We've got Snow!

Maybe it wasn't white on Christmas, but it is definitely white now! It has been snowing almost constantly for the past 24 hours. This afternoon, the snow really started to accumilate and you can tell the snow plows are having a hard time keeping up. There is probably a foot out there now. I'm out at Martin's again and I've been watching the wind blow the snow from the north all day! I wish my sister was here so that we could go out and play in the snow! I have my ski pants with me, but no where to go. I don't feel like going out alone. I want to take some pictures, too, while the trees are frosted with snow, but I have a good feeling it will be like this tomorrow, so I don't have to worry about that.

Martin and I are supposed to be driving down to Aarhus tomorrow morning...a 120 km drive from Aalborg. Hopefully the road conditions are improved. I want to go to the library while I'm down there.

The funniest weather related accident so far has been a livestock truck flipping over releasing 100 small pigs on the E45 freeway just on the other side of the tunnel from where I live. The latest report is that they have all been safely rounded up again.

I'll try to get some pictures up soon! It's a winter wonderland all over DK now!

Christmas in Denmark

Well, Christmas has come and gone in Denmark. Although everything was decorated for the holidays, it didn't feel like Christmas. It was as if I went through all the motions, but there was no emotion or feeling in it for me. If I stay in Denmark, I am going to have to be sure to do things the way I know it to make it feel special. Especially Christmas morning. I miss that excitement of seeing the tree surrounded by packages in the morning.

I did, though, have a really nice time with Martin's family and got some great presents from his brothers and mom. Martin and I went into town "lille juleaften" (the 23rd) to do our finally Xmas shopping and later that night we decorated the tree...with real candles for the lights. For dinner, we had a nice raindeer stew imported from Greenland and then later on we played a board game with Martin's brothers and mom called "finans", which is a lot like Monopoly, but a little more technical.

Christmas Eve we had a turkey dinner and then rice pudding for dessert. We played a quick gift game and each got a nice present after rolling the dice a couple times. We then went to the living room and enjoyed coffee and cognac with homemade cookies and candies. We talked a while and then finally started unwrapping packages one at a time. It was fun to see what gifts people got. I got some nice candle holders and a few DVDs. Martin gave me 3 musselmalet Royal Copenhagen tea cups and saucers. They are very nice!

Christmas Day we had a "julefrokost" (Xmas lunch) back at my place with Henrik's friends. We started at 13.30 and didn't leave the table until after 22.00. Lots of herring, beer, and snaps! We had the same kind of meal again the next day back at Martin's.

Yesterday, my package from my parents finally arrived! That was nice to get some more presents and things I needed! (thanks mom and dad!) And to help add to the holiday atmosphere, the weather has gotten cold and we've gotten a bit of snow, too! It snowed quite a bit this morning and they say there is more to come! I hope so!

Anyway, I'm doing laundry at home right now and then tonight I will go out with Martin to meet up with some of his old friends.

I'll try to post some pictures soon. I hope all of you had a wonderful Christmas!

Hello again

So, nothing much is new with me. It's nearly Christmas, but it doesn't feel like it. I am listening to Xmas music, but I just don't feel the Christmas spirit in me quite yet. Maybe it is because I am not home and sitting in the living room, smelling the smells of fresh baked cookies, the magical glow of the Christmas lights on the tree and the sound of the old fashioned carols that I've grown up with. I've done a little decorating in my room, but it's not the same. It might be because I've got this darn thesis constantly on my mind and I won't feel the weight of that gone for another several months.

I have been out walking a lot at night. It's so quiet and peaceful...and it's fun to look in the windows of houses and see what their interior looks like or what kind of kitchen they have. I would love to have a camera with me to take picture-notes of things that I would like to do with my own house someday. It's funny...if I stay in Denmark, I would want my house to have more American qualities (the good ones), and if I move back to the States, I would want to use a lot of the Danish qualities (the good ones, too). I just think that too many of the homes here have too similar of an interior. It's like everyone went to the same sale on lamps, or the same special on coffee tables, or the same clearance on a dining room table. It's actually quite annoying...although, there is a lot of stuff I like, but might not get just because everyone else has it. Gosh, what does that mean if I am getting annoyed with some of the quirks of the Danish people?

