A year has gone by since I started on this journey. To say that there have been a few bumps in the road is an understatement! The road has been full of curves, bumps, highs, lows...and everything in between. And now, a year later, I am back in the midst of uncertainty & wondering what the next stop for me will be. I have some difficult decisions ahead of me but today I will only stop to reflect on the good, the bad, & even maybe a little ugly.
Actually, let's start w/ the ugly.
- Denmark is a racist country. There. I said it. I may be deported as a result but it's true. For all their propaganda about being a liberal nation w/ the most open minded people...I've never been around people that are so openly biased against other people. Anti American - I expected. But Danes are extremely anti-Muslim & have zero tolerance for the people they consider to be 'ruining' their ideals & traditions. People who look even remotely Arabic are sometimes ridiculed openly, taunted, & treated differently from others. It's sad to witness.
- Danes are too proud & stubborn for their own good. Nothing is better than Denmark. No one is better than a Dane. The world should follow the example of this country & if it did, the world would be a much much better place. How arrogant!!! If the entire world was this vanilla, we'd all be in coma of boredom. Trust me. It's true.
And now, the bad...
- I miss my dog. Terribly.
- I miss my family & friends.
- I miss the sun.
- Working here has not worked out for me. The more time I spend here, the more I kill my career opportunities.
- If one more person asks me what 'batch' I am from, I might scream (this is also work related).
- My liver hurts from living in Copenhagen. (On the plus side, My drinking tolerance has gone from lightweight to middleweight.
- I miss turning on the news & knowing what is happening locally.
- "I just want to be friends" is shitty no matter how sexy of an accent you have.
- I've never gotten used to not being able to afford mani/pedi's, haircuts, etc!
Ok, I'm sure I could go on...But I will end on a positive note...The GOOD....
- I do enjoy being social & man I have had some good times!
- I've met some really fabulous people & I want to take those friendships w/ me wherever I go.
- I actually like riding my bike!!!!! (Still not so much when the winds pick up or it's raining though)
- So I really CAN lose weight. I just had to move to Copenhagen!
- I miss my family but sometimes it's a little nice that they can't just pick up a phone and call. lol.
- I've gone on some really cool trips!
- I feel ok here. It's not home but I am relatively happy despite all the challenges.
- I don't have to listen to all the US political rhetoric & even more importantly, I have NO CLUE what Kim Kardashian did now....And I LIKE IT.
- Absence does make the heart grow fonder. I have a better understanding of what & who is really important to me now.
- I love buying scarves!
- Patience. I'm learning to have some patience.
- What hasn't killed me, has made me stronger
- And last but certainly not least (for now)..... If I had never come here, I would still be wondering 'what if'. I have no regrets. I'm blessed & grateful.
Thursday, April 5, 2012
Sunday, March 25, 2012
Stolen Quote
Got this from another blog that was written by an American Expat in Denmark:
If you're an extrovert when you move here, Denmark will make you an introvert. If you're already an introvert, Denmark will make you a spinster.
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Less than 2 hours away & a world apart
Before I get too far ahead of myself, I will remind myself (and you) that I like living in Denmark. This place has a certain charm that I can't quite explain & it's grown on me enough that (as I've mentioned before) will be hard to leave behind.
Now...that being said...I went to Liverpool for a work a couple of days ago & within minutes felt like I had stepped into a land of normalcy & had a very quick reminder of how 'different' everything really is here. When we were seated at restaurants, the waiters held the chair out for the ladies (much to the dismay of the Danes I was travelling with). The food had flavor & every menu offered up desserts! People said please & thank you. Almost everyone smiled & said hello as they passed us by. I went to a mall. A real flippin' mall. And there was a GAP! A GAP!!! And when you walk through the stores, people actually wanted to help me. I saw drive through's & chain restaurants & ok I know this all sounds really cheap & gross but you have to understand...that's 'normal'. That's capitalism. This is what the 21st century looks like. Let's embrace it. I live in retro world - welcome to "throwback land" where you literally feel like the progress of the last 100 years just hasn't quite made its way to you. I'm pretty sure that no one here even knows what a bluetooth even looks like. But even if you can forget all that, the fact is manners & chivalry are 2 concepts that just drowned somewhere in the ocean before it could make its way to Denmark. It. Just. Doesn't. Exist.
