Durita in WDC

Back In DK

2007-01-21T12:23:00.000-08:00

I'm back on Christianshavn where I belong. And I like it here. It is good to be back in the country with the world's best bakeries.
School is good, and my friends are fab as usual. I'm getting a new tenant, who seems nice. And People are tall and beatiful.
I guess that is it. It is like I was never gone. So I just slipped right back.

But I am jealous at the guys back in DC. I would have liked to be there for an entire year. I believe those guys get more out of it. Four months just isn't a lot.

Oh well!
Being back is also good. Too bad I can't do both.

Some of My Journey Home

2007-01-21T11:39:00.000-08:00

It all started with me being late for the bus from DC to NY. Then the taxi droe into another car. Then the chauffeur didn't understand the adress I had to go to and wouldn't let me out untill he knew where I was going. I convinced him to let me out...ended up in he wrong bus... finally I made it to the right bus, to make the five hour drive on an empty stomach. So far so good.
Took a taxi from penn-station to the airport.

Then the real problems began.
First there was something wrong with my ticket... I had to leave the line to stand in another line to fix it. Then my luggage was packet unevenly. They gave me the choice o leaving the line and repacking or paying a fee. I chose the fee. Which I also had to leave the line to pay. Oh fun when dragging around fifty kilos of luggage. But I got my stuff checked in and etc.

Then the flight to Iceland was delayed. At first it wasn't a problem. But then it began getting really close to overlapping my next flight. After a couple of hours I started to et really worried. What to do, what to do. Call my mother. After a while she began freaking out aswell. You know your mother loves you, when she reacts that strongly at the possibility of a daugher not making it home for christmass.
When the plane finally left JFK the chances of making the plane for the Faroes were slim to none. My mom an I decided that while I was flying she would come up with some more or less creative solution.

Arriving in Iceland I called home to receive the amazingly fantastic news, that not only was my next flight delayed, so I could make it. It had also changed airport. I idn't have to come to the plane, the plane came to me! A CHRISTMAS MIRACLE!
Next obstacle was to make the Icelandic airport staff let me check in. They had never heard of flight to the Faroe Icelands from there, and what on earth did I want to go there.. Yep, haha. didn't have to much sense of humor left at that point.

Finally having made my way into the secure area trough lots of lame jokes about my nationality, I was headed to the gate. I found it, but it was closed. Weird since the plane was due to leave in ten minutes.
I found the information stand. Got into the line behind seven brits. After about 2,5 minutes my patience was up, I skipped the line. The guy at the counter didn't appreciate me skipping the line and he also hadn't heard of the flight. He called someone to ask... and suddenly he jumped up and ran of towards the gate. I tried to follow him. Only to see him hop into an orange overalls and run outside to a plane that was standing around there and appeared to be knocking on its door.
Weird weird. After sitting around waiting behind a glass door, trying to make sense of what was going on outside, the rest of the faroese passangers came running. I wasn't alone. And after a while we were on our way home.

Finally I arrived to the Faroe Islands, only a half our later than planned.

The Long Long Jacket Story

2007-01-11T11:38:00.001-08:00

Oh well.
Once upon a time in WDC I was out, dancing with the girls. For once I thought I should be grown and responsible person and hand in my coat in the wardrobe. Then I went to the bar and - well - had a drink or sixteen tequilas.
When the club closed we figured, we better leave. I handed in my coat numbers. The jacket-guy handed me anette's jacket and then he gave everyone else in the line their jackets. But... My jacket wasn't to be found.
So I figured (as I learnned from those danes) I better start complaining laudly.... so I did. Poor tiny asian guy in the wardrobe. He tryed to ignore me at first. Then I shouted and yelled some more... tried to get into character. Untill the others pollitely said that the reason that I lost my jacket wasn't a reason to be un polite. Well. In the end they sent down this manager called ROB who garanteed me that they would reimburse m jacket....
While being in "character" I sort of said some things to the others... I noticed this when Fabi said that just because I lost my coat I shouldn't talk to her like that! But I was ANGRY. Seems silly now...

Next day - everyone is hung over. I drag poor, hungover Anette out for some coat-shopping. And if I may say it! Not even my own mama could have done a better job. We ended up buying two jackets in Diesel for a total of 300 dollars. She even said the the frase: "will you be able to fit a sweater under that one, or do you need a bigger size?"

