Exploring Aarhus

at the greek buffet...it was decent and the dessert was yummy.
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Aarhus is a great town. It's about the size of Portland but feels much smaller. I have learned how to get around using the public transport system, although I have gotten on the wrong bus a few times...it happens! :)  Many people ride the bus or ride their bicycles. Apparently there are more bikes than cars in Denmark and it is easy to see why. There are bike lanes on every street or bike paths that follow along the busy highways. The bus system is also easy to use. It's clean and def doesn't smell like homeless people, which is the aroma present on many Portland busses.

italian buffet...better than the greek restaurant but no dessert :(
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The people in Denmark are very reserved but also very helpful. Almost everyone speaks English and is able to at least point us exchange students in the right direction. Aarhus is a mix of old and new. Many of the buildings are old brick buildings that fit the stereotypical image of europe. There is a canal that runs through the city center where many restaurants and shops are. The first weekend we were here, there was the Aarhus festival with many different bands playing in the city center every night. At night the city is alive with people...it is almost more packed during the night than during the day. And it's not just young people who are out. People of all ages walk the streets, go to clubs, or just sit outside the restaurants people watching. All of the shops close early (around 5 or 6) here, but many restaurants and night spots are open early into the morning.

Part of my orientation group out to dinner
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The food here isn't that great. The Danish aren't really known for their food. However, they are known for their bakeries. There is some type of bakery on almost every street. They are filled with fresh baked breads, croissants, rolls, and of course some pastries. I have eaten out twice since i have arrived and have so far been unimpressed. Many of the "good" restaurants here center around foreign foods...greek, italian, chinese, french etc. The restaurants with buffets are very popular among the college population since of course it's all you can eat. The beer is also lacking. While slightly better than Coors Light, it definitely doesn't compare to Oregon's many micro-brews.

the canal at night
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My days in Aarhus have been spent going to class and exploring the city. Classes only occur once a week for 1.5 - 2.5 hours. I only have class on Tuesday and Wednesday, which will give me lots of time to travel. The style of teaching is also different. Many of the professors do not teach the subject matter, but rather expect us to learn it on our own before class and then they go over it briefly. My two favorite classes are International Organizations and Markets and International Corporate Finance. In IOM we are currently studying the UN and how it functions within its context and the various organizations attached to it. Finance, of course is interesting, as it covers both my options: International Business and Finance. I am interested in going the corporate finance route and so I am excited to take this class and learn about the international aspect.

Old Catholic church in the center of town. It had some gorgeous old frescos and statues.
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My roommate, Petra, is from Prague, and we get along great. She and I have planned a trip to London in November, which we are both excited about. I have made several new friends here and have made plans with most of them to travel to different parts of Europe. This weekend I will be traveling to Copenhagen to visit my friend Keely, another Oregon State student. It will be my first time using my two month Eurrail pass and once i start, i won't stop until my two months are done.