Overcoming both language and stupidity

For the most part, adjusting to life in Copenhagen is just like moving to any other city in the states. I've lived in San Diego, Providence, San Francisco, and even a short time in Massachusetts, and each time you move to a new place, you have to get the lay of the land. You find your grocery store, map out your route to classes or work, figure out the best places to eat, explore the nightlife...in other words, become one with the city. Every city has a different culture, Copenhagen is as different from San Francisco as Providence is from San Diego. So for the most part, I haven't thought of the adjustment as being in a different country halfway across the world. I've just once again found myself in a new and exciting city to explore...

With one important distinction. Danish. Even where everyone speaks English, Danish is still the native language, and makes for a unique twist in adjusting to a new city. Some examples for your amusement...

Today I decided to cook dinner, a real dinner that didn't involve just pouring sauce from bottle on top of spaghetti. Instead I would make my garlic zucchini pasta, which I already had the ingredients for. As I excitedly pulled my zucchini from the fridge i started complaining to my roommates about what a waste it was to shrinkwrap a zucchini. They looked at me funny, and proceeded to inform me that I was not in fact holding a zucchini. Much to my amazement, as the wrapping fell from my hands, I saw I was in fact holding a cucumber. This is one of the many pitfalls of not being able to read the Danish signs around the vegetables (And for the record, I blame the shrinkwrap for hindering me from making a positive id of the vegetable by sight).

The next story is somewhat embarrassing, but I'm always one to humiliate myself for others' amusement so here goes. I was having trouble with my shampoo. It wouldn't lather. I had many theories. It was weird Danish shampoo, we had hard or soft water, whichever one of those can screw with things, or finally that my hair was just dirty and if I put a lot in then eventually there would be a lather. Alas no luck. Today after I dried my hair and was walking down the street, I was quite bothered by the fact that my hair felt thick and almost greasy. It felt like I had put product in it. In fact, it almost felt like I had put in conditioner and hadn't rinsed it...oh. Yes my friends, for the past 5 days I have been washing my hair with conditioner, not shampoo. The worst part of the story is that the shampoo in Danish actually says shampoo, (the word for conditioner is different though), so it's more my own stupidity than the language barrier.

For those curious, here is a pic of my roomies and me in our kitchen!