It is currently a bit after 9 pm and I am the only one home. It has been this way since I got home from work about 5:30. It's quiet, peaceful and I had some time to myself. Not that I don't usually sit in my room after work on my computer but there is something different about knowing it's just you and be a little more relaxed.
Today was a pretty normal day. Got up just like usual, got ready (kind of got pushed out of the bathroom) and left a little after 8. I think Lise believes I spend over an hour in the bathroom every morning. I say this because, well, first of all, I do spend from about 6:35 to 7 in there every morning. Most normal people aren't up that early anyway, including Lise. However, at 7 I try to get out because Jin has to get ready too and I just sit in my room and eat and check e-mail and do the get readying I can there. Well, this morning, pushed out at 7 and I wasn't near the bathroom again till almost 7:40 when I needed to brush my teeth and finish up. At that moment Lise needs the bathroom again and jokes that I'm in there all the time. I guess I'm just going to be that person who is in the bathroom ALL the time. :-) I now have a little mirror with a stand so that I'll spend even "less" time in there. How 45 minutes total is going to shrink, I have no idea. And come on, 6:30 is early.
Anywho, enough of the rant. Work went well. Results came in and two more experiments were started. Lunch was nice. Esben and I talked about college football (well, I talked about that) and we discussed the Tour de France (sorry if I spelled that wrong) as well as soccer. I learned about how the matches work here, how many teams in a group and how Denmark's chances of qualifying for the World Cup are looking up. The afternoon was observations and doing stuff for the PIRE program.
I left at 4:30, bought a SIM card and came home. Yup, I have a working mobile phone. No, you can't call me. :-) Unless you're in Denmark. :-D I made dinner and chatted on Skype for a while. My throat is still bothering me. Quite a bit, actually. It seems like another viral thing. I honestly don't think I've been 100% since before finals week. It's a virus, it's allergies, it's another virus, it's a stuffy nose--my body apparently doesn't like being well. :-P So if you'd please pray for healing in regards to that I would appreciate it. I'm hoping this doesn't develop into a cough because that would make sleeping very difficult.
The only news I have that may be interesting is that I will be meeting Maria, the kind business woman who helped me in the airport, next week to walk around the old parts of Copenhagen, get dinner, and have ice cream at Tivoli. That will be a nice evening. :-)
Nothing else for today so I'm out. Time to go to bed. :-)
Until tomorrow,
Bekah
PS If there is anything you want to hear about (or not hear about for that matter) or want to ask, please let me know! I'd love to hear from you!
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Monday, June 29, 2009
Monday Monday
I really don't have much to say today. I got up at 6:30 as usual and got ready for work. I tried to leave a little earlier than normal because I was planning on buying my monthly pass. Caught the bus to Hellerup Station and went in to buy my pass. I had my picture and my address written down and thought I was all set. The lady asked me for the zones I wanted and when I told her 1,2,41, and 51 she looked puzzled. She pulls out the zone map of Copenhagen and, as it turns out, I can't get from 2 to 41 without passing through another zone. I had no idea. So I had to quickly change my zones and then she printed the pass. By this point there was quite the line of people (there was only one woman working at the time) and I felt embarrassed but, honestly, who cares? I needed the pass; they need passes; we all have to wait our turn. So then I was off to the train. It was a 5 minute wait then a two minute wait once I got to Jaegersborg for the local train. Believe it or not I was at work, at my desk, before 8:45! Crazy! I had both the reactions planned for the day up and running before 9:30 and, because of our current experiment plan, would spend the rest of the day researching, reading, and taking observations. I was a bit tired, though, so reading patents and journal articles on the computer didn't help things.
Speaking of reading, oh my goodness, some of these patents have the most ridiculous grammatical errors! Language barriers are easily understood but mistyping something and not checking it? Many of the patents I read today were from 2000 to the present. We have spell check, people! Haha, ah, it makes me life and at the same time cringe. Oh, remember how I said I was tired? Yeah, by 10:30 I'd have two cups of hot chocolate and 4 of water. :-D Those free coffee machines are pretty sweet. Ha, no pun intended.
Anywho, lunch was nice. There's a big festival thingy (name is escaping me right now) this week so Arkady is gone. Klas will be gone starting Wednesday but was at lunch with me and Esben today. We exchanged weekend stories (though definitely did NOT discuss my Friday lost dinner story) and I asked questions about the festival. I'd like to compare it to Summerfest but that would be way off. Apparently there are stages all over, much like Summerfest, but people camp out ALL WEEK. The bands don't actually start playing till Thursday but people are still there, partying like nobody's business. Kind of sounds like a chance for people to return to college for a week. :-)
I left work and was home by 5:30 and went grocery shopping. I bought some bbq marinated meat (I think it was a pork product of some kind) and it was delicious! Then I just relaxed and wrote e-mails. My throat has been bothering me today, much like it did near the beginning of finals week, so I'm hoping to sleep it off and not have another sinusy thing wrong with me. It's still beautiful here. I know many of you are in the middle or end of huge heat waves but we've had 70s here and between 2-7 it's really rather warm.
I'm sure I'll remember something that I forgot to write. I'm much better today after yesterday's adventure. I'm still coming to terms with the fact that it is totally okay to speak English and to not feel badly (well, at least not too badly) but it is getting easier each day.
Prayer requests for today: my throat is number one because I do not want to be sick here. Pray that I would be open and patient as I meet new people and to remember Europe is not the States so while I may expect some things to be the same they very well may not be. And also pray that I stand firm. As of yet I haven't felt my faith has been attacked but I know it will come. It always does. God is good, all the time, even when I cannot see it. :-)
Have a great night/day/afternoon!
Bekah
Speaking of reading, oh my goodness, some of these patents have the most ridiculous grammatical errors! Language barriers are easily understood but mistyping something and not checking it? Many of the patents I read today were from 2000 to the present. We have spell check, people! Haha, ah, it makes me life and at the same time cringe. Oh, remember how I said I was tired? Yeah, by 10:30 I'd have two cups of hot chocolate and 4 of water. :-D Those free coffee machines are pretty sweet. Ha, no pun intended.
Anywho, lunch was nice. There's a big festival thingy (name is escaping me right now) this week so Arkady is gone. Klas will be gone starting Wednesday but was at lunch with me and Esben today. We exchanged weekend stories (though definitely did NOT discuss my Friday lost dinner story) and I asked questions about the festival. I'd like to compare it to Summerfest but that would be way off. Apparently there are stages all over, much like Summerfest, but people camp out ALL WEEK. The bands don't actually start playing till Thursday but people are still there, partying like nobody's business. Kind of sounds like a chance for people to return to college for a week. :-)
I left work and was home by 5:30 and went grocery shopping. I bought some bbq marinated meat (I think it was a pork product of some kind) and it was delicious! Then I just relaxed and wrote e-mails. My throat has been bothering me today, much like it did near the beginning of finals week, so I'm hoping to sleep it off and not have another sinusy thing wrong with me. It's still beautiful here. I know many of you are in the middle or end of huge heat waves but we've had 70s here and between 2-7 it's really rather warm.
I'm sure I'll remember something that I forgot to write. I'm much better today after yesterday's adventure. I'm still coming to terms with the fact that it is totally okay to speak English and to not feel badly (well, at least not too badly) but it is getting easier each day.
Prayer requests for today: my throat is number one because I do not want to be sick here. Pray that I would be open and patient as I meet new people and to remember Europe is not the States so while I may expect some things to be the same they very well may not be. And also pray that I stand firm. As of yet I haven't felt my faith has been attacked but I know it will come. It always does. God is good, all the time, even when I cannot see it. :-)
Have a great night/day/afternoon!
Bekah
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Discombobulated
Hello. I apologize but this post will probably be a bit discombobulated as there are things I want to say and it's also after eleven and I just want to go to sleep.
First off, thank you from the bottom of my heart to every guy who has ever walked me home. Whether it was on your way home or completely the opposite direction of where you wanted to go, thank you!
Next: I rode on a bike today. Not like a normal person where I pedaled myself. No, I rode on the little back thingy where you can put like a small messenger bag. So my behind is a little bit sore right now. The experience was fun but my bum is not happy with me at the moment.
And lastly, a quick run through of my day. Got up around 9 and got ready for church. Radek called a little before ten and we decided we would meet at the main entrance to Tivoli at 2:30. Around noon I left for church. I took the bus and booked it from Norreport Station to the church. I did not initially see anyone I had sat with last week but the Interim Pastor's wife recognized me and asked if I'd made it to work okay last Monday. There were two baptisms during service today and the sermon was on the end of James, the Prayer of Faith. I introduced myself to a family visiting from Missouri and then booked it out of there. The first time I saw a clock it was 2:35 and I wasn't even to Norreport yet! I hopped on a train to the Central Station and then booked it to the Tivoli entrance. By the time I got there it was nearly 3. Radek was still there and I immediately apologized for making him wait so long. He teased me and off we went to the Glyptotek. Basically it was a collection of Greek, Roman and Egyptian sculptures. Then the biking for a bit and the change of plans. We met at another train station and had dinner at his house with David, a Spanish student working at DTU till the end of July. It was a nice dinner but I didn't leave till 9:45. And this is the reason for my thanks: I had to walk to the train station alone. It took me 25 minutes to get to the local station only to realize it was then after ten and the next train wouldn't be for half an hour so I walked to the bigger station, another 15-20 minute walk and caught a train to Hellerup. I got off and was blessed enough to catch my bus right before it left and got home right before 11. It was more stressful than I thought but I am so glad I am home. I came in the door and saw Lise and said hello then goodnight and booked it up the stairs. My heart was still racing from being alone. Denmark is an incredibly safe place; very low crime and all that but it is still new enough to me to have been a bit fearful. Lise just chatted with me and put my mind at ease and was sympathetic. We did decide, however, that I will be getting a SIM card TOMORROW. That way if I'm ever lost I can call her for directions or she can come pick me up.
