The term "fortnight," better known as fourteen days, is one that is actually used quite commonly here. I'm using it here because today marks two weeks since I've come to Denmark. Hardly feels like it, but today seemed to make up for the very easy time I've had thus far.
For starters, I rolled out of bed an hour after my alarm went off for the second consecutive day. Ordinarily, I wouldn't complain but if it's starting to become a regular habit, I need to do something about it. I definitely am not eating quite as well as I would like, but I'm still adjusting to a work week and getting from place to place on my own (see below). As the days go by, I'll be able to manage lugging groceries from Netto (the market I'll be using) on my bike (see below).
After I got going, I left the apartment for Fitness.dk, the gym I'm using here and shortly thereafter realized I left my small gymsack inside. No biggie, I thought. I'd just go work out and worry about it after. That would have been fine if my gym membership card wasn't inside my wallet, inside my gymsack, inside my apartment. Right next to my apartment keys. I then proceeded to loiter outside the door to my building, waiting for someone to come out and tell me if the place has a super who I could call (with the phone that was also in my gymsack).
Fortunately, a very nice young lady, who I held a door for the other day, came out with her little girl for their morning stroll. She let me in and informed me that there was no super but promptly dialed another number, which I can only assume was the City Office of Locked-Out Americans. Ultimately, she was rerouted to some sort of Danish 411, where I had her connect to the Team Chairman, who has the other set of keys. He soon came by and rescued me from imminent doom.
After the gym, I returned home to finish what little food I have before I go shopping tomorrow and prepared for two practices a little later. I did so and left ample time to get to the field. Just so everyone's caught up: we are practicing at our OLD game field, which is now our practice field. Our NEW game field is in the same direction, however down a different road from the same intersection that one would take to get to our OLD game field, which is now our practice field. I think. In any case, I knew where I was going (sort of) and since I'm now left to my own devices to get around now (see below), I biked down the road that I thought looked more familiar. This ended taking me to the NEW game field or not the one I wanted to go to. I then took a "shortcut" to get to the OLD game field because that was the most logical thing to do at the time and what anyone of YOU would have done, had you found yourself off course in a foreign country. I was now enjoying a scenic tour of the city suburbs and not getting any closer to the field (in retrospect, I should have just backtracked to the intersection). Oh yeah, it also starting pouring rain around this time.
Fifteen minutes after our U16 and U19 practice began, I arrived, probably looking haggard as all hell. Nonetheless, I laced up my cleats and never missed a beat. I can't help but think the kiddies weren't a little impressed with the Coach in that respect. We had a great practice, as did the Seniors after them. This was most certainly the highlight of the day. To avoid this good feeling from setting in too long, I felt I needed to do something quickly. So, on the way out of the new practice field (our old game field, in case you haven't gotten it by now), I managed to get a flat tire on my chief means of conveyance. Mission accomplished: brief moment of happiness averted. I'd just like to point out that only on the walk home did I take time to reflect on the not nice things that happened today. That fact that I didn't realize I wasn't having the greatest day until about 8:30 pm makes me feel pretty good about things right now. Tomorrow will be better. Maybe I'll stop and think about it at some point.
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Sunday, March 28, 2010
How many Grams to a Hogshead?
Trick question. A hogshead has 238.48 litres. Gotcha. In any case, I do have to be mindful of the metric system when cooking now. Not that I know how much of anything I have to begin with but who's counting?
Well, apparently people who submit recipes online are and they are quite specific about it. Mom, if you're reading this, feel free to ship me large quantities of premade meals. And some iced tea.
In any case, I cooked something tonight that was actually edible when all was said and done. Using an online recipe and a metric conversion table, I attempted to make a chicken meatloaf, using approximately one quarter of the required ingredients. The following is a comparison between what was in the recipe (lefthand column) and what I had at my disposal (righthand column):
It looks slightly more appetizing in this shot, next to some veggies and slices of the same old bread that I smashed up with my fingers to make the "Italian" bread crumbs:
Overall, not too bad. B- for taste (pretty excellent when factoring in my ingredient selection), D for appearance, but most importantly, A for effort.
In other (not food) news, the apartment is about 85% Ikea now and looks pretty good. I will try very hard to get some shots up soon. As far as the Tigers go, I have coached three practices (two Senior, one Youth) and also had an in-depth film session with the older guys. Early on, things have gone very well; good to be back doing that. Bed time now (we had Daylight Savings today, so we're back to EST + 6 hours). I'll be back before you can say something that takes about twenty-three hours to say.
Well, apparently people who submit recipes online are and they are quite specific about it. Mom, if you're reading this, feel free to ship me large quantities of premade meals. And some iced tea.
In any case, I cooked something tonight that was actually edible when all was said and done. Using an online recipe and a metric conversion table, I attempted to make a chicken meatloaf, using approximately one quarter of the required ingredients. The following is a comparison between what was in the recipe (lefthand column) and what I had at my disposal (righthand column):
- 2 lbs ground chicken = about 450 grams sliced chicken fillets
- 1 egg = 1 egg
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese = N/A
- 1-1/2 tsp garlic powder = a dash of granulated onion
- 1/4 cup dried chopped onion = another dash of granulated onion
- 1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs = 1.5 slices of old Danish rye bread
- 1/2 cup ketchup = N/A (not that I would use it anyway)
- 1/4 cup honey (or brown sugar) = N/A
It looks slightly more appetizing in this shot, next to some veggies and slices of the same old bread that I smashed up with my fingers to make the "Italian" bread crumbs:
Overall, not too bad. B- for taste (pretty excellent when factoring in my ingredient selection), D for appearance, but most importantly, A for effort.
In other (not food) news, the apartment is about 85% Ikea now and looks pretty good. I will try very hard to get some shots up soon. As far as the Tigers go, I have coached three practices (two Senior, one Youth) and also had an in-depth film session with the older guys. Early on, things have gone very well; good to be back doing that. Bed time now (we had Daylight Savings today, so we're back to EST + 6 hours). I'll be back before you can say something that takes about twenty-three hours to say.
Friday, March 26, 2010
Shøpping Spree
Today, Peter and I finished picking up a lot of miscellaneous things for the apartment at Ikea. Item of the day has to be a sky blue fleece blanket with little cloudlike prints on it. You'd be surprised at the lack of traditional blankets found at the Swedish home furnishing powerhouse; or perhaps not, if you understood how the Danes sleep. First off, you have the bed sheet; pretty standard stuff there. Then, as opposed to nothing, you have a douvet cover, folded up underneath you to provide an extra layer of cushioning. This is a bit more luxurious than my usually choice of a beach towel thrown over a mattress, with or without a sheet on it (seriously).
