I'm Here!!!

Hi Everyone!!! I made it to Denmark alright J My flight was delayed 2 hours… so we didn’t get off the ground until past 8:45 Saturday night… But the flight went well. SAS gave us all 10$ meal vouchers since the plane was delayed, and then on the plane we got TWO full meals. For dinner we had chicken and rice and for breakfast we had yogurt and orange juice and cheese. And we got a snack in the middle too! Salted dried green peas… Oh man. Not bad actually. Anyway. The plane’s seats weren’t good, but I got a window seat next to a kind lady from Helsinki! We didn’t talk much (I don’t think she knew much english… but she definitely knew some. The seats DID have TVs on the back of the seats… but they were even better than expected! They had movies, TV shows, plane camera (not really useful at 37,000 feet… going 500 MPH… in the dark…), and GAMES! Each person also had a little remote thing with buttons and everything to play games with. I played poker and battleship as well at trivia (not very good) and memory (too easy!) And I re-watched definitely, maybe. I didn’t sleep much… maybe like, 2 or 3 half hour naps at the most.

Anyway, then we got to Copenhagen… 2 hours late… an hour after the last DIS shuttle left. There were 16? Of us on the flight who had been stranded. So, after getting through customs (super easy) and waiting for bags (had a brief lost luggage scare, but it just came out WAY late…) and finding a bunch of people from the program (as well as finding the currency exchange place) we broke down into 2 groups and stuffed into taxi-vans that took us to the place… Where just about everything was over and all the helpful booths and things had left. I didn’t even get my money for the metro (they said they’d pay me back though.)

While there, Pia came and picked me up J She welcomed me with a big hug and then informed me she doesn’t have a car. So we took another taxi to her house (with Michael and Amanda in tow.) The kids are super cute! Michael grabbed my hand and started rambling to me in Danish… and continued to do that for the night. Its cute. It turns out he’s only here for a week though? I think she said… once a week and then one whole week a year he lives here. Amanda, who is ten, is adorable and has only been taking english for two years, but is really good at it (for only having it for two years.) She doesn’t have a strong vocabulary which gets her frustrated, but then she just tells Pia who translates for me. They’re working on speaking (mostly) in English for me… I feel kinda bad.

So, we get to her house, which is kinda small and a 10 minute walk to the bus (she says it’ll take me half an hour to get to wherever I’m going?) I can sense myself getting lost QUICK. Oh well. We’ll work it out. First thing they do is show me my room. It used to be her son’s room until he moved out last year, but it is big and had everything I need. Theres a table, a white board a couch, a coffee table, a nice bed, lots of storage, a mirror, a closet… its basically amazing. (Pictures tomorrow, kayz?)

Anyway. I then gave them their gifts, and they all loved them. Particularly the play-foam I gave Michael and the chocolate covered coffee beans. I also IMed my Mom and Dad, who I’m sure are glad I got here safe J I was going to skype them… but I didn't find interwebs in my room until just now (cord was hiding...) For the rest of the night I unpacked and talked a little to Amanda and a lot to Pia (felt bad for Amanda though… she was lost for the whole conversation.) I watched part of a movie (in Danish…) with them and mostly just got settled in. Tomorrow Orientation starts at 10:20… Pia is going to come with me on the metro to make sure I get there okay J Since she doesn’t work (she sells herbalife and is a social worker, which I think in Denmark means preschool teacher? But her only job as social worker is to have Michael every once in a while.) BTW: In true european tradition, I was offered red wine with my dinner, so I said sure, I’d have a little bit. Was NOT good. Not doing that again. Nuh uh. But then again… Maybe it grows on you?

So. Weird things so far??? Toilets. They flush REALLY funny. There’s not any pushing down on levers. You pick one buttony thing up for one… and for another you have to push a button… but its one where you can push either the right or left side. Also, while I knew everything would be in Danish… not being able to watch TV (not that I watch much TV…) freaks me out a little. Also: roads, really REALLY narrow. Like, they all drive teeny cars and they park on the streets (in residential neighborhoods…) and you can barely get a car down the middle. Also: Pia speaks really good english (like… theres a little bit of tense confusion… but that’s about it…) but there’s a bit lost in translation. Like, we’re constantly going and getting things so I can say what it is in english… I’m also starting simple Danish words. Not really going well.

So. There’s your quick weekend update. You’ll get more soon, no worries. Love you all :D