Then I went back to the bar to get my money back. I approached the huge door men. Yep those really big ones. But they where quite helpful... one of them took me inside to talk to the manager. While waiting for the manager, which was a ln long wait, a lot of people came by... and they kept shaking my hand and introducing themselves. I don't know who they thought I was, but it defenately was weird. Also the huge, but friendly bouncer didn't like the wait. He began telling me how hard it is to be dumped by ones girlfriend, around the holiday season. But in the end, after a bunch of waiting and comforting the obviously depressed bouncer, I got my money and headed home.

Then the not to interesting saga continues on Faroe Islands.
I was babysitting for my parents. My sister doegg was also out. At some point around two-ish I hear her coming home and tumbling into bed.
I went to bed... But then I was woken up by my sister having a loud argument in the hallway. I heard her shouting things as: "you can't just come into my house and sleep in my bed!!". I didn't make too much sense, but I didn't care too much untill I heard her say: "I come in, finding you in my bed all smeared in blod!". Hm... I went out and found out that my sister just came home and the one I thought was my sister coming home was her friend. The girl was hammered and on her way into my parents house she had fallen and cut her knee pretty bad. But nevertheless it looked like a minor massakre in the bed. In the end Doegg desided to take her home, which she did.

The Jacket returns into the saga.
I was on the way out... and then my jacket was gone...AGAIN!! Apparently my sister had made her drunken-teenage-girl-friend wear the my coat. She hadn't recognized it and thought it was hers. I yelled at my sister to make her call her friend an make her come back with the jacket. A couple of minutes later she was back to inform me that the girl didn't se it as her problem to return the jacket, since she technically didn't take the jacket. My sister gave it to her.
Oh well... after threatening my sister with calling the friends parents and tellig them about the previous night. the jacket was back in good hands.

Look It Is Karl Marx!

2006-12-17T07:59:00.000-08:00

During the week I have been doing a lot of sight seeing. besides seeing the capitol, which was an amazing building, we also went to the capitol library. That is the biggest library in the world. It contains around 885.857.657.777.277 books - impressive right. We were walking around in another amazingly beautiful copy of something ancient greek, asking ourselves, "where are the books?"

Then we found a studyroom. It was beautiful, three stores high and made of mahogany. Very harry potter. We were looking down on the people reading, from a balcony on second floor. Standing there behind glass, trying to be as quiet as possible (which means not saying I'm covered in bees at random) we suddenly saw this bearded man in one corner... it was Karl Marx!! Just sitting there, reading a book! Amazing!
We tried to take pictures to document that this library not only contained a book, but also a Karl Marx. But we couldn't - it was too dark and also very forbidden. So I guess you will have to believe me.

Basket Ball

2006-12-17T07:38:00.000-08:00

Tusday we went to the last basketball game at GWU for this semester. It was a learning experience for me. I learned the rules of the game and it was a good excuse to yell "you suck!" alot. Personally I went there to see the random tall guys that hang around GW-canteen in action, and rel cheerleaders. And yes those guys are really tall and cheerleaders are really bendy.
At the game we met Ben and Andrew who knew what to say when during the match, which was handy, when you are clueless as me. But those guys were definately there for the cheerleaders aswell, especially this one, who aparently was really hot - all I saw was spandex tights.
Later we went to eat. Then, when we were eating, the cheerleaders came. Guess those guys eat aswell. But seeing them upclose was disapointing for the guys. Andrew put it like this: "Now I feel I can, but I'm not too sure I want it anymore."

Then we thought, "last night was fun, let's do it again." So we went to an NBA game to see washington wizards vs. denver nuggets. Being a girl who doesn't care too much about sports, the biggest experience for me was the place. It was huge. And we were sitting on the second to last row - yes. If you were standing, it made you nauseous. I thought it was a really good idea to buy beer, before we went in, but after one I didn't dare to buy another one.
But yes those guys sure are huge. But the college game was more fun - I liked the very organized yelling.

Accents

2006-12-14T11:20:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I went to a little place out of DC that is called Alexandria... and suddenly I felt like I was back in Ebeltoft (Little, former fisher town in rural Denamrk, I once spent a year in). The weather was the same there - sort of greyish - and it was empty in the same way. It had the feeling of: "the youth was once here... but then september came and they fled because of the greyish weather." We were walking around shopping in the gazzillion different shops that all sold christmass decorations. I imagine that those same shops sell stuff made of clay in the summertime.

