, and when I return I will have to find a new place to live and move yet again. That makes for a total of 10 moves in the last 6 years! I better make the most of it while I'm here. Second, when I looked at my travel guide for Istanbul and thought to myself, "you're not going" I became rather indignant and sad at that thought. If I regret the possibility of not going, then I should go!

So, November's schedule is: last day of class 11/14. Fly to Helsinki on 11/16 for 3.5 days, one of which will be spent in Tallinn, Estonia. I spend the night of the 19th on a boat making its way to Stockholm, and I'm there for 3 days. On the 23rd (Thanksgiving) I fly back to Copenhagen, where I will do as much laundry as possible, because I fly to Istanbul the following day! I'm only there for 5.5 days, but I'm going to try to make the most of it. I'm staying in Sultanhamet and am debating whether a Turkish bath is in order. So far, every book says it's an absolute must, but I'm a little wary. I'M SO EXCITED!

2006-10-25T02:28:00.000-07:00

Ok. I am seeking advice from all of you who read this. Here is the quagmire: my last day of class is 11/14. I have 3 oral exams, which take place sometime between 12/4 and 12/14. I am in Helsinki, Tallinn and Stockholm from 11/16 through 11/23. Here's the impasse: should I go to Istanbul from 11/25 through 11/30 (I can't imagine making my way there to spend less than 4 full days in the city). If I go, I'll not be leaving much time to prepare for exams, although I can take my notes with me and read them over when I'm in for the night (not sure I'd actually do this). Most Danish students say that they've never heard of someone failing an oral exam, but I don't want to be the first! If I don't go, I'll have plenty of time to study but run the risk of regretting not having gone in the event exams are not all that difficult (or least not that difficult to pass, which is all I need to do). Any suggestions, ideas, words of persuasion?

2006-10-20T06:50:00.000-07:00

I am back in Copenhagen! This morning was non-stop, since I rolled out of bed at 4:30 a.m. but had run to my gate to catch my flight (difficult to do with no coffee in me and managing my backpack AND 6 bottles of wine). I'm usually the second person in line to check-in with plenty of time to spare, but I made the mistake of taking the airport minibus instead of a cab. I would never do this, but the guy behind the desk reassured me that I'd make it in plenty of time. I was reluctant but eventually caved in, and it was a close call since the minibus had to pick up 4 passengers before making its way to the airport! Although, I have to admit that I'd lament having to spend another night in Budapest only from a financial perspective; otherwise, I'd rejoice in such a twist of fate!

Pictures from Budapeset are up! There are some that look alike, and there are some that only I will appreciate in all likelihood, but they're up nevertheless.

When I was in elementary school I'd spend the entire weekend at my grandma's house. I'd also visit my great grandmother in Highland, Illinois for a couple of weeks in the summer. When I'd get home, I'd invariably feel a bit crestfallen. At the time, I thought it was because I was back in the presence of my sister; while that might have been part of it, I actually think it was post-travel depression! (yes, I traveled a whole 6 miles to my grandma's house; I even packed my purple cabbage-patch kids suitcase for the adventure). It almost never fails that when I return from an adventure abroad my mood becomes rather lugubrious, at least for a couple of days.

When I got back from Amsterdam I felt depressed, because my adventures in the land of all things Dutch were over. Now I'm really feeling rather disconsolate that my travels in Hungary have concluded. I want to be back in Budapest. I wish I had more time there, and I am disappointed that I just now visited it for the first time. What's more is that it will probably be a few years before I can return. This is where Flickr's slideshow feature is helpful; it always cheers me up (even if ever so slightly) to see all my pictures. I've already watched the slideshow a couple of times! Thank goodness for digital cameras!

2006-10-16T10:02:00.000-07:00

Today did not go according to plan. Thanks to being female, I had some pain with minor tasks such as standing up straight and walking. So, heading up the Danube was not for me. That has been postponed until tomorrow (Tuesday). Instead, it was a slow day in Budapest. With museums being closed, there were no sights to be seen. Thankfully, I gave myself a full week in Budapest, so plans gettng redistributed throughout the week creates no havoc for me. By the way, the people who said that a week in Budapest would be too long are stupid. Equally stupid were remarks along the lines, "you can easily see Budapest in 2 or 3 days!" Damn fools! You cannot see Budapest in that short of time. I'm sure you can run around, see the major sights, eat some goulash and be on your way, but you certainly can't appreciate all that the city has to offer.

