Permission to judge me graciously granted.

Hey! Guess who has two thumbs, is in the university library in an effort to focus on her schoolwork, and would rather be doing just about anything other than working on her archaeological legislation paper?!

(The answer is me.)

(Although, it's bizarre that once I have an unpleasant paper due, somehow all the clutter in my life, both physical and digital, gets cleaned and tidied and taken care of. Rent? Paid. Computer? Defragged and scanned. Old photos? Renamed and filed. Emails? Read and returned. Bizarre, indeed...)

(If you think it sounds like I'm justifying this procrastination, I'd like to know how on earth you got that idea?)

(For reasons that currently evade my comprehension, I am beginning to suspect this blog has become completely superfluous now I've started grad school. Check back next month after the Copenhagen trip for actual content.)

(Hehe... "content." On this blog?)

Solo Bike Ride

I live for Pancake Sundays

As I mentioned in my last post, I fear that I have less to say now that amazing European adventures no longer occur on a daily basis. Don't get me wrong: it's no exaggeration to say that every day is something new. But not everyone finds my classes (which include GIS modeling, Bronze-Age Mediterranean ship construction, and prehistoric Danish coastal economies) nor my daily adjustments to life abroad (from corn, bizarrely, being found on Danish pizza, all the way to the deplorable lack of spring mattresses) half as fascinating or noteworthy as I do.

Nevertheless, for those loyal loved ones who do visit my humble corner of the internet tubes to see what I am up to, I thought I'd describe my daily life in general now that I've been here three weeks and have settled into some semblance of a schedule.

I have classes once a day on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, and twice on Thursdays. But don't let all that "free time" fool you as it did me. There is a ton of studying and research for which I am responsible outside of class. I promised not to gush about Egyptian intuitive and innovative design in ship construction (would that I could...); suffice to say that my classes are both exciting and exhausting.

As far as life outside of class goes, it's been very difficult to balance studying with socializing. I'm sure I've mentioned that I live in a house with three other MAP ladies, in a cul-de-sac with identical houses, all for students (including but not limited to students attending Southern Denmark University like me). The majority of my fellow students also live here at Hedelundvej, which means our free time is frequently spent with one another. Family-style dinners have quickly become a daily occurrence, with a different chef and location every night, leading to the necessity of a dinner calendar. For example, the night before last Alex and his girlfriend Mari, both from Belgium, made shrimp scampi, and tonight, Natalia, who hails from the Orkney Islands, is making us macaroni and cheese. Sunday afternoon brunch is always held right here at my house, where my roommate Sylvia (a third-year from England) makes a pile of pancakes for upwards of ten people. Pancake Sundays are my personal favorite.

The main form of transportation around here is bicycle. Only one guy in the MAP brought his car, and the rest of us either walk, bike, or take the bus. Michael found an abandoned, unlocked woman's bike in his shed (we all have lockable outdoor sheds) and he has three male roommates, so I claimed it for my own. It required a bit of repair (it had a punctured tube and crooked back wheel) but one grumpy old bicycle-mechanic and 200 DKK ($40) later, I had myself a perfectly acceptable bike. Since I acquired it, I've cycled every day to school, which takes about twenty minutes. It's been a rainy couple of weeks, which has made for some unpleasant rides, but after riding a scooter for almost three years in all kinds of inclement weather, it's really not so bad. One of my roommates, Dimitra, also got herself a bike, so I have a cycle-buddy to and from school most days.

Every day it gets better. I am so happy to be here, because the more I learn about the field of maritime archaeology and what jobs are available, and what those jobs require, I feel more confident that I am in the right place. My intensive dry-suit diving course (separate from my graduate studies but absolutely mandatory to work in this field) is four weeks long, and begins after the first semester ends, in mid-November. You heard me right, people, I will be diving in Denmark and northern Germany in the depths of winter. Totally insane... or totally invigorating!? (hangs head... just insane... I know...)

Another week down

Classes started last Thursday, so by now I've had each class at least once. It's really bizarre to be back in school after taking such a long break, and it's been quite difficult to force myself back into be-quiet-and-pay-attention mode. I'm enrolled in three classes this semester: "Man & Sea" (human interaction with the ocean throughout history), "Archaeological Management" (federal and international legislation applying to archaeology), and "Methods in Archaeology" (mapping, modeling, global positioning, etc).