After a couple of hours i brought up the subject: people speak weird here. Anette agreed that - except for the first women we spoke to, who we agree upon deffinately was brittish -yes they deffinately spoke weird there. Which we found odd, since we only drove 20 minutes to get there, by metro! But we later found out that we had travelled to Virginia, which is the South. Were they of course speak southern.

This tuesday we went to see the congress. Most interesting room was (I think) was the "room of whispers" which was where the congress assembled back in the days. But thing is, that the room had a dome... that throws the words from one side to the other, so everyone sitting opposit could hear what was being said or whispered. I'm just imagining that it must be really hard to plan any strategic aproaches to, well anything, if the opposition on the other side can hear everything you ar saying. So they moved.

A Straight B Student

2006-12-10T23:09:00.000-08:00

I'm sitting in my room trying to finish a paper that is due tomorrow at o8oo am. But for some reason I don't finish it. It is like it doesn't really feel urgent yet. It is only o211 am - I still have six hours. I can still see straight, and I haven't even had coffee yet. This is going absolutely as I planned it...
The strangest part is that I keep telling myself and everyone else, that I don't miss much. I could finnish it in an hour...if I so wanted.
But apparently I don't. I enjoy sitting around doing a lot of other stuff. Aranging the stuff in my laptop is very important, don't want a mess in there. Arranging the stuff on my table - now I can concentrate. Uh - have to arrange my shoes according to color... yes that is it(a bit hard though - they are all black). And my nails - they look horrible. Well now I shall want to finish my paper... when I have made me that cup of coffee...

First Day of Snow!

2006-12-07T19:16:00.000-08:00

Stress week on campus is coming up. I just found out what that is. Well I guess that is obvious - finals are coming up. Anyways - Stress week is free food, coffee and massages between 10-12 pm. Sounds good - so now I'm planning all my studying around that. Yes it is amazing.

Today it started snowing. And I had the first last class today, so now I'm starting to get in the christmas mood. I really tried to find it the other day, by buying chocolate calendars for myself and my roommates. First we all laughed at Danni, who is jewish and therefore, of course, hasn't heard of christmas, when she couldn't figure it out. But the others found it remarkably hard to find the right chokolates according to the right dates. They sort of just eat random chocolates - and that is just all wrong.

Time is going fast now and it feels stressfull - There are so many things I haven't seen around here. So I guess it is good that I don't actually have too much studying to do during stress week, so I can sit around and not do other stuff.

Well my plan is: to see the congress, see all the fourhundred free museums around DC and well, drink a lot (no more tequila. My shampoo smells like lime - which makes it really hard to wash my hair, when I'm hung over) - starting monday at 11 pm, when Studio 60 is finished.

This is me sitting around in the bath - trying to think of ways to wash hair without my shampoo. But since I have a attention span of a gold fish I don't think it is going to be problem, after all. And since my friend Anette was nice enough to point out the similarities between me and this fish, I felt it was appropriate to include it too.

This input is written in english to accomodate the wishes of Stine - are you happy now.

Countdown...

2006-12-03T20:37:00.000-08:00

Sitting at the library and working hard to finish this poster presentation for tomorrow. It has been a long time since I have been kreative with paper and scissors like this. And in general it is just confusing having to do this at a university. But according to my teacher - the woman who taught me how not to get sued - this it how things are at conferences out there in the real world. Well I thought that people used powerpoint and etc. But alright then - I'll rather stand around in a courner with a homemade poster, then presenting a paper i haven't written yet.

Lately I have been snooping around in other peoples blogs and found an overwhelming amount of sum-ups about things are so far ... So I of course want to do that as well.

This is a picture of me back in the days, when I was still young and naive, three months ago. Back then I thought my biggest problem here would be to get "rugbrød."

But, summing up:

- I don't think I have gained weight...I still fit all my clothes. If you think otherwise, please don't let me know.

- Being at college in the US is a mixture between being in high school (gymnasiet) and boarding school (højskole). This is not at all a bad combo - in a limited period of time. It will be very hard to come home and be responsible for doing my schoolwork myself.

- As mentioned earlier I have been living from coffee and oreos since I arrived. Need rehab.

I guess that was it.

Other things to worry about:

- Need to find neew tenant by feb. 1. anyone?
- I owe my bank my, parents, my dog, my hamster and a jar of jam around a million billion danish kroner.
- I don't think I will ever get used to cooking anything again, Buying stuff is so convenient!
... Back to my poster - it is going to be amazing - if I can find a glue stick somewhere by o7oo am tomorrow morning.

I'm covered in BEES!