For example, since I wasn't feeling all that spectacular today, I decided to spend most of my day in one of the coffeehouses here. Apparently, there used to be quite a coffee-drinking culture that inspired many Vienna-style coffeehouses (Vienna-style meaning ornate, classical music playing, and overall aesthetically pleasing). Most of these were done away with during Communism's hold on Hungary. A few have been restored, and it is here where hours can easily be spent. I have made lingering over a cup of coffee and pastry over the span of a couple of hours an art form, or so I feel. The staff will not bother you, unless you order something else or ask for the bill. In fact, there are many local papers and magazines available should one wish to read while lingering. I use this time to write in my journal, read, and write out some postcards (you read it right; ones from Budapest are on their way to accompany the ones from Kobenhavn and Amsterdam). Back to my point: if you're only here for a couple of days, it's things like making yourself into a piece of furniture at a coffeehouse that you fail to experience.

I also went to the Great Market. It is great because you can fulfill all of your fresh fruit and vegetable, meat, grains, trinkets, cheap souvenir, and linens needs at this market. It was fun to stroll around and see all the wares that were for sale. Most tourists buy linens when in Hungary, and I have to admit that there are some pretty tablecloths and pillow cases. So far, I remain souvenir-less. I can't figure out what to buy people, because most souvenirs are, well, crap. I should just bring back liquor! Oh, which reminds me...I found absinthe made in the Czech Republic here. Now I can rectify my mistake of not bringing some of THAT back with me last summer!

I recently read that there is a statue park here. I am putting that at the top of my priority list. When all regimes fall, so do their monuments, and apparently there are some that will give you an alice-in-wonderland complex, since they're HUGE. Again, something the average fly-through-Budapest tourist would likely miss. Suckers!

2006-10-15T05:15:00.000-07:00

I am happy to report that I am in the land of paprika and goulash, i.e., Hungary. I love Budapest, and since I am a traveler who is in-the-know, I pronounce it Budapesht. I am staying on the Pest side of the Danube, but I like both Buda and Pest (Budapest is actually two cities divided by the Danube. On the East side is Pest and on the West is Buda - apparently, not everyone knows this).

Budapest is rather large, and Rick Steves says that doing your sightseeing by foot is tedious and so that using public transportation is a must. To this I say "SO untrue!" It is tiring but far from tedious. The city is beautiful, and you get to see a lot of the detail when you're on foot. For example, yesterday I was making my way up Andrassy Ut. towards City Park; a walk that, from my panzio should have taken 40 minutes, took me 2.5 hours! I kept getting distracted by buildings, markets, statues, and monuments. I came across a local market, and I think I was the only tourist and the only person who spoke English. No matter, since I have developed fantastic pantomiming skills! In fact, I like that most people don't speak English; it makes me feel as though I'm actually traveling (no offense Copenhagen). It is not surprising that Budapest reminds me of Prague. There is a major difference though: Prague was untouched by WWII. Not so much for Budapest. Many buildings are run down, black from exhaust and are missing chunks of wall. That just adds to the city feeling even more historic if you ask me.

I have an aptitude for the Hungarian language. It's fun to try to speak it, because there are a lot of "s" "sh" "u" and "aw" sounds. You have to use the middle part of your tongue against the roof of your mouth. That I can (or at least try to) manage. People really appreciate the effort, and it has earned me many warm smiles and friendly handshakes.

I love the local currency; it makes me feel rich and like I am spending mountains of money! It reminds me of Italy when they were still on the Lire. Right now, it is 200 Ft. for every $1; the conversion is easy enough, and it's fun to fork over 5,000 for dinner. What also reminds me of Italy is the driving. Hungarian drivers actually make Italian ones seem cautious, if you can imagine that.

I didn't know this before I arrived, but Budapest is big on coffee and espresso. Hungarians also have quite a sweet tooth. While Toledo, Spain remains the mecca of marzipan, the delicious almond delicacy is here too. They also have lots of tarts and pastries filled with plums, sour cherries, apples, and all kinds of fantastic things. It's difficult being a vegetarian, since the main thing to try is goulash. I haven't tried it, but I love saying it. I am managing on sandwiches sans salami, which mostly means cheese sandwiches.