I am glad work is tomorrow. I've had enough adventure for today and work is a routine and safe place. I am so glad to be back at the house you have no idea. This is an experience I am glad I had but I am ready for some time to recharge after today.
God is good all the time. This is evidenced by my getting a train and a bus home and for the sun in Denmark not fully setting till after 10:30.
If you would pray that my attitude tomorrow would be one that is willing to work and that I would not turn away from adventurous opportunities in the next seven weeks I would appreciate it.
Until tomorrow,
Bekah
First off, thank you from the bottom of my heart to every guy who has ever walked me home. Whether it was on your way home or completely the opposite direction of where you wanted to go, thank you!
Next: I rode on a bike today. Not like a normal person where I pedaled myself. No, I rode on the little back thingy where you can put like a small messenger bag. So my behind is a little bit sore right now. The experience was fun but my bum is not happy with me at the moment.
And lastly, a quick run through of my day. Got up around 9 and got ready for church. Radek called a little before ten and we decided we would meet at the main entrance to Tivoli at 2:30. Around noon I left for church. I took the bus and booked it from Norreport Station to the church. I did not initially see anyone I had sat with last week but the Interim Pastor's wife recognized me and asked if I'd made it to work okay last Monday. There were two baptisms during service today and the sermon was on the end of James, the Prayer of Faith. I introduced myself to a family visiting from Missouri and then booked it out of there. The first time I saw a clock it was 2:35 and I wasn't even to Norreport yet! I hopped on a train to the Central Station and then booked it to the Tivoli entrance. By the time I got there it was nearly 3. Radek was still there and I immediately apologized for making him wait so long. He teased me and off we went to the Glyptotek. Basically it was a collection of Greek, Roman and Egyptian sculptures. Then the biking for a bit and the change of plans. We met at another train station and had dinner at his house with David, a Spanish student working at DTU till the end of July. It was a nice dinner but I didn't leave till 9:45. And this is the reason for my thanks: I had to walk to the train station alone. It took me 25 minutes to get to the local station only to realize it was then after ten and the next train wouldn't be for half an hour so I walked to the bigger station, another 15-20 minute walk and caught a train to Hellerup. I got off and was blessed enough to catch my bus right before it left and got home right before 11. It was more stressful than I thought but I am so glad I am home. I came in the door and saw Lise and said hello then goodnight and booked it up the stairs. My heart was still racing from being alone. Denmark is an incredibly safe place; very low crime and all that but it is still new enough to me to have been a bit fearful. Lise just chatted with me and put my mind at ease and was sympathetic. We did decide, however, that I will be getting a SIM card TOMORROW. That way if I'm ever lost I can call her for directions or she can come pick me up.
I am glad work is tomorrow. I've had enough adventure for today and work is a routine and safe place. I am so glad to be back at the house you have no idea. This is an experience I am glad I had but I am ready for some time to recharge after today.
God is good all the time. This is evidenced by my getting a train and a bus home and for the sun in Denmark not fully setting till after 10:30.
If you would pray that my attitude tomorrow would be one that is willing to work and that I would not turn away from adventurous opportunities in the next seven weeks I would appreciate it.
Until tomorrow,
Bekah
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Relaxation
So when I don't do anything here I sit in my room on my computer doing random things. As I was about to start this post I happened to look up and the sun is setting somewhere to the right of where I am but it has tinted some of the clouds pink. It is as if while I wasn't watching a painter quickly put up these calming shades of blue and highlighted them with soft pink and a little purple. That doesn't do what I can see any justice but I was so surprised I had to share. Nature is a definite highlight here (not the daddy long leg that is currently stationed on my ceiling or the other random bug that is on the ceiling directly above my pillow); there are seriously roses and flowers everywhere and there is so much green and blue sky. Tomorrow Lise may be driving Jin and I up the coast and to the beach! We aren't that far away and I really cannot wait. The only reason we wouldn't go would be if Radek calls asking if I can explore Copenhagen tomorrow afternoon. Either way tomorrow will be a blast.
Today I did next to nothing. Because I hadn't felt well yesterday I was going to sleep in. Apparently my body has a thing for 8:45 in the morning because that is when I woke up. Determined not to be up that early I went back to bed and got up at 10:15. I spent the rest of the morning in my pjs just chilling in my room. Eventually I got dressed and decent and ate and all that jazz. I passed some of the afternoon and then called my grandparents. They were thrilled to hear from me. I'm a terrible grandchild for not calling them sooner but I kept forgetting. They have travelled all over Europe and have been to Denmark so it was fun to tell them where I am and how I have been outside of Tivoli (that was the main thing they remembered) and how when it rains you can see it coming and going (another thing they remembered). It was nice to catch up with them and share what I've been learning, who I've been meeting, and what my plans are for the next few weeks. They also caught me up on what's going on with them. Turns out my grandpa is being honored tomorrow at the 35th anniversary of an apartment building designed for seniors that he helped spearhead so many years ago. Pretty cool.
After chatting with them I got ready and decided to take a random walk. Jin wasn't up for going with me so I just started walking. I had a general idea of the direction I wanted to go and always had a pretty good idea of where the house was in relation to me. After 40 minutes of walking, though, I found myself on a street that didn't have too many houses. It was more industrial and I began to be a little afraid. Maybe walking by myself hadn't been the bestest of ideas. I held my head high and tried not to look like the somewhat scared child I felt like and kept walking. I eventually found a bus stop for the same bus I take on my work commute. After checking the route listing I realized I wasn't too far from where I get on to go to work and could easily get home. After twenty minutes the bus came and, as I got on, the driver said something in Danish to me. I really have no clue what he said. It must have been funny because he was smiling the whole time and pointing to the people waiting to get off the bus. I said what but he just responded with more Danish so he must not have realized how everything he said went straight over my head. :-) Anyway, five minutes later I was off the bus and walking through the park to the house. I probably could've walked the entire way myself and not spent the bus ride but in the end it was worth it.
I relaxed, found a movie online and eventually made some dinner. Lise came home and we discussed tomorrow and now I'm just chilling in my room. I think Lise thinks we're crazy for spending so much time indoors once we get home from work but we're adjusting. I am proud of myself for having explore last weekend. Plus, my coworkers say that Danes don't do much on the weekends anyway, except drink perhaps. They all sleep, shop, and hang out with friends. I spent my day like a Dane. :-) Well, kind of.
I don't think I have any interesting stories from today except the bus driver one. I didn't get moving soon enough to buy a SIM card so that will have to be tomorrow or Monday even. Oh! I did two loads of laundry. Woo hoo. My socks are all clean, which is good, and my clothes look cute hanging on this ladder thing in my room.
It's still my mom's birthday so: HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Until tomorrow,
Bekah
Today I did next to nothing. Because I hadn't felt well yesterday I was going to sleep in. Apparently my body has a thing for 8:45 in the morning because that is when I woke up. Determined not to be up that early I went back to bed and got up at 10:15. I spent the rest of the morning in my pjs just chilling in my room. Eventually I got dressed and decent and ate and all that jazz. I passed some of the afternoon and then called my grandparents. They were thrilled to hear from me. I'm a terrible grandchild for not calling them sooner but I kept forgetting. They have travelled all over Europe and have been to Denmark so it was fun to tell them where I am and how I have been outside of Tivoli (that was the main thing they remembered) and how when it rains you can see it coming and going (another thing they remembered). It was nice to catch up with them and share what I've been learning, who I've been meeting, and what my plans are for the next few weeks. They also caught me up on what's going on with them. Turns out my grandpa is being honored tomorrow at the 35th anniversary of an apartment building designed for seniors that he helped spearhead so many years ago. Pretty cool.
After chatting with them I got ready and decided to take a random walk. Jin wasn't up for going with me so I just started walking. I had a general idea of the direction I wanted to go and always had a pretty good idea of where the house was in relation to me. After 40 minutes of walking, though, I found myself on a street that didn't have too many houses. It was more industrial and I began to be a little afraid. Maybe walking by myself hadn't been the bestest of ideas. I held my head high and tried not to look like the somewhat scared child I felt like and kept walking. I eventually found a bus stop for the same bus I take on my work commute. After checking the route listing I realized I wasn't too far from where I get on to go to work and could easily get home. After twenty minutes the bus came and, as I got on, the driver said something in Danish to me. I really have no clue what he said. It must have been funny because he was smiling the whole time and pointing to the people waiting to get off the bus. I said what but he just responded with more Danish so he must not have realized how everything he said went straight over my head. :-) Anyway, five minutes later I was off the bus and walking through the park to the house. I probably could've walked the entire way myself and not spent the bus ride but in the end it was worth it.