2006-11-30T15:13:00.000-08:00

Jeg har sammen med mine to international student veninder: Stine og Fabijana, besat et rum på det nærmeste bibliotek. Vi har alle tre alt for meget at lave. Men sådan er det at være en god procrastenater. Men fra næste fredag er jeg stort set færdig og kan gå tilbage til at hænge ud på starbucks som vandt (starbucks er tilfældigvis inde i biblioteket, red.).
Det skrider fremad, omend utrolig langsomt. Og jeg vil her benytte chancen til at give www. youtube.com skylden. Der er jo ikke det man ikke lige kan undvære at se derinde. Og det skal selvfølgelig deles med de to andre.
Men vi har det sjovt - og som man siger "hver gang man griner, lever man 20 minutter længer!"

Vores absolutte yndlings link er eddie izzard, med "covered in bees!" Så ved i hvad jeg snakker om hvis jeg pludselig råber det ad jer fra tid til anden. Det er blevet en utrolig aktiv frase i mit ordforråd.

Thanksgiving i Chicago

2006-11-27T00:30:00.000-08:00

Ovenfor: chicago's skyline, Nedenfor: Katie og mig der spejler os i et fantastisk stykke kunst kaldet og formet som en bønne. The Bean - så værsgo og find holger (mig).

Billedet er af baha'i templet i Chicago. Ved ikke helt hvad det er, men det er ihvertfald en religion. Og de skal have templer på alle kontinenter. Men fint var det, det. Det var også sådan Katie fik mig lokket med ud på biltur til et mystisk afsides sted i en forstad til Chicago Jeg har nogle bedre billeder, men kan ikke finde ud af at få dem til at vende den rigtige vej på min blog, har prøvet stort set alt.

Den forgangne uge har jeg tilbragt i Chicago med min roomie Katie. Det var hggeligt at være med til lidt familiehygge. Også selvom der var totalt familie drama i luften ifølge de andre, dvs. at Katies mor fra tid til anden kom med kommentarer som "se nogle fine juletræer." Og AHA! der kan vi straks fornemme at hun hader jøder, da hun dermed siger "jah, juletræerne har jøderne ikke fået has på endnu!" Personligt hørte jeg kun det første, men jeg er jo også ignorant, når det kommer til drama generelt.

Ellers var Chicago en fab by, med mange store huse (læs. skyskrabere, red.), finurlige butikker og så er det selvfølgelig mcd's hjemstavn.

Thanksgiving var hyggeligt med kalkun og det hele. De var meget ivrige efter at vide om jeg havde fået sådan noget før og om jeg kunne lide det.... Det smager jo af kylling. Det sagde jeg selvfølgelig ikke højt, men godt var det ihvertfald.
Lurede dog aldrig helt om familien var sarkastisk eller seriøs, da de gang på gang afbrød hinanden ved måltiderne med sætningen; "we didn't say grace!" Hvorefter alle stopper, folder hænderne i et splitsekund for at fnisende, spise videre, hm.

Anyways. Katie viste mig ihvertfald et område som var fuldt af genbrugsbutikker og alskens outrerede tyber og homoer. Det kunne jeg godt lide. Synes det mangler lidt i DC. Eller også har jeg ikke fundet det endnu. Må ud og lede. Har tre uger tilbage.

Hva' så! Jeg er lige kommet hjem fra Irak

2006-11-19T23:46:00.000-08:00

I torsdags bestemte Stine og jeg os for at forlade bibloteket for at få os en øl. Vi har stortset siddet på biblo hele ugen i døgndrift, da der er research-paper slutspurt. Det vil sige en hel del research velsagtens.
Vi var ihvertfald blevet lidt trætte af starbucks... og så lukker starbucks allerede kl. 2200. Så vi tøffede på bar.

Der sad vi så og sludrede over vores øl, da Stine indser at hun ikke har nogen cigaretter. Jeg er personligt ikke til meget hjælp, da jeg ikke ryger. Men så kommer der dennehersens fyr - med den umiskendelige frisure hen og stiller sig ved siden af os i baren for at bestille. Stine nasser så cigaretter af ham, og han ser det som en invitation til at tale med os. Men samtalen sluttede meget hurtigt, da han fortalte os at ham og gutterne lige var kommet hjem fra Irak. Og hverken mig eller Stine kunne lure hvad man svarer til det.... tror ellers at det sædvanligvis er lidt af et scoretrick. Men vi kunne ikke finde på andet end: Har du også ild? og så luntede den lille soldat videre.
To minutter senere kom der en pige hen og prøvede at nasse cigaretter af os, som vi sendte videre hen til soldaterne (læs. mænd med sjovt hår, red.). Og hun blev hængende der resten af aftenen.