As far as a cover is concerned, less is more in my book and thus, I sought a simple solution in a blanket. Something in flannel would have been nice, but fleece is always an acceptable alternative. Peter pointed out the aforementioned powder blue "blankie," in lieu of well, nothing else really. Worked for me; I've always had a thing for blue. On the way out, some guy tried to sell me something, I think.
We then went to Silvan, which is essentially a Danish Home Depot, minus the one aisle that always has a leak in the ceiling and the faint smell of anyone's Grandpa's garage. One thing, among thousands of others, Silvan does share with it's American equivalent is the sausage vender awaiting customers near the store's entrance. Peter and I both had the taste, one might say, after we finished shopping there and I was then introduced to a Danish Hot Dog.
In some circles, this delicious treat is known as a "HapsDog" (translated loosely as "Yum Yum Dog") and I must say, as with most of the cuisine I've experience since I've been here, the name sure fits. The dog itself is a bit longer and contains none of the filler that you'd find in an American Frank; it was crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside and had a delightful spice to it. To top it off, add spicy brown mustard, onions (raw AND fried), pickles and serve it with a Cocio (pronounced COCK-yo), Denmark's favorite chocolate milk. I'm getting hungry again, better wrap this up. Maybe I'll get to some more apartment pics this weekend. Until then, hej hej ("hi hi," equivalent to "bye bye" in English).
As far as a cover is concerned, less is more in my book and thus, I sought a simple solution in a blanket. Something in flannel would have been nice, but fleece is always an acceptable alternative. Peter pointed out the aforementioned powder blue "blankie," in lieu of well, nothing else really. Worked for me; I've always had a thing for blue. On the way out, some guy tried to sell me something, I think.
We then went to Silvan, which is essentially a Danish Home Depot, minus the one aisle that always has a leak in the ceiling and the faint smell of anyone's Grandpa's garage. One thing, among thousands of others, Silvan does share with it's American equivalent is the sausage vender awaiting customers near the store's entrance. Peter and I both had the taste, one might say, after we finished shopping there and I was then introduced to a Danish Hot Dog.
In some circles, this delicious treat is known as a "HapsDog" (translated loosely as "Yum Yum Dog") and I must say, as with most of the cuisine I've experience since I've been here, the name sure fits. The dog itself is a bit longer and contains none of the filler that you'd find in an American Frank; it was crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside and had a delightful spice to it. To top it off, add spicy brown mustard, onions (raw AND fried), pickles and serve it with a Cocio (pronounced COCK-yo), Denmark's favorite chocolate milk. I'm getting hungry again, better wrap this up. Maybe I'll get to some more apartment pics this weekend. Until then, hej hej ("hi hi," equivalent to "bye bye" in English).
Thursday, March 25, 2010
THINGS ACCOMPLISHED TODAY:
1) Slept through weak Casio watch alarm and awoke to phone call from team Chairman, who was also pounding on my front door.
2) Got dressed in about four minutes and made myself presentable enough to be photographed.
3) Enjoyed marzipan croissant and coffee courtesy of Siegfried, Denmark's 2009 Best Barista (coffee-guy, as voted by some experts).
4) Got photo taken at "Japan Photo;" did not see a single Japanese person there.
5) Went to Immigration Office at Police station before they opened.
6) Went to City Hall with my work papers to register myself as a resident of Århus.
7) Returned to immigration office to stand in line.
8) Saw Gilbert Gottfried at Immigration Office (probably).
9) Had number called at IO; received "Opholdstilladelse" (temporary work/stay permit).
10) Met Peter's girlfriend, who works as a nurse anesthetist.
11) Asked Peter's girlfriend if her job was relatively painless.
12) Ate a tasty "Chicago Blues Burger" at Shark's Poolhall.
13) Became cool (got an iPhone).
14) Enjoyed Siegfried's coffee again and confirmed Danish coffee isn't very good with sugar.
15) Returned home to have Peter help me operate Danish washing machine, complete with Danish instructions.
16) Finished unpacking things in apartment.
17) Utilized clothesline to dry clothes.
18) Had team member, who works as a handyman, install light in apartment before practice.
19) Coached for the first time while missing British heavy metal giants, SAXON, in concert at local venue ('Wheels of Steel' done passed me by ... sigh).
20) Left practice and returned home to find it was raining.
21) Found creative ways to dry clothes that never finished drying in the first place.
2) Got dressed in about four minutes and made myself presentable enough to be photographed.
3) Enjoyed marzipan croissant and coffee courtesy of Siegfried, Denmark's 2009 Best Barista (coffee-guy, as voted by some experts).
4) Got photo taken at "Japan Photo;" did not see a single Japanese person there.
5) Went to Immigration Office at Police station before they opened.
6) Went to City Hall with my work papers to register myself as a resident of Århus.
7) Returned to immigration office to stand in line.
8) Saw Gilbert Gottfried at Immigration Office (probably).
9) Had number called at IO; received "Opholdstilladelse" (temporary work/stay permit).
10) Met Peter's girlfriend, who works as a nurse anesthetist.
11) Asked Peter's girlfriend if her job was relatively painless.
12) Ate a tasty "Chicago Blues Burger" at Shark's Poolhall.
13) Became cool (got an iPhone).
14) Enjoyed Siegfried's coffee again and confirmed Danish coffee isn't very good with sugar.
15) Returned home to have Peter help me operate Danish washing machine, complete with Danish instructions.
16) Finished unpacking things in apartment.
17) Utilized clothesline to dry clothes.
18) Had team member, who works as a handyman, install light in apartment before practice.
19) Coached for the first time while missing British heavy metal giants, SAXON, in concert at local venue ('Wheels of Steel' done passed me by ... sigh).
20) Left practice and returned home to find it was raining.
21) Found creative ways to dry clothes that never finished drying in the first place.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
"You're crappy at Dice-ing!"
I know I say it every time, but THIS time, I'm really going to try and make this a short entry because I've had yet another busy day. Of course, by wasting time on writing narrative sentences like the last one, that sort of complicates things. Damn, I did it again.
Apartment update: I am moved and settling in quite nicely. Still got a good bit of stuff to put away that will probably have to wait until tomorrow or the day after. Tomorrow's going to be a big deal because as of about one o'clock today, I am a Danish (sort of) citizen. In order to become a citizen here, one needs to relent their current citizenship wherever else they might be from (no such thing as dual-citizenship). With that, people who live and work here longterm are permitted to do so, receiving many of the same benefits that citizens do, as long as they renew their work permits as needed. I'll be taking care of a lot of that stuff tomorrow.
