Classes and the City

Everything has been going really well here in Denmark. Classes are in full swing and I'm getting into a routine for day to day operations for school. I don't have classes on ever other Friday so I plan to start doing some traveling over the long weekends in the country soon. Classes here are very different then in the States, most have a project or paper due at the end of the semester and that's the only thing determining your grade. The classes can be either graded for a specific mark or they are just pass/fail, and their grading system here is a lot different, there are no letter grades they use a number system.

Here is the break down of the Danish grading scale.

Danish Scale      U.S. Grade Equiv.
-12                    -A
-10                    -B+
-7                      -B
-4                      -C+
-02                    -C
-00                    -F

Classes for actual lectures also run differently here, you meet for most classes once a week for 2 hours and that goes for about 8 weeks. So for the Spring 2014 semester actual classes are in February and March and you have April and May to work on your papers and projects then the Month of June is all the due dates, presentations, examinations, etc. all totaling for about a 20 week semester. Depending on the classes you take it determines what you have to do for your final as some classes are just lectures that you have to attend to pass.

More on classes and academics to come.


Now for the city. The city of Aalborg was founded by Vikings during the Iron age at the narrowest point of the Limfjord which is the river that the city was built next too. it was a trading city and the roads in the city center were all canals for boat traffic to move around the city. As a result none of the old canals that are now roads are very straight. The city has a modern Art museum, a Zoo, a huge park, an underground museum in the catacombs beneath the city center(more on that later, going to see that this coming Sunday) and there is a Viking burial site just out side of the city that is very beautiful during the spring and summer. (plan to go see that as well) Here are pictures of the city from the welcome tour the school had for new international students.

Pictures of the Park in Aalborg

The Famous Aalborg tower that you can go up into and see the city and surrounding area.

Some of the former canals that are now roads.

The Limfjord

Part of the Aalborghus built by King Christian III of Denmark in 1539 to around 1555. It was original built as a fortification/castle but became the center of government in Northern Jutland the part of Denmark Aalborg is in.

And finally the Sun! I have only seen it 3 times in two weeks here because of the weather. But Spring and summer are supposed to be better. Lets hope!

More posts to follow about the people and other adventures.