Thursday, September 18, 2008

Cold Showers

I am happy to announce you my first major cultural shock.

There was another one before (the language one), but I kind of expected it from before, so wasn't such a big thing. OK, I admit I am kind of ironical about it. I'm not sure it is a real one. Lots of people warned me it will happen sooner or later (I meant the cultural shock). Maybe it's happening right now and I don't know? Am I in denial??

Some months before leaving to Denmark, I even went to a conference that was supposed to prepare me for the great eXchange experience, which is organized by AIESEC, about 2 times each year, and is called ICPS - Inter-Cultural Preparation Seminar- I think, but I'm not sure. That was really fun.
Anyway, there we had some sort of discussion about it, and how to overcome such problems. Now I'm not even sure I understand what a cultural shock is any more... or a shock, generally speaking. It might be because before coming here, I didn't have too many expectations whatsoever (neither positive, nor negative), so I just took everything as it was.. or still is. Or maybe because I chose an European country, instead of going to China or South-Africa.

To get to the point, I didn't have any hot water in my apartment for the last 36 hours. Which was bad. Surprisingly, It all began at the moment when I set my heating to maximum power. Of course, since I'm kind of slow and I don't know anything about plumbing (actually, most of the times I prefer to imagine that water and electricity come together with the wireless from a magic source directly from the walls, it's more simple this way) it took me some time to realize that there must be a connection between the two events. So this morning I was sharing my suspicions to some people while having breakfast at work. At one point, two of them - not Danish, but apparently living here for a longer time and already with some similar experiences, started laughing and explained to me that yes, they are indeed connected. So at one moment, I can have only one of them: either hot water in the shower, or heating in my room. I don't know if it's the same in all the apartments here, I'm curious to see how it's like in the place where I am going to move this weekend.

It's already been one month and a half since I'm here, I need a real cultural shock.
Who knows, maybe I'll have it when I'll be back home in Romania for Christmas? :)

Other non-related stuff:
- today I'm trying yoga for the first time, hope I'll like it
- need sleep
- tomorrow I'm moving my stuff to the new apartment
- will be spending the weekend shopping, or at least "faire du lèche-vitrines"

Tuesday, September 16, 2008

Copenhagen in a week-end - Random Ideas (retro-active)

- Art Museum: Reality Check exhibition, some really shocking things, others a bit absurd, but most of them an irritating authenticity, small pieces from people's life and history, strange labyrinths of messy offices, hospital rooms - and that's only a small part of it. Didn't have time for everything, must be back soon, until January, when it will all be ending.

- Also, the permanent exhibitions are cool: seen some Matisse and Renoirs, Dutch and German paintings, and lost of Danish works of art, including modern art, a temporary gallery of sculptures, and many more... but only a Picasso. They also have an open workshop for restoring old paintings - hmmmmmmm of course, that doesn't mean that public can contribute to restoring the paintings, but at least they can watch.
- Botanical Garden, tropical greenhouses - finally, found a good place where to spend the cold winter Sunday afternoons. The tropical greenhouse is sooo green and tropical... I mean warm :)
- pizza picnic in the king's Gardens
- the apples from King's Garden were delicious 
- hate cooking, hate my kitchen, hate my Italian roommate who's cooking daily (Paolo's actually a good boy, the only reason I hate him is because he can cook, and I can't :D)
- a front-view of the little mermaid this time - I've seen it before, but only her behind (yes, the little mermaid's but!!). Actually, the first night I was out here, in Copenhagen, I met someone who warned me about it. He advised me not to have very high expectations regarding the little mermaid. And that was good.. After all, she is called like this precisely because she's not very big. Nevertheless, she really has something special, attracting many tourists from all over the world. We could barely take any pictures of her, because of all the Japanese tourists there with their cameras.
- the "Walking Street", in the center of Copenhagen. Was my first time passing by, without spending any money. I usually can't help myself, and each time I have to buy small things. This time I only stared in the shops' windows for some boots, then we continued our way fast, there were too many things to show, in very short time.
- Amber shop: there is also an Amber Museum, but this time I was too shocked by the jewels' prices in the shop, so decided to go to the museum the next time I'll have the opportunity.
- discovered an orthodox church here in Copenhagen - it is true, it's a Russian one, but still I'm going to visit it one Sunday soon, even though I won't be understanding anything they say.
- the autumn's here, it's getting colder and colder, darker and darker, and the wind blows stronger already.
- the Rosenborg Castle - the place where they keep the crown jewels!
- Kastellet - an old fortress, surrounded by water, but now a peaceful place.
- the museum of the Danish Resistance - during WW2. Some authentic things from that period, most of them really impressive...
- except for the Russian church, also seen many others: Lutheran, Jewish, Anglican. Wish I could visit one each week.. that wouldn't be such an impossible plan anyway.
- walked around the lakes.. all 5 of them, I think, and I was pretty exhausted.. and I saw many swans..

Thursday, September 4, 2008

My Last Week - 10+1 Things about It

0.Tivoli is neither as huge, nor as expensive as I imagined.1.I'm sleepy
2.Seems that I have a second option to move to a student residence, instead of the rented room, but no matter what I choose, I will definitely be in a new place next month => needed to do some shopping, so I went to IKEA to buy lots of stuff for my new room (they are all pink and white)
3...still a lousy badminton player, but at least I'm both learning and having fun.
4.I love shopping :)
5.I'm sleepy.
6.Signed up for yoga classes at work, but didn't go this week, since I was too sleepy (did I tell you that?)
7.Today did 3 loops arond the lake, really proud of myself.
8.I got a bit over the ducks, now I'm more into the swans.9.I'm sleepy.