One word...SNE!

This morning I woke up and was greeted with a snow-covered window. I sat and looked outside for a couple seconds. The excitement set in. I quickly took a shower and ate breakfast. Gerda told me that usually whenever it snows the train comes late and so I probably did not have to hustle to the station. Being a Wisconsinite, snow is nothing new to me. I have seen and done many things, that to foriegners would seem utterly strange. For example: snow in October or April, having back-to-back snow days, the whole concept of a snow day, snow plows, shoveling your driveway once and immediately starting over, snowmobiles, etc. One thing that not many Wisconsinites get to experience is riding a bike in snow. To Danes, riding your bike in snow is like any other aspect of their day. To Wisconsinites, riding your bike in snow is something that only mad people would do. So, I was excited.

I got all bundled up and headed outside. An immediate smile came to my face. I hopped on my bike and started my usual 6 minute bike ride to the station. Right off the bat I ran into problems, literally. The snow drove my bike off course and into some shrubs. I laughed to myself and continued on. It was pretty difficult as I was on a road that is not driven on very often and I soon realized that it didn't help I cycling in a small drift. I found an easier path and continued on. Not as hard as I thought it would be, as long as I stayed out of the drifts. As I turned onto the main road I bike on, I struck the normally visble curb. I was thrown off balance and I ended off almost falling off, but I didn't. As I reached the station I realized that it was 2 minutes past the time that they train comes, however I saw many people still standing on the platform. I quickly locked my bike and headed up to join the crowd. A few seconds later the speaker said (in Danish, obliviously) that the train was cancelled. So, I waited inside the station building and watched as the group grew and grew. 40 minutes later the next train came..10 minutes late. The train was already full and I luckily got a seat. As the train stopped at the rest of the stops, the train became more full and more full and more full. People ended up standing in the asile awkwardly and scouting for open seats. I thought it was "hyggeligt" (no exact translation, but it means something like "cozy".)

When I got to school (25 minutes late) I meet some of the students in the cafeteria and they said that our teacher hadn't come yet. Just then she walked in. She also takes train and no surprise, it was cancelled and delayed. The rest of the day continued as normal minus the 30% of the school's students absent. My train home was delayed and I ended standing in the cold for 50 minutes. I was freezing. The train ride back was not a repeat of the morning train, thankfully. My bike ride home was also quite a bit easier as than the morning. Because of this, I completely regarded that there was ice on the road and Mother Nature sure taught me a lesson. I was riding my bike past two old ladies when I hit some ice and feel off my bike. It was like slow motion fall, which made me feel like I was in some kind of action film. The old ladies watched it all happen and quickly made sure I was okay. They kept saying a phrase similar to "oh my goodness". As a result of the fall, my chain fell off my bike. I attempted to get it back on, but the old ladies kind of distracted me. I told them "Goddag and pas på" and swiftly left them pushing my injured bike. By the way, I am totally okay. I thought it was more fun than painful.

If the snow stays, which is a possibility, it will be the first "White Christmas" in Denmark in 14 years! That is so crazy! I am really looking forward to it. I should probably do my homework now. Who knew English could be so hard!

God Jul and Nytår!

Andy