I've taken loads of pictures, and thankfully I brought both my camera batteries with me. I leave in the morning with two fully-charged batteries, and return at night with two completely drained batteries. At least I don't have to keep track of several rolls of film!

Tomorrow is the dead day where all museums are closed. I am therefore heading up the Danube to some small hill towns.

So, all in all, I am thrilled to be here, and I don't want to leave. Apparently there are 2 Hastings students who organized their own exchange program and are here for the semester. Lucky bastards!

2006-10-02T11:20:00.000-07:00

Pictures from Amsterdam are up! I think it speaks to how much I love Amsterdam that I spent 2.5 days in the city and took as many pictures of it as I have of Copenhagen (I was in Leiden the other 2 days). I was a happy camera-toting tourist for a short while.

Amsterdam is one of the few cities I can see myself making my home. Many cities I love because they are beautiful and have much to offer the traveller. The cities I can see as my home are not only beautiful and have much to offer, but for some inexplicable reason the city feels like home while I'm there. (Ed. note: this feeling of "home" does not include a calculation of how I'd support myself if I did live there). Unlike Copenhagen, Amsterdam feels very European; Copenhagen feels slightly suburban. The buildings here lack character and distinction, unlike the well-known varied gables of Amsterdam. Also, unlike Amsterdam, Copenhagen isn't exactly percolating with energy. Amsterdam's population is far from homogenous, and I came across Peruvian, Indian, Indonesian and Argentine restaurants in record time. There are the bustling squares and shopping streets, but if you venture 4 blocks west or east you find charming, quiet and inspiring neighborhoods. The sights are more fun as well: Van Gogh, the Rijks Musueum that houses Rembrandt, Anne Frank's house, intereting churches, and canals! (although Copenhagen has a few of those too). I'd highly recommend Amsterdam!

2006-09-30T13:22:00.000-07:00

All things are fantastic in Amsterdam! I fell in love with it within the first 5 minutes of walking around. It is an energetic, bustling and aesthetically pleasing city. It has more canals than Venice, but it isn't as easy to get lost here. Amsterdam feels very European, a nice change. I like being in the land of wooden shoes.

The Red Light District was a sight in and of itself. I wandered around and kept getting creeped out seeing women of various ages standing behind glass doors naked and offering themselves in exchange for 50 euros. The first comparison that came to mind was a zoo. I had to work up some courage to go into a "coffeeshop," which is where you go to buy weed. How nice it was to say, "I'd like a gram of number 12 and a pre-rolled joint of number 5," to hand over some money and be on my merry way. I certainly didn't have the courage to smoke in the coffeeshop; if I did, I'd be that girl who can't stop laughing and then loses motor control. Instead, I felt it a better idea to light up on a park bench in front of a church. When the guy behind the counter said I was brave, I wasn't sure whether that was a warning about my selection or a simple compliment. After last night's debauchery, I think it was a warning. Note to self: it is not necessarily a good idea to buy a gram of the strongest stuff.

Tomorrow I am hitting up a few museums and will wander around to take pictures and buy souvenires. Oddly enough, that is something Copenhagen is missing-souvenire shops. I am going to be sad to leave.

2006-09-25T11:06:00.001-07:00

I leave the the land of Rembrandt, windmills, wooden shoes and all things legal in 1.5 days. I am very excited, since I've never been to Amsterdam. Unfortunately, since you can now only carry on a small backpack the size of a laptop, I will have to check my backpack. The only advantage is that I can take with me my toilettries so that I don't have to buy them when I'm there, which I would have done otherwise.

I am staying in a bed and breakfast in the Jordaan district the first two nights and am then meeting yp with Susan on Friday in Leiden. I think the two of us reunited on the Continent, particularly this part of the Continent, could spell trouble.

2006-09-21T02:09:00.000-07:00

Today is one of those days I wish adults had some of the luxuries afforded pre-schoolers. Specifically, I wish we had nap time. What I wouldn't give for a nap room with cots, blankets, and (most important) cubby holes. I have a 2-hour break between classes. It's not enough time to go home and nap; I wouldn't make it back for my last class, but it's just enough time to take a nap if I could. This will teach me to stay out late on a school night!

Last night I got to try something new. No, it wasn't some fantastic drug that is legal in Denmark. Nothing is legal in Denmark. Instead, I got to dinky (Australian term), which means I rode on the back of Tom's bike, which required balance on my part but much courage on Tom's part. I do need to get a bike. It's faster than the bus and is extremely convenient, since most public transportation stops running at 12:30 a.m. or in Danish time 0:30.

