Having been back in England now for about a month I’m slowly getting back into the swing of English life. It seems surreal that I spent an entire year not being able to read anything in English! Maybe it means I don’t take it for granted anymore!
Anyway, I thought I should round off with some bits and pieces about where you can get more information! Continue reading
It might not be very summery but it is a time for a summary! I’ve had the most amazing year in Aarhus, studying, occasionally partying, and learning about culture. I have experienced first hand an entirely fresh Scandinavian way of life, as well as pockets of life from from friendships made with people from France, Canada, the United States, Belgium, Australia…, and on. Continue reading
Denmark is a strange country, and it gets no stranger than the competition in the University park called Kasejladsen. Students from all the different faculties set up teams to race across the pond in the centre. Oh, they have to drink a beer, spin round a pole and then paddle across. Apparently it draws around 25,000 spectators and I was one of them (sort of). Continue reading
The Danish academic year is surprising long. I mean these Danes study almost all year, while in Durham at least we stop every ten days or so for a four week break (something like that anyway). Which is better? It’s quite hard to tell. On the one hand in Durham we get some time off from lectures to gather our thoughts and catch up over Christmas and Easter, while the Danes are in lectures whether they like it or not (they love it). On the other hand I don’t feel like I’m constantly moving between home and University because I’m not. Basically what I’m trying to say is I went to Belgium for ten days because I needed a break from all that studying I definitely do. Continue reading
This month I visited Stockholm, the beautiful city in Sweden which is the biggest in Scandinavia. One million people live there, which isn’t very much compared to say Berlin (at about three and a half million) or even Paris (at two million). In fact, considering it is the biggest city in Scandinavia it’s quite small. But that’s quite reflective of this part of the world. Copenhagen, the capital of Denmark, is only a little bigger than Liverpool (although it has a far lower rate of Beatles/capita). In fact, the Nordic countries made up of Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Iceland and Finland (and a landmass that would make them the 7th largest country on Earth combined) are as highly populated as the South of England. Continue reading
I’m back again feeling slightly busier, and slightly more Danish. I don’t have a black turtleneck yet though, I can confirm. I have unfortunately been out of action with Danish Flu, the two main symptoms of which were being stranded in bed binge watching The X-Files and flu. So I did spend a week playing the world’s largest violin to myself, but it has felt like a rebirth of a kind. New me and all that. Anyway, this is what I have been up to. Continue reading
I am back. I arrived first time round in August to 25-degrees of Danish heat, and I stepped off the plane in January to about -100 degrees. Like, I’m not a thermometer but it was definitely in the negative. There was snow. Anyway, I had a nice Christmas break (thanks for asking) and I’m all set for the Spring Semester.
I say ‘all set’, but more appropriate would be ‘clueless’ (although if you are the Durham exchange coordinator and you are reading this, I still definitely mean ‘all set’). I’ve managed to sign up to four courses, and at least three of them are taught in English. The other I’m pretty sure was in Danish. It was ‘Microeconomic Analysis’ so it was like being taught a third language in a second language I don’t understand. Hopefully I’ll get that changed. Continue reading
Exams Schmams – No wait I mean study study study
Sorry it has been a while – I’ve been busy with my job, my exams, and party but not too much party because of job and exams. But just a little party.
This month I’ll try and make up for my recent lack of blogs with one that’s actually filled with useful information about studying in Aarhus. Information such as housing information, courses information and city information and not information about bees. Not even a single fact about the declining rate of bee population in Denmark (at 20.2% over winter), and that Denmark is actually home to 150,000 bee hives. Nothing like that. Continue reading
Since my last post I have started my new job, seen the latest Bond movie and generally struggled to write a 10-page essay in my native language.
On Friday night I started my job at the only place being English must be some kind of positive. “The Sherlock Holmes Pub” is in the centre of Aarhus and is a traditionally English pub. I say Friday night but it would be more accurate to say Saturday morning (if you’re one of those people anyway). I started at midnight and got an 8am bus home. Continue reading
This month I visited Göteburg in Sweden, attempted to begin learning Danish and became the proud owner of a bike. It’s been an exciting month. The weather has started to worsen for winter, but I’m not sure it’s fully committed yet. It was cold and rainy this week and warm the week before and warm and sunny today. It does mean as a British person I have an endless supply of small talk about how the weather is ‘surprisingly cold’ or ‘quite nice’ or ‘better than yesterday, isn’t it?’ so I can’t complain. Continue reading
Durham Students Abroad 