Skede Ansigt
Aiee. Won't say what the subject means, as it may distress our younger viewers.
When I was trying to pronounce it to Andy during work, I was fairly loud, and forgot that I was surrounded by The Danes. :0 Oh dear.
Ok, so, Hej! That's Danish for Hello, obviously! But it's the informal way, like Hi. I know like six Danish words/phrases so far (not including swear words). They are Ja = Yes, Nej = No, Hej = Hi, Tak = Thank you, Farvel = Goodbye (probably where the english word 'farewell' comes from), Taler due englesk? = Do you speak English? Then some other words, like days, months, numbers I can kind of work out as they as similar to English. I can work out some signs and things but just out of logic rather than translating. Would quite like to learn Danish but everyone speaks English and are happy to do so.
A little intro...
As part of my 5th year MEng degree, I am on an 5 month (August to December) industrial placement in Denmark, working for a company called Grundfos. I am with a good friend called Andy (or 'ma bitch' outside of working hours) and we are working on the same Grundfos project but it will have to be split into two projects fairly soon.
The project involves using an existing power cable between a submersible pump and an above water control unit as a data communications line. It should be very interesting but very challenging too.
I'm living in a company owned house in a town called Bjerringbro (pronounced B-yer-ing-bo) that has a population of approx. 6000. The house is split into four 'zones': Aztec, Futuristic, Medieval and Industrial (soon to be the Ocean Zone). :) Andy and I live in the Medieval zone and the rest are resident to Toby (a Swedish guy we hang around with), Jacob (a Danish guy who sometimes pops down but goes home at the weekends) and another Danish guy, whose name I can't remember because we hardly ever see him (he's a programmer).
I have took some pictures which you can find updated every week or so (along with this blog) at http://www.protactin.co.uk/photos/mond. There are some of the house there, which is quite nice especially as we don't have to pay for it. The town is really nice actually. So very quiet though, that it's like being in a ghost town sometimes (on Sundays and after 10pm when everyone is asleep?). We have already done several 'laps' of the town, well of the town center bits, as it's really small. Grundfos is the biggest employer around here as it employees around half the population! Though most work at the manufacturing facility.
Trying to write this on a crazy Danish keyboard where all the keys are in the 'wrong' place and several new ones thrown in too, like: æ å ø.
I think the letters are quite funny.
Though reading Danish and speaking it are quite different matters. Quite like English I suppose. I think Danish people drop a lot of bits from words as well, making it harder. I enquired about lessons but I might have to go to a place nearby called Vijborg.
Went there last Sunday on a wee day trip with Andy and Toby. In Vijborg we went to see the granite cathedral (most lovely - has all these frescos from the old and new testament and gold alter things), Danish history museum and before I left I had a wee ice cream cone (actually meaning large with 3 scoops and a weirdo but tasty strawberry foam stuff). Mmm, yum.
Getting to Denmark was quite a "3 day camel ride". Had to wait around at Stanstead for ages. But knew that anyway. Such a rubbish airport though. Had a sandwich from Pret a manger and a few Caffreys from O'Neils to pass the time. We went to check in really early when it opened at 5pm but the queue was doubled back on itself as there was no room. Took about 1.5 hours to check in!! And boarding was at 6.30pm! And then security took 15 mins so we were rushing to the gate. So our plans for a nice Wetherspoons dinner after security were no more. As there was still lots of people behind us, boarding was delayed and the plane was late anyway. Ryan Air sucks tha boaby!! Though the plane did have more leg room than Easyjet. As my luggage was 8 kg over the Ryan air limit (Easyjet let me away with it), I had to pay £32! And Andy who was 9 kg over didn't have to pay at all because they were so rushed and running late that they decided to let on all excess for F'KING FREE!! :( Was too rushed go complain. Was thinking of getting a better flight back from Copenhagen.
Was thinking of visiting there for a weekend of maybe if I can get a week off. Last Friday we have a small "party" to celebrate the monumental one week milestone. Bascially meant going to the super market to buy lots of beer (they actually have a good selection, including Scottish ales, like Caledonian 80/-!) then to the only pub to sit in the sun and drink more. I had a glass (NO PINTS HERE) of Royal Stout but that was a bit manky. Guinness is a lot smoother. We didn't get as many evil stares when we went into the pub this time, so they must know us now.
Apparently the town is full of gossips, as we were informed by a Danish guy, Palle, who we were talking to in the beer "garden". He has invited us to a BBQ sports event thing next weekend so that should be good. They are a bit crazy about volleyball and handball here - they even have a beach volleyball court on the Grundfos site. Remember that this is on the same latitude as central Scotland. I also tried the "national" Danish drink generally called Akvavit, which is really just schnapps. I had the unflavoured kind, which was ok, there is not that after taste like vodka. There is loads of different kinds and I think it is quite normal for people to make their own flavoured akvavit at home.
On the Saturday when went to a city called Århus (pronounced Or-hoose), the place we landed at. It is the second biggest city in Denmark and has a population of around 260,000, so it was really strange to see so many people! It combined the new with the old, which was reflected in the ranges of architecture. For instance, from the pictures, the Domkirke cathedral, the pink house, the blue hotel with the relaxed cafe/bar/pub street scene overlooking the canal. We visited the Den Gamle By which is a combination of recreated houses from the "old days" to form an interactive town. You can go in all the houses which are fully furnished to that time, ride on some fairground attractions, play the hoop game (as demonstrated by Andy), take a ride on the horse drawn carts and there is even people in costume that sit about. Interesting only for the first few houses, including the Mayor's house then the excitement of an other "half timber house" fades.
That's about it so far, if you have made it down to here then well done!
Thanks for reading, until next time....
