Update!

I feel like I blogged years ago, but in reality it was only three days! And to update you, I'm less nervous! Which is probably a good thing considering it's been 72 hours. Basically I got a new job for the end of the summer being a nanny for a family here in Maine for the summer in a small town right on the ocean. I really like the kids and the parents are great! I am with them Monday through Friday, which is really nice and I feel like leaving home to go abroad wont be as hard now that I'm away most of the week anyway. It's nice to have a break, although I do miss my other job! I really like working there, I'm just not getting the hours I need to be able to survive abroad. So hopefully I can work there on weekends. I guess I'm realizing that sometimes when you do something for yourself, which could ultimately make you happier, you have to cut people out and do things you don't want to do. You can't please everyone!

I think I've thought about this a lot lately since I've had a lot of decisions to make. When you're growing up you get happiness from approval, from doing something good and being rewarded. But as an adult you are the happiest when pleasing yourself. So when are you supposed to learn how to switch from pleasing others to doing things that make you happy? I feel like that is one of the hardest things to do. I guess knowing that I had to make these kinds of decisions and feel like I made the right ones means I've learned. I hope!

And now that I've stopped typing for a few minutes I have no train of thought, so onto other things! Cameras. Ok, which camera should I buy for abroad? I really like canons, but would look at something else if it was of good quality I guess. And now that train of thought is gone too, so I guess that's the end of the blog! See you next time, dwh.

I'm Nervous!

About what, you might ask? Well it's actually a bunch of things all rolled into one (yes, there is a list coming), and I think that on their own, none of them would really make me too nervous, but because they are all together I'm freaking out!

1. First I'd like to inform everyone that I got a second job! Well, it's more like my first job since it will be much more than what I'm doing now. I don't really want to go into details since I just got it and haven't started yet and don't want to risk anything, but I will say I am very happy! And it goes up until I leave, so I will be busy! Starting a new job always makes me nervous...

2. I go abroad in less than a month. WHAT?! Yeah, that's how I felt when I saw it was July 21st and not only did I miss my opportunity to update my Facebook status and tweet about how I was leaving in exactly one month, but holy crap - I'm leaving in three and a half weeks! As much as I'm looking forward to it, I'm also scared out of my mind.

3. My chemistry class ends this Friday. And when chemistry classes end, or any college class for that matter, they typically end with a final. So this Friday at 1pm I will be sitting down to take a huge chemistry final. And I say it is huge because I didn't do so well on the midterm, so I know I really have to nail the final. Also it's worth 60 percent of my grade. No pressure or anything.

4. The lists keep getting longer!!! I have to buy this, that, another one of those, maybe a couple of these and I can't forget to look into that! Ugh, every day I add three new things to the list and take nothing off. Right now here's how it looks (in an abbreviated form):

• umbrella
  storage bags
  travel light (for books, etc)
  wallet
  visiting family album
  laundry bag
  tweezers
  alarm clock
  toms
  boots
  jacket
  grocery bags
  wooden round brush
  headphones
  little black dress

So I know that's a horrible layout and blah blah blah, but I don't have that much time, people! if you have any questions, ask, but I think it's pretty self explanatory. Oh and cross off the little black dress, I got one of those today!

I don't have a #5, so I guess that means I'm done. I'm still nervous, and I took time out of studying to write this, but I thought it was important to get it out there while I'm feeling it! Plus I won't have as much internet access anymore (a possible job hint...?) so I can't update as quickly. But I guess that's it! Until next time, dwh.

Whoops!

As a quick reply to what I wrote on Monday, my mother recently had fraud on her credit card, which got me thinking about how I thought the website for the ISIC card was a little fishy... so think about getting one but be careful where you go!!! dwh.

Student Discounts!!!!!

I discovered a few weeks several weeks ago on the DIS Facebook group that people were discussing ISIC cards. If you don't know what that is, it's an international student identity card that can be used around the world (in almost every country!) to get you discounts and special offers. I decided tonight that I would buy one, because I looked up the discounts in Copenhagen and they seemed pretty good! I get discounts on most of the museums, different food places, no booking fees when I make hostel reservations (anywhere in Europe) and discounts on flights and train tickets. Basically everything I thought about had a discount, and if there is a discount I will feel better about spending my money! I was a little concerned when the card didn't need my photo, I thought it would, but I emailed the company and hopefully will get an answer as to why this is! I'll put the demo card below, it's quite lovely.

In other news, I realized I have just about a month until I leave!!! I have lots to do between now and then, my list keeps getting longer even though the days are shorter. I have decided it's time for a new top ten, so here we go:

1. buy ice cream for Alex, she gets her wisdom teeth out on friday! And as my wisdom teeth didn't go so well, I know now not to give her mashed potatoes... (long story involving Thanksgiving and my love of my mother's mashed potatoes followed by puffy cheeks and an infection). I will pick out a delicious something for her. I remember wanting pancakes... odd, I know.

2. UMBRELLA. Everywhere I look websites keep telling me to buy an umbrella. Apparently I'll need one abroad. I had no idea that it rained so much in Denmark. I guess it might be because Europe never caught on to the whole plastic jacket fashion that the US did. I have a nice raincoat from LL Bean, but I think this umbrella from Lands End Canvas might just do the trick! Followed by the jacket next to it...

I am also thinking about this in black... might be more versatile! 

