nordic lights

Four months since my last post and much has transpired. In that time I had spent a month away in Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore. In that time, I had also progressed the thesis to its final edit. Now, I am visiting Denmark, having arrived in this country since the 8th of March. The purpose: to seek out opportunities for life beyond a student.

Having been here for 3 days now, I must say that I do like what I have encountered. While relatively sedate, there is something about the way things  are ‘designed’ – the little details in everything. I guess the Danish aesthetics is very much a pervasive attitude that permeates through every facet of life.

Aarhus, the city I am in, is refreshingly larger than I anticipated. Not the backwater place that some people seem to indicate. There is a certain bohemian air about parts of the town with many little nooks and crannies. A good mix of the old and new. The people are friendly but only when approached; more reserved and keeping to themselves.

But the cost of things are high when compared to what I am used to in Australia. The most common index I use is the BMI index – The Big Mac Index (not body mass index). With today’s exchange rate, a single Big Mac in Denmark costs approximately AUD$7.80. The cost in Australia, the last time I checked (Dec 2008) is AUD$4.25 – so not quite double the price but not far either…nearly 45% more. Of course I have to also take into account the poorly performing Aussie dollar right now. But the wages are higher.

Society is certainly more flat and there appears to be a highly consultative nature in the way decisions are made.

Well I am sure i will keep writing but right now, I need to get going to grab myself a coffee.