--
// mond
When I was trying to pronounce it to Andy during work, I was fairly loud, and forgot that I was surrounded by The Danes. :0 Oh dear.
Ok, so, Hej! That's Danish for Hello, obviously! But it's the informal way, like Hi. I know like six Danish words/phrases so far (not including swear words). They are Ja = Yes, Nej = No, Hej = Hi, Tak = Thank you, Farvel = Goodbye (probably where the english word 'farewell' comes from), Taler due englesk? = Do you speak English? Then some other words, like days, months, numbers I can kind of work out as they as similar to English. I can work out some signs and things but just out of logic rather than translating. Would quite like to learn Danish but everyone speaks English and are happy to do so.
A little intro...
As part of my 5th year MEng degree, I am on an 5 month (August to December) industrial placement in Denmark, working for a company called Grundfos. I am with a good friend called Andy (or 'ma bitch' outside of working hours) and we are working on the same Grundfos project but it will have to be split into two projects fairly soon.
The project involves using an existing power cable between a submersible pump and an above water control unit as a data communications line. It should be very interesting but very challenging too.
I'm living in a company owned house in a town called Bjerringbro (pronounced B-yer-ing-bo) that has a population of approx. 6000. The house is split into four 'zones': Aztec, Futuristic, Medieval and Industrial (soon to be the Ocean Zone). :) Andy and I live in the Medieval zone and the rest are resident to Toby (a Swedish guy we hang around with), Jacob (a Danish guy who sometimes pops down but goes home at the weekends) and another Danish guy, whose name I can't remember because we hardly ever see him (he's a programmer).
I have took some pictures which you can find updated every week or so (along with this blog) at http://www.protactin.co.uk/photos/mond. There are some of the house there, which is quite nice especially as we don't have to pay for it. The town is really nice actually. So very quiet though, that it's like being in a ghost town sometimes (on Sundays and after 10pm when everyone is asleep?). We have already done several 'laps' of the town, well of the town center bits, as it's really small. Grundfos is the biggest employer around here as it employees around half the population! Though most work at the manufacturing facility.
Trying to write this on a crazy Danish keyboard where all the keys are in the 'wrong' place and several new ones thrown in too, like: æ å ø.
I think the letters are quite funny.
Though reading Danish and speaking it are quite different matters. Quite like English I suppose. I think Danish people drop a lot of bits from words as well, making it harder. I enquired about lessons but I might have to go to a place nearby called Vijborg.
Went there last Sunday on a wee day trip with Andy and Toby. In Vijborg we went to see the granite cathedral (most lovely - has all these frescos from the old and new testament and gold alter things), Danish history museum and before I left I had a wee ice cream cone (actually meaning large with 3 scoops and a weirdo but tasty strawberry foam stuff). Mmm, yum.
Getting to Denmark was quite a "3 day camel ride". Had to wait around at Stanstead for ages. But knew that anyway. Such a rubbish airport though. Had a sandwich from Pret a manger and a few Caffreys from O'Neils to pass the time. We went to check in really early when it opened at 5pm but the queue was doubled back on itself as there was no room. Took about 1.5 hours to check in!! And boarding was at 6.30pm! And then security took 15 mins so we were rushing to the gate. So our plans for a nice Wetherspoons dinner after security were no more. As there was still lots of people behind us, boarding was delayed and the plane was late anyway. Ryan Air sucks tha boaby!! Though the plane did have more leg room than Easyjet. As my luggage was 8 kg over the Ryan air limit (Easyjet let me away with it), I had to pay £32! And Andy who was 9 kg over didn't have to pay at all because they were so rushed and running late that they decided to let on all excess for F'KING FREE!! :( Was too rushed go complain. Was thinking of getting a better flight back from Copenhagen.
Was thinking of visiting there for a weekend of maybe if I can get a week off. Last Friday we have a small "party" to celebrate the monumental one week milestone. Bascially meant going to the super market to buy lots of beer (they actually have a good selection, including Scottish ales, like Caledonian 80/-!) then to the only pub to sit in the sun and drink more. I had a glass (NO PINTS HERE) of Royal Stout but that was a bit manky. Guinness is a lot smoother. We didn't get as many evil stares when we went into the pub this time, so they must know us now.
Apparently the town is full of gossips, as we were informed by a Danish guy, Palle, who we were talking to in the beer "garden". He has invited us to a BBQ sports event thing next weekend so that should be good. They are a bit crazy about volleyball and handball here - they even have a beach volleyball court on the Grundfos site. Remember that this is on the same latitude as central Scotland. I also tried the "national" Danish drink generally called Akvavit, which is really just schnapps. I had the unflavoured kind, which was ok, there is not that after taste like vodka. There is loads of different kinds and I think it is quite normal for people to make their own flavoured akvavit at home.
On the Saturday when went to a city called Århus (pronounced Or-hoose), the place we landed at. It is the second biggest city in Denmark and has a population of around 260,000, so it was really strange to see so many people! It combined the new with the old, which was reflected in the ranges of architecture. For instance, from the pictures, the Domkirke cathedral, the pink house, the blue hotel with the relaxed cafe/bar/pub street scene overlooking the canal. We visited the Den Gamle By which is a combination of recreated houses from the "old days" to form an interactive town. You can go in all the houses which are fully furnished to that time, ride on some fairground attractions, play the hoop game (as demonstrated by Andy), take a ride on the horse drawn carts and there is even people in costume that sit about. Interesting only for the first few houses, including the Mayor's house then the excitement of an other "half timber house" fades.
That's about it so far, if you have made it down to here then well done!
Thanks for reading, until next time....
--
// mond
posted by mond at
2:51 am
1 Comments:
Haven't seen and 'bow yet, though I haven't been looking for it specifically. I'll need to put on my 'bow-glasses.
By
mond, at 1:16 pm
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