Jeg har prøvet at lure hvad man siger til den slags: 1."tillykke, du overlevede." 2. "George Bush er et svin og hans krig er latterlig," 3. "Irak siger du? Så må du da have fået en pæn farve," eller 4. "har du ild?"

Der skal nok mere til end 746.588 kopper starbucks kaffe og 739.874 oreo kiks til for at jeg bliver helt assimileret

Bartenderen var desuden så flink at påpege at "you guys atract short men". Tak for den bartender.

Durita er en racist!

2006-11-19T20:13:00.000-08:00

Her på campus har de selvfølgelig en foodcourt. Den har et asorteret udvalg af fastfood til alle diæter og priser - stort set. Jeg har dog spekuleret lidt på hvordan det kan være, at maden der er latterlig dårlig. Det går også utrolig langsomt - det der med fast er lidt af en overdrivelse. Og sidst, men ikke mindst, så er der 50/50 chance for at blive svinet til af de ansatte, især henne i Wendy's.
Så jeg spurgte nogen - og de sagde at det er fordi alle de ansatte i foodcourten er convicts. Ikke fordi jeg kan se sammenhængen imellem at være kriminel og ikke kunne lave mad, men jeg så ingen grund til at stille spørgsmål ved det.
Jeg kom så i snak med mine roommates om dette emne - de havde vidst fået nogle pomfritter der ikke var gennem stegte eller noget.
Jeg spurgte så om det er rigtigt at de var convicts allesammen. Hvortil de svarede at jeg var en racist, og bare fordi de er sorte allesammen betyder det ikke at de er kriminelle!
Men jeg spiser der stadig, prøver bare at undgå de onde - store kvinder med store tatoveringer. Og forsøger så at forlige mig med min nye tilværelse som racist. Til mit forsvar nævnte jeg altså ikke på noget tidspunkt nogens hudfarve...

Valg og Veteraner

2006-11-12T11:39:00.000-08:00

Der er egentlig ikke sket så meget i den sidste uge. Har prøvet at holde mit hovede ovenvande i forhold til lektier. Det mest spændende var nok at vejret ... jah vejret, valgte at gå hen og blive tyve grader... her i november, samme dag som at starbuck's (mit andet hjem) valgte at skifte til juletøj.

Ellers var der jo et valg. Ikke superspænende her i DC eftersom at de ikke er repressenterede i kongressen, eller er det senatet? Anyways, de hidser sig istedet op over at de har "taxation without repressentation."
Men det varmer da indvendig at demokraterne fik snuppet kongressen. Og så venter vi i spænding (eller bare helt almindeligt) på resultatet til senatet. Men det er vist noget med nogle brevstemmer. Folk stoler ikke på valgmaskinerne længere, så de brevstemmer allesammen. Så nu ventes der på U.S Mail.

I weekenden havde jeg besøg af Marie (roommate fra efterskole, red.). Så det var en kærkommen undskyldning for at forlade Foggy Bottom Campus. Jeg slæbte hende med ud for at se på monumenter. Hvad jeg ikke lige havde taget med ind i overvejelserne var at det var Veterans Day. Så der væltede rundt med, ja, veteraner, ved alle monumenterne. Især vietnam war memorial war svært at komme hen til, så vi måtte nøjes med at se det lidt på afstand.
De var nu sjove at se på de veteraner. Især en lille flok, der mest af alt lignede en mellemting mellem skovhuggere og truckere, og som havde læderveste hvor der stod Marines på ryggen. Ergo: der er også rockere i søværnet??
Ellers så vi et par Cowboy-veteraner og en ordentlig omgange ældre herrer i jakkesæt med mærker på - man kunne lidt mistænke dem for at være dem fra "Band of Brothers".
Men folk der har været hæren er skræmmende, især når de følges med sønnike på 17, der er i fuld uniform (Irak går jeg ud fra). Og når tilfældige tilskuere går op til tilfældige mænd i uniform for at takke dem for deres indsats med, "thanks guys!". Det virkede dog som om det forvirrede de tilfældige mænd i uniform lige så meget, som det forvirrede os.