Brits are supposedly known for their stiff upper lips (and bad teeth of course) but I found them all to be so warm & friendly compared to what I have come to know about Danes. I was fascinated by the fact that I could understand the local news. I loved that on my last day in the office, the receptionist hugged me & said she would miss me. I've spent almost a year getting to know some of the locals here & I am still relatively surprised if they crack a smile as I walk by. Now, if they could just drive on the right side of the road...ah..but I digress.
When I arrived today, I struggled to carry my suitcase up the stairs from the train station, as 6 men looked on & laughed. Then, I got on the bus & an elderly woman of about 75 years old pushed me because she wanted to stand in the spot that I was standing & trying to hold my suitcase. This is not England. This is not America. Hell, this is not like any place in the world. This is Denmark & they are proud of it. Me? Give me about a week & a few bottles of wine & I'll start remembering again what it is I like so much about being here. Until then, God Save the Queen.
Now...that being said...I went to Liverpool for a work a couple of days ago & within minutes felt like I had stepped into a land of normalcy & had a very quick reminder of how 'different' everything really is here. When we were seated at restaurants, the waiters held the chair out for the ladies (much to the dismay of the Danes I was travelling with). The food had flavor & every menu offered up desserts! People said please & thank you. Almost everyone smiled & said hello as they passed us by. I went to a mall. A real flippin' mall. And there was a GAP! A GAP!!! And when you walk through the stores, people actually wanted to help me. I saw drive through's & chain restaurants & ok I know this all sounds really cheap & gross but you have to understand...that's 'normal'. That's capitalism. This is what the 21st century looks like. Let's embrace it. I live in retro world - welcome to "throwback land" where you literally feel like the progress of the last 100 years just hasn't quite made its way to you. I'm pretty sure that no one here even knows what a bluetooth even looks like. But even if you can forget all that, the fact is manners & chivalry are 2 concepts that just drowned somewhere in the ocean before it could make its way to Denmark. It. Just. Doesn't. Exist.
Brits are supposedly known for their stiff upper lips (and bad teeth of course) but I found them all to be so warm & friendly compared to what I have come to know about Danes. I was fascinated by the fact that I could understand the local news. I loved that on my last day in the office, the receptionist hugged me & said she would miss me. I've spent almost a year getting to know some of the locals here & I am still relatively surprised if they crack a smile as I walk by. Now, if they could just drive on the right side of the road...ah..but I digress.
When I arrived today, I struggled to carry my suitcase up the stairs from the train station, as 6 men looked on & laughed. Then, I got on the bus & an elderly woman of about 75 years old pushed me because she wanted to stand in the spot that I was standing & trying to hold my suitcase. This is not England. This is not America. Hell, this is not like any place in the world. This is Denmark & they are proud of it. Me? Give me about a week & a few bottles of wine & I'll start remembering again what it is I like so much about being here. Until then, God Save the Queen.
St Patty's Day - The Before & After
Growing up in Miami, St. Patty's Day was never really a big deal. We much prefer Cinco De Mayo, Noche Buena, Dia de los Reyes Magos....ummm basically anything in Spanish. ;-)
But then I moved to Charlotte, NC & the Irish in me really started coming up, particularly in March. After 3 years of marathon pub crawls, I have to admit that I was a little heartbroken to be away this year on the big day.
Alas, Copenhagen did NOT disappoint. My day consisted of meeting random Irish people at an Irish bar, being given a hat by someone that may have been a leprechaun in another life, getting quite a few free drinks from a Dane (FYI - this is an almost unheard of phenomenon), several run ins w/ people I know from work, a house party to end all house parties (NOT hosted by me this time), green jello shots, something called sucker punch, meeting the guy who lived in my apartment before me, reciting quite loudly all the words to Hustling by Rick Ross, & well...good times over all. Want proof....Check out the before & after....
And yes, I do think I am getting too old for this. :)
But then I moved to Charlotte, NC & the Irish in me really started coming up, particularly in March. After 3 years of marathon pub crawls, I have to admit that I was a little heartbroken to be away this year on the big day.
