i 'm a gangsta

I have had a good few days over here.  On Monday night I had an authentic Danish meal.  My orientation leader, Katrine, invited me over for supper.  I helped her cook a bit and it was soooo amazing just hanging out with a girlfriend and talking.  We made mashed potatoes (YUM) and this cool 'gravy' that consisted of shredded beef, cream, onions, mushrooms, some kind of cool Danish seasoning, and water.  Her dad used to make it all the time when she was growing up, so she thought it would be a good one to show me.  She also had a few other things that she made me try with the beef gravy and mashed potatoes.  Its common in Northern Denmark (where she is from) to eat meat and potatoes with jam, or fruit.  (Kind of like we eat cranberry sauce with turkey)- anyway, I tried a fruit that is like a beet with the food, and I tried it with jam... and actually, it was pretty delicious with this special jam.  Mmmm!!  It was so delicious, I ate SO MUCH.  It was one of my favorite nights since I have arrived, because we spent about 3 hours just visiting and talking about nothing.  It was so comfortable and easy-- I loved it.  

Last night was also suuuuuper fun.  After my Danish language course (which I HATE!) I rode home with Iris, a girl from the building beside me... in her cool 'smart car'... I then had supper with her and another girl from Germany, & a guy from France.  We later walked to a bar for karaoke.  I walked my bike there so I could come home whenever I wanted.  I started the night singing Gangsta's Paradise by Coolio.  Everyone was really impressed that I know all the words by heart.  The Canadians especially thought it was funny that the North Dakota girl is the one who go on stage and rapped.  I sang a lot of songs with a bunch of awesome people and it was a really really fun night.  I biked home (I got lights! whoo!) and it was awesome.  Biking rules... its so easy to get around at night and I have no reason to be scared... it would be difficult for a person to attack me at night while I am zipping around on my sweet ride.  

Tonight I have another dinner date with a Danish friend, Sisse, who is coming to the grocery store with me to help me buy things.  (My food is limited by the words I understand because even the packaging is confusing here.)  

I have no idea why our Danish instructor isn't teaching us useful things like food, numbers and tourist questions like, "How much is this?  What time is it? Where is this..." ... I am learning junk like, "Hund sidder por avis" - Dog sits on newspapers.  Useful huh??

Here is something nice to know though--  "Hav en god dag!!"  Have a good day. :)  Its the only sentence that looks like you could figure out what it means without knowing Danish.