En helt almindelig mandag

2006-11-06T20:45:00.000-08:00

Billeder: Stine, Ben, Mig og tequila

Ting jeg gik glip af idag: En til abort demonstration (been there, photographed that) og John Ashcroft. Jeg var ellers i syv sind, om jeg skulle tage over og se ham eller om jeg hellere ville stå udenfor og demonstrere imod ham... der var gratis skilte...
Men så kom jeg i tanker om at, nåh nej, jeg har jo timer fra 1900-2200 om mandagen (sygt!). Så jeg valgte at tage til timer, som den gode pige jeg er.

Til gengæld, så har min roomie, Danielle, åbenbart næsten det samme telefonnummer som senator mccains kontor . Så vi har siddet og lyttet til voicemails fra vrede vælgere idag. Pænt skægt.
Der var en hel del "senator mccains office - you should be ashamed of yourself!", og "hello! I'm calling regarding the case with the Vietnam war veteran...." eller noget.

Billederne er fra i fredags... en af de dage, hvor man vågner kl. 1600 om eftermiddagen og tænker hvad i h*****.. skete der der. Og hvorfor har vi fotograferet vores tequila-shots?? Men så vidt jeg husker var det sjovt. I modsætning til lørdag, som var nærmest ikke eksisterende.

Pro-Life vs. Pro-Choice

2006-11-02T16:02:00.000-08:00

Her er nogle billeder fra en anti-abort demo. der gæstede campus for en uges tid siden. Den bestod af en mindre gruppe ultra-kristne mænd. De studerende var dog (overraskende) hurtigt klar med en moddemonstration, dvs. med skilte og trommer.
Anti-abort demonstartionen stoppede, da de studerende begyndte at råbe at de ville have en kvinde til at udtale sig på imod abort. Her kom pro-liferne til kort, da de ikke havde medbragt en sådan en og tog derefter hjem.
Har jeg hørt...

Halloween

2006-11-02T14:16:00.001-08:00

Her er to billeder fra halloween. Lidt af en oplevelse, da folk faktisk klæder sig ud. Og det er vidst noget med at man som pige skal have så lidt tøj på som muligt. Så på billederne kan man tydeligt se Fabijana (mørkhåret pige der griner), Stine (blond pige der er utrolig glad), og mig, klædt så udfordrende, som tre minutters varsel nu tillader det.
Og det skal lige bemærkes at vi på ingen måde er på stoffer, selvom det måske ser sådan ud. Nej, det var bare denne hersens fyr i lederhosen... ja man skulle nok have været der.
Halloween var også en fantaskisk mulighed for at se de collegestuderende feste igennem som man ser det på film. Vi var til fest i et hus der var proppet til randen af udklædte mennesker. Der var fadøl...som de stjal fra naboen - han havde åbenbart lige et anker stående. Og sidst men ikke mindst, blev der drukket af de umiskendelige, røde plastik kopper som vi kender og elsker fra bl.a. amerikan pie.
Festen stoppede dog da et vandrør sprang læk og oversvømmede køkkenet. Og da man ikke må drikke på gaden (pludselig stod alle og hang ude i husets forhave med de føromtalte røde kopper), så tog vi i byen - og så flere udklædte mænd og udfordrende klædte piger. Især kostumet: hockeytrøje, stilletter og intet andet, var populært. Desuden kan Fodboldtrøje/stilletter, pin-up piger og en enkelt slutty-panda nævnes.

DC3 - Road trip - so random

2006-11-02T13:37:00.000-08:00

Her er lidt billeder af Philly, badeværelse på sovesal i Philly, skilt, Anette på casino og fabijana og jeg der slås om en øl på et skummelt motel i atlantic city. -Stik den!

Så har jeg endelig taget mig sammen til at opleve noget andet end den dyre ende af DC. Og det var en virkelig god tur - herresjov om man vil - meget fjollet.

Jeg og og tre andre lejede en SUV og kørte til Philadelphia og Atlantic city. Vi syntes i første omgang at det var en stor, fin SUV vi havde fået fingrene i, men da vi kom ud på motorvejen fik den (og os inde i den) mindreværdskomplekser overfor de andre SUV'er, Hummere o. lign. der kørte rundt derude. Men vi blev enige med os selv om at vi i det mindste ikke havde lejet en fiat punto... og at vores bil ikke kompenserede for noget.

To minutter før vi tog afsted havde vi også lige kompileret en cd til vores roadtrip. Den havde Thomas Helmig på, ikke mindre end to gange. Det kom jeg til at høre meget for, da de andre fandt ud af det. Ikke desto mindre kørte "nu hvor du har brændt mig af" på repeat, stort set hele turen.

