I thought people in Montana were friendly, but they might be rivaled by the Australians. Everyone is so incredibly friendly here. Back home, we will smile at each other when passing in the street, offer directions if someone looks lost, or occasionally pay for someone’s ice cream at Big Dipper. Here, they go above and beyond any people I’ve met in all my travels.

The people I work with are especially great. They immediately took Myelle and me in, treating us like we’ve been here for years. The players took a little bit more time, but they’re warming up to us pretty quickly. On our very first day, the other trainers offered to drive us back to the train station so we wouldn’t have to take the bus. They’ve continued to do so ever since. One night Lou Lou, one of the physio students, even drove us all the way back to the city.

Our first day we were trying to get to Joondalup, we got horribly lost with the buses. Luckily a girl at the station took an interest in us and helped get us all the way to the arena. She even came on the bus with us to make sure we got there ok even though it wasn’t the bus she needed. A selfless stranger.

A similar thing happened on the train home one night. We kept going out what we thought was the wrong exit (found out a week later it actually was the right one), and a guy we met on the train pointed us in the right direction. We thought it was still the wrong exit, but later figured out it was right. Again, selfless stranger.

The past two nights have been the icing on the cake. Last night, Sam asked if we wanted a ride to the station. Like usual, we accepted. Then she decided she might as well take us to the Edgewater station, which is closer to the city. In the car, she asked if we wanted to come over to meet her two super fluffy huskies. Then we could see what a “real” Australian house is like. Ummm… of course!!!

At Sam’s house we met her gorgeous poofy dogs, during which she asked if we wanted to try Milo, a Nesquick-type mix that we had been talking about at training. We would love to! The Milo was delicious, like a milky type of hot chocolate. While we enjoyed our drinks, Sam and her boyfriend were making dinner. Then she asked if we wanted to join for dinner! Gah! Too nice!

After dinner, on our way out the door, Sam even asked if we wanted to borrow any movies or some of her training books. We happily obliged; her books will be really helpful in the future. On the way to the station, Sam decided to drive us to Warwick instead of Edgewater, which is even closer to the city. When we got there, she even asked if we had money for the train.

Ridiculous! I can’t believe we’ve only known her for three weeks, and Sam is already treating us like we’ve been friends for years. I love it. I feel so at home here and it’s all thanks to people like her and the other trainers.

Today was also pretty great in terms of fantastic people. The Falcons had a bye week; our next game is the Foxtel Cup on Tuesday, then South Freo next Sunday. Instead, today I was the trainer for two amateur teams. First was the colts, and happily we didn’t have any injuries! The other team managed to have one player possibly strain his Achilles, and another knocked out his front tooth. Glad I wasn’t with them.

On a side note, it was so incredibly cold out today. It was raining cats and dogs, and on top of that it was windy. Not a good day to be standing outside as a trainer. I’m pretty sure I had as much water in my shoes as there was on the field.

The second game was for a group called the Thirds. They are older guys, so a lot of strapping was needed. I taped my first shoulder! I was shaking the whole time (maybe that was just because I was freezing). Later in the game, we even had a concussion! It was exciting, minus the player asking the same questions over and over. Stupid memory loss.

Anyway. Back to awesome people. The other girl who was a trainer for the teams today was Jade. She’s my age, and has about the same level of experience as me, so we were both a little freaked out by the huge amount of memory loss of the concussed guy. Jade gave me a ride not only to the second game, but also all the way back to my apartment in the city. Quite the trek. The two players she gave a ride to too were also great and fun to hang out with.

I think we could learn a lot from this sort of behavior. Everyone in America is so wrapped up in their own business that we don’t bother with anyone else. It’s little things like driving someone to the station that build a relationship that will last once the person leaves. It really does make a difference in that person’s life. We just need to start noticing the people around us, and take an interest in them as an actual person, not just what they can do for us.

I decided I would dedicate a post to Aussies. Very interesting people. They speak English, so you would think they wouldn’t be too difficult to understand.

WRONG!

