Wind under my wings

This is me from not so long ago..

2016 brought many ups and downs, a lot of 

travelling and not to exclude; a lot of new experiences.

2017 is going to be a year with even more

experience because I am taking a one-way-ticket

to Guatemala. Lake Atitlán is waiting for me,

so I am following my sister's footsteps into

the world of new things and even more travel 

than ever before. 

I am scared, nervous and excited at the same

time and the scared part is a new thing for me..

But that will not hold me back in Denmark.

Taking off the 22nd of January and

not looking back.. That is what I am going to do.

Beijing - Day one

I arrived at Beijing the 2nd of July and I did not get much sleep on the airplanes - you know.. With all the movies and games on the screen right in front of you the temptation on staying awake is hard to resist - so when I arrived at the hostel I had booked before take off I crashed into my bed and slept for 16 hours and that did not even feel like enough rest. I was up very early though to go to the Forbidden City (The Forbidden City post). My hostels lokation was a 10 minute walk from the Tiananmen Square so there was no problems in walking to the place. I came across some cool places:

Right before the Qianmen Dajie

Meishi Jie not far from my Hostle

Shopping on Qianmen Dajie

The entrance of Qianmen Dajie

Shopping on Qianmen Dajie

Shopping on Dazhalan Jie

Silk Market on Dazhalan Jie

The first food in 20 hours and of course my breakfast of the 3rd of July - Dumblings! Yummy

After a lot of fun around the streets of where I lived and after visiting the Forbidden City I found this shop where everything was cheap. It is kind of like "Tiger" vi have in Denmark - just cheaper.

I have to tell this one little thing before I keep telling you about the China trip:

Selfies and stuff including taking selfies is far from my style. I do not take a lot of selfies my self and definitely not in public. When I do take a selfie I am in my room or totally alone in my parents house and I would never in my life buy anything that can help me take a selfie.

One with the story..

Never say never... I keep running into these kinds of situations where I stop and think something like "once I said that I would never use/buy/do this thing that I am doing now". And this is one of them because I did go buy a selfie-stick and to be even more outrageous about the situation I bought it in pink. The thing was U G L Y but since I was unable to ask anyone and I did not have anyone with me I had to get this stick to get some good pictures of myself on my solo travel to China.

-- Some of my "famous" selfies --

5 hurtige om Norge

*This will be too weird for all of you english-speaking/reading people to translate. Sorry.

1: Det norske sprog har nogle finurlige udtryk, som både er mere realistiske end de danske betegnelser, men der er også andre, hvor jeg tænker: "Hvad?".

"Hybelkaniner" er fnullermænd på norsk.
Min norske kollega, som jeg griner af, og han af mig, lærer mig norske ord, og til gengæld fortæller jeg ham lidt om de danske ord og tal. Jeg hørte, første gang, om hybelkaniner fra et af mine familiemedlemmer, men det er nu officielt bekræftet. Fnullermænd - eller det man finder under sofaen - er hybelkaniner på norsk.

"Helg" er weekend på norsk.
Første gang jeg hørte det, var en fredag efter en uges arbejde i SnekkerBjørn - firmaet jeg arbejder hos. jeg fik det først forklaret et par uger efter, at det betød god weekend når nogen sagde "god helg". Hvis man bruger ordet weekend på norsk, er det om en forlænget helg. Altså en weekend der vare 4 dage for eksempel.

2: Norske vs Danske tal.
Min kollega og jeg har snakket meget om tallene. Da jeg nævnte, at vores 50 udtales "halvtres", spurgte min kollega mig, om 100 så var "tres". Jeg kunne ikke lade være med at grine, men det giver ret beset bedst mening, at det ville være sådan. På norsk er det lige ud af landevejen, og man siger tallene som på engelsk: sekstiotte = 68, hvorimod på dansk ville det være otteogtres. Min kollega kunne ikke lade være med at le, når jeg fortalte ham hvordan 70, 80 og 90 skulle siges.

3: Stikkontakter.
Det er en lille ting, det ved jeg, men jeg har ikke kunne lade være med, at ligge mærke til dette. I Norge vender stikkontakterne omvendt. Når man tænder for lyset her, så vender kontakten som var lyset slukket i Danmark. Det har givet mig problemer engang imellem. Jeg har flere gange slået til en kontakt forkert, og har fejlet i at tænde eller slukke for lyset.

4: Pengene.
Jeg kommer fra Danmark, og mente at det var et meget dyrt land at bo i. Det mener jeg ikke længere. Efter at have været bosat i Norge i mere end 3 måneder nu, så er de danske priser ingenting i forhold til, hvad de er her i Norge, og norsk kvalitet er langt fra dansk standard.
For eksempel: Icebergsalat i danmark koster 10kr, og kan holde sig 4-5 dage. Her i Norge koster sådan et salathoved 25kr, og kan holde sig 3 dage.
Jeg bor i en fiskerby, så man skulle tro, at fisk ville være billigt, men tro om, det er noget af det dyreste. Selvom de har et laskeopdrætteri lige udenfor byen, hvor tanken, som de lader laksene være i, indtil de er store nok til spisning, kan rumme byens Radission Hotel, og alligevel koster laks det hvide ud af øjnene.

