The Roommates have a Wine and Cheese Party

Last week we all pitched in to have a classy party together. Daniel and Sofie got fondue and 7 other cheeses to try. Roald even dressed up!



Sofie is usually always this happy.

Mom and Dad, we need Sofie to come visit us.

Daniel being goofy and trying to get Sofie to finish off the fondue.

Some nights we all get together like this, Mike pulls out his guitar and we sing old songs. Such good times.

Thiago Arrives in Copenhagen!

My friend Thiago visited me a couple days ago! He is the cousin of my friend Flora who lived with my family for ten months. Thiago and I met when I visited Flora's family in Sao Paulo, Brazil. He is now working as a veterinarian in northern England. (I posted pictures previously of when I visited him) We went to Christiania, Tivoli, and the Royal Palace. Unfortunately it started snowing hard on his second day, so we couldn't do as much as we would have liked. To warm up we joined some Australians at a bar for drinks. I'm finding that this is what the Danes do a lot to get through the cold winter months!

Us in Tivoli, which is an amusement park that goes crazy on decorations for Christmas! They have rides, Christmas mulled wine, and tons of booths to buy ornaments.


At the bar we started to do puzzles, specifically mind bogglers and here Thiago is explaining the rules to one.


The Australians (all engineers) figuring out the puzzle.

From left to right; me, Ron and Milly (Perth, Australia), Jessica (north carolina), Devon (Alaska), then Pip, Matt and Mark also from Perth.

Thiago's second day in Copenhagen we went to Kongens Nytorv and looked at these photos from all over the world. Had to find the one taken from Recife, Brazil. : )

Me in Kongens freezing my butt off right as it really started to snow.

Hopenhagen-Global Climate Change Conference

Some of you may know about the climate change conference going on right now. Hilary Clinton came today to speak and Obama arrives tomorrow. The pictures here are what was set up in the main square, Radhuspladsen to raise awareness about the environment.



There are bikes located around the big Christmas tree that you can ride. When you start pedaling you generate energy to keep the tree lit. This was my attempt.

The large globe was in the center and it listed facts about energy consumption on it. The picture above it is somewhat blurry but it shows large green glass rooms that you could enter and read about different energy saving options, etc.

Traditional Danish Party / Julie's Birthday

Last Saturday was my good friend Julie's birthday party. I went over early to help her set up and we cleaned and set the table. Of course, all the Danes arrived promptly at 6:30 and dinner was served an hour later. I thought since we were keeping to such a rigid schedule that most guests would leave by midnight, but most of us happily stayed until 3 in the morning! Happy Birthday Julie!!

Julie preparing the welcome drinks

Julie's boyfriend Jesper cooked the entire meal except the gravy which Julie's mom made. She is famous for it and after tasting it I understood why!

The main course, very Danish. Pork with the rinds attached, sweetened potatoes, brown potatoes, red cabbage and beets. Delicious!

The dessert 'pancake' which is pretty much a crepe with ice cream and syrup on top.

Julie, Jesper and Martin.

Nicholas, Ida, Mikkel and I

Frederiksberg Park

I discovered this park a couple weeks ago and wished I had known about it earlier. It is right next to a zoo, so I was able to get close to some elephants. : )

These guys wouldn't stop wrestling!

The entrance

The castle

Just wanted to clarify after my dad pointed it out, that the 6th of December celebrates the namesday of St. Nicholas. Unfortunately my family has not taken part in the tradition of putting shoes out so I have been deprived of chocolate for years. Good thing Sofie didn't forget about me Dad. ; )

Sinterklaas has arrived!!

Last night Sofie told me that that night I should put my shoes outside my door, because Sinterklaas was supposed to visit. (only if I was a good kid though) In Belgium Sinterklaas comes the 6th of December. It is similar to putting up stockings in the U.S. I got really excited by this, so I put two pairs of shoes outside my door! I 'went to bed' but kept coming out to go to the bathroom to check my shoes. Sinterklaas had not come. This morning when I woke up for my final exam I found these Belgian chocolates in my shoes : ) Love you Fieke thank you!!

Ice Skating in Frederiksberg

As a study break I went ice skating! Another exchange student, Nico from Switzerland plays hockey and was nice enough to teach me how to properly skate. I only fell flat on my butt once! Yay! It's really starting to get chilly here, the days are really short so you have to get up early to enjoy the day.

Beginner


Pro

Thanks Nico!

Thanksgiving In Copenhagen

For Thanksgiving I went to a party with a group of exchange students in the northern part of Norrebro. We had a diverse bunch, some were Canadian and thought Turkey Day was a month earlier, some were from Denmark and hadn't eaten turkey before, and then there were the Americans who wanted to do something that reminded them of home. Since none of us had prepared the full dinner before, we each cooked a dish and the turkey was a collaborative effort. : ) I was excited because we even got to watch American football! (Unfortunately not SC but I was still grateful)

Our turkey, we finally got to eat it at 10pm.

Some of us glued to the game

The group! Yay we did it!

One more exam left and then I will be able to post more frequently!

Final Exams

Sorry I have not been able to post, I'm currently studying for exams. When I get a break this week I'll put more pictures up from Paris : )

Middleham, England

After I went to London I drove north with my friend Thiago to his home in Middleham, England. He works as a veterinarian there on a horse racing farm. I was in paradise the entire time! He let me follow him during the day as he treated the horses, and took me to a neighboring village called Hawes. The English countryside is absolutely beautiful and I took a few long hikes while I was there. What I wasn't used to were the narrow roads and driving on the opposite side of the road! I always felt like we were going to crash into an old stone wall! The horses were the most beautiful I had ever seen and I spent a lot of time just going around to visit them at the stables. : )

With Thiago's puppy Haragana on a hike

One of the practice tracks

With Layali Al Andulus, the #1 ranked horse in all of England!

More of Haragana who I miss already!

The town of Hawes

Morning workouts

Thiago bandaging a leg

FC Copenhagen vs. FC Randers

Today I took a break from studying to attend the "football" game here in Copenhagen. The business school I go to gave my friends and I free tickets. Randers is a city to the Northwest of Copenhagen. They lost 2-0. For being such a large stadium it wasn't very full, most likely because Randers isn't a well known team. All the same, it was still fun.

Sofie, Roald being goofy, and I before the game.

London

I flew into London to meet my Brazilian friend Thiago who has been living in northern England for a few months. We decided to visit his cousin Susana and her husband Xande in London. They have two adorable girls named Sofia (5) and Anna Luisa or Isa for short (2). We were only there for a couple of days but saw a lot of the city. At night we would play with the girls. I brought them licorice from Denmark but Thiago brought them finger puppets so he pretty much won that competition! Sofia would teach me words in Portuguese speaking slowly so I would learn the correct pronunciation. Isa likes to say funny expressions and then after yell "It's a joke!" in Portuguese. The whole family was very sweet and I'm happy I got to know them.

Jame's Park

Oxford Street

Isa imitating a butterfly

Westminster Abbey

The "Eye of London"

Changing of the guard at the royal palace

Thiago, Susana and Xande!

Little Isa

Giving out the finger puppets

The national History Museum