eight first impressions of denmark

1. Converse all-star shoes—both high- and low-tops in all different colors—are quite popular.  I should have brought my red ones.
2. Danes are ridiculously friendly.  They may not look it off-hand, but so far, if I ask anyone directions, or what something means in English, and they become immediately helpful and kind.  In fact, I asked a Dane for help in the grocery store, and by the end of it, I had an invitation to Sunday brunch, and then we’re going to see some museums.
3. There are a lot of tall, blonde people here.  Like, seriously tall and seriously blonde. 
4. Danes are bicycle crazy.  My bicycle is currently out of order, but Gunner, my landlady’s boyfriend, is in the process of fixing it for me.  He didn’t want me to be riding a bicycle without good tires.  It’ll be ready on Monday—but frankly, I’m terrified!  These people are hard-core. Did you know you can get a bicycle traffic ticket?!?
5. Danish is HARD to speak.  I used to be near-fluent in Spanish, speak a good bit of French, understand some German, learned to speak and understand a little bit of Choctaw and Cherokee, and got by with bits and pieces of Luganda and Acholi when I was in Uganda.  But this Scandanavian stuff had me flummoxed.  In fact, when I tried to learn Danish using a language CD set I borrowed from the library, I just laughed and laughed, and realized I was hopeless.  It’s no better now that I’m here.  I can’t even say the street I live on: Nordborrgade.  We’ll see what a month can do, but I’m not very hopeful…
6. I’ve been in several homes, and they really do look like Ikea!
7. Stuff here is EXPENSIVE!  A meal in a restaurant will run about $40 (USA).  A beer is about $7 (USA).  I got a small jar of organic peanut butter for about $8.50 (USA), and tomatoes at $3.00 a ½ kilo.  
8. Danes LOVE their beer.  And licorice.  I've never seen so much and so many kinds licorice in all my life.  Too bad I don't like licorice—or beer...