So here it is – life in Copenhagen starts to be `ordinary`. Hard to say how good or bad, just ordinary. This what happens when You get used to a place – You know the ways how to get to the main points, You know where the closest stores are, You learn the basic words, like `hi`, `bye`, `thanks`, `excuse me` in native language, so You start at least using those and people don’t think You are just this stranger, who is only visiting the city for the short time.
It’s been a while, but in September, I had one short trip to Poland. No, I don’t like Poland as a country, but I was going for the European Championship of the basketball. In the beginning I was sure I’m going to see the Lithuanian team to play, but, somehow it wasn’t their game, and since I was only going for a semi-finals and finals – they were not there anymore. Apart from that – it was a great trip. I have seen a lot of nice throws and basketball games. I found some new basketball players, I can follow how they are doing in the future and, ah.. I just loved doing nothing – walking around, going for a game, having fun and beers. This is simply unexplainable what kind of feeling You get when You see all the fans for the teams, shouting, screaming, supporting their teams.
We even managed to find a bar [which we were not even looking for] with white Švyturys beer. Even though Denmark has this amazing Hoeghaarden, it is still nice to find Your favorite Lithuanian beer to drink after Greeks win bronze and Serbians [who I was supporting] win silver.
Back in Copenhagen, life went ordinary again. I do enjoy riding a bike to the places, not enjoying that much feeling as stupid as possible in the lectures and continuously looking for a student job, with no satisfaction. But I do love my kick-boxing – it is definitely the best thing in Denmark so far.
Biking. It’s true. You are lost in Copenhagen, if You have no bike. You get so used to it, just like some people get used to cars – I can hardly go anywhere without it. It’s not even a good sport, but it is also a very good transporting yourself from place to place instrument. One day, I got a `lucky time`, going out of my home and realizing that my bike’s tire is flat – again. I have to say, I am really lucky with those things – if it happens, it happens to me. So I had to take metro and I got so frustrated with it, that silently promised to myself never ever leave my bike at home. My flat’s tire reason was simply as it could be – little hole in it. So I was surprising people, walking around my street, while fixing it. But I did it – I managed to fix it by myself, oh, I was so proud. This is also one of the things You should learn while being here – fix Your own bike, since it is extremely expensive. Also, what a month of life in Copenhagen gives You – some new experiences. I managed to learn how to bike with no hands. I know, I know, You would probably say – so what, like it’s a big deal. But for me it is – I always wanted to learn it, but never really did in Lithuania. And now – I can do it. For a pretty long time. Seriously, You should see me right now biking – I am so excited, just like a little kid, when he gets a new fascinating toy.
Searching for a job. Apparently, it is not as easy as it could be. And I admit, I have a lot of disadvantages for that – I don’t speak the language [and I don’t really even want to], I have to combine it with studies and etc, but the confusing thing is – how they refuse You as a potential worker. Apparently You may be rejected if `they like Your CV very much`. You may also be rejected if [and this is a direct quote]: `as we find You too qualified`. I can deal with `You are not the person we are looking for`, `we are looking for a person with a different qualities`, but `too much liking CV` and `too qualified` is too much or me – what is wrong with this country.
Sports. Looks like everyone in Denmark are doing some sports. Millions of people are jogging [how can they do this?], biking [that’s more like a life style, not sport, but still]. Well, I’m doing kick-boxing. It’s only two times a week. On one hand – it’s a good thing, because my body sores after every training, but on the other one – it is such an amazing thing, that even though You can’t feel Your legs and arms after it, You feel so happy and alive, that it’s hard even to explain. And yes, I realize that I chose one of the safest countries in the world to live in, but it’s very comforting knowing that You could actually kick somebody’s ass in the street, if necessary.
Weather. It’s cold, rainy and windy in here. I don’t complain, except for the wind, especially when You need to bike and wind is blowing straight to Your face, it’s tiring. Autumn is really kicking in – I already started wearing cap and gloves, because it is freezing cold in here. Not so much of the sun – so if You come, prepare for clouds and grey color.
New things. I already learned new drinking game in here, it’s called `beer pong`. Ask me and I will show it to You. It’s great. Even though we lost it, but we had so much fun and as for the first time – I managed to play it pretty good. I also managed to understand at least a little bit econometrics – and it was huge for me, because for a month I did understand completely nothing in the lectures. Studies after all are really difficult in here – at least for me. It’s completely different from the things I was learning in Lithuania. It’s strange, but I hope for the best: to learn more new things, luckily before the exams, which I’ll be having around the Christmas.
Advantages. It might be just my luck, but I have amazing people around me, I really do. I have a friend, who is always pleasing me with chocolate cake or cookies. She knows I have this addiction for chocolate, so she helps me to get deep into it. I was also helping here move from one apartment to another one. That was sport [I even skipped kick-boxing after, because I literally felt no arms and legs]. Going up and down with heavy stuff, putting it all to the car, when getting everything off the car, bringing everything to the new apartment. I was cursing them, since they chose apartment with no elevator, but it was a good feeling to help good people. I got some chocolate cake after – and I tell You, I couldn’t get anything better.
Language. I tell You – it is the worst language I have ever learned. It is similar to Norwegian, which I thought will be advantage for me, but no. It is terrible, I mean it. They write one thing and they say another thing. They have these unbelievable sounds, that You will break Your tongue first, before You manage to pronounce it correctly. I am going to the lectures and I am trying to learn it, but, so far, it still sounds like a noise in the wind. Hopefully it will become better. But tell me, how would You manage to read `hila` when You actually see `hedder` written down?
Would I recommend this city for anyone else to visit? Hard to say. If You like Scandinavia, You will like it for sure. But if You like how sunny weather – it’s not gonna work for You. But people are nice, places are good, city is safe. Also, studies are very high quality and You can study almost everything You want. Everybody speaks English, so You would never have problems with being understood. Partying is also possible, but You need money for that – drinks prices are still shocking for me, but salaries are high as well.
