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Europe » Denmark » Region Hovedstaden » Copenhagen
July 4th 2007
Published: July 4th 2007
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I must say, it was a dreadful couple of days having to wait to get here and I'm pretty exhausted as I type, but Copenhagen is sooooooo cool.
As we were landing it looked like we were circling over green islands off the coast of New Zealand or something. The water was so dark and cold and the sky was overcast. I got my luggage fine and changed some USD to kroner for a taxi ride. The taxis here are mercedes-benzes! There aren't any skyscrapers. I think I was expecting a looming castle or clock tower or church steeple or something. The land is pretty flat hence all the biking. Everyone bikes here. The authorites(?) discourage cars and charge a lot if you want to park in the day time.
I got to Vestergade 5-7. That's the address for DIS' main office. I was sooo stumped on how to find the office, it was like a maze inside there. But I found it nonetheless and the ladies helped me get my arrival stuff situated. They didn't have my key for my dorm with them so I couldnt bring my luggage over right away. I had to leave it in the basement of the building and come by later after all the lectures and tours and stuff, ya know, when I was for sure exhausted. Adrienne (Get-situated helper lady) got my keys while I was gone and she was kind enough to put them in my suitcase for me.
At about 9:30am (I landed at 7:08am), we started walking to this old hospital, which isn't a hospital anymore, to be welcomed. A man with funny english spoke and said that traditionally Danes start ceremonies with live music and a string quartet played some really cool classical pieces. no microphones, ampliphiers or anything, just acoustic echoiness. Then the man welcoming us spoke and he said that he can go on and on and on and in fact he did and in fact he even squeezed in a little joke about how he went on and on and on. He said that after one lecture a student had come up to him and said "If I had one hour left to live, I would choose to spend it listening to you lecture." Flattered, he laughed and then pause and then asked "Why is that?" And the student replied," Because it feels like ETERNITY." It was funnier at the time.
They served us lunch. I had a Turkey sandwich and water. It was huge and interesting tasting.
After lunch we went back into the lecture hall to hear another man talk about the history of Copenhagen. Good thing I read all about it in TimeOut Copenhagen cause that allowed me to go horizontal for about 30 minutes. After thaaaat, everyone filed onto 4 buses and we got a little riding tour round the city and all the furniture design students got dropped off at the Denmark Design School. There, we found out what material was going to be our focus. Of Metal, wood, and veneer, I got wood. It's going to be a challenge but I'm really excited. I'm excited to draw again and conceptualize and fabricate. wee!
All day long I kept meeting pratt kids who I have never seen before. Kinda shocking, but most of them were graduate students so that might explain why I havent seen them. There are sooo many Prattonians in the program this summer. It's kinda not exciting.
Right about the time when the furniture part of the day was getting wrapped up I was really getting sleepy.
A friend helped me get a pass for the train for the next 47 days. I went back to the main office after that, picked up my luggage, emailed family real quick and jet off to my dorm!
I LOVE it. It is soooooo cool and crazy, but it's actually very simple, just different. I live on the very first floor which I dont know if it's a good thing or a bad thing yet. I love how everything is spic and span. They provided bedsheets, pillows, a satellite chair, my own shower, a mini stove and sink and fridge! Hangers, cleaning supplies, towels, and lucky me an ethernet chord!
I just made my bed. It's ridiculously bright outside and it's 8:13pm. I am going to unpack for a bit now and then probably conk out.


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