Alas, Copenhagen did NOT disappoint. My day consisted of meeting random Irish people at an Irish bar, being given a hat by someone that may have been a leprechaun in another life, getting quite a few free drinks from a Dane (FYI - this is an almost unheard of phenomenon), several run ins w/ people I know from work, a house party to end all house parties (NOT hosted by me this time), green jello shots, something called sucker punch, meeting the guy who lived in my apartment before me, reciting quite loudly all the words to Hustling by Rick Ross, & well...good times over all. Want proof....Check out the before & after....
And yes, I do think I am getting too old for this. :)
Starting the day
Ending the night (SMH in embarrassment - ha!)
Saturday, February 25, 2012
Random Musings
I don't tweet. I don't update my facebook religiously with every thought that goes through my brain. And now we realize I am a terrible blogger too. But I regularly have random little observations & thought it might be worth jotting down a few....
So in no particular order...
Best Comment heard in a meeting regarding Customer Stakeholder Management this week... "Wait. Did you put Customers on the list?" "Oh shit. We forgot the customers!" (Even funnier if you know that we are in Centre Customer Service)
Worst Joke heard in a meeting last week: "What is 6 inches long & won't be sucked on Valentine's Day? Whitney Houston's crack pipe" <- Danes are not very PC. Seriously, I had 2 meetings start w/ this joke last week
Oh, note to all men out there...You really should quit 'flirting' after I tell you I have a boyfriend. I've lied to you for a reason.
No club should ever play the theme song from Rocky. Everyone fake boxing each other is not really what you should be seeing on the dance floor.
Tranny go-go dancers & People playing with fire (literally). That sums up the club I went to last night.
When you have a meeting with your company's new CCO, you should probably confirm your dress is long enough to cover your lady parts. Just sayin'.
It is NOT ok to say "You look great for your age because you love life" Always always drop the 'for your age' part. The lesson here is I need older friends.
When I tell you I am from the US, your face shouldn't look so disappointed.
When I tell you I am from Miami, your follow up question shouldn't be "So you live like luxury?"
When I tell you my father is Cuban, your response should not be "Everyone should visit Cuba now while it still has its beauty & charm. Once Castro dies, the Americans will just make it another tourist trap"
When I tell you what company I work for, you should not assume I am rich. (PS - This only happens in Denmark. The rest of the world knows better)
It is not ok for you to ask me how much my salary is or how much my rent is...especially if you are a colleague.
It is still disturbing for me to see teenagers walking around with beer cans & champagne bottles. The American in me doesn't believe teenagers should be drinking. Wait...Is that the American in me or the Old Lady in me?
Oh, also, don't start your meeting w/ me by saying "Now take off your jacket & let's get on with it" Makes me feel like I should press play on the ipod & start a show.
In writing the above, I realize I go to too many meetings. Maybe I need to search for a life outside the office.
I will not miss how thin the walls are here. Not interested in hearing my neighbor's conversations that begin promptly at 8 am every Saturday & Sunday.
I'm now confused & disturbed when people randomly start conversations with me. Just another sign that I need to go back to the South.
...I feel so much better now that I have gotten these important items off my chest. Phew. What a relief.
Have a good day y'all. :)
So in no particular order...
Best Comment heard in a meeting regarding Customer Stakeholder Management this week... "Wait. Did you put Customers on the list?" "Oh shit. We forgot the customers!" (Even funnier if you know that we are in Centre Customer Service)
Worst Joke heard in a meeting last week: "What is 6 inches long & won't be sucked on Valentine's Day? Whitney Houston's crack pipe" <- Danes are not very PC. Seriously, I had 2 meetings start w/ this joke last week
Oh, note to all men out there...You really should quit 'flirting' after I tell you I have a boyfriend. I've lied to you for a reason.
No club should ever play the theme song from Rocky. Everyone fake boxing each other is not really what you should be seeing on the dance floor.
Tranny go-go dancers & People playing with fire (literally). That sums up the club I went to last night.
When you have a meeting with your company's new CCO, you should probably confirm your dress is long enough to cover your lady parts. Just sayin'.
It is NOT ok to say "You look great for your age because you love life" Always always drop the 'for your age' part. The lesson here is I need older friends.
