One HELLA long week

Hello Hello!

To all my peeps back in the states, week 1 is finally over and it's been such a crazy week! I guess to say where i left off at from the crazy airport trip up until now is that its been about 10 days since i last blogged and its all gone by so fast.

After i got out of that hotel, we went to go eat breakfast downstairs because it was free with the stay, and i've got to say the tea here in Europe is bomb! I hear the coffee is too but i don't drink too much coffee so i'm going to have to take their word for it. So I guess the center of the city is "the train station" where everyone seems to go to go anywhere. It's pretty convienient if i have to say so myself for tourists because they have no clue where they are going and as long as they can find their way back to the train station its all good.

Being that we still had out luggage with us, we had to find a way to get to the school to pick up our keys, with a bunch of luggage, thats really not that easy. The first thing you should know about the bus system here is that they are totally weird! You go through the back and then you leave through the front. You're suppose to pay with the machine or if you have a tickey you stamp it on, but for most people in the city, they just dont pay at all. You feel kinda guilty at first, but then when you see all the Danish people do the exact same thing, it's kinda like you're just blending in with the people and their culture. It's kinda embarassing because it's 4 of us and we have all this luggage and people are trying to get in from the back but all our stuff is in the way and we have to ask them to go to the front of the bus. Needless to say everyone was laughing.

We finally get to the school and they give us our keys and tell us that they have people that are going to drive us to our flats. they take most of us except for me and my friend Jaclyn. It really doesnt take that long to go to where we live. 10-15 mins atmost back and forth. But during the incident i guess a bank gets robbed and they slow down all the traffic. I don't end up getting picked up til an hour and a half later. And then the girl that is driving us ends up getting us lost because she thought our building was called skobaekvej and not snogbaeksvej. I guess its a simple mistake, but we were just dead tired. We unpack and then we clean up and go downtown to see what the nightlife is like.

The city of Aarhus is so different in the night time than it is in the day time. We pick up a friend and find out that theres a nearby club that everyone seems to go to because the girls that we met on the road seem to be going there. We get there and its free to get in, they give us a free drink, and a live concert. I would think it was pretty cool. The dude was lookin like Prince, and the girl totally looked like Ronnoa Ryder or w/e her name is. Music was kinda a mix between electronic and rock.

By the end of the night we're just hanging outside the club and talking to Danish girls and talking about Oregon (where most of them are from) and SF (where i'm from). It's really not too hard because everyone knows where SF is but i met this really pretty girl who's actually been to Napa and we end up talking a lot of the night. Most of the guys are in their early and mid 20's so we can kinda tell these girls are not really the same age as us, so we took a shot and of course, they are 18-20. Really young those 18 year olds are, but its all good cuz the drinking age is 18 in Denmark. So, it's 3am in the morning and we have no clue how we're going to get home. The last bus was at midnight and we dont know how to walk home. Atleast we weren't completely SOL, there was this night bus that comes every hour or so, and most of them take you kind of close to where you want to go. It's a good thing we found some dude from New York that is studying in Denmark to help us or else we woulda been screwed.

Okay, i haven't said this yet but i would have to say 70% of the women here in Denmark at phenominal. It's not just because they have blond hair, blue eyes. It's from their way of life. They walk everywhere, and if they're not walking they bike, and they eat basically meat and bread. And the bread here is not like our bread thats "supposed to be good for you and tastes good", it tastes like crap and it good for you. But since they are so used to it (and i have to admit i have grown to like it myself) they have great diets. I didn't believe my manager from my SF store telling me all the girls there are pretty but man, was she right. Well anyway, that was DAY 1 in Aarhus.

The next day we meet this amazing austrailian girl that takes us around and shows us the stores and the laundry and shes been here for a couple weeks and shes kinda in the know. Amazing. Anyway, after that, we go downtown and explore the city some more. Getting lost on buses sure helped us know the city, and also i've got to say the architecture of this city is simply amazing. There's so many buildings made with brick that it puts a lot of places in the states to shame. Simply Beautiful. So i guess on Saturday night everyone parties at clubs and just hangs out ar bars. We find this place called Buddy Holly, which is kind of a small bar that for some reason the bartender loves americans! He said its because we say thank you and no one in Denmark does that. So we were getting free drinks left and right and then we end up finding ourselves drunk once again but this time thanks to being drunk the night before, we knew which way to go.

