parking ticket, Danish way

Yes, I just got a parking ticket- without being really doing wrong. I drove to the Greve Center (do never, ever use there if you can) in near Copenhagen. I saw the Europark- sign, saying that I have to set the clock. (Those who do not know what is a parking clock: it is a uniquely-Danish system of setting a manual paper clock for a parking, that you have to have on your car, on the right side of your front window. ) It is 3 hours free parking, but you must set the clock, it says. I understood it as I set the clock for the time of leaving. I arrived there at 12:15, so I set it as 15:00.

I got a ticket, when I am back from my visit to Førtex, after 30 min. Why? Because I should have set it as I arrived.

There are many things unfair in this situation. First, the sign should have had an instruction of how to set a clock. New comers and non-Danes do not have a fair chance here. Secondly, they fine it not for actual action (f.e. over stayed, wrongly parked, etc.) but for 'not setting a clock right'. This is an assumed crime. Thirdly, if one might be educated by Europark on clock setting, it should not be so expensive as 510 dkk.

It seems to be that Europark had been on TV for its aggressive and somewhat shady way of making money, and its increasing complains from parking ticket victims. I read some debate on this issue, and surprised to find it that many Danes seems to think it is OK to be fined for such human mistakes, like forgetting to set a P-clock. It is not right. Surely there are people see my points here?

Fine should be for things already happened illegally, not for simply forgot to set a clock. Setting a clock by oneself is not a freedom or proof of trust on responsible drivers, but doing a parking services job. Checking if one is staying longer should not be burden for all drivers, but should be done by the parking company. We are paying fines because the private parking company is too greedy to do the work right. Let it be a parking meeter in this country, let the guilty ones to be fined. But no: innocent people with normal human mistakes are being punished for crimes they never committed.

I am amazed that Danish rules are allowing such way of making money. Just because it is a law, and one is used it, Danes are blaming themselves when they get a ticket. I also think alot of blame should go to the shops, that use Europark-a likes. It seems to be that there are tons of money to be made from its careless and forgetful customers. Did you know that they share profits?!!!

Don't get me wrong. I would grumpily pay for a parking ticket, if I committed actual crime. But paying for following a sign, that did not provided a proper information? If this rules are only for Danes, I should certainly not pay for it. And those Danes who may think I should know better about Danish system; yeah, right, and you would surely have memorized all German laws when you drives through camping sites there this summer.

I suggest that do not go to the shops using Europark. It is never a free parking space, but a free trap for squeezing money out of you, for being a human. That is not a service. This should not be the kinds of human mistakes that one should pay for. Europark is actually make lots of money from this, and that is simply wrong. Those Danes attacking Guantanamo and Bush's Iraq war, just look at here closely at home in Denmark: you have your own preemptive punishment that you better deal with. Or you may one day pay for other terrible human mistakes like 'not remembering your social security number', or 'not pronounced ones name right'. All of you are actually working for Europark, when you set that clock. And when you are not doing job right, Europark is charging you for it. Maybe I should run a parking service. It sure looks like easy money.

Learning Danish at KISS

KISS stands for Københavns Intensive Sprog Skole. It has special method teaching: students have to memorize 15 new sentences each class, in form of test as reciting and writing. This is only short, speedy Danish course offered in whole of Denmark,as each level takes only 3 weeks (with 3 hourx3days per week). If you miss more than 2 classes, or mass up any of those tests more than 2 times, you are automatically take the same level again.
It is popular with foreigners who have high level of education, who are eager to do competitive, intensive course in speedy way. Otherwise, I was told by other students, one has to take painfully slow, other more common language schools, up to 2 years.
I have taken KISS since last June. From my experience, KISS can work only if one gets a good teacher. I had roughly 7 different teachers there in the course of 6 levels (it takes 10 levels to the end with Danish 3 Exam, which is required for residency). 4 of them were ok to good teachers, and 3 were horrible. Students do not have any choice for teachers, and the school has been strangely cranky on the matter.
Good teachers are same everywhere: dedicated, helpful, kind, skilled. The bad ones at KISS are authoritarians, who take things to the personal level. I strongly believe that formal test in each level would be better off for students to get an objective evaluation.
Students are not dumb, and can see unfair treatment when one sees it.
Even if I did pass this level, I have got a classic bad teacher's evaluation. I was told that I ask too many simple questions (!!!), and the teacher predicted that I shall never be able to pass future exams. I could not get any constructive information regarding my Danish, but strange personal trashing here, which I really did not see it coming. I wondered if this is the way those underprivileged kids get from their depressing teachers. Those comments are down right wrong. I do have expectation that a teacher would be supportive, even if I may not be the brightest in the class. Waite, I am not that bad, really, I did pass the level. I speak Norwegian already, and I have two masters degrees, and I love to learn foreign languages. Did I mention that I am an assistant professor in computer animation?
I had 2 nut case teachers in a row at the moment. While I loved those good teachers, I am fed up with KISS attitude and some abusive teachers. I am considering to change to other school. I want to have my learning Danish as positive as possible. It is any body's time waisted with nai-sayers.