I relaxed, found a movie online and eventually made some dinner. Lise came home and we discussed tomorrow and now I'm just chilling in my room. I think Lise thinks we're crazy for spending so much time indoors once we get home from work but we're adjusting. I am proud of myself for having explore last weekend. Plus, my coworkers say that Danes don't do much on the weekends anyway, except drink perhaps. They all sleep, shop, and hang out with friends. I spent my day like a Dane. :-) Well, kind of.
I don't think I have any interesting stories from today except the bus driver one. I didn't get moving soon enough to buy a SIM card so that will have to be tomorrow or Monday even. Oh! I did two loads of laundry. Woo hoo. My socks are all clean, which is good, and my clothes look cute hanging on this ladder thing in my room.
It's still my mom's birthday so: HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Until tomorrow,
Bekah
Friday, June 26, 2009
Humility
So I just have to say that I just spent an hour and a half talking with my family and it was great! Today (tomorrow in the States) is my mom's birthday so: HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!!!! :-)
Today was my 5th day of work and the end of the first week. It went super well. First, the morning started off with Lise, my host, lending me a phone and telling me where I can buy a SIM card so that I will have a mobile while I'm here. Overall it might be a bit expensive but you just "can't live without one" as she said. Plus, when I leave, she will buy the phone off of me to give away/sell when she goes to Tanzania next. So I've been very blessed by that. She also gave me the land line number for the house. I was a bit "late" for work (as in not there right at 9) but still managed to get everything started. Radek, the really nice guy who asked me if I'd like to explore Copenhagen this weekend, was already in and I had to gather up my courage to give him the land line number as well as to tell him that I tried to find him on Facebook last night. He took the number and we talked about the grill out that would be going on later. I spent the rest of the day researching articles and patents, doing more analysis and finishing up the two experiments we started yesterday. All in all, a very productive day.
The grill out was at 3. Esben and I had finished creating a plan for Monday's experiments and so we walked out with Arkady to the grill out. It was beautiful outside. I keep saying that but the weather here this week has really been phenomenal. There were drinks already for sale so I bought an Apple Cider, which was delicious. Kels, I thought of you and the cider you told me to get while I was here. :-) We stood around and chatted; I met maybe one or two other people and eventually Klas (the Swede), Arkady, Esben, and another woman (whose name I was told but I couldn't pronounce it let alone spell it) all sat at one of the tables. The tables are really only meant for 4 so Arkady, Esben and I smooshed on one side. It was nice to just sit and chat and enjoy the outdoors. There was also a "Wheel of Fortune" at the grill out: you paid 10 kroner and spun the wheel. You could win 1 beer, 2 beers, 3 beers, 1 breezer (basically a mixed rum drink in a bottle) or lose. I only spun once and, just like I thought, I lost. Klas was with me and he won twice in a row and gave me a breezer. It was delicious. Shortly after finishing that I decided to have the food: bread, potato salad and a sausage. It tasted very good. Arkady had spun the wheel and won 3 beers, so I got one of those too. Carlsberg is the Danish brew; it wasn't too bad. Granted, I'd already had two drinks so maybe I wouldn't have liked it if I'd had it first, but still. We left the table to go sit on the grass in the sun for a bit longer and, around 7:30, caught the local train to head to a party. While we were waiting for the train I realized my stomach was not exactly feeling so great. Rode the train and started looking for a chance to find a bathroom. We were walking to the party and I stopped to try and control myself but my body simply would have none of that. I lost my dinner in front of four coworkers on a sidewalk in Denmark. Awesome. For those of you who know me well you will not be surprised to know that I was constantly apologizing during this little incident. I was with Arkady, Klas, and two women I'd just met that afternoon: Marie and Melitza. Arkady was out of there asap and actually went to buy me water. Marie and Melitza found tissues and were telling me not to worry. When it was over we laughed about how there was 20 kroner on the ground and I thanked them for being so kind and they said really not to worry. I felt much better after that and we continued on to the party. Arkady joked that obviously we had discovered my limit but we all agree that the alcohol had not been the problem at all. So we think the sausage or the potato salad didn't sit well with me. Anyway, party. I met some people and kind of sat around. I don't know when it was but my stomach was upset again so, in some strange person's bathroom, I lost what little I had left. Yeah, there's something to be said about losing it in front of coworkers and then again at some stranger's house. I am glad to say that was the end. I am still not 100% now but I should be able to sleep through the night and be good tomorrow. I was still able to socialize and if I'd been feeling well I would have stayed much later. Arkady walked me to the train station and stayed with me till the train came. We had a nice little chat and then I was on my way.
I got with no problems and told Jin a bit about my day. She got home late last night after a dinner and canal tour with students in her class at DTU. So we are both tired and have no plans for tomorrow but sleeping. It we are up to it we may go shopping but that's not a high priority. Sunday I may explore Copenhagen again, which will be fun. The longer adventures may start next weekend. I could have potentially gone to Hamburg this weekend but because I'm not feeling well I'm not going to push it.
That is my week! Can you believe it? I've been in Denmark a full week now. As I told my family, I probably won't want to leave when the time comes. Yes, I miss them and I miss my friends and my dog but there is so much more to learn here, so many more people to meet and get to know, so many more things to do. My mom said she got the impression I wouldn't want to leave after talking last week Saturday. :-) Anyway, God is good all the time. He's provided so much for me and yet also been teaching me patience and humility (what else would losing it in public teach you?) as well as reliance on Him to provide.
Your thoughts and prayers are so very appreciated. There are little things that happen throughout the day that remind me of different people back at home. Sometimes I do double takes because I think I see someone from Madison or Abbott or home and then remember that I'm in Denmark. :-)
Hopefully you had a great Friday too!
Until tomorrow,
Bekah
(Actually, it IS tomorrow here but I wanted to say so anyway)
Today was my 5th day of work and the end of the first week. It went super well. First, the morning started off with Lise, my host, lending me a phone and telling me where I can buy a SIM card so that I will have a mobile while I'm here. Overall it might be a bit expensive but you just "can't live without one" as she said. Plus, when I leave, she will buy the phone off of me to give away/sell when she goes to Tanzania next. So I've been very blessed by that. She also gave me the land line number for the house. I was a bit "late" for work (as in not there right at 9) but still managed to get everything started. Radek, the really nice guy who asked me if I'd like to explore Copenhagen this weekend, was already in and I had to gather up my courage to give him the land line number as well as to tell him that I tried to find him on Facebook last night. He took the number and we talked about the grill out that would be going on later. I spent the rest of the day researching articles and patents, doing more analysis and finishing up the two experiments we started yesterday. All in all, a very productive day.
The grill out was at 3. Esben and I had finished creating a plan for Monday's experiments and so we walked out with Arkady to the grill out. It was beautiful outside. I keep saying that but the weather here this week has really been phenomenal. There were drinks already for sale so I bought an Apple Cider, which was delicious. Kels, I thought of you and the cider you told me to get while I was here. :-) We stood around and chatted; I met maybe one or two other people and eventually Klas (the Swede), Arkady, Esben, and another woman (whose name I was told but I couldn't pronounce it let alone spell it) all sat at one of the tables. The tables are really only meant for 4 so Arkady, Esben and I smooshed on one side. It was nice to just sit and chat and enjoy the outdoors. There was also a "Wheel of Fortune" at the grill out: you paid 10 kroner and spun the wheel. You could win 1 beer, 2 beers, 3 beers, 1 breezer (basically a mixed rum drink in a bottle) or lose. I only spun once and, just like I thought, I lost. Klas was with me and he won twice in a row and gave me a breezer. It was delicious. Shortly after finishing that I decided to have the food: bread, potato salad and a sausage. It tasted very good. Arkady had spun the wheel and won 3 beers, so I got one of those too. Carlsberg is the Danish brew; it wasn't too bad. Granted, I'd already had two drinks so maybe I wouldn't have liked it if I'd had it first, but still. We left the table to go sit on the grass in the sun for a bit longer and, around 7:30, caught the local train to head to a party. While we were waiting for the train I realized my stomach was not exactly feeling so great. Rode the train and started looking for a chance to find a bathroom. We were walking to the party and I stopped to try and control myself but my body simply would have none of that. I lost my dinner in front of four coworkers on a sidewalk in Denmark. Awesome. For those of you who know me well you will not be surprised to know that I was constantly apologizing during this little incident. I was with Arkady, Klas, and two women I'd just met that afternoon: Marie and Melitza. Arkady was out of there asap and actually went to buy me water. Marie and Melitza found tissues and were telling me not to worry. When it was over we laughed about how there was 20 kroner on the ground and I thanked them for being so kind and they said really not to worry. I felt much better after that and we continued on to the party. Arkady joked that obviously we had discovered my limit but we all agree that the alcohol had not been the problem at all. So we think the sausage or the potato salad didn't sit well with me. Anyway, party. I met some people and kind of sat around. I don't know when it was but my stomach was upset again so, in some strange person's bathroom, I lost what little I had left. Yeah, there's something to be said about losing it in front of coworkers and then again at some stranger's house. I am glad to say that was the end. I am still not 100% now but I should be able to sleep through the night and be good tomorrow. I was still able to socialize and if I'd been feeling well I would have stayed much later. Arkady walked me to the train station and stayed with me till the train came. We had a nice little chat and then I was on my way.