As this place continues to look more presentable (and when I'm feeling less lazy), I'll post some pictures so that you might see what a Danish apartment looks like. Spoiler alert: I looks very similar to a US apartment, except for the electrical outlets and the toaster. I applaud the Danes, particularly the city of Århus, on their green initiatives, but I'm sorry, this toaster makes no sense to me.
Who wants to manually flip their toastables over the heat source that lets out all the heat it generates?! Much to my dismay, noone here has the foggiest idea of what a "toaster oven" is. Then again, the same could be said for "Bagel Bites."
Got a lot of stuff from Ikea yesterday and a table with chairs today. Two of my offensive linemen helped me bring it in (well, one more so than the other) but afterwards it was nice to have the company. Among other things we discussed after demolishing a whipped cream and strawberry torte were the subtle differences between American and Danish "Yahtzee." They had never seen the likes of my electronic handheld device (also known as "Beep Beep Spiller") before and thought it defeated the purpose of the game, which was to promote togetherness and bonding. This is precisely the reason why I like my little machine better. Apparently in Danish Yahtzee, there are many other ways to earn points, including "Two Pairs," "One-of-a-kind" and "Everybody-gets-a-Yahtzee." Okay, maybe not the last two, but they DO get fifty points for their subtotal bonus, instead of the standard thirty-five. When I tried to show one of the guys how to operate the handheld game (who was CLEARLY having a hard time understanding its intricacies), he exclaimed, "You're crappy at dice-ing!" Maybe I am, but my score was still higher than his. Good times.
Apartment update: I am moved and settling in quite nicely. Still got a good bit of stuff to put away that will probably have to wait until tomorrow or the day after. Tomorrow's going to be a big deal because as of about one o'clock today, I am a Danish (sort of) citizen. In order to become a citizen here, one needs to relent their current citizenship wherever else they might be from (no such thing as dual-citizenship). With that, people who live and work here longterm are permitted to do so, receiving many of the same benefits that citizens do, as long as they renew their work permits as needed. I'll be taking care of a lot of that stuff tomorrow.
As this place continues to look more presentable (and when I'm feeling less lazy), I'll post some pictures so that you might see what a Danish apartment looks like. Spoiler alert: I looks very similar to a US apartment, except for the electrical outlets and the toaster. I applaud the Danes, particularly the city of Århus, on their green initiatives, but I'm sorry, this toaster makes no sense to me.
Who wants to manually flip their toastables over the heat source that lets out all the heat it generates?! Much to my dismay, noone here has the foggiest idea of what a "toaster oven" is. Then again, the same could be said for "Bagel Bites."
Got a lot of stuff from Ikea yesterday and a table with chairs today. Two of my offensive linemen helped me bring it in (well, one more so than the other) but afterwards it was nice to have the company. Among other things we discussed after demolishing a whipped cream and strawberry torte were the subtle differences between American and Danish "Yahtzee." They had never seen the likes of my electronic handheld device (also known as "Beep Beep Spiller") before and thought it defeated the purpose of the game, which was to promote togetherness and bonding. This is precisely the reason why I like my little machine better. Apparently in Danish Yahtzee, there are many other ways to earn points, including "Two Pairs," "One-of-a-kind" and "Everybody-gets-a-Yahtzee." Okay, maybe not the last two, but they DO get fifty points for their subtotal bonus, instead of the standard thirty-five. When I tried to show one of the guys how to operate the handheld game (who was CLEARLY having a hard time understanding its intricacies), he exclaimed, "You're crappy at dice-ing!" Maybe I am, but my score was still higher than his. Good times.
Monday, March 22, 2010
Makin' Moves
Very tired after a busy day. I got to see my apartment for the first time and let's just say I have a clothesline that stretches from my back window out into a courtyard that also has a little swing set. Also, I have a chalkboard on the door of my kitchen pantry complete with a message in Danish written by the previous tenants that read, "REMEMBER TO CLEAN THE FREEZER." They must have left that for me because when I looked inside, the frost on the bottom seemed to have a sea green tinge to it. I wrote a reply on the chalkboard, "THANKS A LOT." That'll show 'em.
Barring any sort of postal mishap, I should have my work papers tomorrow, which will mean I'll be able to start coaching finally. Tentatively speaking, I will also be moving out of the Hotel Atletion tomorrow also. For my last night here, I thought it might be nice to share a few shots from this place because I've forgotten to do so up until now.
Entrance to the Hotel. Most doors in Denmark are PUSH. I still PULL every time. This foyer area smells permanently like cigarettes and is unnaturally warm all the time.
This is the entrance to the Team Danmark Training Center, where I have been working out and will continue to do so occasionally. I don't know why those dancers are on the sign, I've never seen anyone practice their steps in the weight room. Looking at it now, it actually looks like guy is stabbing the girl in the back, much to her surprise. Must be one heck of a routine.
This is my cozy little room. Nice TV up in the top right corner; haven't turned it on once. The lamps in this place are great. The bed is like a standard US twin, minus four inches on each side. I have to tuck my hands under my butt so my arms don't slide over the edges.
Down at the bottom of the page is the clincher, easily what I'm going to miss most about living here. This is a typical Danish bathroom and when I first saw it, I couldn't help but crack up. The toilet probably uses five gallons per flush (about nineteen litres) and that's not just here. Newer models have two flush settings: 1) half speed and 2) full speed, respectively. I'll let you figure out why. The shower is great, except that I had no clue how to work it the first time because it has buttons on the knobs. I later learned these are child safety locks so curious kids won't burn themselves. These guys think of everything. Hopefully the next time I post, I will do so from my very own quarters. Stay tuned.
Barring any sort of postal mishap, I should have my work papers tomorrow, which will mean I'll be able to start coaching finally. Tentatively speaking, I will also be moving out of the Hotel Atletion tomorrow also. For my last night here, I thought it might be nice to share a few shots from this place because I've forgotten to do so up until now.
Entrance to the Hotel. Most doors in Denmark are PUSH. I still PULL every time. This foyer area smells permanently like cigarettes and is unnaturally warm all the time.
This is the entrance to the Team Danmark Training Center, where I have been working out and will continue to do so occasionally. I don't know why those dancers are on the sign, I've never seen anyone practice their steps in the weight room. Looking at it now, it actually looks like guy is stabbing the girl in the back, much to her surprise. Must be one heck of a routine.