Wake up at noon, and i guess i didn't mention this before but because of the jet lag, we've been only getting maybe 2-4 hours a day. But partying 2 straight nights is the best way to get over jetlag because you drink adn you stay up and you fall asleep just like every other drunk person that night. We english speaking folk end up going to the Harbor and find that its really nice to just stand around and look at water. Well atleast that was what i took from it. We also found some random stores and shops that sold necklaces and braclets. I'll be sure to pick up atleast one of them for one of the girls back in the states. I just have to remember how we got there. On Sundays, no one works, well on one really works here in Denmark too late besides the 7-11 and the fast food joints. Everyone close at like 7pm, even the supermarkets. It's pretty crazy, but on sundays, NO ONE works! except for cafes. Because they just sit around and drink coffee and relax. It's pretty cool.

Monday was the Ikea Trip. It was just like an other Ikea trip, just kinda went there got stuff and went home, didn't really do much which was kinda a surprise being that we drank practically everyday this week.

Tuesday first day of orientation and we got to meet our "Tutors" who just take us under their wing and its like a person there if you ever need a question. Like a Link Crew Leader. In my group were a lot of different people from different countries and it was all really cool to get to know them and talk to them. We all got to hang out the entire week as a group and it was pretty boring because we just sat and listened to them tell us about the things we'd have to do while in Aarhus and whatnot. But the best part of the day was when it was all said and done we went to Klubbin and had ourselves a night with more drinking. It was late and my friend decided to walk home in the rain. It was pouring and we walked about 20-25 mins in the rain, i'm glad i didnt get sick or anything, but i was drenched when i got home and took a nice warm shower and went to bed.

Wednesday came along and everyone seemed to be pretty tired from last night, just kinda tired so no one really cared what people were really saying to us, just that we had to listen and then i went home took a nap. It was western day and it's really huge at the school, all the new students and international students got to participate and there would be every one dressing up in things that associated with the west. Even though i do not know how priests and zorro got into the mix. It was alright, just more drinking and more people, but the best part was the mechanical bull. I've never been on one before but as i was watching the Europeans do it with both hands and holding on to dear life, i just had to go up there and show them how you "should" do it. Which of course is with one hand in the air. I owned that bull haha, im not gonna lie but the whole area was going nuts. I'd have to say working on my grip strength sure did help. The funniest thing was that we started drinking at like 6-7 and everyone was piss drunk by 10 or so, we all just went home around 1030-11 and just crashed.

Thursday we a more relaxed day where we just had to be at school around noon for a tour of the city. Didn't really do much besides go to some "American" burger place that was pretty decent, but it was just kinda eh, 6.5/10. After we went to some Student house where they but of course, have more beer and booze. I got one drink and went home. I was pretty spent.

Friday came along and it was our last time with our group and we had lunch then went to the field for Xchange Games! It was actually really fun, since all the exchange students were split into groups (10 total), we had a competition that had, sack race, egg race, licorice eating, some game where you have to put a pen thats attached to your hip in a bottle, and a memory game. We got points for cheering and coming up with witty cheers. It was really close it seemed like for all the teams, but of course our group won. It really felt good competing again. I really do miss that feeling. The winning group got 2 free bottles of Fisherman's (the local alcohol here) and bacardi. After the games we went home and i did some laundry, only to find out i locked my keys inside my room. The reason for this was because i can jump out my humongous window to go to the laundry rather than go through three doors. but as i was closing my window to go to the laundry room and realized my keys were sitting on my bed. It ended up costing me like 80 bucks to have the dude come from who knows where to fix it. That sure sucked. It was alright, i ended up pregaming with a couple friends before we went to our last international event (for now atleast), at social club. They had this really cool stamp that makes me think i want a tattoo kinda similar to that, but we'll see. This place was great! It was serving free drinks like non-stop, well ok free drinks from 9-10, then 11-12, needless to say i was pretty drunk. But it was all good cuz i never drive anywhere, just take the bus and its free so its all goood!

