Quickly a bit of a recap since I'm so late to start this up.

Having had a bit of a rough year last year with work and university commitments, I took my typical Angus way out of things and decided to travel a bit. By a bit I mean 6 months overseas studying at another university in a country I don't speak the language of. This was all in the hope of reigniting my passion for university again and getting those marks up (slightly ironic since everything I do over here is counted as pass/fail in Australia). So after months of: planning, saving, visa applications, exchange applications, housing applications, scholarship applications, course selection hiccups, AUD$2000 of unexpected and essential car repairs, two bush fire evacuations, and finally 28 hours of travelling... I arrived in Denmark! (15/1/2020)

Cold, dark and dreary was the welcome I receive from Aarhus. Just perfect when compared to the heatwave hell that was the Australia I just experienced. It was nice don my heavy (ski) jacket, thermal underwear and hiking boots and head out into the city I would now come to call home. That first day or so was hard. Having put very little research actually put into the city itself and how Denmark operates I had just assumed that I'd slide in naturally the city and how it works. How wrong I was.

In trying to get to the university to 'check in' I realised how trusting the Danes were. Purchasing a ticket for the Letbanen was through my phone app... Did I need to show anyone the ticket? Did I need to tap it on or off? No, not at all. Just carry it with you on your phone and if (and I repeat, if) a transport officer comes around you show them your app and you're good to go. So far I have probably more that 30 buses and only once have I been asked to show my ticket.

In trying to get into my accommodation in Marselisborg I realised how little the Danes like to explain things. How do I get in? What does this tag do? Where? What? Who? Why? All questions left completely unanswered before I fumbled through the first few tasks and asked every wrong person there was. This has been a continuing thread for me. From finding out how the CPR and NemID system works to trying to organise a language course to join, the sheer lack of written information and clear instruction (even in Danish) has astounded me.

No with all that stuff out of the way and nearly 3 weeks to acclimatise before classes start (yes I was arrived very early compared to many others) I found myself meeting up with other exchange students that had arrived early. Drinking ensued, with cheap Coronas, Tuborg and Ceres Pilsners being the drinks of choice I met up with a myriad of people from all disciplines across the university... Well mostly medicine and business students but hey, you can't be too picky!

Eventually I did meet a few arts students and a group began to form of people in the same welcome events, classes and the all important wish to travel around Europe whilst on exchange. Yes, that does mean that I have found mostly non-Europeans to travel with. Overall, it's been a pretty great few weeks, even when considering the expense, lack of decent coffee, and the bout of a bad cold.

Here's to some more partying, travelling and some classes thrown in the mix.

A note on some future travels:

Currently I am sitting in my dorm room planning my next few months out. Where to go? What to see? and how to... budget?

Next week me and a few exchange buds from Aarhus are heading out of the little city into the big. We are heading to Denmark's largest city and capital, Copenhagen or København as the Danes would say. Spending a few days out there exploring all the city has to offer.

Since Copenhagen is the rival city to Aarhus does this mean I have to pick up the Melbourne - Sydney (- Canberra) debate and make it Danish? I don't know if it's a prerequisite to living here but I'll do it anyway.

We'll see if Copenhagen can sweep me of my feet and convince me that its better than Aarhus... I mean it is going to be Valentines day whilst I'm over there so maybe they'll pull out the big guns and truly impress. There might *Shock Horror* even be a second date... Who knows?

This will be where I start adding photos... Finally got an SD card so I'm ready to go and snap the piccies!