It has not quite been a week. And I can tell, it is going to take a while to adjust to some of the lifestyle changes. Overall, Denmark is lovely. The streets are perfect. I love the architecture. The people are nice. The humidity is different. And the food is tasty.
My new motto is buy less, do more. We showed up in Denmark with two suitcases a piece. Our beautiful furnished, white apartment is feeling empty without all of our trinkets but at the same time, it refreshing. No clutter! I have always been a fashionista... but there is something really freeing about only having one purse and seven pairs of shoes.
Lots of things are new to me. Grocery shopping is so different, the stores are small-- one room. The isles are stuffed with product, and almost all the produce is local. You can only buy as much as you can carry home... good thing Ras' wingspan is 6'4.'' I am also getting used to the Danish cuisine. Open-faced sandwiches, known as smørrebrød, are going to have to be a staple in my diet. I love rye bread and fresh everything. I'm learning Danes eat a lot of pork and candy.
Not having a car is also odd; I've had a car since I was 15. But really, there is no need for one. In fact, having a car would likely be an inconvenience because it costs to park. You can walk everywhere, and pedestrians and bikers are truly respected by the drivers. The streets are absolutely pristine, I've challenged Ras to find cracks in the streets. The cars here are also very small by American standards, everyone has a small car, and they all seem to have hatchbacks. The average car here gets taxed over 30% and one of these little cars cost around 50K. It's very common for each family to only have one car. Along every road is a perfect sidewalk and well as bike path, and bikers are everywhere. Denmark has committed to stop selling gas vehicles by 2030, which means electric cars and trains are on the horizon. It's fun being in a country that is so conscious and progressive!
Ras' basketball arena is an 8-minute walk from our front door. I made it just in time to see his first professional basketball game. I can tell, it's going to be a fun team to watch! They lost their first game. But they are just starting to gel; they are super athletic and watching Rasmus at point guard is so fun! I'm going to live stream part of his game tomorrow, at least the tip-off and beginning. Tune in 7 AM MST.
It took a while for the jet lag to wear off, I am just about over it. We are 8 hours ahead of Colorado. I was having coffee at 5 PM for the first few days. And it's cloudy here, much like Seattle.
I looked it up today, and the average cost of rent is $1,000 a month, and most people in our town live in an apartment like ours. Lucky for us, Ras' team manager owns our building, and the rent was included in our contract. It's quaint, tidy and up three flights of stairs. I love it! Tour our apartment in less than a minute:
It was a gloomy day, but the town is lush and gorgeous when the sun comes out! As a southwest girl, I am missing my sunshine a bit. I think I am in for it... Denmark winters are seriously chilly and wet! We are just so far North. But I am so excited for this new adventure. Subscribe below to new updates, I'll post another video later this week! Let me know in the comments what you want to see... Tours of town, Ras, euro-lifestyle, etc.
For reference, this is us on google maps--
Amazing to see a former student so grown-up and traveling the world!
WOW! What a nice apartment and what a cute neighborhood! Looks like you guys are settling in nicely!
So very excited for you. Love your writing. The pictures you posted are great. How about your apartment. Is there a downtown area?
Congratulations on your new adventure! Love learning about new places.
I love the photo of the green park...more of that. And let us know the next game live stream.