5: Lær lokale at kende.
Dette har jeg både fra egne oplevelser og fra en nordmand jeg faldt i snak med: nordmænd holder sig i de vennekredse de kender, og har ikke nemt ved at bryde de gamle vaner, ej heller invitere nye folk ind.
Da jeg først flyttede til Norge håbede jeg på, at komme til et samfund, som havde nogle unge der ville i kontakt med folk fra udlandet. Jeg håbede på, at nordmændende ville være et nemmere folkefærd, at komme ind på livet af, end danskerne, men der tog jeg fejl.

"God helg"

I know it is quite a long time since I last updated my adventures.

Now I am living and working in Norway, Bodø and it has been surprisingly hard to make a everyday life because all of a sudden I have to make everything myself: cooking meals for myself, cleaning both my room and my clothes, work a full time job as a carpenter, get into bed in a decent hour and at the same time try to get social with the natives.
I want to tell you all about the few but great adventures I have had so far and here is the first on from back in may the 7th. Enjoy:

Ready?..

It is not for the faint hearted!

It is not for persons who do not dare things!

And it is definitely not for anyone with a weak stomack!

But if you really want to do something that will push your limits, enlarge your interest in the nature of Norway and make you feel like you are flying then this is the thing for you. This is for everyone who wants to try something new. It is nothing like a trip in a speed boat and it is nothing I have ever tried before. 

Steady?..

A good thing to remember is:

You will not fall out of the boat while sailing

Look around and look closely (You might see sea eagels)

Wear warm clothes!

Bring a camera - in the suits there is pockets (Big ones I might add)

GO!..

The start

Me and Lizanne - a girl from The Netherlands - whom I am living with at the Kultursenter

You jump into this huge suit, put on skiing glasses, a hat and gloves and then you will get a life jacket that will blow up immediately if you will fall into the water. You will laugh about how you imagine you look and have a laugh with the other "rafters" because you all look like spacemen. Eventually when everyone is ready you will get into the boat consisting of 3 or more seats in one or two rows. You do not get clamped to anything - you only have your seat, a curved iron bar infront and behind you and then you are ready to take off. 

- If you hear from anyone that you will not get any wet during the trip they are very wrong - especially if you sit at the front of the boat (I did) - 

The Culture

The geology from the time where Norway was covered in ice. - It is actually the bottom of the sea that once where there 

We were 10 individuals going on this raftiong-trip. One of them was my contact person here in Bodø - he helps me with everything, invites me to things and take me places just to show me around the place - and he was the guide of the trip and he gave everyone of us a map of the trip and where we would make a short break so he could tell us something about the culture.

Some of the things he could tell us about was the history of Bodø.

When it first became a city there were 22 men living here and were established in 1816. Bodø, located just north of the Arctic Circle, is the largest urban area and city in Nordland county, and the second-largest inNorth Norway. Now there live 49.040 people and Bodø has its own airport, military and university. It is the capital of the Nordland. 

Once - for like forever ago - Bodø was covered in 3km of ice or more.

Some of the other things he told us was about the fjord.

The fjord sometimes has a depth of 400-600 meters and contains "Saltstraumen" the strongest tidal current in the world. Up to 400,000,000 cubic metres water flows through a narrow passage every six hours with water speeds reaching 22 knots. 

You can feel this when you sail into the stream. 

The Nature

Mountains upon mountains, small villages and birds are to be seen on the trip. You will experience the most clear water you probably have every seen and that with the beautiful greenblue color! The mountains are amazing, pointy and breathtaking from the view of the boat. 

The Adventure

This is at the "Saltstraumen" and actually in the middle of it when it is at its highest.

Have you ever tried White Water Rafting? Sailing a speedboat? Had the experience of flying? Been on a roller coaster for two hours and still like it? After a trip of Rafting you will have experienced all four of them. 

The white water rafting is experienced both because you are on the water but also because you will have a lot of going up and down, moving from left to right in no time - you just have to add a motor and then puch it to 60 knots. 

The speed boat experience obviously is because of the boat with the motor and because you move fast across the water without any sails.

The experience of flying appear when the boat take a running start before a wave is created and then like a surfboard get on top of the wave and then hang in the air a while before it drop down inbetween the old wave and the new one just ahead of you. Sometimes I could not see the water in front of me because of the surfing on the waves. It was so cool!!

And the roller coaster experience is because you do not really get any rest, the boat jump up and down, from side to side at very high speed and of course the acceleration when starting is all parts of a great roller coaster trip.

----*---*----

The trip take about 2 and a half hour!

I did not take any notice of the time and I felt like the trip was over in an hour or so. I got the trip for free together with another exchangestudent (The girl to the right on the picture). If you are to take a trip like this then I recommend you gather as many of your friends as possible (max 12) and split the money between you because you rent the boat and pay for the gas and that runs up in 3000 NOK to 4000 NOK.

But do it! Just do it!

