Archive for August, 2007

Registration completed - I am now officially a SIPA student

Friday, August 31st, 2007

Have been ‘busy as an ant’, as we say in Denmark (or something close to that, at least). This week has been quite hectic; trying to (re)learn math at a frantic pace, only to realize I just am not a math genious. Very far from it, in fact. Also, choosing courses has been the thing to do this week. I ended up with

-Econ. Micro and macro
-Conceptual Foundations (mostly international politics, I think)
-Professional development (learn how to get a good job)
-International Law (I think it’s a tough course, but am looking very much forward. Finally, I will know something and really, really know it :)
-Theoretical Overview of Conflict Resolution (I will do a whole program in confl res)

Am quite happy with that! I really am going back to school!

It’s a funny feeling to suddenly be here in the midst of it all. When I walk my way from the Columbia University subway stop to SIPA, through the impressive campus, I sometimes stop to think “Wow, there’s no place I’d rather be!” (but there are a few people I’d rather were here).

The surroundings, resources, profesors, fellow students, courses, concentrations, attention is all exeeding anything I’ve ever been academically in touch with before. I like it. A lot!

Ok, no more rambling. Am planning for a few drinks this weekend. Soccer! Going with my landlady to her countryside-house and help with some stuff and just enjoying New York, and enjoying that I don’t have ‘homework’ for the last time i months!

Now, will embark in either Shalimar or Journal of Int Affairs. Doesn’t really matter: exhaustion will probably close my eyes soon.

Hakuna Matata

Support a good cause

Friday, August 24th, 2007

I’m thinking, in the process of going to bed now, about how to get Elly, my girlfriend, to come to NYC. Maybe I’ll start collecting signatues. If we collect, say, 500,000 I hardly think she could resist! Will dream up a scheme..!

If you’re bored or have extra time, check out this awesome dude: enter

Guess who’s back, back again…

Friday, August 24th, 2007

So, I’m back.

Thanks for also coming back- or maybe visiting for the first time.

I’ll try to now keep the postings flowing, nice and smoothly. And try not to make them too long. Just to let anyone interested know how life is in this giant apple they call Nueva York (at least where I live).

in Bullet points:

-For reasons explained below, I had a lot of time for reading while travelling here. I finished Garcia Marquez’ Memories of My Melancholic Whores. Disturbing but/and recommendable! I wanna go to Columbia! The country, that is. Have now started Shalimar the Clown by S Rushdie. Also disturbing so far. Beautiful language! (maybe more will come on this in a later post) And then I read Applied Statistics. Beautiful language! Disturbing!

-My flight was delayed from Copenhagen to Heathrow; barely made the connecting flight to JFK. My luggage didn’t, so I had to wait three hours for my precious suitcases upon arriving. Which meant that I got to spend time in the queue (is that how you spell it?) with a professor from NYC Uni. Among other things, he told me how the Israeli-Palestinian conflict (don’t ask how we got into that subject at what was, for my inner watch, 3 am!) simply can’t be discussed in American classrooms. If you, as a teacher, mention something like ‘a future Palestinian state’ or if you are slightly critical of Israel’s policies, he told me, you’ll get fired. Apparantly it happened to a teacher at Columbia not too long ago. I honestly know nothing about this issue and don’t know what to believe, but am looking forward to learning more the coming years :) (comments from anyone who does know are very welcome!)

-So, I temporarely live with a friend of a friend of a friend in a big apt filled with approx 10,000 books, glasses, tapes, chairs and tables and boxes. It’s charming, the woman is extremely nice and it’s quite cozy, I reckon. Was walking her dog today, which must be around the same age as this city itself. Emba; cute little girl!

-I felt a little sad walking down Broadway this morning. All alone in a new (and humongous) city. Then, however, I fixed my phone and reconnected with Denmark. And then I invited Tom Waits to play on my iPod. And then I found myself strolling in my new city quite enjoying the prospects of the next couple of years! I live in New York!!

-Visited Columbia and the International Affairs building. Recalled how I visited two years ago and began to think how cool it would be to go there one day. I gues some dreams do come true :) Am very exited to start (apart from the Math tutorial!).

-When I walked home this afternoon, I found that the area where I live (click for map) is veeery hispanic (rep. Dominicana). There are small walls where people hang out and create an atmosphere more reminiscent of the Malecon in Havana than what I would have expected from NYC! I get to practice my espa~nol! (and eat mofongo if I please)

-Met up with Morten and Grethe, who have a nice apt close to campus. Nice! Lovely cinnamon roles, Grethe :) Am looking forward to be spending time with good friends from the mother country!

-Bought a $76 monthly card for the subway. Made me think how I’m practically bankrupt before I even pay my obscene tuition. My parents’ bleeding hearts (and wallet) will save me from starvation!

So, I think that’ll be it. I could expand vastly on my thoughts, feelings, and doings of today (had 8 hours on my own), but will let you go.

As said, I’ll try to keep posting; maybe even put up some pictures now and then (don’t expect more Borat outfits, though).

Thanks for visiting, feel free to leave a message in whatever language you wish (preferably one that I understand) and do come and visit here. It’s pretty and pretty fun!

Thor bless,
Jakob