2006-09-20T05:40:00.000-07:00

Talk about relief! I'm glad that I didn't decide to travel to Budapest at the end of September and made plans to go there at the end of October. I'm also happy that Thailand was never in the offing.

2006-09-17T12:54:00.000-07:00

I love this photo!

Copenhagen's charm and beauty isn't very obvious. Instead, you have to wander around and be extremely curious. Today, I was walking down a street, and a gate opened into what looked like a courtyard to someone's home. I figured that if I was trespassing, someone would let me know in short order. Instead, I found this trail and took this picture. No one chased me out.

2006-09-17T11:22:00.000-07:00

There's a point where I'm so tired that I apparently cannot go to sleep, and I've come by this piece of information about myself after working until 5 a.m. a few nights. I get home, get changed and am in bed by 5:30. I feel tired; I want to sleep but my will alone isn't enough to get me asleep; I'm too wired from the rushing around of the past 7 hours. So, last night I did what any self-respecting bartender would do. I drank! At the beginning of my last hour, Claus, a regular who was drowing his sorrows in pint after pint of Guinness (his quasi-girlfriend broke up with him), told me to make myself a drink and put it on his tab. The only rum we had was Havana Club, which I wasn't really wanting.

(Sidenote: the reason we only had that is because the almost full bottle of Bacardi (not that I'd drink Bacardi) shattered on the floor as I was pouring from it. Fortunatley, it was NOT my fault. Bartenders in Copenhagen cannot pour hard liquor on their own. Instead, the bottles have this computerized thing that we insert into the bottle. To pour we put the neck of the bottle into this mechanism that fits over the neck, and you pull something that looks like a trigger. It then dispenses the exact quantity per shot. The thing that goes into the neck of the bottle was not inserted properly, so my shoes got a bath in stinky rum)

The toss up was between vodka and tequila. Tequila it was! I only know of 2 things that can be done with tequila: a shot or a tequila sunrise. I opted for the latter, but since it took me a total of 4 minutes to drink it, maybe a shot would have been better. Shortly thereafter, Jimmy, another regular (it's kind of like Cheers, except the group of 4 do not always sit in the same spot) bought me another, except with 3 shots in it. After finishing that, another one was sitting in front of me beforeI knew what had happened.

Lesson learned: whenever I have to stay until 5, always start drinking at least 30 minutes before I leave. That way, when I get home and into bed, I'm out like a light in no time!

A number of new pictures are up for viewing...

2006-09-14T08:48:00.001-07:00

This just in: I graduate on Sunday, May 20, 2007! As unrelated to traveling as this is, I am very excited. The end is near! The crappy thing is that I only get 7 tickets to the ceremony. I would have thought that $140,000 would have bought me more than that. Oh, wait...it did. I get a J.D. out of the deal too.

In other news, there is a very cute, smart, and sweet Swede in 2 of my classes, which means 2 things. First, I get to enjoy staring at the back of his head 8 hours a week. Second, I have less than 4 months to convince him that he can't live without me, so that I can marry into the EU. I suppose this can be a "marrying into the EU" exception to my "never marrying again" rule. If I succeed, then I guess only having 7 tickets to the graduation ceremony will be a moot point.

2006-09-12T09:24:00.000-07:00

One thing I've come to realize today is that I enjoy early mornings in Copenhagen. When I first arrived, I had difficulty adjusting to the time, which meant waking up at 10 at the earliest. Once I adjusted to the time, I realized there was nothing that demanded my getting up early, so sleeping in until 10 it was. Now that classes have begun, I have to wake up at 6:30 on Tuesdays and Thursdays to be out the door by 7:20. I was in too much of a daze last Thursday to appreciate the qualities of an early morning here.

It is quiet. Most people ride their bikes, walk or take public transportation, so the hum of car engines, the honking of horns, and the screetching of brakes is nowhere to be heard. The air is crisp and cool. There's a good energy (yes, I'm going to say that!), because while people are on the move, it isn't a rabid and robotic move. It's a pleasure to get off the metro, walk through old cobble-stoned streets, and stop to get some coffee, all in the process of getting to class.