I got with no problems and told Jin a bit about my day. She got home late last night after a dinner and canal tour with students in her class at DTU. So we are both tired and have no plans for tomorrow but sleeping. It we are up to it we may go shopping but that's not a high priority. Sunday I may explore Copenhagen again, which will be fun. The longer adventures may start next weekend. I could have potentially gone to Hamburg this weekend but because I'm not feeling well I'm not going to push it.
That is my week! Can you believe it? I've been in Denmark a full week now. As I told my family, I probably won't want to leave when the time comes. Yes, I miss them and I miss my friends and my dog but there is so much more to learn here, so many more people to meet and get to know, so many more things to do. My mom said she got the impression I wouldn't want to leave after talking last week Saturday. :-) Anyway, God is good all the time. He's provided so much for me and yet also been teaching me patience and humility (what else would losing it in public teach you?) as well as reliance on Him to provide.
Your thoughts and prayers are so very appreciated. There are little things that happen throughout the day that remind me of different people back at home. Sometimes I do double takes because I think I see someone from Madison or Abbott or home and then remember that I'm in Denmark. :-)
Hopefully you had a great Friday too!
Until tomorrow,
Bekah
(Actually, it IS tomorrow here but I wanted to say so anyway)
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Patience
I am constantly learning how badly I need patience. Yesterday I basically laid my heart wide open admitting to my desire for friends and a place to belong here. Today, Radek, the guy who introduced himself to me yesterday, told me he is going to explore Copenhagen this weekend and wanted to know if I'd like to come. So exciting! I definitely said yes. But then he asked for my phone number and I had to tell him that I don't have one. Yeah, I need to get a phone. ASAP. So then he asked about Facebook and, until about two hours ago, I knew he wouldn't be able to find me due to my settings. So I gave him the only other form of contact info I had: my school e-mail address. Oh man, I felt SO lame. So, we shall see whether or not that happens. I think it will, I just may have made it a wee bit tricky. Don't worry, I'm on the phone thing. And no, my current cell phone has no way of being adapted to the GSM system used in Denmark. My carrier does, however, rent phones out. It will probably take more than a week to get here, though, but we'll see.
So on from there. On my way to work I did see the nice guy who helped me on my last train to work the first day. I don't know whether he recognized me or not but Clas happened to be getting on the train too and sat with me as did Suzanne, a very cool and nice woman. I seriously love meeting people. The three of us talked about the States and how they compare to Europe/Denmark. Suzanne studied at U of I-Urbana/Champagne (I have no idea how to spell that so there you go) for two years. It was very cool getting her point of view.
Work itself was busy. I can't believe I actually work in a lab all day. I finished one experiment (trial you could say) and started two more today as well as made more standards. Plus I asked to join people for lunch. I ate with Arkady and Esben and we talked about the different things we miss when we're away from home. I was given the question first, obviously since I'm the newest, and all I could really say was that I miss my family, friends, and dog. The weather here is great, the work is great, the people are great, and the food is delicious. They both laughed and said they would ask me again in a month. :-) The afternoon was busy but I still managed to get quite a bit done. I'm super proud of the work I've started and very much hope that I can present whatever we find in a worthy manner.
I left work shortly before 5 and was home and eating by 6:15. It's already 8 here and, again, I'm going to go to bed early. Tomorrow at work there is a BBQ at 3, so there won't really be any work done after that point and who knows what adventures will take place afterwards.
One quick story I forgot to write about from yesterday. On the way back to the house, while I was on the bus, a woman got on and started looking for a seat. I was near the front and had my backpack next to me but could tell by the look on her face that she needed a seat. I moved my bag and she sat down, thanking me (in Danish) as she did so. I think I had sunglasses on which makes me feel as if she couldn't see the "I'm an American" look in my eyes. We were almost to my stop and I made a move to hit the stop button when she did the same thing. She said something to me in Danish and all I could do was smile and nod. I have no idea what she said and I don't think she asked me a question (at least, I hope not because if she did I feel badly for not answering) but it was a cool experience nonetheless.
Prayer requests. That I would learn to be patient and humble is the biggest one at the moment. I guess getting a working phone would be another, though it doesn't seem as important in the long run compared to my first request. I'm so thankful God brought someone along to answer my desire from yesterday. Who knows if it will turn out but I was reminded that everything happens in His timing, not mine.
Till the next post,
Bekah
So on from there. On my way to work I did see the nice guy who helped me on my last train to work the first day. I don't know whether he recognized me or not but Clas happened to be getting on the train too and sat with me as did Suzanne, a very cool and nice woman. I seriously love meeting people. The three of us talked about the States and how they compare to Europe/Denmark. Suzanne studied at U of I-Urbana/Champagne (I have no idea how to spell that so there you go) for two years. It was very cool getting her point of view.
Work itself was busy. I can't believe I actually work in a lab all day. I finished one experiment (trial you could say) and started two more today as well as made more standards. Plus I asked to join people for lunch. I ate with Arkady and Esben and we talked about the different things we miss when we're away from home. I was given the question first, obviously since I'm the newest, and all I could really say was that I miss my family, friends, and dog. The weather here is great, the work is great, the people are great, and the food is delicious. They both laughed and said they would ask me again in a month. :-) The afternoon was busy but I still managed to get quite a bit done. I'm super proud of the work I've started and very much hope that I can present whatever we find in a worthy manner.
I left work shortly before 5 and was home and eating by 6:15. It's already 8 here and, again, I'm going to go to bed early. Tomorrow at work there is a BBQ at 3, so there won't really be any work done after that point and who knows what adventures will take place afterwards.
One quick story I forgot to write about from yesterday. On the way back to the house, while I was on the bus, a woman got on and started looking for a seat. I was near the front and had my backpack next to me but could tell by the look on her face that she needed a seat. I moved my bag and she sat down, thanking me (in Danish) as she did so. I think I had sunglasses on which makes me feel as if she couldn't see the "I'm an American" look in my eyes. We were almost to my stop and I made a move to hit the stop button when she did the same thing. She said something to me in Danish and all I could do was smile and nod. I have no idea what she said and I don't think she asked me a question (at least, I hope not because if she did I feel badly for not answering) but it was a cool experience nonetheless.
Prayer requests. That I would learn to be patient and humble is the biggest one at the moment. I guess getting a working phone would be another, though it doesn't seem as important in the long run compared to my first request. I'm so thankful God brought someone along to answer my desire from yesterday. Who knows if it will turn out but I was reminded that everything happens in His timing, not mine.
Till the next post,
Bekah
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
The early bird does not get the worm...
Indeed, the early bird gets an uninterrupted shower! So, I should start this off by saying I did not get to see one of the Midsummer fires last night. Jin and I figured they wouldn't start till it got a bit dark, which doesn't happen till like ten, so we chilled at the house and went out at ten. As it turns out the fires were at 9. So we just missed it. Instead we explore the park/lake by our house! We saw SWANS! They were beautiful. Plus, Jin got so excited she practically squeaked! Wow, that's a weird word. Anyway, so we had a little adventure around the park and found a quaint little neighborhood and took lots of pictures. It got dark, though, so some of them didn't turn out. We're going to go back one of these days and take more decent pictures. So yeah, got home and was in bed about 11:40. I decided to sleep till 6:40 and, because it was going to be warm here (75ish) I decided to wear capris. Now, that required shaving. So I'm showering and at about 7 my host says something in Danish and knocks on the bathroom door. I've only done one leg! So I quickly do the other one and hop out. Takes me another minute to get decent and grab my stuff so I can keep getting ready in my room. All she ended up doing was using the bathroom. I didn't really know what to think but, in the end, it all worked out and I didn't have to worry about my pants. I don't think I'll sleep past 6:30 ever again unless I'm not showering. You know, just to be safe. :-)
Even with the sleeping in and the incident I left for work before 8 and caught everything at least ten minutes early. So when I got to my final train I ended up meeting two of my coworkers on the platform. We all sat together but it was a little weird. I mean, I've known them for two days: what do we talk about? We discussed the fires and how the politicians in Denmark like to build big highways and bridges that don't get used. Once at work I got started right away checking samples and then made another set of standards and got them rolling. By then it was lunch and, boy, was I glad. I either need to start eating more for breakfast or bringing a snack to work. Anyway, lunch was fun. Esben came to get me again but this time Arkady was with him. I met Arkady yesterday. He's another young guy (by young I mean old enough to be a PhD but younger than like 30), Russian and very cool. We ate with Clas (a Swede) and another guy who I either met before or no one cared to introduce to me. I'm beginning to notice a pattern: I live with all women and spend most of my time in groups of men. This is not only true here but, with the exception of my ChemE family, also true at Madison. Anywho, we talked about why I'm there, how long, and who we know. For those of you from Madison, all of them know Lars Grabow (he taught us for a week in 211 when Mavrikakis was gone). So it was fun to have at least some connection. I was also credited with not only coming during the best weather in Denmark but also bringing it here. Since we were on weather, I told them it was in the 90's at home, which was highly unusual. Immediately Arkady says: "Can you talk in human degrees?" Anyone realize my mistake? Yeah, that's right, 90 degrees Celsius would be REALLY hot--unhuman if you will. We all laughed a bit and I tried to quickly figure out a ballpark Celsius temp. Clas answered a lot of my questions about his studies at Stanford, why he came to DTU and Topsoe. They all kind of answered the one about Topsoe, which was cool.