When I tell you I am from the US, your face shouldn't look so disappointed.
When I tell you I am from Miami, your follow up question shouldn't be "So you live like luxury?"
When I tell you my father is Cuban, your response should not be "Everyone should visit Cuba now while it still has its beauty & charm. Once Castro dies, the Americans will just make it another tourist trap"
When I tell you what company I work for, you should not assume I am rich. (PS - This only happens in Denmark. The rest of the world knows better)
It is not ok for you to ask me how much my salary is or how much my rent is...especially if you are a colleague.
It is still disturbing for me to see teenagers walking around with beer cans & champagne bottles. The American in me doesn't believe teenagers should be drinking. Wait...Is that the American in me or the Old Lady in me?
Oh, also, don't start your meeting w/ me by saying "Now take off your jacket & let's get on with it" Makes me feel like I should press play on the ipod & start a show.
In writing the above, I realize I go to too many meetings. Maybe I need to search for a life outside the office.
I will not miss how thin the walls are here. Not interested in hearing my neighbor's conversations that begin promptly at 8 am every Saturday & Sunday.
I'm now confused & disturbed when people randomly start conversations with me. Just another sign that I need to go back to the South.
...I feel so much better now that I have gotten these important items off my chest. Phew. What a relief.
Have a good day y'all. :)
So I've been a little lost. And I don't just mean in reference to my lack of blogging. It's hard to sit & explain the goings on at the moment, mostly because I myself don't know how I feel about everything.
Copenhagen, oh how you confuse me so. My time here is quickly coming to an end & so now the search for work in the US has begun. This is a very bittersweet time for me.
I'm excited to return HOME (Denmark has never really felt like home to me) & be near my loved ones & my doggie who I have missed more than anyone can understand. I'm fascinated by the idea that in a few short months, I can jump into my car & drive over to a salon & not lose my entire salary in getting a manicure. Yep, I haven't changed much & these are still the things I miss. I look forward to understanding every conversation around me. I'm anticipating being in the land of the free & the home of the brave...and more importantly, be able to say that & have someone understand what the hell I am referring to.
But make no mistake, my time spent here has been full of fun, good times, great people, exciting moments, & I will be sad the day it comes to an end. I've come to enjoy my bicycle...and even more importantly, enjoy the fact that I am leaving some lbs in Denmark as a result of it. hehehe.... I'll miss the people that I have grown attached to. I'll miss wearing a scarf all the freaking time, even in summer. I'll miss it all...Well, that's not true. I won't miss it ALL. There's plenty here I won't miss but that's all work related & I won't get into that now.
The point is...when the day comes, there will be a smile on my lips but also a tear in my eye.
Copenhagen, oh how you confuse me so. My time here is quickly coming to an end & so now the search for work in the US has begun. This is a very bittersweet time for me.
I'm excited to return HOME (Denmark has never really felt like home to me) & be near my loved ones & my doggie who I have missed more than anyone can understand. I'm fascinated by the idea that in a few short months, I can jump into my car & drive over to a salon & not lose my entire salary in getting a manicure. Yep, I haven't changed much & these are still the things I miss. I look forward to understanding every conversation around me. I'm anticipating being in the land of the free & the home of the brave...and more importantly, be able to say that & have someone understand what the hell I am referring to.
But make no mistake, my time spent here has been full of fun, good times, great people, exciting moments, & I will be sad the day it comes to an end. I've come to enjoy my bicycle...and even more importantly, enjoy the fact that I am leaving some lbs in Denmark as a result of it. hehehe.... I'll miss the people that I have grown attached to. I'll miss wearing a scarf all the freaking time, even in summer. I'll miss it all...Well, that's not true. I won't miss it ALL. There's plenty here I won't miss but that's all work related & I won't get into that now.
The point is...when the day comes, there will be a smile on my lips but also a tear in my eye.
Sorry, I don't understand...
Interesting read on how the Danish language & foreigners. Yes, I believe local languages should be preserved, however, sending me an invite to a Danish class in DANISH is a little over the top!
http://www.b.dk/english/speak-danish-please
http://www.b.dk/english/speak-danish-please
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