One thing I've noticed about Copenhagen (and this is probably true for all of Denmark) is that the sky seems eerily close, most likely because of its location latitudinally speaking (that's my guess). When it's cloudy, the clouds seem within reach and their movement is easily visible. In the early morning, the sunlight is really radiant and it almost looks like a sunset because of the hues one can see if one takes the time to look.

Now that I've realized how pleasant the early morning is, I'm excited to wake up even earlier so that I can walk around and take pictures with the sun rising.

2006-09-10T23:58:00.000-07:00

It's first thing Monday morning, and I was able to wake up by 7:30 without too much fuss. Last night was the first night I slept soundly. I attribute that to my having gone for a run yesterday evening. At first I was going to wait until when it got dark to make this venture as inconscpicuous as possible. Yesterday was a beautiful day, which made the sunset equally beautiful. My desire to run around the lake (see "Pictures") with the sun setting was stronger than my desire to wait until nighttime to avoid any possible embarrassment.

Most people know that I loath running; I always have. It is not a natural movement for me, and while I'm running I feel miserable and lament how miserable I am. I've heard some talk about this "runner's zone" that people get into when they run. Well, not so much for me. However, it has been 3 weeks since I've engaged in any cardiovascular activity. To highlight a distinct difference between Danish and American culture, the gym here does not have any cardio equipment. Where's the highlight? Well, Danes wonder why you'd jump on a stationary bike, a treadmill, or a rowing machine if you want to get your heartrate moving. Instead, get a bike and cycle around the city, go for a run around the lakes, get into a kayak and paddle around the canals. Therefore, running it is!

Not only did I sleep soundly, it felt great to exert myself. Thankfully, going up 6 flights of stairs 2 to 5 times a day doesn't do it (if it did, I suppose that would mean I'm even more out of shape than I already am). I am thinking of going to the bike shop down the street from my apartment to look into possibly buying a used bike. I am a little worried that they'll tell me they don't make any with seats short enough (which can't be true, since I've seen kids riding bikes around here! Not that I want a children's bike...) When I'm walking down the sidewalk, I keep noticing how high up the seats are on all of the bikes. That would just guarantee my falling over or off.

2006-09-10T06:03:00.000-07:00

Two things I didn't pack with me that would be handy right about now: flip flops and sunblock. I'm sun burned and am sick of wearing sneakers (yes, I still call them sneakers) when it's perfect flip flop weather. Last week was a bit testy. It rained a few days, and on the days it didn't rain it was cold, cloudy and windy. Yesterday Tom said that he is looking forward to it getting cold. As appalled as I was at the thought of looking forward to cold temperatures, Tom pointed out that most of his clothes are winter clothes, and he's sick of wearing the few non-winter-appropriate clothes he brought. Tom is right! Bring on the cold (so long as it doesn't rain)! I have too many wool sweaters, and I didn't pack for warm weather. I too am sick of the few short-sleeved cotton shirts I brought.

It's the little things that make me happy. Today, I headed in the opposite direction that I normally go and came across a large Irma, a fabulous grocery store. It is so fabulous that the owners know it and actually charge double than other establishments such as Netto and Fakta for the exact same product. Sometimes though, double the price is worth it. It is organized, and it carries a number of goods that I cannot find elsewhere. Among these are: soy milk, tortillas, hummus, cheddar cheese, black beans, and canned pineapple. Still to be found: green food, kombucha, and tofu.

It is customary in Denmark to not tip. Apparently, because the minimum wage is so high, tipping is only for exceptional service, and even then it is customary to only tip 10%. When I first arrived, I said "score!" Then, when I started working I realized that it's not so good for me. I vaguely remember tipping a bartender $10 a while back, because I was too drunk to count.

2006-09-07T13:26:00.000-07:00

It's been an eventful week, but only if I compare it to last week. Sure, last week I started my new and exciting career behind a bar, and I managed to find a pair of slippers (oddly enough, slippers are not so popular here in the birthplace of H.C. Andersen). This week though was a week of magnificent feats! I: officially began the last year of my mid-twenties, started class, consumed my entire supply of Tylenol Cold & Sinus medication, bought a yoga mat, and (perhaps most importantly) invested in a small coffee maker.

