RUS-trip and other Danish stuff

Life in Aalborg is exciting. Every day there is something cool to do and if not, you don't have to worry, because you will surely get at least one invitation to a party. And if you don't, you are always welcome to visit the library 24/7. Oh, and if you are not really into libraries, just be pretty sure that the Uni has always something to offer.

And this is the story about how the tutors kidnapped us 2 days ago and took us to an island, that is unknown even to Danes and woke us up every morning at 7 AM. 7 FUCKING AM. Nevermind, yolo. The island was cute, though. However, I don't think many people live there. Except for the one dog that we met and the 2 old ladies on their bikes.

During the trip, we lived in a boarding school. I can imagine that those must be some bad kids hated by their parents and society. Yo kid, you are gonna live on an island for the rest of your studies and you can't go out anywhere because there are just 5 houses while 3 out of them are for sale. 

But it was cool, though. I got to talk to some classmates, whose names I still don't know. We experienced hygge and Danish cuisine including the breakfast culture - putting slices of real chocolate on a bread. Whatever. It wasn't actually bad, at all!
Anyways, the RUS-trip is apparently a Danish tradition so that the kids get to know each other and find friends to form project groups. Not sure if this is going to help me, but nice try :P

refugee camp

 Anyways, 1 week ago, we left our cosy squeezy apartment :( It was a very heartbreaking good-bye and Dido misses us a lot, so he just keeps inviting himself for dinners. We miss him as well. But as awesome friends, we helped Dido with stealing/borrowing some furniture before we left him all on his own with no food. And I am a professional couchsurfer just for 1 more week, then I am moving to the town! Yaaaaay!

The days at Uni have been okay. There are some issues with my mindset, but that's nothing that can't be fixed. There just needs to be the will. I am working on it. I am also learning how to spend a nice time in the library and even though my heart cries when it's sunny outside and I am sitting above books all day, it's okay. And it will be. Aalborg has been treating us well so far - I haven't even been homesick yet! But I guess that's because I am surrounded by people 24/7. But more on this note in another post.

The library view

I can't believe it's going to be 1 MONTH in just 4 days. I can't believe I have been here for so long. So many things have happened and I have met so many people, that I am losing the ability to interact with them anymore.
I am this weird kind of person, that has batteries for talking with people and it takes some time to charge them.

I am also slowly getting used to Aalborg. It feels almost like home now. Not really, just slightly. Strange faces turned in familiar, sometimes I meet people on the bus or on the street. And that didn't even happen in Bratislava so frequently. And what I am absolutely loving about Aalborg these days are the sunsets. They are just wonderful. They make you stop for a while and stare. Stare and think. Think and appreciate. Sounds like cliché, huh? It is, but it is true.

 That's it. Sending hugs everywhere. Especially to my fellow AIESECers around the world. Thank you for having my back and being there for me when I am doubting myself and when I feel like a piece of shit and want to cry. Thank you unconditionally. Love you all ♥

Danish anecdotes #1

Denmark is a funny place to be. Sometimes it is sunny and you wish you didn't leave your shorts at home. On the other day, it's pouring rain and you wish you could bring your rain boots (Gummistiefel) to a sport-themed party. Is farming a sport?

There's something special about living in a new country. Every day is a Day. When back home, days are turning in weeks and months and time is passing by without us appreciating little things.We take everything for granted. I know how lame this sounds, I really do but my point is that staying abroad - having to adapt to the local culture, having to socialize to make friends, being far far away from the comfort zone - makes us see things in a different light. All of the sudden, all the little things that we don't even think about back home, are a new adventure here.

Back home withdrawal of money from an ATM is not a big deal. But here? What the fuck should you do when the atm gives you the lowest amount of money possible - 1000 DKK (134 EUR)? Laugh, my dear kid. You can just laugh and then wish you will be able to buy a beer for it.

By the way, do I look like someone named Masoud? That's what the Jehovah's Witnesses thought when they rang the bell of our apartment. And no, I don't speak Persian. However, I enrolled for Chinese.

And hey ho guys back in Bratislava, you better be happy with the night lines of buses departing every hour. You don't want to end up like me, walking back home from the downtown to the campus at 2 AM. Thank you, Google Maps - you made us walk through forest and fields.

And if you guys ever consider getting a very nice mattress for free, remember - it's too good to be real. And that's another story about how me and Dido wanted to take a double size mattress to a bus with us and the bus driver just told us to fuck off. I am feeling sorry for Dido. But - we did our very best. 

That's it. Have lovely days people and remember - if you go to Vorspiel and hear Danish, it's Norwegian.

1st week in Denmark

Hey ho there,
it's been a week since my parents basically kicked me out of home (and Slovakia) and I saw them leave the bus station in Bratislava. So this is the story about how I started a new adventure with my whole life in a suitcase and a huge backpack, with expectations and fears and contributions - because we all have some.

