My first blog post in all its glory.

My first update from this adventure.

Let's see, it's been a week, so far I've managed to cut a dish towel into pieces that can be used as dishcloths (shh! don't tell anyone!), almost got caught for stealing daffodils (so not worth jail time!), cut into an electric wire in order to make it fit my adapter, and the list goes on...

My reasons for choosing to study abroad are countless. I wanted to be on my own in foreign country, I wanted to experience student life as an exchange student, I wanted to learn about a different culture, I wanted to practice my English...as I said countless. After being here a week these reasons still stand, despite being met by a horrific apartment that I'm supposed to call "home", even though I think that the multiple bugs already call it "home".

The tiny apartment that is my home now is really something else entirely. Imagine Gordon Ramsey's Kitchen Nightmares and add a blue sofa covered in suspiscious looking white stains (don't blush, you totally know what I mean!), a carpet looking like something died on it and then evolution did its thing and the abhorrent smell, then you have a pretty clear picture of my new home.
I live across the hospital, where my placement will be. So as far as location in extention to the placement, it's very great. The area I live in houses only hospital staff, so there are plenty of nurses, doctors, porters, etc. around. But I'm -apart from Sarah- the only exchange student, and I have yet to meet someone near my own age range. Apparently Eastbourne is the place for retirement, so I've seen tons of elderly people, maybe even more elderly people in one week than I've ever seen in Denmark. 

But let me just say that I was lucky to get this far. Upon arriving at Gatwick Airport I had to fill out some documentation about my stay here, because of my lack of a European passport. So I was met by this scary-looking dude, who started quizzing me about my stay here, my reasons for coming here and my life back home. Suffice to say that this 3rd degree, or what actually felt like the Spanish Inquisition, got me quite nervous. I mean, the dude could've given me a break, considering he was a foreigner himself - isn't there some sort of code, Foreigners Unite? Anywho, after sweating buckets I got the clear and I was in.

...here are two feel-good-stories about how Sarah and I apparently left our IQ's at home...

Our first breakfast consisted of eggs and the driest bread known to man (I've never felt the need for more saliva, before eating that particular loaf of bread!) We were very excited...that was until we found out that there wasn't any salt or pepper. I cannot begin to say what we were possibly thinking, while we stood in the aisle of Sainsbury's (our new favourite grocery shop!), why would we buy eggs and not buy salt and pepper...that meal made me feel like I was in prison and given the scenary of my new home, it was a definite prison vibe!

In an attempt to make our new home more homely, we decided to buy candles, scented candles none the less,  when we got home, we put the candles on the table and then we just took a minute to stare and acknowledge our  brilliance, until it hit us, that we didn't have any matches or even a lighter...should've taken up smoking! 

Got yourself a good laugh on our behalf? Maybe even pitied us a bit and took comfort in our misery? Yeah, I figured you would, heck I would too!

I start my internship tomorrow, at a surgical ward that deals with general surgery. I'm very stoked to see how it will turn out. The shifts are 12 hours long, that's going to be challenging in more ways than one...hopefully I'll get through the day in one piece!

On a final note, a week in and I don't regret coming here, despite all of the above, but I would recommend going and studying in a bigger city, or you just might end up snatching a sugar daddy!

-xoxo-