Tuesday was the big day. I turned (gasp!) 26. I like being in my twenties and prefer being in my late mid-twenties and am looking forward to my late twenties. The "gasp!" is because it seemed like I just entered my mid-twenties, but that was already 2 years ago. I slept in and stayed in my pajamas until 11:30. I was meeting Tom in Christiana at 1 and figured it would be embarrassing to show up in mismatched pjs, so I finally prepared for the day. Christiana is an alternative neighborhood, and I like to say that it's a milder Haight-Ashbury for Copenhagen (see photos, link to the left - there are a few of Christiana). We had lunch; we wandered around; we engaged in some commerce, and then just enjoyed the scenery. We then separated so that I could drop off my coffee maker at home and met back up at a bookstore to peruse travel guides and paperbacks in English. I returned home to a full e-mail inbox with messages all saying "happy birthday" in one creative way or another.

Today was the other big day! It was my first day of school. I woke up at 6:30, so that I would have ample time to get ready. I am not sure why I thought I'd need a full hour, since last night I engaged in a routine I established at the impressionable age of 8 (I think). Every night before my first day of class I pick out what clothes, socks and shoes I am going to wear and set them out. I pack my backpack or shoulder bag with everything that I'm going to need, and I put water and coffee into the (unusually loud) maker. That way when I wake up all I have to do is flip the switch, brush my teeth, wash my face, comb my hair, get dressed, grab my bag and leave. Better excessively early than a little late. I digress...

Class starts every Tuesday and Thursday at 8 with EC Competition Law (hardly the most thrilling class). Classes here are not the same. There are no first reading assignments that are due the first day of class. There is no 3 minute introduction followed by an immediate launch into the material. Instead, the instructor instructed us to stay home if we aren't getting anything from the lectures. He then had us all introduce ourselves after which he spoke as to the nature of the class and the examination. Piece of cake! Immediately following is International Environmental Law, which isn't so much a piece of cake but more like a piece of pie. We're expected to participate (I hate class participation). Oddly enough there are a few undergrads in the class. There's one kid from UC Santa Cruz, and he looked horribly confused when we started discussing the sources of international law and terms like customary international law, jus cogens, opinion juris were being thrown around. Two hour break followed by Crime and Justice, which isn't even a law class; it's a sociology class! The short shrift I'm paying it here is probably indicative of how much attention I'll give it during the semester.

I'm sick and have been sick for the last week and a half. I am now considering the possibility that I am allergic to my apartment. I may have a bit of a runny nose during the day, but it isn't until I come home that I start sneezing and can't stop blowing my nose.

Yeah, I found a yoga mat. While I am pleased with my find, I don't think this needs expounding.

While the Danes may have perfected the pastry, they have quite a bit of catching up to do in the coffee department. I suppose it's not fair to compare the coffee and espresso here to that of Italy and Spain. Regardless, if I'm going to pay $5 for a cup of coffee, it shouldn't be bitter, weak and difficult to swallow. Thus, I am now my own barrista!

2006-09-03T03:00:00.000-07:00

It's 11:30 on Sunday morning, and I am in a blurry-eyed daze. I've had 3 hours of sleep, and I went to bed when the sun started rising. Last night was my second night on the job, and I'm happy to report that much progress has been made.

Night One
I arrived on Friday night to what seemed to be a busy bar. I now have a new appreciation for what it means to be busy. Annette was there, and it was her second day after 3 hours of training the previous day. Fortunately for her, she has prior experience. I stayed out of her way, closely watched what she was doing, and started memorizing where keys were on the register. What I learned from 60 minutes of observation: if someone orders a Tuborg, you pour it in the glass that says Tuborg, whereas if someone orders a Newcastle, you pour that in the glass that has Newcastle's logo. If someone asks for another beer, do not pour it in the old glass; instead, they get a new glass. If someone asks for a bottle of beer, they get a glass with it. Whatever you do, do not take a seemingly empty glass away if there is any beer whatsoever sitting at the bottom. When there was a lull she started explaining a few things to me, such as how to use the credit card machine, that we have to charge at least 100 Kr. but give the difference in change. That was the calm before the storm, and once people started looking at me suspicously, since it seemed I was just standing there enjoying the view, I jumped right in. Fortunately for me, Annette is an older woman and wasn't the fastest, so my pace was consistent with hers.

I met a few regulars who helped me decipher what people were saying. I learned that if I immediately ask, "what would you like?" they know I don't speak Danish; however, this does very little in the way of helping me figure out what they are wanting when I haven't ever heard of it. When that happened, I said, "what is that?" Reply: "whiskey!" I glanced at the 3 shelves of bottles and returned with, "okay, well where is it?"

