Impressions

Hey! I know I just put up a new post a couple of days ago, but I don't have to be anywhere for 4 hours and don't feel like doing homework so I am going to update my blog. This post will just be my impressions of the Danes.

Danish people aren't as formal as we are in the U.S. For example, they rarely, if ever, call anyone Mr. or Mrs. You call everyone by their first name, even old people. They actually would find it kind of rude or odd if you were to be formal with people.

Danes are very concerned about the environment. My host family likes me to have the door to my room and bathroom closed at all times. I don't know how that is supposed to conserve energy, other than keeping the warm air from getting out of the room, but other than that I don't really understand. Perhaps someone who is more environmentally savvy can help me to understand. Other than that, I just kind of find it to be annoying. I am used to having my door open, because at Eastern having the door to your room open means that you are not busy and are open to having people come in your room. They also only shower for short times, like 5 minutes. I try to keep my showers short. I think most only shower every other day, but I could be wrong. I have no idea when my host family showers because they use a different bathroom than me.

 Danes also have very little trash cans in their house/ around town. In an average American home, there would be a trash can in every bathroom, in the kitchen, and in every bedroom, or at least that is how it is at my house. My host family has one trash can in the kitchen. Others who have host families have said the same thing. Hm.... I guess it discourages throwing out more than you need to.

I think it is cool that you get money back for bottle that you recycle. Say, if I bought a water bottle at 7-11, after I am done drinking it, I can take it to Netto, the popular supermarket chain, put it into a machine, and get 1 or 2 kroner back for it (which is about 20 to 40 cents). You do not make money, however, because when one buys a drink, the price of recycling it is already included in the price. So in essence, you are getting back money that you have already spent.

My host family likes to turn off the internet at 9PM my time which is very annoying. The internet is in my host sister Eva's room and my host mom does not like to have it on while she is sleeping b/c something about radiation. Yeah, I don't get it, either. I think my host mother has some sort of fear of radiation because she hides our microwave behind a movable cabinet cover. They have talked about moving the internet down to the basement, where I am staying, but I don't want to get my hopes up. If my host family doesn't host anymore students, then why make them move the internet to a place that is not convenient for them? If they do host more DIS students then it might be wise to move it... I can deal with it being turned off, it is just an annoying because I can't really talk to people in the US since most people are at work/ in class until 4 (10PM my time).

I have a cold, which is also annoying. I don't usually get sick so it's been a while since I have been. I actually can't remember the last time I had a cough. Hopefully it goes away soon. Tonight I have to go to a workshop at 6PM my time for my Virtual Worlds and Social Media class. Something about learning how to use a blog. I have to make a blog special for that class. We'll see how that goes. Tomorrow at 8:30AM I am going to the Danish Parliament to talk to Peter Jensen, a politician, about Positive Psychology. Hope it's interesting!

Thanks for reading!