Day 7 - January 7

Today at lunch in the kantine, we had over an hour discussion about school customs in different countries. It was fascinating. It was mostly on the difference between Russian and American school systems, but we had some input from the Canadians, as well. I learned that a huge problem in Russia is paying for better grades, because teachers need money and so ask their students for money for the grades. The levels of university have different names as well – specialists, candidate for doctoral, and doctoral levels. Also, I’ve had to do a lot of explaining about the concept of a minor. I had encountered this in England, but it’s a lot easier to explain when you speak the same first language and when there’s much more interaction between the English and the Americans. The concept of a minor, and often time general ed classes, is so foreign, and a very North American concept.

I met my mentor, Lena (the mentor here is not an academic mentor/tutor but a Danish student who can help international students figure things out, and a possible access to the Danes, as it’s a lot more difficult to meet them than it is other international students) after lunch. Sara accompanied me, and we went sightseeing around the city. We did a great deal of walking, and the air was frigid – the kind of cold where eventually you have a hard time forming words because your face muscles just won’t move – but I enjoyed it. We walked down Stroget, the main shopping street, past the parliament building to the Queen’s house. Pictures to come. We warmed up in a cute but expensive café. It was two stories, so we went to the top, and it was neat looking down below, though the $9 hot chocolate was not worth it. The kantine at uni has better hot chocolate for $1.

On our way back, I discovered a Coldstone. Now, I know the idea of an exchange is to experience the other country’s culture and to get away from your comfort zone just a little, but I call this discovery a huge success. A Coldstone in Copenhagen only makes Copenhagen that much more amazing. Now, I’ll have to figure out how to get back there, but I think I know the way – take the street that has the Subway down, turn left before the open square with the statue, and on that street there’s also a bakery that I’ll have to try out. Sara didn’t think it was actually called Coldstone, but I thought I saw the name. I first saw the sign with the red circle and ice cream cone, but I glanced in as we walked by and recognized the menu. Perhaps that’s a little sad that I can recognize the menu, but what can I say? I love my ice cream.

For the first time on the Metro, someone came by to check to make sure everyone had paid. I got to flip open my Metro card and feel special. The man in the seat next to me had to check every single pocket he had (and he had a lot…front and back jeans pockets, outer jacket pockets, inner jacket pockets, and a shirt pocket). I thought maybe he was stalling, but turns out he just has a lot of pockets, and he uses all of them.

It’s hard to believe it’s almost been a week. Last night, I had googled “things to do in Copenhagen/Denmark” because in all the stress of worrying about my visa (which is a story for another day), it had completely slipped my mind to buy a guidebook. I spent quite a bit of time looking at all the suggested sites, and I get more and more excited every time I think of visiting them all.