Da vi endelig kom til Philly kørte vi først rundt i ca. halvanden time for at finde en p-plads... de har meget små, meget ensrettede gader der. Da vi endelig fandt en, indlogerede vi os på et hostel - og så hoppede vi i byen. Hostellet var meget backpacker-agtigt med en kvinde-sovesal og blev fuldendt af en 78-årig dame, der blev ved med at tale til alle. Og som ikke havde den samme fornemmelse for personalspace som os andre. Vi syntes Philadelphia var en fab by... og vil gerne derhen igen, da vi i planlægningens hast ikke havde opdaget, helt præcist hvor meget der er at se i der (der er alt der har noget som helst med declaration of independence at gøre + at det er en kæmpestor by, red.).

Vi drønede videre til atlantic city - byen med jordens dårligste afskiltning. Da vi endelig kom frem, kørte vi rundt i halvanden time for at lede efter et sted at bo. Men vi blev ved med at misse afkørslerne, da skiltene var ved selve afkørselen... og da var det lidt ligesom forsent - so random.
Toppen af dårlig afskiltning var at de er rimelig nærige med ensrettet-skiltene. Dette resulterede i at vi kom til at dreje ind på en seks-sporet ensrettetvej...i den forkerte retning... noget vi delvist fandt ud pga. ALLE BILERNE! og pga. et kæmpestort skilt hvor der stod: Wrong way.
Lykkelige over at vi stadig levede, indlogerede vi os på et motel, drak et gallon hvidvin klædte os ud(på) og tog på casino.
På casinoet vandt vi 35 dollars - delvis på maskiner, delvis i blackjack - som vi spenderede på tequilashots... dvs. et til hver. Og tog så ud for at danse.

Næste dag hang vi mest ud i atlantic city, og havde tømmermænd (ikke mig - sådan er jeg ikke). AC er en mærkelig by. Meget falleret at se i dagslys - mågerne, støjen fra casinoerne og den kraftige efterårssol gav en meget drømmeagtig stemning.

Toppen af tacky: katolsk kirke hvor lysene for de døde er elektriske... man skulle bare trykke på dem.

Og så kørte vi hjemad... for vild ti-fjorten gange - endte i Newark. Som vistnok ikke er på afveje fra WDC, men eftersom vi gerne ville have været i Lancaster og se the Amish, var fuldstændig forkert. Anyways, vi kom til Foggy Bottom (eller fucking bottom som vi har døbt det, oh humor) hvor vi bor, til sidst, efter at have kørt rundt om det to gange - og næsten endt ude af DC igen. So random.

Hvis i er i tvivl hvad der er med alle de random, så er det bare mig der forsøger at udvide mit ordforåd. De lokale unge (læs. mine roommates, red.) siger det hele tiden. Næsten mere end de siger "like", og det gør de pænt tit. Det er et fantastisk ord, man kan jo btuge det om alt.

DC2 - køkultur og arbejdets deling

2006-11-02T13:31:00.000-08:00

Sø er jeg tilbage igen, nu med æ,ø og å. Har lige købt mig en fin lille mac, som jeg sidder og aer når jeg kan komme til det. Den hedder sqvushy, opkaldt efter en gople i find Nemo. Så hvis i er på skype, så hedder jeg duritah (og hvad hedder i så? har søgt efter dig thea... )

Jeg har mest været på campus den sidste tid. Mit skema er super fjollet, så det giver ikke så meget plads til skæg - dvs. min dag starter klokken 0800, så starter min næste time ikke før kl 1900 - så jeg kan ikke smutte så langt
væk igen.

Anneli var flink til at sende mig mailen til en jesper, der bor herovre. Sjovt nok så havde en af de andre danskere, Fabijana, fået mailen til en jacob der også er herovre. Sjovt nok viste det sig at de er brødre. De viste os alle monumenterne her i byen. Og det er skam ikke småting. Så det blev lige til en ti-timers gå tur. Ellers ville de også gerne vise os rundt i kongressen hvor de arbejder. Vi skal bare liiige finde et tidspunkt hvor vi alle har tid. Og det er lettere sagt end gjort. (når der siges vi, menes der mig, fabijana og anette. De to andre piger fra CBS. Red.)

Ellers er vi blevet inviteret til miami til thanksgiving af en cubaner her på skolen. Han er meget flink og hjælpsom, hvis bare man holder sig fra emner som fx. che guevara.