This is my cozy little room. Nice TV up in the top right corner; haven't turned it on once. The lamps in this place are great. The bed is like a standard US twin, minus four inches on each side. I have to tuck my hands under my butt so my arms don't slide over the edges.
Down at the bottom of the page is the clincher, easily what I'm going to miss most about living here. This is a typical Danish bathroom and when I first saw it, I couldn't help but crack up. The toilet probably uses five gallons per flush (about nineteen litres) and that's not just here. Newer models have two flush settings: 1) half speed and 2) full speed, respectively. I'll let you figure out why. The shower is great, except that I had no clue how to work it the first time because it has buttons on the knobs. I later learned these are child safety locks so curious kids won't burn themselves. These guys think of everything. Hopefully the next time I post, I will do so from my very own quarters. Stay tuned.
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Diggin' dem Danes
Two consecutive posts featuring a conjugation of the verb, "to dig." Completely unprofessional. I'm sorry and promise it won't happen again soon. This is a quick story but pretty funny and sums up Amerikansk Fodbold in Danmark quite nicely.
I wrote yesterday about our scrimmage with the Gold Diggers and mentioned they are a top notch team with some really great coaches. Today, their head man, the esteemed Kim Ewé, was kind enough to stay over and work a bit with the defensive backs during our practice sessions. While I was busy not coaching the offensive line (Tuesday ...), Kim was working on ball skills with the DBs and offering the type of insight that allowed him and his team claim the Mermaid Bowl (Danish Championship) last season.
After the morning session, I got the chance to talk a bit more with the man and since I told him I'm writing a blog and the possibility exists he might actually read it, I will be kind with my folllowing analyses ... maybe. We ate lunch and found we shared a passion for baseball players charging the pitcher's mound. He brought up an episode of "Pros vs. Joes," featuring former Atlanta Braves ace and everybody's favorite bigot, John Rocker and his ability to zip a high fastball within inches of an unsuspecting journalist's (the "Joe's") head. Upon finishing our sandwiches, Kim played a joke on me that I'm not going to write about at this moment in anticipation that I will play this same joke on another unsuspecting American at a later time.
After the afternoon pracitce, I got to chat with Kim some more and we discussed the experiences he has had with American imports in the past. He gave me some good advice about where to visit when I have free time (not that I'd take his advice after his antics earlier in the day). After talking for a while more, I was able to discern that the man has an undeniable passion for the game of football, as do all the Danes I've dealt with thus far. Moreover, I could tell Kim really knew his stuff and the reason why is actually quite simple.
Just as the impressionable youth of today learn lessons playing XBox Live that greatly outweigh anything learned in grammar school, Kim forged his passion for American football playing an Atari game that sounded an awful lot like "Tecmo Bowl." He went on to say that he didn't understand it very well at first but kept learning more and more as he continued practicing with it. Soon Kim outgrew his 8-Bit inspiration and moved on to the real deal, joining a team in Copenhagen. He said one of the hardest things back then was adjusting to the physicality of the game. One of the ways he worked on this was naturally, by hitting the ice rink ... with his football equipment on.
In the hopes that he and his teammates could learn something from a local hockey team about the finer points of contact athletics, Kim took his lumps (literally and figuratively). After getting whomped around by the unruly skaters, Kim soon learned to translate this to the gridiron. I have spoken with many in the Tigers family and all agreed that he is widely regarded as one of the top Danish wide receivers to have played the game. You can't make this stuff up.
We parted ways, exchanging information, maybe looking to meet up later in the year with the American imports coming to the Diggers. Perhaps by then I will have thought of proper retalliation for his lunchtime shenanigans. In the interim, Kim and his men will look to conquer the National League once more and his story serves as a great example of why I am very glad to be here in Denmark.
I wrote yesterday about our scrimmage with the Gold Diggers and mentioned they are a top notch team with some really great coaches. Today, their head man, the esteemed Kim Ewé, was kind enough to stay over and work a bit with the defensive backs during our practice sessions. While I was busy not coaching the offensive line (Tuesday ...), Kim was working on ball skills with the DBs and offering the type of insight that allowed him and his team claim the Mermaid Bowl (Danish Championship) last season.
After the morning session, I got the chance to talk a bit more with the man and since I told him I'm writing a blog and the possibility exists he might actually read it, I will be kind with my folllowing analyses ... maybe. We ate lunch and found we shared a passion for baseball players charging the pitcher's mound. He brought up an episode of "Pros vs. Joes," featuring former Atlanta Braves ace and everybody's favorite bigot, John Rocker and his ability to zip a high fastball within inches of an unsuspecting journalist's (the "Joe's") head. Upon finishing our sandwiches, Kim played a joke on me that I'm not going to write about at this moment in anticipation that I will play this same joke on another unsuspecting American at a later time.
After the afternoon pracitce, I got to chat with Kim some more and we discussed the experiences he has had with American imports in the past. He gave me some good advice about where to visit when I have free time (not that I'd take his advice after his antics earlier in the day). After talking for a while more, I was able to discern that the man has an undeniable passion for the game of football, as do all the Danes I've dealt with thus far. Moreover, I could tell Kim really knew his stuff and the reason why is actually quite simple.
Just as the impressionable youth of today learn lessons playing XBox Live that greatly outweigh anything learned in grammar school, Kim forged his passion for American football playing an Atari game that sounded an awful lot like "Tecmo Bowl." He went on to say that he didn't understand it very well at first but kept learning more and more as he continued practicing with it. Soon Kim outgrew his 8-Bit inspiration and moved on to the real deal, joining a team in Copenhagen. He said one of the hardest things back then was adjusting to the physicality of the game. One of the ways he worked on this was naturally, by hitting the ice rink ... with his football equipment on.
In the hopes that he and his teammates could learn something from a local hockey team about the finer points of contact athletics, Kim took his lumps (literally and figuratively). After getting whomped around by the unruly skaters, Kim soon learned to translate this to the gridiron. I have spoken with many in the Tigers family and all agreed that he is widely regarded as one of the top Danish wide receivers to have played the game. You can't make this stuff up.
We parted ways, exchanging information, maybe looking to meet up later in the year with the American imports coming to the Diggers. Perhaps by then I will have thought of proper retalliation for his lunchtime shenanigans. In the interim, Kim and his men will look to conquer the National League once more and his story serves as a great example of why I am very glad to be here in Denmark.
