Theme song for today: Madder Red
A couple weeks back I was practicing my Danish with a Danish friend. Doesn't seem like I'd need to make that distinction... but sometimes I practice with Norwegian or Canadian or Swedish or Finnish friends and it does some pretty funky-fresh things to my accent. I was trying to talk about Bosnia, my trip there this summer, the religious situation there.... but instead of saying "There are many Christians and a large Muslim community" I said, "There are many Christians and a huge male-mouse population". "Musulman" is French for Muslim... Mus mænd is Danish for male mice. Sometimes I mumble French words into my Danish. Sometimes I speak them with confidence and authority, which is even probably even more confusing.
On the night we celebrated our exams being finished I tried to tell Hege that I was so happy she's in my life.... but I actually said, "I'm looking forward to having you".
Last night I had a friend Theis over for dinner and I was telling him a story from the weekend. I kind of have to explain for it to make sense - I spent the night at my friend's place because she lives close to where I clean so it saved an hour commute time in total - but she was out until 7 in the morning so I used her key to get home earlier than that seeing as I had to leave for work at 8. I kept trying to tell Theis that it was okay, I got into the house because I had the key - but I really told him that I used my hooves and claws to get into her apartment. French key = clé, pronounced 'clay'. Danish hoof = klov, claw = klo.... So I tried to danskify "clé" and it backfired.
My most charming language-learning moment is - and I think will always remain - the time I told my friend's host brother in the Dominican Republic that, "Ahora, cuando hablo español estoy embarazada, pero todavía estoy excitado". I was trying to let him know that my Spanish was improving so I was a bit embarrassed when I spoke but still excited to be speaking Spanish.... instead I let him know that even though I was pregnant I was still very turned on.
I finally made it to Københavns Sprogcenter to sign up for an interview for free Danish classes!!! Which means I'll probably be having more of these little magic language moments as I hiccup my way into speaking this crazy lil thing called dansk. I've found that Danes are often not terribly friendly or helpful to foreigners when on the phone. I spoke with the office a couple weeks ago and she was really cagey, telling me I had to come in with my passport, proof of residence, work permit, and CPR card in order to even set up an interview time. When I got there, however, the guy just asked for my CPR number and told me to come back in a week and have a good one. Similar thing this summer... I was speaking with a company that rents flats out and she basically told me that there's no way I'd ever be able to live in Copenhagen... and then I gave her to my Danish friend and all of a sudden I was lined up to be living somewhere in six months. I don't really know what the deal is. Obviously it's not all Danes, but I do find that in general Danes are extremely nice to me in informal settings and a bit brusk in official encounters.
Here are some more photos that have nothing to do with what I'm writing about - but are lovely all the same!
A couple weeks back I was practicing my Danish with a Danish friend. Doesn't seem like I'd need to make that distinction... but sometimes I practice with Norwegian or Canadian or Swedish or Finnish friends and it does some pretty funky-fresh things to my accent. I was trying to talk about Bosnia, my trip there this summer, the religious situation there.... but instead of saying "There are many Christians and a large Muslim community" I said, "There are many Christians and a huge male-mouse population". "Musulman" is French for Muslim... Mus mænd is Danish for male mice. Sometimes I mumble French words into my Danish. Sometimes I speak them with confidence and authority, which is even probably even more confusing.
On the night we celebrated our exams being finished I tried to tell Hege that I was so happy she's in my life.... but I actually said, "I'm looking forward to having you".
Last night I had a friend Theis over for dinner and I was telling him a story from the weekend. I kind of have to explain for it to make sense - I spent the night at my friend's place because she lives close to where I clean so it saved an hour commute time in total - but she was out until 7 in the morning so I used her key to get home earlier than that seeing as I had to leave for work at 8. I kept trying to tell Theis that it was okay, I got into the house because I had the key - but I really told him that I used my hooves and claws to get into her apartment. French key = clé, pronounced 'clay'. Danish hoof = klov, claw = klo.... So I tried to danskify "clé" and it backfired.
My most charming language-learning moment is - and I think will always remain - the time I told my friend's host brother in the Dominican Republic that, "Ahora, cuando hablo español estoy embarazada, pero todavía estoy excitado". I was trying to let him know that my Spanish was improving so I was a bit embarrassed when I spoke but still excited to be speaking Spanish.... instead I let him know that even though I was pregnant I was still very turned on.
I finally made it to Københavns Sprogcenter to sign up for an interview for free Danish classes!!! Which means I'll probably be having more of these little magic language moments as I hiccup my way into speaking this crazy lil thing called dansk. I've found that Danes are often not terribly friendly or helpful to foreigners when on the phone. I spoke with the office a couple weeks ago and she was really cagey, telling me I had to come in with my passport, proof of residence, work permit, and CPR card in order to even set up an interview time. When I got there, however, the guy just asked for my CPR number and told me to come back in a week and have a good one. Similar thing this summer... I was speaking with a company that rents flats out and she basically told me that there's no way I'd ever be able to live in Copenhagen... and then I gave her to my Danish friend and all of a sudden I was lined up to be living somewhere in six months. I don't really know what the deal is. Obviously it's not all Danes, but I do find that in general Danes are extremely nice to me in informal settings and a bit brusk in official encounters.
Here are some more photos that have nothing to do with what I'm writing about - but are lovely all the same!
From the exit of Vestre Kirkegård.... um, creepy?
The next few are from a bridge that goes over the main train lines through the city just before Enghave station, which is in the western part of Vesterbro.
The old Carlsberg factory
That bridge is only open to foot traffic and bikes - it heads into Vestre Kirkegård. The first time I went there was an accident, when I was still trying to take a different route to school every day to get to know the neighborhoods better.
The red ones are the 'typical' Copenhagen trains... I'm not sure but I think the grey/silver is a more regional train.
Carlsberg factory in the background there...
Outside the language center in Vesterbro... just some Danes rockin' the Danishest of fashion statements: BigScarfTightBlackPantsBikeBun.
Found in Hege's apartment... Haha she's mentioned more than once that if we really wanted to make the Danish flag really look nice we could just go ahead and add a blue cross.
Views from Hege's on Vesterbrogade! Super active area, as you can obviously see. Lots of great restaurants, cafes, fun businesses, hipster-y things. and also where the prostitution in Copenhagen happens.
annnnd about two hours later.
Out with Global Refugee Studies friends after we finished exams! My camera isn't really made for indoor / bar photos so I put it away after this.
Rådhuspladsen! The town hall square.
That's the actual Town Hall building on the right there.
Industrial Copenhagen... This is near Dybølsbro Station / Fisketorvet.
