Danmark

I had a really good week and a half since I last wrote. I had a busy week in parliament and got a chance to go see the lords in action. Niels took me minigolfing with his friend Janus. It was amazing to observe another culture and to reconnect with someone who had played such an instrumental role in my life.

Niels also took me to his parent house that evening. They were exactly the same since I last saw them in Denmark. His Grandmother came as well. Also, his brother philip. We had a barbecue, and as always, the Danes offered me everything in the kitchen. They are such moderate, mellow, yet sophisticated people. I absolutely love Denmark.

Niels took me back to his apartment afterwards and I met his girlfriend Sophie. She is incredibly beautiful, as well as sweet and nice. Its funny in Aarhus, everyone rides there bike. They also use a bike lock that goes through the frame and the back tire so you can't ride the bike. That means the just leave bikes sitting on the sidewalk, not tied next to a bike rack. At first I just thought they were all unlocked.

The next day Niels took me ove to his friends house to watch some football. His buds were real cool, and again I felt more at home than I do in the UK. Denmark is a lot like the US, except they do everything right. They have such a high quality of life that it makes me wonder if their lives are too boring, that there is not much personality or character to the place, you just live life. Its a hard emotion to describe, but it feels like something is lacking there. Life is almost too simple and perfect in Denmark!

Niels then took me to his house where he had friends over and we watched Denmark Cameroon. It was fun to watch the game with people speaking another language. It was also funny watching people trying to speak to me in English and then to each other in Danish. I could tell it was a strange arrangement for them.

I talked to a lot of Niels' friends to get different perspectives on the Danish way of life. It is an intersting way of living.

Niels then took me to see the nightlife around the city. We did not return until 4:30 in the morning, and the sun was as bright as it is midday. That Sunday, Niels, Sophie, and her friend Tina showed me around surrounding villages near Aarhus.

They then took me to the airport. My visit to Aarhus was really cool. Niels went above and beyond what he had to do in showing me a good time. I absolutely love the country, and the city.

Some distinct cultural differences between our experience, and the Danish
-Smaller cars and a different set of brands
-A washingtonian would feel like they were in a rural area back home in the Danish countryside
-Denmark leads the world in windmill technology, Niels is soon getting a job there
-People live in the same town they grew up in, yet they travel to a lot more different places
Example Niels and all his twenty something friends have lived in Aarhus since birth, something most Ameicans do not do. The ties to family and the home city are more like Germany than in the United States. They also travel a lot more then we do. Niels girl friend was going to Africa in a week and his best friend was going to Indonesia and Singapore.
-They ride bikes everywhere, the actually have three levels of curbs, one for the road, one for bikes, and one for the sidewalk in descending order of height.
-Every girl here is a lot more fit. Absolutely beautiful girls everywhere
-At some points it felt like I was back home. I would go up to a counter and be shocked that they were not speaking english to me, i just reverted back to my normal standards without me even realizing it.
-Smaller dwellings, way more nicely decorated.

I headed back to London that night and had another week of class at the LSE (which is always surreal being there) as well as at the Palace and Portcullis. I got lunch with a girl named Brittany from GU who works right across from me. Neither of us knew the other was interning in parliament, nor did we actually know each other from back home. Watched the US game and the British game at the same time. It was fantastic.

I also saw a play at the globe theater, Henry IV. It was really cool. You have to stand for three hours, and I hate playsm but definitely something you have to do in London.

On Thursday I hiked around Parliament Hill in Hampstead Heath. It is an amazing park and it was fun to people watch and go get away from the city. I also got to see some surrounding neighborhoods, including Well Walk and Flask way. Really posh neighborhood around Hampstead, perhaps the poshest in London outside of Belgravia. From Parliament hill you can see every landmark in London, amazing views.

Wish everyone well and hope everyone has a great weekend

-Bryce