Saturday, March 20, 2010
I Ain't Playin' For No Gold Digger
Today, the Århus Tigers AFC participated in a scrimmage against the Søllerød Gold Diggers of the Danish National League (the Danish national champs in the league above our's). All things considered (in that no Danish team has practiced outdoors all season long), the meeting was a success. Both sides of the football played well and at the very least, watching this got me even more in the mood to start coaching this coming week.
I asked around during the scrimmage why exactly the Gold Diggers were called what they are and no one could offer me a firm answer. Roughly translated the word "Søllerød" means "poor red." The ironic twist is the team hails from one of the more affluent suburbs of the Capitol City of Copenhagen. Very perplexing. Perhaps they are all very large Kanye West fans.
In any case, the Diggers are a great team with a top notch coaching staff and they will most likely have a great year as they look to repeat as champions in the top division. Likewise, the Tigers will look to build on a strong performance today as the season is nearing ever-closer, starting in mid-April.
After the gridiron action this afternoon, I got to hang out socially with some of the guys from the team that I have not gotten to spend as much time with as of yet. Everyone still has really cool names and one soon finds that in a country of about only five million people, you start to find people from all professions and walks of life involved in the great game of American Football. Tonight for example, I was picked up by a Portuguese man, conversed about Wedding Crashers with a German, enjoyed Carlsberg while listening to Killswitch with a medical student and discussed the finer points of local soft drink favorite Faxe Kondi (an elegant mix of Sprite, 7-Up and Mountain Dew, all made with real sugar) with a forty-year-old who has been on the team since 1989. Only in DK. Pretty tired now; see y'all tomorrow.
I asked around during the scrimmage why exactly the Gold Diggers were called what they are and no one could offer me a firm answer. Roughly translated the word "Søllerød" means "poor red." The ironic twist is the team hails from one of the more affluent suburbs of the Capitol City of Copenhagen. Very perplexing. Perhaps they are all very large Kanye West fans.
In any case, the Diggers are a great team with a top notch coaching staff and they will most likely have a great year as they look to repeat as champions in the top division. Likewise, the Tigers will look to build on a strong performance today as the season is nearing ever-closer, starting in mid-April.
After the gridiron action this afternoon, I got to hang out socially with some of the guys from the team that I have not gotten to spend as much time with as of yet. Everyone still has really cool names and one soon finds that in a country of about only five million people, you start to find people from all professions and walks of life involved in the great game of American Football. Tonight for example, I was picked up by a Portuguese man, conversed about Wedding Crashers with a German, enjoyed Carlsberg while listening to Killswitch with a medical student and discussed the finer points of local soft drink favorite Faxe Kondi (an elegant mix of Sprite, 7-Up and Mountain Dew, all made with real sugar) with a forty-year-old who has been on the team since 1989. Only in DK. Pretty tired now; see y'all tomorrow.
Friday, March 19, 2010
ØL.
Great day today. Got to explore the downtown area a bit more with the Tigers' Chairman. Peter Friis is a pretty big wheel in the world of Danish American football. In addition to his services for the club in Århus, Peter works on the board for the Danish American Football Federation (DAFF). In addition to working for DAFF, Peter knows a quality television when he sees one:
http://www.bang-olufsen.com/
That's the link above to his favorite brand; pretty wild stuff in there. Peter has been absolutely instrumental in making me comfortable here my first few days. Technically speaking, I am legally barred from doing my job until my work papers are processed. I my best estimation, I am probably one of the best cared-for illegal aliens in Denmark today. We did get some great news today though that my papers should come through by Tuesday of the coming week, a few days ahead of what we anticipated.
After strolling around the town and enjoying another fantastic lunch (Peter has great taste in restaurants, although looking around today's place and the number of men wearing scarves indoors, I felt a tad underdressed in my Killswitch Engage T shirt and Old Navy Rugged shorts), Peter showed me the University of Århus. This is a 40,000 student institution and looks a heck of a lot like some of the campus shots at Notre Dame, at least the ones featured in the film "Rudy." Sadly, Jon Favreau was nowhere to be found.
We then proceeded to pick up Peter's kids, who were going to some afternoon activities and I was shortly after dropped off at the Hotel Atletion. I threw on some workout clothes, including a brand new Tigers T shirt, and hit the training center here at the Athlete complex. Pretty cool place, considering it's a training center for not only the teams under the area's Athletic Club, but also one for Team Danmark (the Danish Olympic squad). Working out at the same time as me was an Olympic Sailing champion and also a handball player who enjoys a good smoke after his meals; who says there are no more heroes? In any case, I got a great lift in with a trainer who works with several of the teams here.
Tonight I got to eat dinner out with some of the guys from the team. More info to come on these guys shortly, but all you need to know at this time is the following: everyone here has an awesome name. We went to a local brewpub in town after dinner, where I was lucky enough to sample a delightful English-style ale (10 ounces for a mere 33 DKR/$6! I'll take eight!). Pricy, but very, very good. The place featured four brews on draft, each one made onsite. Their selection also switches pretty frequently too, so I'll be interested to see what they have available in the coming weeks of Spring. The following picture wasn't taken at the place we went to tonight, but it's pretty apropos considering the title of this post, the Danish word for beer. Skål.
http://www.bang-olufsen.com/
That's the link above to his favorite brand; pretty wild stuff in there. Peter has been absolutely instrumental in making me comfortable here my first few days. Technically speaking, I am legally barred from doing my job until my work papers are processed. I my best estimation, I am probably one of the best cared-for illegal aliens in Denmark today. We did get some great news today though that my papers should come through by Tuesday of the coming week, a few days ahead of what we anticipated.
After strolling around the town and enjoying another fantastic lunch (Peter has great taste in restaurants, although looking around today's place and the number of men wearing scarves indoors, I felt a tad underdressed in my Killswitch Engage T shirt and Old Navy Rugged shorts), Peter showed me the University of Århus. This is a 40,000 student institution and looks a heck of a lot like some of the campus shots at Notre Dame, at least the ones featured in the film "Rudy." Sadly, Jon Favreau was nowhere to be found.
We then proceeded to pick up Peter's kids, who were going to some afternoon activities and I was shortly after dropped off at the Hotel Atletion. I threw on some workout clothes, including a brand new Tigers T shirt, and hit the training center here at the Athlete complex. Pretty cool place, considering it's a training center for not only the teams under the area's Athletic Club, but also one for Team Danmark (the Danish Olympic squad). Working out at the same time as me was an Olympic Sailing champion and also a handball player who enjoys a good smoke after his meals; who says there are no more heroes? In any case, I got a great lift in with a trainer who works with several of the teams here.
