Denmark so far.

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So Denmark. . I've been here since Sunday. I've been so busy. We've had survival Danish for 3 hours a day and tons of lectures, getting organized and such. Today, I had the survival Danish and the lecture for the business and economics program I am in. It looks really exciting. They take us on a study trip the first week of spring break in March. I chose to go to London and Brussels because I haven't been there. They also had us write down our expectations and hopes for the program and businesses we'd like to visit through the program. Hopefully they'll take my requests of visiting socially conscious businesses into consideration.

Yesterday I had survival Danish, then lectures on living in the Kollegium and then I went to a cafe with my Danish class. They don't say please or tap glasses when they toast. They also eat with a fork in one hand and a knife in the other and don't praise the meal until it is done. Unfortunately, I already forgot how to say it in Danish.

I live in a Kollegium about 20 minutes outside of Copenhagen. A lot of fellow DIS students don't like it, but I love it. I think those who don't like it are just adjusting to traveling and being away from home. It made up of many individual buildings and I have a pretty big room. I lucked out, because my building had 3 other DIS students. Two of them I'm friends with, so adjusting should be easier. Danes don't go out of there way to introduce themselves, so it's on me to meet them. I've been trying to introduce myself whenever possible, but I have not had that many opportunities yet.

My Kollegium also has a sauna, a weight room, laundry and is located near many supermarkets and right by the train station. There are also two smoke stacks next to it, that heat the whole town of Albertslund. I'm kind of bummed that I found out what it does because it was cooler to speculate what it did. We would joke that we had to put in our time in the coal factory as part of Denmark's socialism.

The social aspect of Denmark is very interesting. I'd consider it a combination of Prague and Haverford. A bunch of Europeans with an honor code. They try to live environmentally friendly. For example, you are charged if you do not have your own bags at the super market. Lots of people ride bikes, buying a car is taxed 200% and gas is 2 dollars per liter! They are taxed about 40% on a sliding scale and have free health care, libraries, schools etc. Not paying out of pocket for college or health care would make anyone pretty happy. More on the welfare state aspect to follow.

Tonight, I'm going to go to the grocery store and pick up a few things, then work out in the Kollegium gym and then probably just chill with people around the Kollegium. I read for my first day of classes tomorrow, since they already gave us some readings, but I haven't even figured out, everything I'm taking. Details on classes to follow.