Party in the DK

A lot has happened since I got back from Bodø, Norway.

It is about a month ago I arrived in Denmark and I was home at my parents in 7 awake hours 

before I got back to Skolehjemmet in Aalborg. It was so great to see all my friends again and in

the past three/four weeks I have been at home I have had a lot of great times. 

First: I have finished my school. 

I had my exam the 3rd of April and I got a 12(/A+). I was so excited I could not realize 

that I got the best of the best! I can still be amazed about it! :)

Second: I have signed a contract with the firm in Bodø.

I now have a apprenticeship for six months in Norway until the next schooling in November!

I am going to attend a hiking/trekking-team in Bodø and I going on a lot 

of hiking trips with them or that is what I am hoping to do!

Third: Since I came back to Denmark and the Skolehjem we have had a lot of

parties here at the Skolehjem. It happens every thursday where you can bye a beer

for 10kr! It is lovely and cosy as well. You can play pool and dance or even play some

drunk-games! 

With my greatest of friends I have been on a lot of walks. Our favorite place it now 

an abandoned house at the harbor where you have the view of the most of the Limfjord

and you can see most of Aalborg from the rooftop! It is amazing!

Famous?

I was interviewed by a reporter from the local newspaper here in Bodø!

http://www.an.no/nyheter/article7203769.ece

I was among others asked why I chose to come to Bodø, why I wanted to be a 

carpenter and if I had any interest in staying in Bodø.

☟ THE ARTICLE FROM THE WEBSITE ☟

19 year old Luna Demmers is from Aalborg in Denmark. 

Two weeks ago she came to Bodø to have practices in carpentry firm "Snekker Bjørn".

Must use her hands

Three years ago Luna Demmers started high school in her hometown in Denmark. 

She chose to go general studies because she planned to become an architect.

- It took two years before I realized that it was wrong for me. I had to get out .

 I had to use my hands, says Demmers .

Last October she therefore attended the carpentry program at Aalborg Technical College .

- It's just as unusual to be a female carpenter in Denmark as in Norway. 

I get a lot of attention for the choice of profession, Demmers explain.

After a few weeks of the study came a visit from Bodø to the school, 

including Bjorn Johansen, CEO of Carpenter bear.

- A girl came up to me and introduced himself . She was very keen 

on getting an internship, says Johansen.

The girl was Luna Demmers .

The first woman

In the New Year came a request from her. 

I had no doubt that she would get the place, says Johansen.

Carpenter Tom Bjørge Jensen has worked in the industry for 18 years - the last 13 years

 in Bodø. It had to be a Dane for him to get a female colleague!

- I was very surprised when I learned that it would begin a girl here.

According to Jensen the 19 -year-old Luna is not only skilled in the art, 

but also very keen and committed.

- She works hard and has lots of guts. That is what we need, he says .

Partnering

Nordland County Council has been involved in a European educational cooperation in 

vocational education for four years. They cooperate with the school in Aalborg, as 

well as a school in the Netherlands and one in Austria. Annual get 15 practice 

students from abroad to Nordland through cooperation. In addition, exchange of 

25 students and teachers and instructors.

- We are very satisfied with the cooperation . It contributes much to the professional 

development, says Tor Magne Andreassen, a counselor at the 

education department at the county council .

In addition to Luna Demmers there are currently two ICT students deployed 

in Bodø through cooperation project. Both come from the Netherlands.

- Students working for free , but getting stipent to stay covered, explaining Andreassen .

Exotic

Luna Demmers is the only one in her class of 21 students who chose to exchange .

- I'm the only girl in the class - and the only one exchange . The fact that 

boys do not grasp this chance , I think is simply strange. I think it is healthy to 

get out and experience something new, says Demmers .

She praises the receipt she has received at "Snekker Bjørn". 

In addition, she has fallen in love with the city of Bodø .

- There are so exotic here . It is especially the light 

that is wildly wonderful . There are so many colors, 

says 19- year-old, before she shoots in:

- And the Northern Lights ! Something so magnificent. I'm not particularly spiritual, 

but when I saw it for the first time , I was quite sure 

that there must be a divine power, laughs Demmers .

Will return

During the week in Bodo has 19 -year-old learned a lot.

- I have partly laid roof for the first time . After I came here , I've really been 

confirmed carpentry profession is right for me . That I get actually confirmed 

every day , says Demmers .

The fact that she works only with men , she has no problems .

- It's a great environment here, she says .

In mid-March, she will return to Aalborg to complete the program. 

But she is in no doubt that she is going back to Bodø again .

- I like to move here to work fast . I'm definitely not going to be finished 

seeing Bodø after these weeks , smiles Demmers .

1st day of carpenter-work

My first assignment is to fix the roof of one big house and two smaller ones! 

Where we have our breaks!

My view from the rooftop!

Just stepped out the bus on my way home and then I saw this.!!

Cream Puff is a difficult eating

I "helped" the boy eat his cream puff! Cramming your face and laughing at the same time is not a good combo

Happy ice-skating

A nice and fun thing to do if you have no clue about what to do with your sunday afternoon!