As classes go into full swing and I settle into a routine (more or less), I'm predicting that noteworthy anecdotes will become fewer and farther between. No one wants to hear about my presentation on Bronze-Age ship construction in Egypt for "Man & Sea" (although if you do, you're in for a real treat: I can expertly describe unpegged mortise-and-tenon jointing styles, internal transverse lashing to avoid hull penetration, and shell-first formation that characterized Egyptian boat construction at the time!).

Esbjerg and Fanø

The second- and third-years (technically there is no such thing as a third-year student in a two-year program; they are simply second-years who haven't finished their theses yet) have been beyond outstanding at making our first days here as fun and easy as possible. When I mention these seasoned veterans, I am only speaking about MAP (Maritime Archaeology Program) students. As far as I've experienced, the program is very insular. Among the twenty or so people I've befriended as of yet, only one guy comes from outside of the program. Michael is an Erasmus student from Austria and lives with Alex and Max, two guys in MAP. Because he lives with two MAP boys and because he is awesome, he has been integrated into our group of maritime friends. He's worried that he won't have time to make friends within his own program, and I shush him up and tell him he doesn't need other friends. Psh, other friends... please...

Two second-years, David and Xenius, planned a lovely outing that had us spending all day Saturday out in the sunshine. The Danish weather cooperated beautifully with us that day--it was hazy, so, warm and sunny but not scorching. We started at the square in downtown Esbjerg and David showed us the museum, the main pedestrian street (one particular cobblestone street is inlaid with small lights between the stones that mirror how the stars appeared in the sky on January 1st, 2001, which I thought was pretty cool), the student recreation center, etc.

Then we took a short ferry ride to the island of Fanø. The island is very small but incredibly sweet and super-Danish. Xenius told us the island used to be a big ship-building center and we saw figureheads decorating several of the small, colorful houses.

We stopped at a small store and loaded up on picnic supplies, then sprawled on the grass and enjoyed lunch with a view of the harbor and a hazy Esbjerg across the water. From left to right, that's Mo and Dimitra (both my roommates) and Caroline (a sweet second-year from Sweden). I only noticed the cannon pointed directly at Caroline's head when I posted this picture.

We walked about two kilometers (a little more than a mile) to Fanø Bad after we finished lunch. The beach stretched for miles in either direction. The road led right onto the beach, and cars and buses drive on the beach. There are even bus-stops right on the sand.

 

We had to walk for another five minutes or so to get to the water, but it was worth it. The warm haze, wet sand, and cool water were perfect.

Michael, our honorary MAP student, even came with us. Now I think about it, with all the time he spends with us, he may be correct in thinking he might not make any friends in his own program. But look how much fun he's having with us!

After sitting and basking in the sun, we walked back to catch the ferry back to town. I do like ferries.

Sorry for the hiatus...

Mini-post to show that I'm still here!


This was taken at the only coffee house in all of Esbjerg. I'd forgotten that the food culture in Denmark is dramatically different than food culture in the States, especially compared with foodie-heaven Portland. Danish food consists of potatoes, fish (all kinds of fish prepared in all kinds of ways), rye bread, and lots of cheese. Delicious, but not very conducive to variation. We've (the other students and I) have learned to cobble together a mix of Danish food and re-created dishes from our respective countries.

I've been here in Esbjerg for a little over a week now, except it feels like a month. In comparison to my general outlook on life the night I arrived, things have improved considerably. Not in small part to the fact that everyone here has been so friendly, helpful, and approachable (my first day here, the morning after the pub, a third-year whom I'd never met named Amanda breezed into my house, lit a cigarette, and asked me if I was ready to go. "Go...?" I said. "Yes, go. We're going to get you ladies some phones and some bedsheets.") But also because I've tried to relaxed a little, skyped with my parents, unpacked some of my stuff, and toured the campus a little bit. In essence, I've settled in, something I should have allowed myself to do before falling to pieces in the first five minutes.

Job number one was going to get my residence card, which is the kind of visa for which I was approved. I had a hard time explaining to the second- and third-years my feeling of urgency, but they didn't know that I did not receive a stamp on my passport upon entry into Denmark. That used to be the norm, but now foreign nationals (who have been approved for a residence permit, like I have) must go to the civil service ("borgerservice" in Danish) and register in person. I went armed with my letter of approval and my passport, and the woman assisting me even found my information from the last time I was in Denmark! I have a CPR-number (which is like a social security number) and am covered by the Danish social security system! Having my yellow card (or temporary piece of paper, anyway) is a huge relief.

Yesterday the second-years took us first-years around Esbjerg, and then on a ferry to the island of Fanø. We spent the afternoon walking the island and seeing the beach there. Post to come with pics! In closing: a Danish outlet is a happy outlet: