Almost two months!

So it is October which should mean rainy, cold and grey weather with sweaters and big boots, but here in San Diego I’m still wearing my sandals and tanktops and regret every time I forget to bring my sunglasses. I’ve only seen rain a single time since I got here and that was yesterday. But except from the weather I’ve started getting used to everyday life here. The days are just passing by and starts looking pretty ordinary. I already feel that I’ve improved my English a lot – I’m not that much better than when I arrived, but I’ve learned to just talk without thinking about that I’m actually talking a foreign language, so thumbs up J

The school is also going pretty well. I haven’t really found anybody yet, that I could call a true friend, but I try to keep up and take everything with a smile and then just believe that it’ll come someday.
In class I’m actually doing well. I’m proud of how much I understand and my grades are not that bad – even though it’s not really important to me this year, I’m still happy about it.

The past month I haven’t been doing any big revolutionary things, but it had been a good time though. I have settled down and got to know my family better, which have only been positive. I’ve been at my first baseball game ever, which was a huge step closer to become a true American, because what is more American than baseball? J Else I’ve been going to the beach a couple of times – yes it’s still possible until the end of September! – visited my grandparents at their wonderful ranch and next week my organization, CHI, have planned a trip to Los Angeles. I’m so excited! We’re going to Hollywood, Universal Studio and the beloved Disneyland, which is a place I’ve dreamed of since I saw the first commercial of the place,  as the intro to “Aristocats”.

People have asked me a lot of questions about Denmark – some more intelligent than others. For example did I get the question “Do you have cars and television in Denmark?” and another day I said as a joke that I still believed in Santa Claus, which ended with, that a girl came and asked me if everyone in Denmark did that… Irony and sarcasm isn’t really an American thing. The most asked questions is “Do you like the States so far?” which I can only answer with a yes. Then it is always followed by the question “Is it very different here?” which I need to answer with a no, because even though I’m almost at the other side of the Earth, life is actually pretty similar.

A big difference, though is the food. The Americans have some different eating habits, which was something I already knew, but it’s still doesn’t make it easier to eat salad and peas without a knife. We’re also often going out for dinner and are eating burgers, hotdogs etc. It’s funny to go to some of those fast food places – I can tell that SmashBurgers is pretty good – and then find 80 years old ladies eating their dinner here. And then the dinner isn’t important as it is in Denmark either – if nobody isn’t really hungry we just skip dinner or eat an apple… And then at last everything is pre-made or “package” food – after all I’m in America.

Some other differences are:

• ·         We drive A LOT more here. If you want to get somewhere, you drive. I’m the only, kind of crazy peron who tries to bicycle San Diego.
• ·        People are actually looking forward to rain!
• ·       You can get refill on almost every restaurant
• ·         All walls are painted. A wall is not white, but yellow, blue, red or whichever color you like.
• ·         1/3 of my class speaks Spanish at home and comes from Mexico.
• ·         People have the funniest last names. My personal favorite so far is Giggleburger.

I hope you’re all well, back in Denmark!

Love Marie