Week 1 (Fri 13th - Sun 22nd Jan 2012)

This is my first blog entry and the end of my first week in Vordingborg and what a week it has been!  The previous two weeks, before embarking on this journey, were spent with my family and friends quizzing me about what the ERASMUS experience would consist of and to be honest the only expectations I had were that I would be doing Stranmillis University over in the Vordingborg campus.  I tried not to think too much about missing the comforts of home and leaving behind friends and family.  Instead I focused on getting paperwork and Stranmillis exam revision done as my exams were on 9^th and 11^th of January (two days before my flight to Copenhagen); so I didn’t have time to dwell!

Luckily my friends and family gave me a send-off the night before I left; wished me luck and equipped me with many inspirational cards, letters, photos and photo books, so that I could bring a piece of them and home with me.  I appreciate having these things here as I have made our new apartment homely and comforting with a collage on my wall.   Fionnuala and Trisha have said they wish they had brought things with them, however they were perhaps more practical in their packing of nambarrie teabags, tayto cheese and onion crisps and almond snap biscuits!

 We began our journey to Dublin airport at 7.15am on Fri 13^th Jan.  We all said our final goodbyes to parents, got on the plane and woke up at Copenhagen airport.  There we were greeted by the hero of the day Soren (a previous Danish exchange student that came to Stran in 1^st semester).  We were welcomed in true Danish style with a waving Danish flag each! Soren drove us from Copenhagen to Vordingborg (1hour 30minutes drive) and we were never so thankful as he ensured we were safe and settled into the apartment.  He helped with our luggage and he was able to translate our queries to Trine our Danish tutor before he left.  Fionnuala and I share a room; including 2 single beds, a kitchenette and bathroom.  Trish has another room and may be sharing with a Turkish student, due to arrive later.  The accommodation is quite modern and spacious, however, we have to get used to living, eating and sleeping all in the one room!

Trine gave us a tour of Vordingborg and the supermarkets the next day, which didn’t take long at all.   The Danish people in shops seem very friendly, although sometimes the language can be a barrier.  We often find ourselves playing charades to explain what we are looking for! The remainder of this week was spent food shopping during the day and watching DVDs in the evenings. 



Overlooking the harbour in Vordingborg.

The highlight of this week was our train trip to a shopping centre in Roskilde; where on our way back to Vordingborg took the wrong train and where informed by this Danish man and conductor lady that we were two islands away (4 hours) from Vordingborg and were heading towards Sonnderborg (near Germany!).  We got off  the train at Kolding and were guided by a conductor lady to our next train and she told us to follow her into First Class! We couldn’t believe how lucky we were and how friendly the Danish train staff were; they offered us free oranges, nuts, chocolate, tea and water and we weren’t charged for trains back to Vordingborg.  We didn’t get home until 2am and the next morning and we discovered just how far we had travelled that night on googlemaps (shocking!). I am looking forward to many more memorable, humorous and spontaneous experiences while we’re here!