The alcohol here must not be that strong because i drink a lot and i get drunk, but i never have a hang over or feel like i need to puke. O well, w/e. Woke up with a stomach ache though. Went to the mall with Donna and figured it would be a pretty small trip but then we ended up going to the Train Station and then to Ikea to get lunch. Got home and here i am just typing away.

I feel like i've been here a lot longer than i prolly have been, but it's so many things you learn from being in a new country that its almost an information overload. Anyway, sorry for all the people that i don't talk to while im here, it's really not that i dont wanna tlak to you while you're about to go to sleep when im waking up or vice versa, its just trying to do my own thing for now and we'll end up seeing each other sooner or later! Peace!

The Adventure Begins!

You know you're traveling big shot when they give you a WHOLE can! It's been a pretty crazy couple days. Saying goodbye is not the easiest thing to do i find. Some people you don't even get to say bye to. But its ok! Im only gone for like 5 months and before you know it ill be back.

Anyway, So i had my goodbye dinner and goodbye this and that, then i got on the plane... and the Adventure begins! I got to San Jose where they said i might have some problems in Denver but they'd figure it out when i got there. I got on the plane and actually talked to the girl to my right just because she was friendly. I ended up getting a cool key holder from her and that was that.
Next was Denver where i literally thought i was not going to get on a plane to Europe but this really nice (and actually pretty cute) flight attendant helped me out and it was all gravy.
The plane ride was about 9 hours. I spend the first just getting settled, then the next 2-3 hours (because we were eating our in flight dinner in between) I watched "A Beautiful Mind" which in my opinion was totally awesome. I can't believe I've always hated Russell Crow, i just don't like how he looks like a douchebag. But yeah, I watched that then i figured hey why not give Gladiator a shot too? I enjoyed about a quarter of it til i fell asleep and then woke up in time for breakfast on the plane. we had only about an hour and half left so i ended up watching an episode of Scrubs and an episode of Friends. I didn't use my laptop at all during the flight, it's really hard using it when there are old lady's to your left bumping you and little kids behind you kicking the back of your chair.
But that's not even the worst part of a flight i think, in my honest opinion the scariest part of a plane ride is the landing. It's like a plane that's going at a crazy speed and you're trying to land it on cement. My pilots also sucked at landing their planes btw but hey, its just an experience i don't really enjoy on an airplane.
Once i got to London everything else was pretty much smooth sailings there. London's Airport is like a mall, i thought San Jose and San Fran push it, its like comparing Safeway with Walmart. They had a booth where you could sit drink wine and eat caviar. RIDICULOUS. Oh well, what can you do, it was packed haha. The last problem i had to figure out was where i was going to stay in Aarhuss when i got there for the night. So i'm sitting at the boarding area and i hear 2 girls talk about their crazy flight from portland to here. So i figure they're studying abroad too and we ended up just saying we should figure something out together. It was more like i tagged along while they had a friend who knew which hotel to stay at showed us how to do everything, but it's all good because I'm finally here and i'm not sleeping at the airport and i already made some friends. I'm definitely not complaining on how things worked out. Things always do.

Well it's 330pm over in California but it's 1231pm here (9 hours ahead for anyone who was curious) i need to wake up at 830am tomorrow and get my key to my room. Til next week look at what i found at the Aarhus Gift Store! This store must not get ANY business.

It's That Time Again!