Not only do they have a thick accent that sounds like mumbling a lot of the time, they have different names for things. They shorten all words possible. And they talk really fast. Happily I’ve had some experience with thick accents (Ireland got my brain working on that wavelength) so I’ve been able to pick up the lingo a bit; Myelle… not so much. We’ve kind of just left the talking to me.

First the naming things. Australians are very similar to the English in some ways: they call the car trunk the boot, fries are chips, the TV the tele, soccer cleats are boots, and sweaters and jackets are jumpers. The accent here in Perth is also strongly influenced by the British accent. It’s nothing like what you hear in those Outback Steakhouse commercials. They actually call that a “bogan” accent, which is comparable to our hick accent.

A hard one for us to learn was the difference between an arcade, a mall, and a shopping centre. An arcade is like an alleyway that branches off from a main shopping street with more shops, not a place to play Pac Man. A mall is a large grassy area like a park, not somewhere middle school kids hang out to look cool. And a shopping centre is where you actually do your shopping. I kept wanting to say we were headed to the mall after work, but I really wanted to go to the shopping centre. Myelle also keeps saying fries instead of chips.

Another weird one I’ve found is bell peppers. They don’t call them that here. I found some in the grocery store, but they were labeled capsicans. I thought it was some fancy type of bell pepper. Turns out that’s what they call them here. My head trainer Jess giggled when I said bell pepper.

A big one I had to pick up is the word hey. They don’t use it like we do, or not nearly as much. When they say hey, they actually are asking what, like I didn’t hear you. I could be talking to Jess, and if she didn’t quite hear what I said, she would look up and go “Hey?” I was completely confused by that for the longest time.

A huge thing here is to shorten words. This has been the hardest thing to get over. Australian accents are said to be lazy: they use a slackened jaw, and parse all their words. One of the first places we saw this was at our first footy match last weekend. There was a guy in the crowd that kept yelling “Con West.” Jess explained after the game that it was a shortened version of “Come on West Perth.” Completely different.

They call McDonald’s mackers. Even in the commercials! The Reserves Falcons team are called the ressies. A presentation is a preso. They shorten devastated to devo. They also shorten Australia all the way down to ‘strala. There’s a lot more that I can’t think of right now; might update later on.

It’s been fun getting to learn all the different ways people speak. From Kenya to Ireland to Australia, everyone is so different, yet a little bit the same all at once. I’ve noticed I’ll start slipping into a little bit of an Aussie accent when I’m around a lot of them. Maybe I’ll have a good one by the time I leave! (fingers crossed)

One week in Germany seemed to short of a trip to explore its cities, yet it was long enough for me to appreciate the amalgam of both old world features and 21^st century characteristics. With a thriving economy and one of the founding members of the European Union, Germany was the perfect place to visit and learn about how businesses thrive in Germany, in comparison with the U.S. Our stay and travels were limited to the south-western part of Germany, staying in Wiesbaden and visiting cities such as Frankfurt, Neckarsulm, Rhineland-Palatinate, Baden-Wurttemberg, and many other small towns in between.            

Our host, the EBS Universität Business School, meticulously organized a one week schedule packed with company tours, site visits, lectures taught by German professors, and plenty of travel and sight-seeing in between. Day one was started off with an intense German survival course from 10 am to 1pm, and with less than 30 minutes to eat and hop on the train towards Frankfurt to visit Deutsche Bundesbank, the Central Bank of the Federal Republic of Germany for a speech and a tour of its Money Museum. Afterwards we were able to sight-see most of Frankfurt with our professor as our guide.              

Day two started with a one hour bus ride to Neckarsulm to visit the Audi car manufacturer. It was amazing to see how clean and organized the AUDI plant was and how efficient they were in manufacturing these luxury cars in a timely manner. Afterwards we were transferred to Heidelberg for some free time exploring of the castle and town.

Day three was an all lecture day focused on supply chain management methodology used in Germany. We also participated in a “Beer Game” simulation where we played the parts of distributors, wholesalers, manufacturers, and retailers. After an all-day lecture we were treated with dinner at a well-known microbrewery and pub in Eisgrub in Mainz.