After lunch we started our first experiment, which will run until late tomorrow morning, and I got my computer! Ha, just thinking about it makes me laugh. I looked at the lone post it left with the pc to find my username but no password. I find Jesper, the man who ordered the computer for me, and we head down to IT. The nice guy at the help desk has other things he has to do so he says he'll send someone down. 5 minutes later a young guy walks to my desk and tries to help me out. He can't get the login to work so he has to make a call and ends up having to repeat my initials 80 billion times to the point we start doing the whole smile-and-laugh-because-this-is ridiculous bit. Eventually I get to reset my password and he leaves. Ha, the fun doesn't stop there. I couldn't log into Lotus Notes and the only handbook I'd been given was in Danish! So back I go to the desk, explain my dilemma and the young guy who had helped me happened to walk up and so off we went to talk to an upper level IT person. He talks with her in Danish while I stand there and eventually she asks me a question, which he repeats in English for me. She caught on and when she gave me the info I needed it was all in English. I thanked them quite a few times and on the way back he asked where I was from (a common question), why and for how long I was here. I really want to make friends, guys. I want friends who will tell me cool things to do and then say I could join them to do it. I honestly don't know how to put myself out there to do that here. I don't want to be that pushy American or the stereotypical loud, obnoxiously out-going American female (though I've already been told once I don't match that second one). But I very much want people to hang out with; how do I do that? What's the right way to say: "Hi, I know we've only known each other for 3 days and you're at least 5 years older than me but could we hang out sometime?" Ha, that sounds ridiculous just writing it. Ugh, if you think of it, please pray that I will find a group to be a part of or at least the courage to try and ask to be a part of something. For how much I love people I feel like a complete chicken when it comes to this.
Speaking of loving people (and a happier topic than my current lack of hang out partners), I met another guy at Topsoe who has only been there a few weeks. He must have either noticed me running around with the Lotus Notes handbook and some other telltale sign and came over to introduce himself. His name is Radik and he's originally from Poland but is studying at Glasgow in Scotland. He is only working at Topsoe till the end of September and then going back to finish his degree, which based on his probable age I'm going to guess is his PhD. He was really nice and had a great smile and was very happy to know that there was finally someone newer than him at Topsoe. We work in the same room so we'll most likely see each other every day. Yay for making friends at work! And by friends I guess I should say acquaintances? I don't know; I just love people.
I ended up working till 5 and riding the same train as Xiaobo, though I got off earlier. Remember that monthly pass I mentioned before? Well, I went in and asked about it and did a little cost analysis and am pretty sure that I will get one. I only go through 3 zones to get to and from work but it's still cheaper overall to get a 4 zone pass so I can go into Copenhagen whenever I want. Now I just need to get a picture. There's no Walgreens around so I don't know where I'm going to get one except for like 100 kr ($18) at the train station, where I'll get like 20 pictures of my head. Still, I'm pretty sure the 4 zoner is the best, even with the added cost of a picture and it will be convenient. So yeah, I came home and Lise and Jin were gone. I made dinner right away and fully intend on going to bed in an hour.
I feel like I should apologize for these being so ridiculously long. One reason they are is simply because the little things that happen to me throughout the day are the ones I want to share. They are what get me the most excited. Another reason could be that I have do not currently have other ways to spend my time besides coming home, making food and checking e-mail and writing. It has, however, only been a week since I left. There's still time to change this routine. :-)
Your prayers, thoughts, encouragement and messages are thoroughly loved and enjoyed. I hope you are having a terrific day wherever you are!
Till Tomorrow,
Bekah
Even with the sleeping in and the incident I left for work before 8 and caught everything at least ten minutes early. So when I got to my final train I ended up meeting two of my coworkers on the platform. We all sat together but it was a little weird. I mean, I've known them for two days: what do we talk about? We discussed the fires and how the politicians in Denmark like to build big highways and bridges that don't get used. Once at work I got started right away checking samples and then made another set of standards and got them rolling. By then it was lunch and, boy, was I glad. I either need to start eating more for breakfast or bringing a snack to work. Anyway, lunch was fun. Esben came to get me again but this time Arkady was with him. I met Arkady yesterday. He's another young guy (by young I mean old enough to be a PhD but younger than like 30), Russian and very cool. We ate with Clas (a Swede) and another guy who I either met before or no one cared to introduce to me. I'm beginning to notice a pattern: I live with all women and spend most of my time in groups of men. This is not only true here but, with the exception of my ChemE family, also true at Madison. Anywho, we talked about why I'm there, how long, and who we know. For those of you from Madison, all of them know Lars Grabow (he taught us for a week in 211 when Mavrikakis was gone). So it was fun to have at least some connection. I was also credited with not only coming during the best weather in Denmark but also bringing it here. Since we were on weather, I told them it was in the 90's at home, which was highly unusual. Immediately Arkady says: "Can you talk in human degrees?" Anyone realize my mistake? Yeah, that's right, 90 degrees Celsius would be REALLY hot--unhuman if you will. We all laughed a bit and I tried to quickly figure out a ballpark Celsius temp. Clas answered a lot of my questions about his studies at Stanford, why he came to DTU and Topsoe. They all kind of answered the one about Topsoe, which was cool.
After lunch we started our first experiment, which will run until late tomorrow morning, and I got my computer! Ha, just thinking about it makes me laugh. I looked at the lone post it left with the pc to find my username but no password. I find Jesper, the man who ordered the computer for me, and we head down to IT. The nice guy at the help desk has other things he has to do so he says he'll send someone down. 5 minutes later a young guy walks to my desk and tries to help me out. He can't get the login to work so he has to make a call and ends up having to repeat my initials 80 billion times to the point we start doing the whole smile-and-laugh-because-this-is ridiculous bit. Eventually I get to reset my password and he leaves. Ha, the fun doesn't stop there. I couldn't log into Lotus Notes and the only handbook I'd been given was in Danish! So back I go to the desk, explain my dilemma and the young guy who had helped me happened to walk up and so off we went to talk to an upper level IT person. He talks with her in Danish while I stand there and eventually she asks me a question, which he repeats in English for me. She caught on and when she gave me the info I needed it was all in English. I thanked them quite a few times and on the way back he asked where I was from (a common question), why and for how long I was here. I really want to make friends, guys. I want friends who will tell me cool things to do and then say I could join them to do it. I honestly don't know how to put myself out there to do that here. I don't want to be that pushy American or the stereotypical loud, obnoxiously out-going American female (though I've already been told once I don't match that second one). But I very much want people to hang out with; how do I do that? What's the right way to say: "Hi, I know we've only known each other for 3 days and you're at least 5 years older than me but could we hang out sometime?" Ha, that sounds ridiculous just writing it. Ugh, if you think of it, please pray that I will find a group to be a part of or at least the courage to try and ask to be a part of something. For how much I love people I feel like a complete chicken when it comes to this.
Speaking of loving people (and a happier topic than my current lack of hang out partners), I met another guy at Topsoe who has only been there a few weeks. He must have either noticed me running around with the Lotus Notes handbook and some other telltale sign and came over to introduce himself. His name is Radik and he's originally from Poland but is studying at Glasgow in Scotland. He is only working at Topsoe till the end of September and then going back to finish his degree, which based on his probable age I'm going to guess is his PhD. He was really nice and had a great smile and was very happy to know that there was finally someone newer than him at Topsoe. We work in the same room so we'll most likely see each other every day. Yay for making friends at work! And by friends I guess I should say acquaintances? I don't know; I just love people.
I ended up working till 5 and riding the same train as Xiaobo, though I got off earlier. Remember that monthly pass I mentioned before? Well, I went in and asked about it and did a little cost analysis and am pretty sure that I will get one. I only go through 3 zones to get to and from work but it's still cheaper overall to get a 4 zone pass so I can go into Copenhagen whenever I want. Now I just need to get a picture. There's no Walgreens around so I don't know where I'm going to get one except for like 100 kr ($18) at the train station, where I'll get like 20 pictures of my head. Still, I'm pretty sure the 4 zoner is the best, even with the added cost of a picture and it will be convenient. So yeah, I came home and Lise and Jin were gone. I made dinner right away and fully intend on going to bed in an hour.