Peter arrived at 11, and it was his second day. Again, fortunately he has quite a bit of bartending experience and is very quick. He showed me some tricks (that I'm still working on) that save time for when it's busy. There was a steady stream of people, but (as I learned last night) it wasn't busy. I was off at 2, went around to the other side of the bar and chatted for half an hour. With achey feet, I made my way home to crash.

Night Two
I arrived at 10 to a more bustling bar than the previous night. I immediately went into action, since Peter had been there on his own for 2 hours. After 15 minutes he left to grab a bite to eat, leaving me terrified of being on my own, but I kept my fear to myself. I soon realized that the previous night was slow and quiet compared to what was in store for me. Thankfully I wasn't as slow as I thought I'd be. I managed to help 4 customers simultaneously - granted, they all ordered Classic (which is Tuborg Classic), so I left the tap running and just switched out the glasses after they filled. Peter said that I've improved much from the previous night and that after 2 weeks I'll be a pro at the rate I'm going.

I am happy to report that I now know the following:

how to pour all kinds of different beers from a Guinness, Tuborg, Strongbow, Caffreys, Newcastle and Kilkenny
most importantly, how to pour Guinness and to do it without getting any tiny bubbles at the top
how to make an irish coffee, a snakebite, and a snakebite black
how to open bottles on the first try
what Fishermann's is
what glasses what cocktails go in
that you serve people in the following order: regulars, employees, everyone else

I've also made my first gin and tonic (and my second, third, fourth, fifth, etc.).

Pros of working in a pub: time goes by very quickly, because there is always something to do. If there are no new customers or no customers needing anything else there's always putting clean glasses away, putting a full crate of dirty glasses into the dishwasher, wiping down tables and counters, emptying ash trays, and tapping new kegs in the cellar (which I now know how to do). I am meeting a lot of very nice, albeit inebriated, individuals. There are some very nice regulars. One is a chef at a posh restaurant down the street; he's originally from London but has been living here for 9 years. Last night when we ran out of ice, he ran to his restaurant to fetch us some. In return I had a fresh Guinness Extra Cold (it's the only thing he drinks) waiting for him. Peter makes me a drink that I can't pronounce but is very very tastey (I only have it when it's last call, because it makes me a little silly). Peter's also a lot of fun to work with. It rocks being behind the bar. I get to control the music!

Cons of working in a pub: it screws with your sleep cycle; I feel like I've become a smoker. My hair and clothes smell like it, and my mouth and throat, by the end of the night, taste like it too. Sometimes when it is busy, the only thing you want is for it to slow down, which never seems to happen.

2006-09-01T09:59:00.000-07:00

Today was orientation. My suspicion that I could skip it and be fine was correct. It was an orientation for all international students, which includes all subjects and all levels, including undergraduate. It lasted for a little over an hour, and everything we were told was information that we should be able to figure out for ourselves. I suppose I'm not one for them to hold my hand through this process. Then again, I'm sure that for many of these undergrads this is their first time spending any substantial time abroad. Regardless, if they travel again they won't have an international office to tell them how to buy a transportation pass.

I bought my books for my classes (crime and justice, int'l environmental law, and EC competition law). I laughed to myself when I was in the bookstore, because my books aren't that substantial and look like texts I would have used during undergrad. It makes sense, since Denmark's legal system is not a common law one. I am rejoicing at a semester without a single casebook!

2006-09-01T09:39:00.000-07:00

I've been here a week and don't really know my roommate, Barbara, that well. She works in the Emergency Room and usually works the 4 to midnight shift, which doesn't leave a lot of time to interact with each other. She had the day off yesterday, and during my walk home I realized she'd be there and that we'd most likely have to engage in some conversation. So I did what most socially awkward individuals would do in such a situation. I went to the nearest market and bought a bottle of red wine. It worked like a charm. I had one glass; she had two, and we conversed for almost 2 hours with none of the general chit chat that revolves around things like the weather. It was a rare moment for me, since I generally don't take the initiative to socialize. Here's to personal growth, even if aided by some tastey Malbec grapes from Argentina!

Tonight I start my bartending career at McGrath's Irish Pub. Interestingly, the owner is not Irish. Susan gave me some good advice if there's a rowdy crowd; fake an Irish accent, because no one fucks with the Irish. I'm not sure I can pull that one off. I'm thinking that ducking may be more effective.