Ellers er jeg blevet ret ferm til at bestille kaffe på starbucks og div. sandwiches. Mht. sandwich, så får man ca. 3,5 sek til at læse hele menukortet og beslutte sig.... og så venter man i ca. 45 min på at få den udleveret. Desuden så er de ca. otte (8!) personer om at lave en (1!) sandwich, på 45 min. (adam smith må rotere i sin grav sammen med sit nåle-eksempel). Til gengæld virker det ikke som om at nogen har noget imod at stå i kø. Der er ihvertfald ingen der brokker sig. - de står også i kø til at gå ind i bussen - meget civiliceret.

DC1

2006-11-02T13:26:00.000-08:00

Soendag (27/8) kom jeg endelig frem til Washington DC. Jeg har egentlig ikke set saa meget udover selve Campusomraadet, selvom der vaelter med monumenter her (ikke på selve campus, men tæt på). Verdensbanken ligger lige om hjoernet, naermeste supermarked er i Watergate bygningen og der er et herre-stort mall i Pentagon city.

Da jeg ankom til mit dorm-room i soendags var der ting over det hele, saa jeg snuppede den eneste ledige seng, i troen at den var til mig... og at de andre tre allerede var her et sted. Men nej, der var kun Katie. Hun har bare
utrolig mange ting. Men hun er super-flink. Hvilket er godt taget i betragtning at det er hende jeg skal dele vaerelse med. Hun er har et media-science-practical-major af en eller anden art... hun har ihvertfald utrolig meget film produktionslir staaende og arbejder desuden apple-storen... taenkter at der er hjaelp at hente naar jeg skal shoppe laptop. Og saa har hun de foerste to saessoner af baade OC og gilmore girls - oh joy!

Ellers toeffer jeg rundt og proever at faa papirarbejdet til at gaa op i en hoejere enhed. Hver gang jeg vender mig er der nye papirer jeg mangler at underskrive.

Hele dagen i dag har jeg brugt paa intromøde i et meget koldt auditorium. Jeg har stadig ikke vendet mig til, at man gaar ind for at faa kulden og ud for at faa varmen. Der fik vi bl.a. at vide at de for ikke saa lang tid siden havde haft problemer med udvekslingsstuderende, der skaffede penge, købte våben(arms) og solgte dem videre!!!
Desuden var der ogsaa denne her indiske og en pakistansk udvekslingsstudent var blevet tilbageholdt i Heathrow i nogle dage undervejs... vistnok bare fordi de var fra indien og pakistan jep jep.

Ellers har de et interessant faenomen her... i dk er light-mad maerket light, letvaegter o.lign. Her er det saa omvendt. Almindelig mad har advarsler om at det ikke er low calorie food.

NY1

2006-11-02T13:18:00.000-08:00

Billeder fra brooklyn bridge, NY's politimuseum og udsigten fra empire state building.

Vidste i at det er selveste helligaanden der har skrevet "this little light of mine"? Det paastod praesten ihvertfald, da vi var i kirke i Harlem i soendags. Der var dog utrolig mange turister (laes. hvide mennesker). Jeg er nok ikke den eneste der har en lonely planet her. Hoejdepunktet var at vi sad ved siden af en aeldre dame, der hoejlydt tilkendegav sin mening under hele ceremonien.

Desuden lykkedes det os ogsaa at fare vild i Harlem som det foerste. Saa stod vi der paa et gadehjoerne med al vores bagage og havde ret svaert ved at faa en taxa. Men vi kom godt paa plads og bor nu i et rum med to senge paa upper west side.

Vi bor taet paa central park. Som, modsat af hvad man skulle tro, efter at have set adskillige afsnit af venner, naermest en skov man kan fare vild i. Ikke bare en stor graesplaene, som Karina og jeg troede. Og ja vi for vild... og var lige pludselig i harlem igen. Ellers et hyggeligt sted, isaer hvis man kan lide boern i snor. De er overalt.

Ellers har vi vaeret ude at se, og tage billeder af div. sights. Saa vi har set frihedsgudinden, empire state building, gound zero etc. Idag har vi shoppet sko og senere skal vi se noget musical paa broadway. De naeste par dage vil vi muligvis overveje at forlade manhattan, det er bare svaert, her er alt for meget at lave paa denneher oe.

Men i maa have det godt derhjemme. Saa vil jeg nyde vekslen mellem 30 grader udenfor og 10 grader indenfor. Utroligt at new yorkere ikke lider mere af forkoelelse end de goer.