And then come the jackets... I know I love both of them, and they are conveniently the same price, but I don't know which one I like more! I like the pea coat because it's very me, and I can see myself wearing it, but I actually noticed the utility jacket and second guessed the pea coat! So now I'm stuck... and they're both on clearance so I have to act fast! Problems of wearing a size medium...

3. Whoops we're only on three! Well I'll list the rest rather quickly.  Ok for this one, I need to buy tweezers. I know, weird, but mine sat in water and rusted, and if you know me you know I'm obsessed with my face. Like can sit in front of a bathroom mirror for an hour just looking at my eyebrows and pores. It's kind of scary. (Ask Jordan if you don't believe me)

4. Storage bags! Vacuum-sealed bags are what I need for my luggage, since I'm going to have an insane amount of stuff (I just know it).

5. Wallet/watch. I have been meaning to get a nice leather watch for ages. And I need a real wallet, not a Vera Bradley wristlet (great for DC, not for CPH). So the search continues!

6. Laundry bag! I have this great, really flexible basket that I use right now (it has tall handles so you can really pile up stuff) but it's not collapsable, so it stays in Maine. I need to find a good laundry bag.

7. I need a host family gift! I'm not having a host family, I'll have a visiting family that I'll see probably weekly or so to visit with and get to know. I'll do a blog on my housing situation once I get there - with pictures I promise! Oh but yeah so I want to do a nice scrapbook-type thing and then bring them something very Maine. Because I love Maine.

8. Oh no I'm out of stuff... well I guess my #8 is to think of a #9 and #10 for next time!

Until then! dwh.

Luggage Time

I have purchased my first study abroad item! I bought a carry on suitcase for small trips and such at LL Beam (well, at the outlet) for about half what I would have paid at the regular store! I'll post a photo below so you know what it looks like, I really like it! My one concern is that it's big enough for some trips, but not for my longer ones. I'm still debating over whether to bring two checked bags and pay (and also have a suitcase to have to store) or bring one and go over and have it fit right under the bed. I have to really think about that... I've also been getting lists together of what I need to buy and organize. I have decided to ship a package there before my program begins, so I need to figure out what's going that way, it's needs to ship by August 1st to be there when I get there. I'm also looking for a second job (as you all know), so there's lots going on here right now! Ok now for the photo - I'm kind of in a hurry to go babysit, but I'll post again soon!

Is Anyone Hiring!?

In Maine, that is. I desperately need a second job. Between hiring 50 thousand employees and not getting the sales goals they set, the company I work for is cutting hours like it's their job (well it probably actually is). But still! I have to survive for FOUR MONTHS without a job in Copenhagen. I haven't gone that long without a job since the middle of high school. I used to work from June to November and then not work during the winter and spring (it was a farm in Maine - you can't grow anything in frozen ground!). I don't know what I'm going to do! I've been to Craigslist probably forty three times in the past two days, but it's so hard to find a job when you're leaving August 20th. Nobody wants you for 6 weeks (which it is exactly). I still have to buy things I need (which include luggage, a camera, an ipod touch - so I can have internet, and so much more) and I can't just not work and expect that to happen! So, if anyone knows of a job in southern Maine, PLEASE help a blogger out and hook her up!!! I'm really organized and have lots of experience!!! dwh.

Fireworks, Rain and Class - Oh My!

Happy belated Fourth of July everyone!!! Well, unless you're from Canada, then Happy Canada Day! So this past weekend was crazy to say the least! To begin it was a holiday weekend for 2/3 of North America, so the outlet store I work at was what I like to call cray-cray. Too insane to just be crazy, but there's no other way to describe it! People just yank clothes off of racks and piles - the moment you fold something it is taken by some woman looking for a bargain and if you're lucky she'll throw it back down on the pile. And then you refold it. Most of the time I worked the register, which isn't as bad, but it's just nonstop! You ring up customer after customer after customer, and they are all annoyed it's taking so long. I'm sorry, I'm not a robot, and it didn't help that your mother in law didn't see half the store until you are physically standing in front of the register. It's actually kind of your fault its taking so long. My favorite thing though is that our registers don't let you swipe whenever you want. I have to get to a certain transaction screen before it will let you swipe. My favorite thing to do to customers I am annoyed with is let them swipe, then bag their items and then finally say oh I'm sorry, it wasn't ready to swipe yet, go ahead and do it again. Hehehe, then they have to do it all over, taking more time for them. For me it's all the same. Just serves them right for being impatient! You have to enjoy the small things in life!

Also this weekend I dogsat for a family whose dog is afraid of sounds, including fireworks. I spent all night with a 60 pound dog on my lap as I watched tv. When I went to bed he sat on my feet all night. Poor thing. Then I got called into work, followed by some babysitting, with work the next day (the 4th) and then went to see fireworks downtown with my sister and friends. Then there was a car accident and a hit and run so it took an hour for me to get home. Mind you I live 10 minutes away from where we watched the fireworks. So that was interesting.

Yeah CHEMISTRY! Well to update you all, I am almost half done with my second semester of chemistry. Monday I have my midterm and then another two and a half weeks before my final! And then  30 days before I leave for Copenhagen... ahhhhh!!!!

On the note of Copenhagen, I noticed there is a good figure skating club in the city. Since I've been skating since I was able to walk, it would be so fun if I could skate in Copenhagen! Or at least help them out a little.

Sorry this is so random. I'm watching some youtube videos while I'm blogging and it's not working well. So I should probably stop. Next time I'll make it quick, this was kinda long!!!

Enjoy the rest of your week!
dwh.