I feel like I should apologize for these being so ridiculously long. One reason they are is simply because the little things that happen to me throughout the day are the ones I want to share. They are what get me the most excited. Another reason could be that I have do not currently have other ways to spend my time besides coming home, making food and checking e-mail and writing. It has, however, only been a week since I left. There's still time to change this routine. :-)
Your prayers, thoughts, encouragement and messages are thoroughly loved and enjoyed. I hope you are having a terrific day wherever you are!
Till Tomorrow,
Bekah
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Midsummer Fires
Hello! Today, well, tonight will be a celebration all over
I'm back at the house and it's about 7. After writing the above I got one more sample printout, edited my plots and headed out. It was warm! I think I've said before that I have two trains and bus to take to get to and from work. Well, they were all very toasty. Still, it is beautiful! Not searing hot like WI and the Midwest right now, thank goodness. Anywho, my commute was pretty uneventful. I am going to buy that monthly pass I mentioned in the next day or two. The picture I need to take for it will cost like 100 kr and then it's another 4 or 5 hundred kr to get the actual pass. Trust me, though, that is going to be soooo much cheaper than the kilp cards I'm using right now. Plus, I figured out it's really only 3 zones to work and I can add zone 1, which is Copenhagen itself-so work and the heart of the city all in one. :-) Speaking of the heart of the city, I was asked today where I live and if it's in the heart of Copenhagen. Esben answered for me and said I lived in the lung or kidney of Copenhagen. I thought that was kind of funny; "Where do you live?" "Oh, the kidney of Copenhagen." Haha, probably funny if you were there and not so much now but oh well. :-) Once home I did not spend time outside. Lise, my host, was out doing yard work and I'm not comfortable yet just sitting out there when she's around. Plus she likes her "private" time so I just did computer stuff and had a fun time opening my window. Talked to a couple people online, which is always a highlight, then took a nap. Yes, I napped. The fires may not start till 9 and I'll regret not going so I took a nap. I'm currently eating dinner: my first attempt at Danish Bread and Butter. If I knew how to spell the Danish word for it I would but basically it is their dark bread (delicious!) with butter on it and then a variety of toppings. I have had it for lunch the past two days at work and my attempt at it was kind of terrible: carrots, tomatoes and salami on one and cheese, salami and tomatoes on the other. Traditional ones usually have roast beef on them. They are SO good. Anywho, I am beginning to find routine after just two days and I am thankful. Tonight will hopefully bring some new experiences. There's a park very close to the house and there should be a fire there so I won't be too far from the house. Pictures will be up on Facebook in the next few days for that.
Oh, fun fact: my host owns a house in Zanzibar. Yeah. Whoa. I found this out when I asked where she was going on vacation. Turns out she went there to make a documentary or report on schools, fell in love, quit her job here in Denmark, bought some land and built a house. She goes there for a month or so in the summer and then again in the winter. Other than that she rents it out. This woman is full of surprises.
That's it for now. I appreciate all your prayers and encouragement and hope your week has started off well!
BekahMonday, June 22, 2009
Walking In Heels
So today was officially my first day of work at Haldor Topsoe. Since I didn’t post yesterday I will backtrack a little first.
Sunday had an adventure all it’s own because I had to get from my house to one of the train stations, Noerreport. This particular station is incredibly busy. All three modes of public transportation meet at Noerreport: bus, train, and metro. Saturday night I had figured out what time the bus would leave and knew I would have plenty of time in the morning. The plan was to take the 11:03 bus to Noerreport and then walk around aimlessly until I was to meet Cecilia, college ministry contact, at 12:20. About 10:45 I left for the bus. As I closed the door an older woman stopped and started giving me a verbal thrashing in Danish. I tried a few times to say, “I’m sorry but I don’t speak Danish” but never got beyond “I’m sorry.” The third time I said “I’m sorry” she looked at me, pointed her finger and said “Are you English?” When I confirmed this she proceeded to give me the whole thrashing again. In English. She went on about some rate that I of course wouldn’t think to pay being English and that they wouldn’t stand for any leaning against the wall and doing nothing. That was nonsense and wouldn’t be stood for. I stood there wondering what on earth to do and, when she finished the second thrashing, I told her I would let my host know and she let me leave. I walked to the bus stop trying to figure out how exactly I felt about what had just happened and, upon looking at the posted schedule, found out there was another bus at 11:34 and 12:04. Since I had no idea how long it would take to get to Noerreport I decided to take the 11:34 bus and walked back to the house to read for half an hour. Thankfully the second time I left the house I was not accosted by an older woman. I found out later that she is a little crazy but will do no harm. Good to know.
Anyway, I stood waiting for the bus for 15 minutes and had three men, who happened to walk by me every minute to load a moving van, constantly looking at me like I was crazy or probably wondering how a female could be standing at the bus stop for so long with no coat and no stockings/leggings under her skirt. People, it’s been between 18-24 Celsius here and I love it. It’s a little chilly in the morning but you suck it up and by afternoon you’re glad you don’t have a coat. The weather is seriously perfect! The bus arrived, I checked with the driver that we were headed to Noerreport (no repeat of Saturday’s mistake!) and sat down. Upon arrival at the station I double checked with the driver and he said "Oh no, this isn’t it" and I said "Oh really? Okay" and he proceeded to get a big grin on his face and say "No, no, this is the station." We laughed and off I went. It must have been obvious I had NO idea where I was going because he got off the bus and asked me where I wanted to go. I told him and it was just a short walk away. I was half an hour early so I decided to wander around. I found old buildings, a cute kaffe shop, and another shop that had plates, bags, and random other things. I met Cecilia and we walked to church. She helped set up before church started and I was introduced to Ray (Lithuanian). That’s what I’m going to call him here anyway until I know how to accurately say and spell his name. He showed me into church and a couple of people introduced themselves and, because Cecilia hadn’t come out yet, I asked to sit with him and Thomas (Romanian). Service began and it wasn’t much different from Elmbrook or Blackhawk (as long as you don’t consider size a HUGE difference), just a few congregational readings in addition to everything else. Announcements were read and I found out that the pastor of the church is organizing IBC Interlacken: a meeting in
Once at the house, I called home and talked to my family and ate and eventually figured out directions to work. So many blessings: meeting people, the walking tour, family, and then finally getting directions that had caused me so much frustration Saturday! I was excited and uploaded pictures and planned for today but went to bed late. I do not presently have an alarm clock so I’m using one on my laptop and I didn’t set the sound high enough and woke up at 6:55 instead of 6:20. Yay! There are no worries, though. I made the bus (after going to the wrong stop and having two sweet women turn me around and then tell me to run after the bus I’d just missed) and had no trouble getting on the right trains to work. The last train was a local one and, since it didn’t come right away and there were no visible signs, I asked the young man near me if I was in the right place. He said yes and that he was going to the same place. I didn’t want to seem creepy so I did not sit directly by him on the train. We did, indeed, get off at the same stop and, as I again looked around trying to find Esben, my boss, he asked if I was going to IBM. Apparently IBM and Topsoe are near each other and that’s where he works. I said no, I’m looking for Topsoe and shortly thereafter Esben found me. I’m so grateful for nice people! And like any normal person I’m hoping the same young man is on the same train home tonight so I can thank him again for his help...or just see him again. :-P
So now I’m at work. Again, I’m wearing heels because I wanted to look nice for the first day. Esben showed me around a bit and I have my own desk area. On our way to the lab I met Jesper. I have no idea WHAT he does but he was very friendly and asked me all sorts of questions and then I found out that he is the one who put the order in for my computer. Yes, apparently I get a computer while I’m here. Awesome. Anywho, the lab looks different and yet not from those in
Anywho, after lunch more reading and then a safety tour from Henning, another worker, in the lab and then more reading and now I’m writing this in Word. Esben said when the work is done there’s no reason to stay but it’s not even 4 yet (I started this a bit after 3) and I feel guilty. It’s a different atmosphere here and definitely summer/holiday time. I’ll head off in a little bit. Sitting has been nice, especially because my feet still hurt and today’s heels aren’t helping any.
I'm actually back at the house now. I went to give Esben the catalyst I'd brought to find that he was gone for the day. It wasn't even 4 yet! So I packed up and headed to the train. I have quite the commute: a local train then switch lines to an S-train then catch a bus then a 5-10 minutes walk to the house. Today was good, though. Oh yeah, did I mention there are free coffee machines ALL OVER at work? Yeah, if I were a coffee drinker I'd probably be in heaven. Good thing there's hot chocolate too. :-) Yeah, that's right, be jealous!
Once home I called home and found out that my brother and mother had spent about two hours total trying to buy my football tickets. And they got them! My mom said she was stressed and from all the Facebook statuses saying the server was being stupid I can only imagine what went on. So this is a huge shoutout to my mom and brother for getting me football tickets!