Hello World! I would just like to say that I am back and back to blogging. And here you are asking, "Allan, why would you start up your blog again? Is it because you're going to go away to Europe in 1 week and decided that it was a good time to start? Was it because you felt like you needed something to vent of to when there's no one else to talk to? Or maybe because you just saw Julie & Julia at the movies today and decided what the heck?" YES, SURE, and Maybe... =P

To be completely honest, it takes a long time to start up a blog again. I was reading some of the other stuff that i've written and its just rambles. But i guess a blog is to have your own little space to talk about your life. I'm trying to figure out what to do these next 7 days, I know that i have things planned, (Football, SF, Dinner), it's just that i want to spend it with the friends and people i care about.

I tend to tell a lot of people this but i think i am very lucky to have the friends i have. Probably the reason why is that i have a mixture of all different kind of friends. Not a lot of people can say that. It's nice to have friends that you can play board games with, and friends that you can party with as well. You know you have some real friends when they can do imitations of you, and to all those who know who you actually are, Thank you.

I guess i'll finish up my blog for the day saying I'm going to TRY to blog atleast twice a month while i'm there and try to put up a couple of cool pictures. Pictures like the one i just uploaded. Sure, it's probably not the coolest picture you've seen in your life, but it reminds me of a bird or something.

Til next time kids!

It's Been a While... (I've Lost Touch)

It's been a while that's for sure. I haven't blogged since Obama St. Probably because everything since that day has been kinda hectic and crazy. Been in a car accident, moved back home, started to just wonder where my life was taking me. The year of the Ox? Tiger? W/E year it maybe, they said that i would have 3 good months, 4 normal ones, and 5 bad ones... and just like that, February sure sucked ass... I mean it wasn't all bad, but if i were to weigh turning in my application to Denmark (which has about a 90% pass they said), to having poor poor Gwen taken from me, it was about the same... now that i think about it. The trip is going to cost me about as much as my car did. Isn't that a trip...

Anywho, I moved from San Fran mainly because i hated living in that gawd-awful hole of a room in some strangers place, only to find the reason i moved out in the first place. But i guess saving 600 bucks and getting nagged at by my folks is better than getting nagged at and having 600 bucks go down the drain by the landlord isn't so bad. The worst thing about coming back here, in my honest opinion, is the way i feel used. Not really by friends or anything, by my so called "siblings". It's crazy to say this, but to them, I'm the quiet one, the one that doesn't talk at the dinner table, the one that seems to just drift on by and maybe once in a while be of some use to them. And yet, they look at me like I'm some sort of failure. They use me and the now truck that i have, act all nice, then talk crap behind my back. Man i hate how ugly people can be. My niece, who is an awkward one at that, who actually knows me for who i am, was telling me how my sister and her husband think im going to fail in life. Now isn't that funny, the one that is going to college, the one that is doing something more with his life than cutting hair all day, going to fail in life? Don't even say that bullshit to me. I'm not angry at them, because all they see is a boy who whittles away in his room while everyone else is outside, the one that never seem to do anything besides go on his computer. I'm not mad, I've just lost touch.

I went to San Francisco looking for something. This something i didn't really know what. I met some real genuine people, thinking that might help with what i was looking for. Don't get me wrong, i have some great people in my life like my friends and their as genuine as the blue sky. It's just... I dunno... I'm beginning to think that no matter how far i go, i don't think its something you find, maybe its something i'm going to have to accept.

I've had this stupid feeling stuck in my brain for a long ass time, it doesn't seem to be going away. Is this how you felt? To blind by the act, to just let things go? To immature to see what was front of you that you just had to keep looking behind? I need this ghost to go away, it's eating me from the inside.

Denmark should be fun, I just need to send them my picture in the mail to fully complete my acceptance crap. I have a lot of midterms to study for and spring break is just beyond the horizon. Hopefully that will get my mind off of things.

Obama Street

I thought this was pretty clever... This street that i work on was originally Bush St.
They did it all down the city... now that's dedication...

Glad to be back....

I'm actually happy to be back in SF... Not because i had a horrible time in Davis, quite the opposite in fact because i had a blast there just hanging out with random people and friends of course. I guess i'm just happy to be back to the regular pattern of my life. I don't really have anything much else to say besides i'm glad haha. Until next time kiddies...

It's been a long week... and it's Wednesday!