Tonight I got to eat dinner out with some of the guys from the team. More info to come on these guys shortly, but all you need to know at this time is the following: everyone here has an awesome name. We went to a local brewpub in town after dinner, where I was lucky enough to sample a delightful English-style ale (10 ounces for a mere 33 DKR/$6! I'll take eight!). Pricy, but very, very good. The place featured four brews on draft, each one made onsite. Their selection also switches pretty frequently too, so I'll be interested to see what they have available in the coming weeks of Spring. The following picture wasn't taken at the place we went to tonight, but it's pretty apropos considering the title of this post, the Danish word for beer. Skål.
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Reconnaissance: DK
Today I had the pleasure of getting (purposely) lost in downtown Århus. I met first with a fine gentleman named Brian, the only other American on the team. He is pictured in the bottom left below, on his iPhone.
Brian is cool for several reasons:
1) He is a well-to-do businessman (his name appears on the sign outside his office).
2) He is a self-proclaimed "Swiss Army Knife" on the gridiron, in that he can play any and all positions (and he comes equipped with a can opener).
3) He offers great tours of Århus (for free).
4) He looks a little bit like Aaron Eckhart (before he got half his face blown off and turned into the nefarious Two Face).
5) He introduced me to Shawarma (keep reading).
Brian picked me up at the Hotel Atletion and we cruised into town, stopping first at his office briefly before heading to lunch. He asked me what I was interested in eating and having already experienced the finest American cuisine Denmark had to offer, I kind of wanted to try something a bit more "Danish." Naturally, we then went to a Turkish restaurant.
Denmark, like many other European countries has a strong Muslim influence; a lot of these folks being from Turkey. Our particular selection for lunch is a favorite around the nation. When I asked Brian what a "Shawarma" was, he very quickly responded, "It's like a burrito!" If you know me well enough, you'd know there are very few things in this world that strike my fancy quite like a rolled tortilla filled with meat, rice, veggies & fixin's (preferrably one the size of a mortar shell). That being said, I was s-o-l-d.
Brian went on to explain that a shawarma is a Middle-Eastern pita wrap with vegetables, a creamy garlic dressing and lamb or chicken that is thinly shaven off a spinning rotisserie ("shawarma" is actually derived from a Turkish word meaning "turning"). When we arrived at the "Shawarma Bar," I was practically giddy when I stepped in to find the man behind the counter artfully pruning a side of lamb roughly the size of a human torso (see above). We ordered and watched the staff quickly and deliciously assemble two very generous wraps. We sat down and dug in. I can honestly say that the marinated lamb in this pita was probably the best I've ever had. It was flavorful, not overly salty and had a distinct barbeque taste, really good stuff. After lunch, we went to Baresso (like a Danish Starbucks, but with a soul) to grab a coffee and Brian released me into the wild for a few hours to explore on my own.
Downtown Århus has two main walking streets that were mighty crowded for a Thursday afternoon (must be a long weekend). People were clammoring in, out of and around the various shops, storefronts and street vendors, just like so many movies about Americans getting lost in Europe have already shown us. In truth, it was pretty much like that, except Tom Green was nowhere to be found.
There was a lot of really neat stuff to be seen in these places, none of which I was willing to spend any money on though. One United States Dollar is equivalent to roughly five-and-a-half Danish Kroner (they're not on the Euro). On top of that, things are pretty expensive to begin with. It looks kinda funny to walk into a music shop (an awesome one at that) and see CDs marked 99.99; about $18, roughly what an (insane) American would pay at FYE.
After a few hours, I started to get a little tired so I swung by Brian's office and he brought me back to my room. All in all, it was a great day and I don't see myself getting bored with so much to see and do (and not buy) in the Downtown area. Huge Kudos to my "Amerikansk Big Brother" Brian for carting me around; hopefully he'll take Sam Elliot's advice and stop working as a shill for Big Tobacco ("Thank You For Smoking"). That's all for now. Farvel.
Brian is cool for several reasons:
1) He is a well-to-do businessman (his name appears on the sign outside his office).
2) He is a self-proclaimed "Swiss Army Knife" on the gridiron, in that he can play any and all positions (and he comes equipped with a can opener).
3) He offers great tours of Århus (for free).
4) He looks a little bit like Aaron Eckhart (before he got half his face blown off and turned into the nefarious Two Face).
5) He introduced me to Shawarma (keep reading).
Brian picked me up at the Hotel Atletion and we cruised into town, stopping first at his office briefly before heading to lunch. He asked me what I was interested in eating and having already experienced the finest American cuisine Denmark had to offer, I kind of wanted to try something a bit more "Danish." Naturally, we then went to a Turkish restaurant.
Denmark, like many other European countries has a strong Muslim influence; a lot of these folks being from Turkey. Our particular selection for lunch is a favorite around the nation. When I asked Brian what a "Shawarma" was, he very quickly responded, "It's like a burrito!" If you know me well enough, you'd know there are very few things in this world that strike my fancy quite like a rolled tortilla filled with meat, rice, veggies & fixin's (preferrably one the size of a mortar shell). That being said, I was s-o-l-d.
Brian went on to explain that a shawarma is a Middle-Eastern pita wrap with vegetables, a creamy garlic dressing and lamb or chicken that is thinly shaven off a spinning rotisserie ("shawarma" is actually derived from a Turkish word meaning "turning"). When we arrived at the "Shawarma Bar," I was practically giddy when I stepped in to find the man behind the counter artfully pruning a side of lamb roughly the size of a human torso (see above). We ordered and watched the staff quickly and deliciously assemble two very generous wraps. We sat down and dug in. I can honestly say that the marinated lamb in this pita was probably the best I've ever had. It was flavorful, not overly salty and had a distinct barbeque taste, really good stuff. After lunch, we went to Baresso (like a Danish Starbucks, but with a soul) to grab a coffee and Brian released me into the wild for a few hours to explore on my own.
Downtown Århus has two main walking streets that were mighty crowded for a Thursday afternoon (must be a long weekend). People were clammoring in, out of and around the various shops, storefronts and street vendors, just like so many movies about Americans getting lost in Europe have already shown us. In truth, it was pretty much like that, except Tom Green was nowhere to be found.
There was a lot of really neat stuff to be seen in these places, none of which I was willing to spend any money on though. One United States Dollar is equivalent to roughly five-and-a-half Danish Kroner (they're not on the Euro). On top of that, things are pretty expensive to begin with. It looks kinda funny to walk into a music shop (an awesome one at that) and see CDs marked 99.99; about $18, roughly what an (insane) American would pay at FYE.