I eventually went to the store because I needed more meat and some veggies and juice and whatnot. Plus, my bus pass has ten "klips" on it. The city is divided into zones and one "klip" is good for two zones. I go through 4 zones to get to work so I need two "klips" to get to work and two more to get home. A ten "klip" ticket is $24 so it's be $48 a week for me to get to and from work. Granted, over 8 weeks that's only like $400...but still! So as soon as I can figure out how to get a picture of myself printed I'm getting a monthly pass. It will be way more convenient and, overall, less expensive.
So yeah, that's it for now. Just going to chill for the rest of the evening and go to bed early. 6:30 is very early in the morning! Oh and a word of advice: if you go to a new place and don’t know if you’ll be walking long distances, wear flats.
Until the next post,
Bekah
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Copenhagen
I know, I know, I said I wouldn't post more than once a day but I think I'm going to start doing my posts in the evening and I just went on an adventure so I want to share!
Jin and I went into Copenhagen today. At least, the heart of Copenhagen. We live in what I guess would be considered the suburbs. Bought a bus pass and off we went. Thanks to Lise we had an idea of where to get off: the big Magasine store right after the Walking Street. As we neared the stop we saw a whole bunch of vendors in the plaza nearby and decided we would walk through them once we checked out Magasine. Magasine was HUGE. A basement (-1) and floors 0-5. There was a giant sale going on and even though things were 50% off they were still expensive. Everything here is, just a fact of Danish life. We tired of the store and headed outside to find it had rained and all the vendors were gone! Now, the sidewalks in Copenhagen are like cobblestone and, when wet, do not produce a whole lot of friction with my little slip on shoes. Thankfully I never fell but I definitely slipped a few times! We walked along for a ways on the Walking Street and then got sidetracked by pretty buildings and a canal. It rained again and we sought some shelter with other pedestrians and then discovered a castle! Took some fun and beautiful pictures there and then, after a bit more walking, found the National Museum. Free admission so why not? We wandered around for a bit and then headed back outside. The weather here is perfect: 60's and windy--I love it! After a bit more walking we found Tivoli. Besides the fact that it too is a bit expensive I will definitely be going there. There are roller coasters and rides but I just want to walk around. A friend of mine will be here to visit in July so I am thinking I will wait till then to visit the famous Tivoli. Across from Tivoli is the central train station, which is huge. We walked around a bit more and then decided to take the bus back to near our house. Thus begins the story of our first mistake.
Instead of asking the driver if we were going in the right direction on the right bus we simply paid our fare and got on. We didn't recognize anything we passed but that was kind of expected because I'd never been on the bus before (except the ride into Copenhagen) and Jin hadn't come from this direction before. We pass stops and go through different zones (the city is divided into zones and depending on how many you go through you pay a certain fare) and still don't reach our stop. An hour and a half later the bus stops and we are the only two on. We decide this is a good time to ask for help. The driver was very nice and friendly and, thankfully, spoke great English. I know that is such an American thing to say but, honestly, it made fixing our mistake so much easier. Another driver was there for some reason and, after we all had a good laugh about what we'd done and they told us to ask when we get ON the bus for help, the other driver drove us back to our house in a car. He was very friendly and told us a bit about the drivers and such. I learned many of the drivers are from Greece, that he thinks Swedes are nicer than Danes, that Sweden is less expensive than Denmark and possibly more beautiful, and that he was not only a policeman but a teacher back in his home country and he can speak 7 languages. I LOVE people!
Once back at the house we both chilled in our rooms. I've talked to mom and my mentor, Carrie, and will spend the rest of the afternoon/evening uploading pictures and figuring out how to get to Church tomorrow and work on Monday. It is always hard for me to be in a new place but I am beginning to like being here, just as my brother told me I would. :-) Walking around today I couldn't help but relish in the fact that I am here, in Denmark, exploring and learning. My biggest regret so far is not learning more Danish before coming. Jin told me if I were here for a year I would learn a ton of Danish; too bad it's only 9 weeks, right? :-) I'm still in need of an alarm clock and hope I can find one tomorrow. Please continue to pray for courage and patience as this is all still so new and more new things will happen over the next few days.
I forgot to mention I made two purchases while we were out. I bought a This Water which was pomegranates, blackcurrants and spring water--delicious! And I bought a Hard Rock Cafe Pilsner glass because we stumbled across that too. :-) So much to see, so much to do, so much to learn!
Till tomorrow,
Bekah
Jin and I went into Copenhagen today. At least, the heart of Copenhagen. We live in what I guess would be considered the suburbs. Bought a bus pass and off we went. Thanks to Lise we had an idea of where to get off: the big Magasine store right after the Walking Street. As we neared the stop we saw a whole bunch of vendors in the plaza nearby and decided we would walk through them once we checked out Magasine. Magasine was HUGE. A basement (-1) and floors 0-5. There was a giant sale going on and even though things were 50% off they were still expensive. Everything here is, just a fact of Danish life. We tired of the store and headed outside to find it had rained and all the vendors were gone! Now, the sidewalks in Copenhagen are like cobblestone and, when wet, do not produce a whole lot of friction with my little slip on shoes. Thankfully I never fell but I definitely slipped a few times! We walked along for a ways on the Walking Street and then got sidetracked by pretty buildings and a canal. It rained again and we sought some shelter with other pedestrians and then discovered a castle! Took some fun and beautiful pictures there and then, after a bit more walking, found the National Museum. Free admission so why not? We wandered around for a bit and then headed back outside. The weather here is perfect: 60's and windy--I love it! After a bit more walking we found Tivoli. Besides the fact that it too is a bit expensive I will definitely be going there. There are roller coasters and rides but I just want to walk around. A friend of mine will be here to visit in July so I am thinking I will wait till then to visit the famous Tivoli. Across from Tivoli is the central train station, which is huge. We walked around a bit more and then decided to take the bus back to near our house. Thus begins the story of our first mistake.
Instead of asking the driver if we were going in the right direction on the right bus we simply paid our fare and got on. We didn't recognize anything we passed but that was kind of expected because I'd never been on the bus before (except the ride into Copenhagen) and Jin hadn't come from this direction before. We pass stops and go through different zones (the city is divided into zones and depending on how many you go through you pay a certain fare) and still don't reach our stop. An hour and a half later the bus stops and we are the only two on. We decide this is a good time to ask for help. The driver was very nice and friendly and, thankfully, spoke great English. I know that is such an American thing to say but, honestly, it made fixing our mistake so much easier. Another driver was there for some reason and, after we all had a good laugh about what we'd done and they told us to ask when we get ON the bus for help, the other driver drove us back to our house in a car. He was very friendly and told us a bit about the drivers and such. I learned many of the drivers are from Greece, that he thinks Swedes are nicer than Danes, that Sweden is less expensive than Denmark and possibly more beautiful, and that he was not only a policeman but a teacher back in his home country and he can speak 7 languages. I LOVE people!
Once back at the house we both chilled in our rooms. I've talked to mom and my mentor, Carrie, and will spend the rest of the afternoon/evening uploading pictures and figuring out how to get to Church tomorrow and work on Monday. It is always hard for me to be in a new place but I am beginning to like being here, just as my brother told me I would. :-) Walking around today I couldn't help but relish in the fact that I am here, in Denmark, exploring and learning. My biggest regret so far is not learning more Danish before coming. Jin told me if I were here for a year I would learn a ton of Danish; too bad it's only 9 weeks, right? :-) I'm still in need of an alarm clock and hope I can find one tomorrow. Please continue to pray for courage and patience as this is all still so new and more new things will happen over the next few days.
I forgot to mention I made two purchases while we were out. I bought a This Water which was pomegranates, blackcurrants and spring water--delicious! And I bought a Hard Rock Cafe Pilsner glass because we stumbled across that too. :-) So much to see, so much to do, so much to learn!
Till tomorrow,
Bekah
One of these days I'll actually leave the house
It's the second full day in Denmark and I have to say, only 5 hours of darkness messes with your brain a bit. The sun is completely set sometime between 1030 and 11 and then sunrise is officially at around 420 but it's like by 4. Thankfully I can easily fall asleep in a room with all the lights on so this really isn't a problem. However, yesterday and today I woke up thinking it had to be after 10 because it was so bright only to discover it was 845!
Yesterday I really didn't do much: read outside, there was a thunderstorm (the first thunderclap sounded just like a gun shot!), read inside while it rained, did some prep e-mails and stuff, and read outside some more. Jin, the other student living here, came home a little before 5 for the sole purpose of helping me find the atm. I'm really glad she did because, since it was the first time, I didn't feel comfortable going alone. We also went to the store and I bought what I think is ground beef. The burger I made from part of it was delicious so I think I'm safe. :-)
The highlight of yesterday was a surprise Skype call from Ally! I happened to sign on and the next thing I know I'm getting a call. We were able to chat for a bit and then realized we both had webcams so we got to see each other too! Right now we are both in the same timezone, which is wonderful because there's no need to think back 6,7, or 9 hours to figure out whether she's awake or not. Plus we hadn't talked in a month so catching up was great.