Day four was a public holiday, Christi Himmelfahrt, which according to our professor is the equivalent to the U.S.’s Father’s Day. That day was spent on a Rüdesheim Boat tour that took us sightseeing of all the small castles located along the river. Our last location was hiking to Burg Rheinstein castle for lunch and a tour of the castle.

Day five, the last day, was spent with a half day lecture of Retailing in Europe. Case studies such as Wal-Mart and Euro Disneyland were used as main examples of the troubles U.S. companies have had trying to grow in Europe. Some were not as successful, such as Wal-Mart in Germany, due to various factors that were discussed during class. Lastly the day was spent visiting Eberbach Abbey with a tour of the monetary and wine tasting. The tour was focused on the business aspect of the monetary and how through the centuries it had survived financially, such as being a wine cellar business for the monks to now being a location for wedding or business receptions along with hosting wine tastings.

All in all, this experience was full of activity and a lot of learning of just how different Germany is from the U.S. Cultural differences and different methods of operation were the main focus of this trip, which opened my perspective on international business to a whole different level. I learned that these differences are so important to consider that if disregarded, companies can fail in these international markets due to avoidable ignorance. I also noticed throughout this week that there was not a single empty bottle lying around the streets. The Germans have a thing for recycling both plastic and glass bottles. According to our professor, there is a deposit fee paid for each bottle purchased. So, if businesses want to keep that deposit, they have to return it to their distributor. I am assuming that fee must be high if it gets many to recycle.

I cannot believe how quickly my ten weeks in Africa has been, in less than one week I will get on a plane headed towards home. I know I will miss this gorgeous country and the culture I have been immersed in. However, the only thing the settles me is knowing that my time in Africa is not over, I will come back to this wild and free place again. In fact I plan to in the next five years as part of my Peace Corps requirement, if everything goes as planned.

In the last few weeks I have experienced more than I thought I ever would. I have traveled up to the Eastern Cape to swim with whales, dolphins and sharks. I have eaten traditional Xhosa meals and seen traditional African dance. I have explored the rural and very poor communities of Port St. Johns and Coffee Bay. I have fallen even more in love with this culture and the land.

At work, I have had the opportunity to visit SACLA (South African Christian Leadership Assembly), which is a home based healthcare organization. Working with these Carers has been an incredible experience and I have learned a great deal in only the week and a half that I have been there. Everyone is so friendly and willing to teach me about their work and the clients they see. This organization runs alongside the hospitals and treats clients who are class three, meaning that they are either bed ridden or cannot get to the hospital for some reason. The Carers at SACLA visit these clients and deliver their medication, administer check ups, and facilitate support groups for ARV treatment. Their success is due to the networks they have within their own communities on a personal and professional level. It is so empowering to see how well received this organization is in the community and the connections they make.

In  my days working with these Carers I went on home visits around Site B, Khayelitsha to meet with five different clients and give them health checkups while delivering their medication. I also visited a sort of Wellness center in which elders from the community gather at during the day for social reasons as well as healthcare reasons and the security of having someone else take care of them rather than being alone. SACLA comes once or twice a week and gives them exercises to do, however this is hard in the winter due to the weather and its complications with arthritis. However, simply having the resource of health professionals who visit is a great opportunity to these elders to ask questions about their health and how to be healthier.

I have seen that through these informal educational sessions, the most that Carers focus on relates to debunking myths around diseases and other health problems. I have learned that someone has been telling people in the community wrongs about diabetes, ulcers, and other diseases. They had thought that if you have diabetes you can never eat sugar again, or that if you have relations with someone who is diabetic you can get diabetes, or that if you pee in a pineapple the woods you will be cured. I also had questions asked about ulcers such to the point that they had been told that if you decrease fiber intake you will decrease chance of ulcers, which is actually not true about ulcers either.

I have gained so much insight into the healthcare problems in South Africa from these past ten weeks that I wish I could stay longer. But I know that I will be back in Africa again and experiencing more of this amazing land and intriguing culture.