PS. KISS certainly stroked wrong way with Kommune, and it is now closed down. It caused a mess for my exam plan. Well, life goes on.

House selling in Denmark

Denmark is Lartin-America of Scandinavia, in a sense that things are (too) relaxed and rather slow attitude, somewhat confusing administrational process, which I confirmed it in real estate business. I do like them in many ways, yet it is still worth marking the differences.

When we sold an apartment in Norway, it took only 3 days in total; day 1-open house, day 2-bidding among buyers, day 3-both party signed contract. Done.

In Denmark, it seems to take for ever. We offered to buy a house: days later, we were told that contract is being drawn, and in a week long time afterwards, both party signed. The deadline for payment and documents for owner-ship were Monday-1 week after, yet we did not get signed contract back from the agency (you need it to process all the bank and lawyer documents). Finaly, I asked the agency to fax me on Thursday, delivered it to the bank personaly,and nagged both the bank and the agency on if we can meet the deadline. No one seems to mind to be later than deadline, and we still do not have hard copy of the signed contract except the faxed.

To sell the house, it went really fast regarding the city we live in. It usually takes 3-6 months to sell here, but our house got an offer after the first day of viewing. We were told by the agency that they are checking the potencial buyer's finances. About a week later without any information, we finally called the agency what happened. We were told that the contract has been made and the buyer signed it that day, without we knowing it. Great, it would have been nice to be informed. We signed two days later, and it's all sealed. However, the whole process is very strange and distant one for us.

I had other strange and confusing administrational dealings in Denmark before, and now it is one more evidence that Danes are different from Norwegians for sure. Well, I prefer Danish attitute in general to Norwegian's, yet it is still bit shocking how they are different in mystrious ways...

Moving again

It has been really busy lately, but again, it always has been busy in life of mine, with travels, works, and changes. Somehow I am moving around allot: just count last 5 years, I have officially moved 2 times back-and-force (4 trips) between USA and Scandinavia, and if I include domestic moving, it will be + 5. Wow.

I swore never to repeat the trans-Atlantic moving again, but you never know. Having a baby does not make it any easier, and I long for a settled life. Like my husband's friend, A and M, who grow up as neighbors in a remote country side of Norway, and dated about 10 years, married, and lives in same home town for the rest of their life.

I hoped that moving to Denmark, to this lovely country side city, would be something for longer terms. Neigh, it won't happen yet. My husband found job in Copenhagen, while I have a job in a city that is far from Copenhagen.

After stressful search for a possible home near Copenhagen, we finally offered buying one property today, and it will be clear within a week if we can finalize it.

We have a beautiful, big house now, with a big garden. It feels like a middle of a forest, and I love it all. M runs happily in the garden, enjoys the swing hung in the tree, flowers bloom all year around. This is the first ‘house’ we ever bought, and we renovated beautifully. This is the place my beautiful M spent most of her life so far. I will miss the tranquility of the house, and the peaceful garden. I wonder if we will have a house as lovely as this one in the future.

However, changes are good, however painful and uncomfortable it feels at the moment. If something is alive and moving forward, it is in constant changes, and I remind myself it as positive force.

Eurovision song contest

It was a mare chance that I watched the final of the contest, simpley because there was nothing on offer in other channels. I never watched it before,but enjoyed Terry Wogan's comments from BBC Prime.

Now, I have to agree with him in that alot of songs were very much mixture of East (Turkey, India, etc) + River dancing + Japanese inspired drumming performance. Boring pop songs were refreshing out of all the ethnic extravaganza.

Few were very funny and unexpected. Moldova ( I don't know where it is) was very funny and refreshing. I was impressed by Norwegian entry, watered down Queen + Kiss glam rock, mainly it is so unlikely from Norway. I don't know what I expected; maybe country singing that is strangely popular in Norway? The song was good, and the singer has a voice. Sweden was very good, better than most of singers in singing and performance, but a song admiring US city life may not impress European viewers nowadays. Danish entry was cute, but my husband strongly disliked silly boy-band dance steps.

What I was surprised to find out is that the contest is judged by viewers from all European country, and how each neighbors stick to each other, how strangely political it was. Norway got highest points from fellow Nordic countries; Iceland, Finland, and Denmark. Sweden and Norway are emotional rivals, which rather give Denmark 12 points than to each other.

Of course, so many tiny countries in Eastern Europe makes it difficult for three largest nations in Europe to win any friendly voting. UK, France and Germany are bitter enemies that did not want to help each other neither. Not that thier entry were any good, though. German singer was off key most of the time and painful to listen.

My husband was hoping Sweden would get better rate, and I liked Norwegian one, but the boring and simple Greece entry won the contest. I think 2 nd runner up Malta was much better.