I don't remember whether I mentioned this in my first post or not but my host and her family buried her father yesterday. He passed away about a week ago and the poor woman had to deal with both Jin and I arriving during this rather stressful time. It's hard enough getting used to living with two complete strangers but these added circumstances just wiped her out. So if you would pray for her I'd really appreciate it. Tomorrow is also Father's Day. I have no idea whether or not it is celebrated in Denmark but if it is I'm sure the day will be a little difficult.
Due to the nightlife I've heard about, I highly doubt I will ever be up this early on a Saturday again, unless I'm travelling somewhere. Granted, I only ventured out of the house once yesterday so I don't exactly have the friends yet to drag me out at night. But I know from experience that it will happen (Gisela, Valerie, Rogie, Jimmy, Jose, Azzi, Leo, Rueben--you taught me well last summer!) and so I'm anticipating all the fun. If you would still pray for courage and patience for me I would appreciate it. I know that as I stretch my comfort zone the rewards will be great but it's the first stretch that needs to happen before I start really branching out. That's all for now!
Bekah
Yesterday I really didn't do much: read outside, there was a thunderstorm (the first thunderclap sounded just like a gun shot!), read inside while it rained, did some prep e-mails and stuff, and read outside some more. Jin, the other student living here, came home a little before 5 for the sole purpose of helping me find the atm. I'm really glad she did because, since it was the first time, I didn't feel comfortable going alone. We also went to the store and I bought what I think is ground beef. The burger I made from part of it was delicious so I think I'm safe. :-)
The highlight of yesterday was a surprise Skype call from Ally! I happened to sign on and the next thing I know I'm getting a call. We were able to chat for a bit and then realized we both had webcams so we got to see each other too! Right now we are both in the same timezone, which is wonderful because there's no need to think back 6,7, or 9 hours to figure out whether she's awake or not. Plus we hadn't talked in a month so catching up was great.
I don't remember whether I mentioned this in my first post or not but my host and her family buried her father yesterday. He passed away about a week ago and the poor woman had to deal with both Jin and I arriving during this rather stressful time. It's hard enough getting used to living with two complete strangers but these added circumstances just wiped her out. So if you would pray for her I'd really appreciate it. Tomorrow is also Father's Day. I have no idea whether or not it is celebrated in Denmark but if it is I'm sure the day will be a little difficult.
Due to the nightlife I've heard about, I highly doubt I will ever be up this early on a Saturday again, unless I'm travelling somewhere. Granted, I only ventured out of the house once yesterday so I don't exactly have the friends yet to drag me out at night. But I know from experience that it will happen (Gisela, Valerie, Rogie, Jimmy, Jose, Azzi, Leo, Rueben--you taught me well last summer!) and so I'm anticipating all the fun. If you would still pray for courage and patience for me I would appreciate it. I know that as I stretch my comfort zone the rewards will be great but it's the first stretch that needs to happen before I start really branching out. That's all for now!
Bekah
Friday, June 19, 2009
Arrival
I made it to Copenhagen! The flight was a bit long and the woman in front of me decided to put her seat all the way back for the whole flight but, overall, it wasn't terrible. We were fed twice, which was great, and I slept on and off for what I think was 3-4 hours but I'm not entirely sure. The flight was through SAS and, as a result, the entire flight crew spoke Scandinavian and English. The woman sitting next to me was a bit older and definitely a Dane, which meant we didn't talk much. I will be honest: I felt totally out of place on the flight. There were business people, both American and International, there were couples (mostly older), and there were families with small children. I noticed maybe one or two other young people travelling alone but they looked so much more confident! Anyway, once we landed there was the passport check and then waiting for bags. I only had one suitcase (which was VERY stuffed) and while we all waited I met a young business woman. I confided in her and told her I had never travelled internationally by myself. We struck up a conversation and it turns out she's been travelling internationally by herself since she was 19, and that was a visit to France to see her sister. She was so friendly and gave me her business card and said I could call and she would take me to a cafe or out one night. Not only did we have a great conversation but she also helped me exchange Euros to Kroner, buy a train ticket, and get on the train! She was definitely a blessing from God and I am so glad I had the courage to ask for her help!
Once on the train it was a sit and wait. I got off at my station, called my host (I lost a bit of money using the wrong coin but it was worth it), and called home. I definitely thought the time difference was 6 hours. It's not. It's 7 to the Midwest so, as I write this, most of you aren't even awake yet. My host, Lise, picked me up and took me to the store just down the street so I could buy a little food. Good foresight since I did end up being hungry later on. Plus now I have food for today. The house is small but I like it. Lise has a beautiful garden in the back with all sorts of plants and beautiful pink roses. I put pictures up on Facebook so if you'd like to see where I'm living, check them out. Unfortunately, Lise's father passed away last week so she left for family business and I had some time to myself. I called home. I cannot even begin to tell you how wonderful technology is. I was able to talk to my mom for an hour over Skype and it was just like calling home from Madison, except I'm in Denmark and she's an ocean and several countries away. After the call I chatted with the other student living in the house, Jin. We are both so glad to have each other because it is lonely here if you don't speak the language. Granted, I've only been here a day and haven't ventured outside the house yet but after the stress of the airport and Danish everywhere it was nice to have a conversation with Jin. She doesn't have any travel plans right now so I have a feeling I will be convincing her to take weekend trips with me. :-)
I also got to chat with my brother, which was great. I won't brag about him right now but most of you already know how highly I think of him.
After all the warnings about jet lag I really had no trouble staying awake. I went to bed at 11:30 pm and got up about 8:45. Considering there are only like 4 hours of darkness here (the sun set at maybe 9:30 but it was still like out at 10) I think I did pretty well. And so far today I've done basically nothing. My GH mates (especially CC) will be happy to know I did not ask permission to use dishes in the kitchen or to use the bathroom/shower. There is no shower curtain, though, which made the shower interesting to say the least. Oh! I almost forgot. I also got a bunch of warnings about nudity in Europe. Advertisements and beaches were the main ones but yesterday Jin and I happened to look out my window and two gardens over from us was a boy jumping on a trampoline--naked! Yup, welcome to Europe. We were both a little shocked and, in her words, he was "old enough to be wearing clothes!"
It's rained here today. Thunderstormed, actually. I was out in the garden reading when it started and the first thunderclap literally sounded like a gunshot. Still, I love listening to rain and it was very comforting. That's it for now. I spend way too much time on the Internet so I will try not to post more than once a day. Please be praying for me during this adjustment time. I have no real schedule until I go into work on Monday and many things are still unknown to me. Pray for courage, grace, peace and patience. I am so grateful to everyone who was praying for me as I travelled. Even though I was anxious I know God was with me every step of the way.
Bekah
Once on the train it was a sit and wait. I got off at my station, called my host (I lost a bit of money using the wrong coin but it was worth it), and called home. I definitely thought the time difference was 6 hours. It's not. It's 7 to the Midwest so, as I write this, most of you aren't even awake yet. My host, Lise, picked me up and took me to the store just down the street so I could buy a little food. Good foresight since I did end up being hungry later on. Plus now I have food for today. The house is small but I like it. Lise has a beautiful garden in the back with all sorts of plants and beautiful pink roses. I put pictures up on Facebook so if you'd like to see where I'm living, check them out. Unfortunately, Lise's father passed away last week so she left for family business and I had some time to myself. I called home. I cannot even begin to tell you how wonderful technology is. I was able to talk to my mom for an hour over Skype and it was just like calling home from Madison, except I'm in Denmark and she's an ocean and several countries away. After the call I chatted with the other student living in the house, Jin. We are both so glad to have each other because it is lonely here if you don't speak the language. Granted, I've only been here a day and haven't ventured outside the house yet but after the stress of the airport and Danish everywhere it was nice to have a conversation with Jin. She doesn't have any travel plans right now so I have a feeling I will be convincing her to take weekend trips with me. :-)
I also got to chat with my brother, which was great. I won't brag about him right now but most of you already know how highly I think of him.
After all the warnings about jet lag I really had no trouble staying awake. I went to bed at 11:30 pm and got up about 8:45. Considering there are only like 4 hours of darkness here (the sun set at maybe 9:30 but it was still like out at 10) I think I did pretty well. And so far today I've done basically nothing. My GH mates (especially CC) will be happy to know I did not ask permission to use dishes in the kitchen or to use the bathroom/shower. There is no shower curtain, though, which made the shower interesting to say the least. Oh! I almost forgot. I also got a bunch of warnings about nudity in Europe. Advertisements and beaches were the main ones but yesterday Jin and I happened to look out my window and two gardens over from us was a boy jumping on a trampoline--naked! Yup, welcome to Europe. We were both a little shocked and, in her words, he was "old enough to be wearing clothes!"
It's rained here today. Thunderstormed, actually. I was out in the garden reading when it started and the first thunderclap literally sounded like a gunshot. Still, I love listening to rain and it was very comforting. That's it for now. I spend way too much time on the Internet so I will try not to post more than once a day. Please be praying for me during this adjustment time. I have no real schedule until I go into work on Monday and many things are still unknown to me. Pray for courage, grace, peace and patience. I am so grateful to everyone who was praying for me as I travelled. Even though I was anxious I know God was with me every step of the way.
Bekah
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