The past month in Finland has been basically filled with caterpillars. Every day I go to Oulu University and check on different caterpillar species. They line trays upon trays in their little cup homes. What I have to do is check and see if any of the caterpillars have pupated, if they have I date them and if they haven’t I change their leaves, dirt and water. It was fairly busy at the beginning I would be working with these caterpillars for eight hours usually but sometimes the hours stretched to twelve. Now, however, the hours have cut down to a range of one to three hours since they are almost all pupated.

The light has followed this pattern it was like the day at midnight at the beginning of the summer. It has now started to darken. The dark has become a weird thought to me. But I will have to get used to it again quickly as I leave for a trip to Germany with one of my flat-mates. We will be spending a couple of days in Stuttgart with one of her parent’s friends. It should be a lot of fun especially since we’re running out of time to explore. We leave for the next course on August 4^th and that will last until the time we leave. All and all Finland has been a fun experience thus far, can’t wait to see Germany.

My time in Denmark has come to a close…I’m now back in the States and already missing the home I made Aarhus. How strange to feel homesick for the people and place I have only known for 5 months. It doesn’t really feel as if I studied abroad, but rather just moved somewhere new to give myself a fresh start. Aside from school I had a job, favorite coffee shops and art galleries, and found a beautiful little anarchist/vegan/art community house to live at when things got too damn expensive to stay in my apartment. Never did I expect to so quickly find a niche. It would have been easy to just stay and live there, but I guess it would be just as easy to go back. A tip to all travelers, Denmark is a friendly place for absolutely everyone..and the summertime is filled with art and music festivals (and you get awesome perks if you volunteer for them). 

What I liked most about Denmark, though, is that it is nothing like the States. I thought, before coming, that it may not be so culturally different as I had wanted and maybe Spain or Eastern Europe would have given me a better experience. Yes, it is a highly modern, Western country, but aside from that there are many aspects of American culture that Danes just can’t wrap their heads around. Like not knowing what a healthy diet is. Most Danes are very health-conscious and active. Or having to pay for healthcare and school. Marriage has been a right for EVERYONE since 2012–before that, same-sex couples could get registered partnerships. Most of the country is Atheist, but if you want to practice your religion, hell, go ahead as long as you don’t push it on anyone else or bring it into government. Most people take 1-4 years off and travel before going to University. Family and close friendships are highly valued as well as self-care and ensuring your own personal happiness. When the clock hits 5, you are done with work and no one would expect or demand you work longer. Never once while working at the bar did I hear someone complain about working. Bosses and employees, students and teachers, are all equals. In fact, it is highly looked down upon for anyone to think or act as if they are better than anyone else. There are no box stores or large shopping malls.  And although things are expensive, people don’t buy a lot of things. They spend money once on something nice and useful and take care of it long-term. You can take a bus or train almost anywhere, no matter how rural, but hitch-hiking is safe and relatively easy. And you can drink openly on the streets.

That was kind of a hodgepodge of information, but you get the idea. And it’s not just policies and lifestyles that make it different, the entire mindset is radically different from that in the States. It’s really something you have to experience to understand and even in the end I was finding something new about the Danes most every day.

They definitely fare well in the welfare state. I don’t think it’s the place I would want to spend the rest of my life…but if you are looking for some peace of mind and a place where you can just be, Denmark will give you just that. 

Vi ses to all I left behind, see you someday soon.

Bring on the sunshine!

This weekend (and past few days) the sun came out to stay and warm our winter bones. Perfect timing as it was the weekend of Hjort fest–a small outdoor festival held at one of the eco communities I am writing about. The community itself, Andelssamfundet (yea, i know…), is of about 150 people in all age ranges. Houses or apartments are either owned, partially owned, or rented so it’s pretty accessible to all financial capacities. There’s a lot to say about the history of it but I’ll probably bore you geeking out on it….

What’s really special though is its program for mentally handicapped people. One of the housing groups is dedicated for young men with varied abilities who are able to live and work in the community. The goal is to provide social interaction and participation for the men while finding them jobs that they are happy and successful in doing. Though the festival started so the community could raise money to buy a pice of land, Hjort fest is now held yearly to raise money for this housing group (also its super fun and Danes love any reason to party).