It took me 26 hours by bus to get to Aalborg. I went from Bratislava to Prague, from Prague to Copenhagen and from Copenhagen to Aalborg. The trip was nice, a guy on the Regiojet bus just kept giving me chocolate and his jacket, maybe I just looked very desperate. Maybe I was. In Copenhagen, I met two STU Erasmus students, with whom we got lost together to find out that the Flixbus departs from the very same place where we arrived. Shout-out to Dada and Matej somewhere in Odense!

In Aalborg I met my temporary flatmate - Dido from Bulgaria and we went to our Airbnb apartment together. The owner was a very funny guy in a green tracksuit set, who is probably stealing our books that are being shipped to our (his) place these days so I guess we will take his TV and sell it for good money (just kidding). A few hours later, the third flatmate arrived - Lara from Germany. And a Greek girl joined us on Thursday. So now we are four people in our cozy but squeezy place. It's Catherine sharing the bed with Lara, Dido sleeping on the floor in the corner, me sleeping on the couch and our pet - spider. This is the kind of thing I will be telling my grandchildren. If I ever have some.

On the next day we walked a lot and beside a very cool swimming pool, there's a Jesus House with Stand-Up Testimony every Thursday. I actually hoped it would be a stand-up comedy for a while. Nevermind.

coolest swimming pool in Aalborg

MONDAY was the Welcome day at uni. Equipped with a lot of pamphlets and International Students Survival Guide we were looking for the official entrance to the bookstore. A few minutes later we saw a group of newbies having the same struggle. Our proactive friend Lara just ran to them and started networking. That's what she does. And this is the second story. The story about how we made friends. We basically became best friends in 5 minutes, because none of us had had any. I also met some Slovak guys, but you know the rule: When you hear someone from your country, just say hi and then run away as far as possible.

One awesome thing also happened. After 3 years of waiting and several unsuccessful attempts to apply for AIESEC membership because I was still in high school, I finally made it. I APPLIED FOR AIESEC AALBORG.

finally!

got my books!

On TUESDAY we went bike hunting. We went all the way to Skalborg and even further to the garden of a guy from a Carribean island. And Lara got a bike, yaaay. And if anyone is ever looking for some home-grown positive vibes, we know where to get them.

bike hunting

WEDNESDAY was the day of Internation Reception. There were some NGOs promoting their activities but if you know me well, you know that the only organization I care about is AIESEC. I went quickly to their stand and told them I am their man and even just talking to AIESECers made me super happy and hyped. Can't wait to get in.

I also met some super cool Norwegians who like SKAM and (hopefully) don't judge me for loving their language and accent. Because after watching all 4 seasons of SKAM I consider the Norwegian language even more killing than British. And I thought that nothing sounds better than the British accent. I was wrong. Norwegian totally wins.

In the afternoon we met our buddies who gave us the city tour and then took us to the Student House for regular International Wednesday Night. By the way, my buddy is a super nice half Danish half Spanish guy. My another friend is a half Danish half Singaporean, so that makes it 1 complete Danish friend. Yaaay. Who said it's hard to make Danish friends? Hah, I got 1 already.

I learnt how to count to 11 in Danish on THURSDAY.

FRIDAY was the day. The 1st of September - the official start of my university life and studies. In the morning, 4000 students met in the downtown to eat breakfast together. And guess what? I met some more Danes! Who said it's hard to make Danish friends? They are super nice and some of them were actually nervous while I was completely okay. During the breakfast the Danes made us sing a random breakfast song and then led us to the Congress Centre through the whole town. I am not sure what was happening in the Congress Centre since it was all in Danish, but the principal was saying that "It's not stupid to be smart". Deep.

Afterwards, the whole school moved to the campus, where we were divided into groups and got to know our tutors who are responsible for some social events involving alcohol in the following few weeks. We also had 3 hrs long introductory lecture/whatever with a professor and honestly, I still don't know what I am doing here and what I am going to do with my life but I will figure it out. Hopefully - if I don't drop out or don't get expelled.

In the evening there was a party for the whole uni. I stood in the queue for 2 HOURS to find out that to keep one thing in the wardrobe I have to pay as much as I would pay for a bus ticket. No way. I used the saved money for 2 beers. And that's worth it! It was huge, there were food and DJ and a Danish singer but I was too sober to like his music.

the tutors!

1st day of uni

I remember the days before moving out of Slovakia. I was not okay and I really did not want to go. I am not even sure what to expect from this study programme. But I know one thing. I have been trying to get out of Slovakia for many years and now I finally made it. I made it and this time it's up to me what my new life will look like. My mood fluctuates every hour, depending on if I am in the campus or out with those few friends that I made. I am scared and silently freaking out from time to time and simultaneously excited. But I guess I will handle it. I just hope I will make it out with both kidneys and functioning liver.

best flatmates

Shout-out to all my friends back home and anywhere in the world. Come to visit me. Please.