After a few hours, I started to get a little tired so I swung by Brian's office and he brought me back to my room. All in all, it was a great day and I don't see myself getting bored with so much to see and do (and not buy) in the Downtown area. Huge Kudos to my "Amerikansk Big Brother" Brian for carting me around; hopefully he'll take Sam Elliot's advice and stop working as a shill for Big Tobacco ("Thank You For Smoking"). That's all for now. Farvel.
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Trip Recap
Greetings all ... Day Two going swimmingly thus far, I'll probably post again later but as promised now, I wanted to recap some of the ups and downs (and side-to-sides) of my trip over in a little section I like to call, "FlyLights."
First off, while checking in at Logan, I was actually bumped up to an earlier flight to Chicago. Rather than leaving at 7:03, I was to leave at 5:23. Great news at the time, but thanks to delightful Boston wind, rain, sleet, hail and meteors (probably), the 5:23 ended up leaving at 7 o'clock anyway. On the plus side, I did have the pleasure of waiting in the terminal with a delightful group of Irish Iowans in town for the weekend's St. Patrick's festivities. The miserable weather they encountered during their stay did nothing to mar their natural Midwestern charm, nor their ability to buy local generic Irish merchandise of all sorts including shirts, hats, socks and buttons with JFK's face on them (they had just come from the Kennedy Library). Funny people, great accents and super nice; they made the wait much more tolerable.
The flight to Chicago was uneventful, though I was impressed with the plane we took. The Boeing 777 is basically a modern realization of Howard Hughes' "Spruce Goose" and had three distinct cabins: First Class A, First Class B and everybody else. In total, 261 people boarded the plane, most of whom flowed with me into steerage. After walking about a quarter mile to my seat, I found myself sandwiched between two other passengers, neither of whom said a word; must've been the weather. I then proceeded to sleep through about half the flight.
Upon arriving in O'Hare, I walked around looking for a directory and soon learned that this particular airpoint was probably the biggest one in the universe, as International Terminal was a ten minute walk and five minute train ride from my present location. During my trek through the facility, not a one deep dish pizza joint. When I got to the terminal, I had to settle for an Italian beef sandwich from some crappy chain. The sandwich wasn't bad, but I really wanted some pizza ... sigh. After I checked in, I sat down for a while to an episode of everyone's favorite vicodin-addicated TV doctor on one of the DVDs Mother gave me before I left. I actually had to cut Dr. House short because I stopped it so many times to listen to the announcements over the intercom (the patient, played by LL Cool J, ended up living).
I could probably write an entire blog on the actual seven hour, forty-five minute flight from Chicago to CPH, but I'm going to dinner with Coach Varst shortly, so here are the key points:
1) Scandinavian Air (SAS) is greatest airline ever. Period.
2) I had an aisle seat and was fortunate to have no one else sit in the middle row with me (Leg room FTW).
3) My bottom > SAS seats.
4) The inflight movies weren't NEARLY as good as the inflight meals (really good).
5) There was a guy with a tattoo on his arm that read "Skin Head" around some weird symbol.
6) My bottom > SAS seats.
7) The turbulence over Nothern Canada was better than any roller coaster ride.
8) The plane broadcast camera views both in front and below the plane, not that I could see anything at night.
9) My bottom > SAS seats.
10) Slight edge goes to Iron Age album as my favorite of the music I bought before the trip (check them out).
That's all for now, as Coach Kelvin has just arrived. Maybe more to come later.
First off, while checking in at Logan, I was actually bumped up to an earlier flight to Chicago. Rather than leaving at 7:03, I was to leave at 5:23. Great news at the time, but thanks to delightful Boston wind, rain, sleet, hail and meteors (probably), the 5:23 ended up leaving at 7 o'clock anyway. On the plus side, I did have the pleasure of waiting in the terminal with a delightful group of Irish Iowans in town for the weekend's St. Patrick's festivities. The miserable weather they encountered during their stay did nothing to mar their natural Midwestern charm, nor their ability to buy local generic Irish merchandise of all sorts including shirts, hats, socks and buttons with JFK's face on them (they had just come from the Kennedy Library). Funny people, great accents and super nice; they made the wait much more tolerable.
The flight to Chicago was uneventful, though I was impressed with the plane we took. The Boeing 777 is basically a modern realization of Howard Hughes' "Spruce Goose" and had three distinct cabins: First Class A, First Class B and everybody else. In total, 261 people boarded the plane, most of whom flowed with me into steerage. After walking about a quarter mile to my seat, I found myself sandwiched between two other passengers, neither of whom said a word; must've been the weather. I then proceeded to sleep through about half the flight.
Upon arriving in O'Hare, I walked around looking for a directory and soon learned that this particular airpoint was probably the biggest one in the universe, as International Terminal was a ten minute walk and five minute train ride from my present location. During my trek through the facility, not a one deep dish pizza joint. When I got to the terminal, I had to settle for an Italian beef sandwich from some crappy chain. The sandwich wasn't bad, but I really wanted some pizza ... sigh. After I checked in, I sat down for a while to an episode of everyone's favorite vicodin-addicated TV doctor on one of the DVDs Mother gave me before I left. I actually had to cut Dr. House short because I stopped it so many times to listen to the announcements over the intercom (the patient, played by LL Cool J, ended up living).
I could probably write an entire blog on the actual seven hour, forty-five minute flight from Chicago to CPH, but I'm going to dinner with Coach Varst shortly, so here are the key points:
1) Scandinavian Air (SAS) is greatest airline ever. Period.
2) I had an aisle seat and was fortunate to have no one else sit in the middle row with me (Leg room FTW).
3) My bottom > SAS seats.
4) The inflight movies weren't NEARLY as good as the inflight meals (really good).
5) There was a guy with a tattoo on his arm that read "Skin Head" around some weird symbol.
6) My bottom > SAS seats.
7) The turbulence over Nothern Canada was better than any roller coaster ride.
8) The plane broadcast camera views both in front and below the plane, not that I could see anything at night.
9) My bottom > SAS seats.
10) Slight edge goes to Iron Age album as my favorite of the music I bought before the trip (check them out).
That's all for now, as Coach Kelvin has just arrived. Maybe more to come later.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Day One
Gonna be a quick one tonight, boys & girls ... Details about the adventurous flight to come tomorrow, INCLUDING my very own "FlyLight" ("Flight Hi-Light") Section!
