My first birthday outside of the US and away from friends and family turned out to be MUCH better than expected! I remember when I made the decision to leave the US, which was around the time of my birthday last year, my friend Naz had said to me, "Just think. This time next year, you will be celebrating your birthday, drinking a beer at a cafe in Europe." She was close to being right!
The weekend was full of fun plans! Friday, Rachel and I threw an American birthday party for me at my old apartment. Our European friends love beer pong, flip cup, as well as Jell-O shots, so all were readily available. I had a real 'regulation' beer pong table in the empty room I had in my old apartment (courtesy of my Danish friend Victor), and we were ready to go. The night was so much fun, a great mix of people, and ended around 5am in the morning!
The next afternoon, Rachel and I now sort of have a tradition of eating at our favorite sandwich place (Dee Dee's) and walking in the city center, shopping for an outfit. Not only did we have our favorite sandwiches to eat, but we also managed to get our hands on Cool Ranch Doritos (called Cool American over here!) as well as a Dr. Pepper and a Cherry Coke. Life couldn't be much better!
That night was dinner with my closest girlfriends in Aarhus: Rachel, Nanna, Susanne - and Anne could not make it because she was home in Aars, Denmark, with her family. We went to a new place I had never been to called Olive. It was sort of a French cuisine, and you can bring your own wine. Rachel and I arrived after Nanna and Susanne were there, and in typical Danish style for birthdays, there were Danish flags everywhere on the table!
After dinner, we walked to my good friend and soccer coach (Mathias') parent's place to watch a football match on the big screen. It was a big deal, as it was a World Cup qualifying match, and was Denmark versus Sweden, which is clearly a national rivalry. So it turned out perfectly for me because I love soccer and I love watching sports - so since it was so important to all the Danes to watch the game, we made sure we did. Plus, the night before, I had received an authentic Danish National team football jersey as a gift from the members of my soccer team there - so of course they wanted me to wear it!
We then went to the Side Bar, which is one of my favorite lounges in Aarhus. We met up with my friend and colleague Corey, who runs the ASB Alumni department, is a fellow American, and whose birthday is June 7th as well!
The next morning, Susanne picked me up and had a surprise planned for me. She had prepared a Danish breakfast and birthday cake, and we had a picnic in the deer forest - which is this forest where the animals are just walking around amongst you. She then took me to my soccer game and watched for awhile (she is not a fan of watching, so she did that just for me!). I had a great game, and my soccer girls had made a birthday cake for me as well, and put me in the middle of a circle and sang a Danish birthday song for me. After, Susanne and I went to her home and picked up her boyfriend Kasper. They had to vote for Parliament that day, so I was able to see how the Danes vote (which is very similar to the way we do it, in a school gym or cafeteria, etc, etc). We then picked up some pizzas and went to a beach and had a picnic for dinner. It was a great day - spending a slow day with exactly who I wanted to spend it with - and a fantastic weekend.
Kasper and Susanne by the beach, after we had eaten dinner. They are watching an ant and trying to help it get away with a piece of food :)
The deer forest
The birthday cake Susanne made for me. I have to explain - often times their cakes are not like what we consider a cake - fluffy with icing. This was more flat and sweet with carmellized sugar/cinammon. But the point of this cake is it is a traditional child's birthday cake. It is a little girl, with licorice and candy decorating her, making her eyes, mouth, etc. She has sort-of like licorice strings for hair (yellow was chosen for my hair color), and is adorned with Danish flags (very representative of a birthday). The even funnier part about this? Susanne told me that the first cut always has to be across the neck/throat, and the birthday child has to scream when it happens...so she made me do that! It was so interesting and cultural!
Two of the soccer girls while watching the game: Britt and Chanett
The boys standing up in front of the big screen
Rachel holding up the craziest and heaviest wine glass ever
Susanne and I while watching the game - I am sporting my Danish National team jersey
My AMAZING birthday lunch!
Eating lunch
We saw these driving around town - and figured out what they were later. High school seniors ride around on these for like 2 days after they finish school. They are just screaming and drinking and partying. They start around 6 in the morning, and often times camp outside together somewhere. They make stops at each one of their (parents') homes, where they are hosted for a beer and a snack.
My good soccer friend Line always teases me about the fact that I am ghetto because I am from the states. She is ghetto-fying Lincoln!
One of my soccer coaches, Kanne
Rachel and Mathias, another soccer coach and good friend
My friends Anne, Line and Chanett
The boys, hanging out
Another Line on my soccer team (we call LINE) and Line (we call MADSEN)
Chanett sneaking Lincoln some treats
Up by a loft in my apartment, Rachel prepping for a beer bong - she is good!
Anne helping to clean up the MESS in my kitchen!
Madsen - I was making fun of 1) who she was texting and 2) how long it takes her to write a message
Chanett brought Jell-O shots (which I hate because I hate the consistency of Jell-O), but they think all Americans love them . She didn't have cups, so she made them out of ice cube bags
Two good German friends, Inga and Marc
Where the Danish-American 4th of July celebration is held.
I love this picture
There was a little Indian/pioneer section for kids to play in...my friends were having a nail hammering contest
Go Nebraska!
The flags of the 50 states lined a pathway down into the valley
Where the speakers were - I am glad I went to see what this was like, but it definitely was not what I expected at all. This is the world's largest 4th of July celebration outside of the US, which is kind of cool in itself.
The good group of friends who drove with me to Rebild Bakken for the 4th of July celebration
Søren
I was the king during our card game!
Kenny
Sommerhus 2009
At summer houses and in these little garden houses Danes have, they always raise a Danish flag when they are home. The boys are raising Mathias' red swim trunks instead
Pear cider that Chanett and I were experimenting with
A friend we found in the water
I have never seen a) a jelly fish and b) so many in one place. But apparentely these are good ones that don't sting, and they were all over the beach!
Tess and Chanett taking a dip after our morning run
A skill I am trying to acquire while over here: being able to open bottled beverages with a lighter. I can do it, but I need some practice
Rasmus was making funny riddles out of people's names - which made no sense at all
This is one of my new roommates Line - I now share an apartment with 3 Danish girls
The ASB Communications staff at our Sommer fest (BBQ and party)
A hotel by the sea
My friend Victor and I walked the Sculptures by the Sea exhibition
Me and my sculpture friend
That is an eight ball, and is part of the sculpture exhibit
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