Alright, I'm going to bed. Maybe I'll catch the week or month old Late Night with David Letterman.

Merry Christmas!

Great service by the States

My American passport expires at the end of April and in order to extend my Danish visa until the first of May, I knew it would be a good idea to renew my passport as soon as possible. While I was in Copenhagen a week and a half ago, I made a trip out to the U.S. Embassy in Østerbro to get that taken care of.

I actually went to the embassy twice. The first day I went, the train was so slow, I got there just before 12, right when they closed, so there was no time to go in...I also still needed to get the postage for my return envelope. The second day, I had everything prepared and ready to apply for my passport. It was actually an exciting experience to go to the embassy. Due to todays political situations, it is a very protected building. I had to show my passport and explain the reason for my visit. I then had to turn off my mobile phone and let them keep it along with my digital camera. Then, of course, I had to empty all my pockets and go through the metal detector and scan my bag through the security x-ray machine. I didn't mind the security check, but it's interesting that some embassies have to do it (probably just the U.S embassy) and others don't...like when I went into the Finnish embassy with my friend Varpu when she went to fill out her EU election ballot. There was absolutely no kind of security check. We just walked right in the door. Anyway, the security guys at the American embassy were really cute Danish guys, so I would go back anytime!

Once cleared to enter the embassy, I found the tiny room which deals with consular issues. Maybe the room wasn't that small, but it was packed with people. Danish and Americans... maybe other nationalities, too. I got in the line for the cashier/passporty agency. The line went pretty fast once the first customer stopped asking so many questions and complaining about things. Being there reminded me of the Foreign Service exam I took...and failed. I had once wanted to work in such a place. I guess it could still be possible. People flunk and retake the exam all the time.

I got to the cashier and handed her all my stuff for the passport renewal: my old passport, new pictures (which I took and printed myself), the application, and the postage paid return envelope. I handed her my card and I paid $67 with my Visa (I didn't pay with kroner, because I could save about $5 to pay in USD). I was done in no time and she said I should expect my passport in 14 to 16 days. I was totally impressed with that and looked forward to seeing how my new passport would turn out.

Well, today, I heard the pounding of the mail lady at the door and I had to sign for a piece of mail...and it was my new passport! It took 9 days, including weekends, for me to receive it! I am just totally amazed with that kind of service. I can imagine that they go a little faster for U.S. citizens living abroad, because it is critical to have your passport in case of emergencies, but it took 5 days less than what they said! Now...why can't the Danish government be as timely when it comes to renewing documents?!?!?! That is probably why I am so amazed and impressed with the quick service in my passport renewal, because I have suffered through the poor service and untimely manner in which the Danish foreign immigrants authorities handle their applications. I have waited 5 months for a visa renewal. When I called after 3 months, they hadn't even looked at my application! Now, how hard could it be to check my background (anyone could probably Google-it today) and send me a sticker for my passport?!! Aaaaahhh!! This country can be so wonderful at times and at other times....I just want to bonk so many people on the head and say WAKE UP!!!

You know, sometimes it's not so bad being American. I felt so proud, patriotic, and safe when I read inside my passport: The Secretary of State of the United States of America hereby requests all whom it may concern to permit the citizen/national of the United States named herein to pass without delay or hindrance and in case of need to give all lawful aid and protection.

"...one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."

Me and Songli at the CCG christmas party last Friday.

On Dec. 2nd the CCG program had a Christmas party. I didn't know about it, but ran into Songli (on the right) at the library before the party and she persuaded me to come along. I had a really great time. Here I am rolling the dice trying to roll a 6 so that I can collect as many gifts as possible. I only ended up with one in the end, some end up with none. It's not a really good picture of myself...my under bite there looks like our dog Sofie's!! :(