Here i sit, watching Napoleon Dynamite, I always find myself watching this show half way, and then not finishing it. This might be the night i actually finish it. Well, maybe this will end up like Mr. and Mrs. Smith. I mean this in the sense that i watched the movie over and over thinking i've never finished it just to realize that it has the dumbest ending ever, it doesn't answer all the questions, and tries to end even though nothing really gets solved. I really hope that doesn't happen to me again.

This had been a pretty crazy week, not the most pleasant that's for sure. I've been working three 8-hour shifts, and tomorrow i have a seven hour shift. It's not really the hours that are bothering, i think it might just be me worrying about school. I really just want to finish up this semester, apply to study abroad, then hopefully get that show on the road haha. Tomorrow should be an end of a rough week and hopefully the start of something fun, off to davis! There's nothing to really do in davis but i guess going somewhere different and hanging out with friends is better than hanging out all by yourself in SF.

Anywho, i think it must be nice being a person that doesn't seem to work for anything but seems to always get their way. It just has to make you wish that the story of the turtle and the hare comes true. Of course i don't want to wish bad things for lazy ass people, but it wouldn't hurt for the people to work hard get theirs you know? But i guess at the end of the day, none of that really matters because what defines you isn't what you get in life... ok i'll stop haha... I think i'll finish Napoleon and go to bed... PEACE!

Let's play a game...

...lets call it "be yourself". The rules are simple, whenever you see someone you feel like impressing or fond of, you just be yourself and not crave for their attention by making fun of others or being jealous of a certain person for their better features. It's fun, trust me.



It's fun being a barista at starbucks. You just stand there and take people's orders or you make their drinks. It's easy, well kinda hard, but once you get the hang of it and when things don't go wrong, its a good job. I've heard that a lot of other starbucks have sucked ass because of the managers and the people there, but for the most part, my starbucks closes early (8PM) and the managers as nice as there comes (she often calls people honey,darling, or sugar, shes from alabama). What i find most appealing is how the people who i've started to remember as my regulars have learned my name as i've learned theirs. We don't have name tags, nor do we have things that tell us our name to the customers, but some how they manage to find out. It's easier for me just because i just ask them for their name when i write down their drinks or in my lucky case, i work right next to a hospital so everyone pretty much has a name tag. It's a pretty lax job and once you get used to waking up early, the rest of the day after that is all yours to enjoy however you please. (I usually just take a nap).

Something that i'm going to try to work on this year will probably give relationships a chance. I guess i've been trying to delay the fact that i wasn't really done having whatever relationship i had before. But i guess now is a better time to try than any. Being bitter was something that i was good at, making excuses was something that i prided myself on. Now, im hoping things are going to change because i'm going to try and change. I know i know, i'm very picky with my girls, but is it really that hard to find a girl that is more interesting to talk to than a brick wall? I highly doubt it, i have standards, but they're not impossible. Guess only time will tell. PEACE!

MY FAVORITE COLOR IS FUCHSIA

It might be hard for some people to see, but I'm a creature of habit. I go through the day, thinking of what i can do with my life. I seem to always have that frame of mind in which if there is nothing to do, go out there and find something. The times that i don't seem to have anything better to do than drive back and fourth from San Francisco to San Jose, i find myself thinking excessively about the people in my life and how much they actually might know me. From the habits that i have, to the things that i like, to the people i respect and hold dear. I guess somethings are left for wonder of course but in my opinion, until i find a conclusive enough reason to change what i'm doing i will stay this creature of habit and just do my thing and mind my own business, because hey, if you really want to know something that badly, just go out there and ask. And if you don't feel like asking that badly, it might just not be worth it at all. It's a lot of rambling i know, i really should think of things to talk about but this thing is mainly for me, because to be honest, who actually reads this? lol... I know for a solid fact that if i started saying everytime i posted that i loved the color fuchsia instead of the color red and then went and asked people what my favorite color was, 10/10 people would probably say red. Well that's all folks, i leave you with a picture that i thought was very... efficient. ENJOY