2006-08-28T11:21:00.000-07:00

My original plan included traveling to Istanbul before classes begin, which means I would have been there today and over the weekend during all of the blasts. I am not one to say there is some type of divine providence. Nor am I the type of person to say that things happen for a reason. In fact, that phrase makes me clench my jaw, bite my tongue and do an internal shaking of the head. Regardless, I can't help but feel relieved that my original plans did not work out (as they almost never do). Actually, come to think of it my second and third set of plans didn't come to fruition either. Fortunately for me, I've become the type of person who does not get frustrated or annoyed when such things happen.

Now the question is whether I am still set on going to Istanbul in December after exams. Of course I am! I won't pretend as if I'm not apprehensive about it. Of course I am, but a little apprehension won't stop me. The Kurdish separatists have been at it for a while, and if I let that stop me, then I will, in all likelihood, never see Istanbul or any other part of Turkey (or any other part of the world that is in turmoil - and that is cutting a large part of the world out of the picture, which I can't have).

In other news, I think I am gainfully employed. My employer: McGrath's Irish Pub, which is 3 blocks from my home. I will be working Friday and Saturdays from 10 to 3 a.m. (and some day shifts). Yes, I will now be on the other side of the bar. Fortunately, it is a pub, so I will not be responsible for mixing drinks. I hadn't planned on working while here, but it will help relieve some of the stress about the cost of being here for 4 months. Also, establishing a routine of class, work, yoga and maybe gym (if the membership isn't outrageous) will create a greater sense that Copenhagen is my home (at least until 12/6, when I leave for Istanbul).

2006-08-27T07:33:00.000-07:00

Today is my third day in Copenhagen. In all honesty, I am not sure why people say they love Copenhagen. I am sure that this outlook could change as time goes by and as I do more exploring and start to feel more at ease. That's not to say that I don't like it. The cities that I love are ones that I fell in love with immediately after stepping off a train or bus, but I suppose that doesn't have to be the case. It could be that Copenhagen will start to feel like home once I feel more settled. I may also be getting a job at an Irish pub that is 3 blocks from my apartment. Copenhagen is very expensive...too expensive.

Last night was a jolt to my system. I met up with Tom, who is a Hastings student studying here. He came here in early August for a Danish class (an impossible language) and has made a number of friends with other international students who were in his class. Tom and I met up for dinner and then headed to a place called Student House. It is a bar but it is run by students, so it is the cheapest bar in town. I immediately felt entirely out of place. A number of the international students are stuyding here as part of their undergraduate work, and the age difference was palpable.

When we got to the bar, I felt uncomfortable because I didn't know anyone other than Tom. I tried to make conversation with Tom's friends but failed miserably. I am not good at small talk and am generally not a good conversationalist. It was the usual banal banter of "where are you from?" "what are you studying?" and "for how long are you here?" Despite feeling out of place I stayed until 12:30, because I am still jet lagged and wasn't tired. When they were moving on to a tequila bar, I started my 45-minute walk home. During my walk home I felt really frustrated, because I do not like feeling out of place. It isn't that I want to fit in as in be like everyone else, but it is more that I don't like feeling entirely isolated (I vaguely remember feeling this way when I arrived in Prague, but making some good friends there solved that problem immediately). I was surrounded by people but didn't feel like I could relate to any of the people around me.

2006-07-14T18:43:00.000-07:00

While this isn't replacing my everyday blog, this one is dedicated to my upcoming travels and adventures. I figure it is best to not mingle the extraordinary with the banal.

Back in March, I memorialized my quest to find my journal for my upcoming travels. The search has been ongoing since then. One might think it rather easy to find a new journal. Every book, card, and stationary store carries at least a few. Well, it's not easy for those, such as myself, who are particular. To recapitulate: objective qualifications include the following. First, the pages must be lined. Second, it has to be standard journal size, since the pages of the small ones only hold four sentences. Third, it has to be unique, which is a good segue into my subjective qualification. That is, it must tickle my current aesthetic fancies.

I have purchased a journal, and I like it. However, it does not make me anxious to write in it. I saw another journal that I like and am still contemplating whether I should get that one instead. I know that this must make me sound slightly off my rocker. I am leaving for four months, have to move out of my apartment and attend to quite a few details, and what journal I will take with me is at the top of my priority list. C'est moi!