It was a bit unfortunate that I was totally exhausted from exams/moving out/Distortion (a festival I went to in Copenhagen that’s called distortion for a very good reason…ay). Most of the weekend I just enjoyed the music and sunshine while trying to give my brain a rest. I volunteered cooking with Folkenkoken—this vegetarian “people’s kitchen” some friends and I go to in Aarhus. A lot of the food was donated and everyone was really creative in making some awesome meals! There was also homemade ice cream made there at the community…damn.

But the best part of course was the music…because when Danes drink, they dance, and all the different ages/types of people made for a beautiful mess of happy, groovin’ people. For as small as the festival was, there were 3 stages with totally unique atmospheres and a bit of something for everyone. I really have to hand it to all the people who planned Hjort fest for creating a small little paradise in their backyard. EVERYTHING was decorated and given life in some way. Colorful crochets wrapped around the trees, fairly lights in the forest, paintings hug on the fence in front of the cows, flowers planted in old shoes, anything funky and fun you could imagine was there.

If anyone is interested in learning about the community itself please ask! In many ways, the Danes do it right and we could take a few notes from them 🙂

A little late on the blog posts…but here it goes. Time here in Denmark has gone so quickly! I would say it’s been a whirlwind adventure, but Denmark is too relaxed for that. It’s been more of a cozy–or hygge–time. For those of you who don’t know anything about Denmark, hygge is probably the most important thing to learn. Like most Danish words, it sounds nothing like it is spelled and is pronounced “who-gae”, or “hue-gah”.  There’s no real translation for it in English, but basically its spending a really intimate, cozy time with friends or family that involves a lot of candles. Or really just enjoying the pleasure of doing things not matter how simple they are. Which is probably one of the reasons Denmark is considered the happiest country on Earth.

Soooo…is Denmark the happiest country in the world? That’s what we’re all wondering here, isn’t it? Well yes, and no…I think. It’s hard to say really because my experience has been surprising and rewarding in so many ways that I, of course, have been very happy here. But to say that everyone in Denmark is “happier” would be an oversimplification of how it got that reputation in the first place.

It seems that every Dane is eager to talk about how I perceive them. Every conversation—and I mean EVERY conversation—I have had with a Danish person( which is a lot) we always get around to why Denmark is so different. Honestly, the reasons are quite obvious.

1. There is a standard level of equality for everyone. Everyone. No ifs, ands, or buts.
2. Education is free for everyone. Everyone. No ifs, ands, or buts.
3. Health care is free for everyone. Everyone. No ifs, ands, or buts.
4. It is, for the most part, completely safe (parents just leave their babies in strollers outside coffee shops…)
5. There is a strong amount of pride in being Danish

Of course, the country has its issues, but as a whole, it is an extremely livable place. And paying almost half your income in taxes? No biggie. Because taxes go back to the people and the welfare state will take care of you.

So it really depends on how happiness is measured. I would say that Denmark is one of the most content and peaceful places in the world. Prescription drug usage is a semi-big problem here and a lot of people I know are not what most people deem as “happy”. There’s a lot of cultural and societal reasons to this that we could talk hours about–the psychology of Scandinavian culture as a whole is extremely interesting and worth experiencing. But at the end of the day, Denmark is a comfortable, hygge place to live.

Aarhus, the city I live in and the second largest in Denmark, is always alive with art openings and music festivals. Never a shortage of cool things to do here! One of my favorite experiences has been volunteering at a non-profit bar downtown called Fairbar. Lots of local beers to taste and Danish people to meet. The Danes are a unique kind who have a reputation for seeming stand-offish, but are very kind and super awesome once they get comfortable with you! (or drunk…)

There’s so so much more to talk about but then I would be writing forever. It will be sad to leave this cozy little place. Next two posts will be about a sustainable living community I have been visiting and something called Folkekøkken (folke-kooken…?).

Hope all you GLI-ers are having a happy summer!