Sunday, September 12, 2010

Study Trip to Western Denmark

Shots all around! Don't worry, it's on the school.

This weekend, from Thursday morning to Saturday night, I was on a study tour with my Medical Practice and Policy class (the one taught in a hospital) in western Denmark. Our group was 2 of the MPP classes, so there were 30 of us plus 3 interns. We left early Thurs morning (classes cancelled!) for a 3 hour bus ride to Jutland, which is the part of Denmark actually connected to Germany. The rest of Denmark, like where Copenhagen is, is a collection of 406 islands. Around 10:00am, we get to Århus, which is the 2nd biggest city in Denmark. Here, we toured a hospital and a radiology clinic, then drove to our hostel. Then we went to a REALLY fancy dinner. I don't know how my school organizes such cool trips. A gourmet dinner reservation for 33 people? Done. Afterwards, our interns took us to a local brewery and ordered shots of a Danish liquor for everyone, covered by the school. It just cracks me up how different it is here than in the states.

What's the best way to get a group of 20 year olds to bond? Beer and disco bowling.

On Friday, we went to the ARoS Modern Art Museum, which is hands-down the coolest art museum I've ever been to. Modern art is always so funky and interesting. Plus, there was a featured exhibit called "I love you," that was slightly absurd to say the least. It was the definition of "nudity is art." Some of the exhibits were off the wall and we were dying of laughter, but others were really neat. Next, we went to Den Gamle By ("The Old City"), which is a unique historic town in Århus. It's different from a town like Williamsburg, for example, because all the buildings are from all over the country that have been relocated here to form a "town." It was fun to explore the old buildings/barns/mills.

Modern Art Museum Den Gamle By

Next, we visited a general practitioner's office. Then, we drove to a small town called Horsens, checked into our hostel, and went to the bowling alley. Here, we had a huge and awesome buffet of really cool foods, and our interns ordered us TEN pitchers of beer (again, on the school). This night was really funny, because up until now, our group was a little bit awkward around each other, because not many people knew one another. But the combination of beer and disco bowling loosened everyone up, and it was a crazy-fun time. Afterwards, the bus dropped us off downtown and we all went out to a club together. Good times.

Hanging with the Beatles and swinging from trees.

On our last day, Saturday, we didn't do anything academic, which I found pretty entertaining. First, we went to Kolding Castle, which used to be the castle of Danish King Christian VI until it burnt down in the 1600s. It was reconstructed in the 1900s, and now its a tourist site/museum. Some parts of the castle were made to look like they would have in the 1600s, then randomly the castle opened up into a featured Beatles exhibit, that took up several giant rooms. The neon yellow, green, and orange exhibit was a pretty sharp contrast to the dull browns and maroons elsewhere in the castle. But the exhibit was awesome and had one of John Lennon's original guitars.

Next, we drove to the town of Kolding to go on a high ropes course! It was so much fun. I haven't gone on a high ropes course since summer camp in 8th grade, so I was really excited. Some parts were about 30 feet in the air, and there were several zip lines (my favorite!). To top off an awesome day, our interns had brought Borat and played it for us for the bus ride home. Very nice.

The Beatles Exhibit My friend Barathi on the zip line!




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