Laundry Season: that time of the month

It comes around every month or so, and boy do we hate it... laundry season. That one time a month where your day is consumed with moving loads from one machine to the next, taking out some things as not to shrink them, hang some things to air dry... the list goes on and on. When I showed up to the laundry machine in our building to feed the beast that is the washing machine... well lets just say Denmark is way ahead in the field of washing machine technology. First of all, never worry again about planning your day around doing laundry at 2:00AM on a Friday like in the crowded dorm laundry rooms back in the US. Here in HK, a few days before that time of the month comes, just go to the machine you want reserve, insert your ID card, and a touchscreen guided system shows you the times available to reserve your machines. It is so simple, yet revolutionary. Secondly, the machine dispenses its own detergent, fabric softener, and bounce sheets... automatically, right into the machine, in just the right amount for your selected load. No more lugging that 38 gallon value sized detergent bottle up and down the hall! But the burning question here is does all this sweet technology make doing laundry any less terrible? My answer: absolutely not... To those of you that leave this task up to a loved one, show them you care by buying them a car or something... god knows they deserve it.

Weekend Update...

Internet usage be damned, I'm back! Each week we are alloted 8GB of traffic on the internet, and apparently I went over that allowance shortly after my previous post. Streaming all those recorded Daily Shows and Colbert Reports back from the states must chew up a bunch of bandwidth... I'll be sure to be a little more conservative in that respect.

This weekend we stuck around town, and headed over to UK (the other dorm on campus). There certainly are more Danes and Swedes over in those parts, as here at HK, we consist of almost entirely international students. This weekend also marked the Chinese New Year, and Chinatown HK had enough sake and moon cakes to go around! The year of the pig promises to be a good one, I have been assured by Hai Chuan Li, AKA Joe (funny thing about Chinese people... they love to have English names to be called by, and Joe is no exception)

Well... school starts tomorrow 8:00, you know what that means! Until next time...

Does anyone know CPR?

No not that kind of CPR, det attesteres hermed, er titdelt folgende personnummer i det centrale personregister:

All citizens in Denmark are registered in the National Civil Register and have a CPR number (civil registry number)

When you register at the national registration office, you get a 10 digit CPR number. The first 6 digits are your date of birth (day, month, year) and the last 4 are the numbers that uniquely identify all people living in Denmark. The last digit identifies your gender – women have an even number, men an uneven.

I also chose my doctor at the time I applied for my civil registry number. My doctor while living here in the nationalized health care nation of Denmark is Johana Linsen. All doctor visits, surgeries, and perscriptions are covered by the government. Dental work is not, and is very expensive.

I'd tell you my CPR number, but then I'd have to kill you...

My Room

My simple room.

Ask the readers:
I desperately need some posters or something...

Post suggestions in the comments.

First Impressions: Denmark

I arrived into Sonderborg station at 9:17 pm last night, awaiting my guide to pick me up. After a 1/2 hour, I decided he wasn't coming, and made the 1.2 mile trek to my apartment building (thank God for GPS). I knocked on a random door once I got there, and was greeted by a very kind Dane. Long story short they were able to track down the guide, who was at Tutten (local pub), and got the key to my room.

The moral of the story: Don't expect a Dane to be sober after noon.

Handelskollegiet (Home)

Handelskollegiet
B.S. Ingemannsvej 2, Room 118
DK-6400 Sonderborg

Tel: 0045 74134572

My new home and phone number for the next six months (once I get there.)

I would encourage everyone not to call my room number, but rather install Skype, which lets you talk to me for FREE over the internet. I know you will all want to talk to me once you realize how much you miss me, so there you have it. My screenname on skype is benallenallen, so add me and we'll talk through this whole withdrawal thing...

Student Residence Website for Handel (hows your danish?)