Arrived at about 1:15 pm local time and I'm pretty tired after a long day of sitting down and being driven places. Initial analysis is as follows:
1) Denmark is pretty small and flat, yet highly personable.
2) Fiat makes a car called "Panda."
3) VOLBEAT is indeed a popular musical group.
4) No one knows quite how to manage an American-themed tropical pizza & hamburger pub like a bloke from Jolly ol' England.
5) Århus is like a combination between Cambridge, Brighton, Allston & Somerville, with none of the regrettable Hipster motifs.
More to follow very soon. For now, try on some of the Monarch Restaurant chain's finest open-faced sandwiches, pictured below. (Clockwise from top: fried fish fillet with mayo/relish spread & lemon garnish; baby shrimp & hard boiled egg with mayo and cucumber; peppered pork bacon with onions, cucumber & some kind of strange stock jelly ... all served cold on buttered grain/rye bread!)
Arrived at about 1:15 pm local time and I'm pretty tired after a long day of sitting down and being driven places. Initial analysis is as follows:
1) Denmark is pretty small and flat, yet highly personable.
2) Fiat makes a car called "Panda."
3) VOLBEAT is indeed a popular musical group.
4) No one knows quite how to manage an American-themed tropical pizza & hamburger pub like a bloke from Jolly ol' England.
5) Århus is like a combination between Cambridge, Brighton, Allston & Somerville, with none of the regrettable Hipster motifs.
More to follow very soon. For now, try on some of the Monarch Restaurant chain's finest open-faced sandwiches, pictured below. (Clockwise from top: fried fish fillet with mayo/relish spread & lemon garnish; baby shrimp & hard boiled egg with mayo and cucumber; peppered pork bacon with onions, cucumber & some kind of strange stock jelly ... all served cold on buttered grain/rye bread!)
Monday, March 15, 2010
Counting Down
In approximately seven hours, I will be airborne (or possibly stranded on the runway at Logan Airport). My destination: Chicago's O'Hare Airport. After about two-and-a-half hours in the Windy City, I will hopefully have chowed down on some serious deep dish pizza before boarding my second flight bound for the Capitol city of the world's oldest Constitutional Monarchy.
Eight more hours in the air from that point. The good news: some brutal iTunes downloads (new Shadows Fall & Trivium, which I've put off getting for far too long, and a few lesser knowns that I've been eager to check out for a while; Iron Age, Mutiny Within & Early Man), an electronic handheld Yahtzee manchine, several books, a few crosswords Mother Dear just stuffed in my carryon and the crown jewel: Dinner and continental breakfast on the flight. The bad news: probably having to get up every hour to avoid my back, legs and entire body from losing all feeling, the inevitability that the inflight movie(s) will involve actors such as Sarah Jessica Parker, Christopher Noth and words such as "Sex," "And," "The" & "City" in the title and worst of all, the chance I could have a seat next to the Garden State's finest portly filmmaker, Kevin Smith. If this were happen, Sully Sullenberger himself couldn't save that flight from going down. In all seriousness, I actually enjoy flying and am looking forward to my first international trip.
Fast forward to tomorrow morning. About twenty past eight, EST, I will land in Copenhagen, Denmark and meet with Chairman Peter Friis of the Århus Tigers AFC, the club that will be my adoptive family for the next seven months. After that, I will tentatively pick up my equipment and drive three hours with Peter to Århus, receiving a tour of the country in the process. As a reference, the drive is about 300 km (185 mi) and spans about half the country:
http://www.kosancrisplant.dk/images/roaddir/danmarklarge.jpg
Upon arriving in Århus (also known as Aarhus and pronounced OAWH-hoos), I will check into the hotel where I will be staying for about a week and then probably meet the other coaches for dinner. After dinner, I will have been awake for probably way too long and will commence a brief period of hibernation (that one's for you Warren, Jack & Jason) back at the hotel. All of this is subject to change, of course but it is at least the plan for now.
This is my first blog and I'm still getting used to the finer points putting up public content on the internets. The appearance of this thing will probably change greatly over the next few days but I wanted to get something in place before I left. Stay tuned for more to come (pictures, video, tightrope walking, etc). In the next few entries, I'll also be providing more information about what it is I'm actually going to be doing in Danmark (that's how the Danes spell it; makes a bit more sense, no?). For now though, I guess following words will have to suffice:
American. Football. Danish style. Yeah buddy.
Eight more hours in the air from that point. The good news: some brutal iTunes downloads (new Shadows Fall & Trivium, which I've put off getting for far too long, and a few lesser knowns that I've been eager to check out for a while; Iron Age, Mutiny Within & Early Man), an electronic handheld Yahtzee manchine, several books, a few crosswords Mother Dear just stuffed in my carryon and the crown jewel: Dinner and continental breakfast on the flight. The bad news: probably having to get up every hour to avoid my back, legs and entire body from losing all feeling, the inevitability that the inflight movie(s) will involve actors such as Sarah Jessica Parker, Christopher Noth and words such as "Sex," "And," "The" & "City" in the title and worst of all, the chance I could have a seat next to the Garden State's finest portly filmmaker, Kevin Smith. If this were happen, Sully Sullenberger himself couldn't save that flight from going down. In all seriousness, I actually enjoy flying and am looking forward to my first international trip.
Fast forward to tomorrow morning. About twenty past eight, EST, I will land in Copenhagen, Denmark and meet with Chairman Peter Friis of the Århus Tigers AFC, the club that will be my adoptive family for the next seven months. After that, I will tentatively pick up my equipment and drive three hours with Peter to Århus, receiving a tour of the country in the process. As a reference, the drive is about 300 km (185 mi) and spans about half the country:
http://www.kosancrisplant.dk/images/roaddir/danmarklarge.jpg
Upon arriving in Århus (also known as Aarhus and pronounced OAWH-hoos), I will check into the hotel where I will be staying for about a week and then probably meet the other coaches for dinner. After dinner, I will have been awake for probably way too long and will commence a brief period of hibernation (that one's for you Warren, Jack & Jason) back at the hotel. All of this is subject to change, of course but it is at least the plan for now.
This is my first blog and I'm still getting used to the finer points putting up public content on the internets. The appearance of this thing will probably change greatly over the next few days but I wanted to get something in place before I left. Stay tuned for more to come (pictures, video, tightrope walking, etc). In the next few entries, I'll also be providing more information about what it is I'm actually going to be doing in Danmark (that's how the Danes spell it; makes a bit more sense, no?). For now though, I guess following words will have to suffice:
American. Football. Danish style. Yeah buddy.
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