Rejection, Valentines, and TDC?!

This past week has been crazy! 

Although it really doesn't seem like I have done much. 

We officially have no more snow. Sometime in the last 24 hours, it all disappeared. So sad. Hey ND/MN, how's the snow? Just kidding!

I have become more comfortable with my classes and the random times that they are. 

At JC, I was a morning person. Usually up at 8 am ready to get an omelet from Marge (gosh, I sure do miss those!) than back to the room to get ready and finish up some homework before heading to the bookstore at 9:50 with class after that.

 But here, my earliest class is at 12:30pm. On Wednesday. I have no reason to be up early. I don't have as much homework. I also don't have papers or tests here. So weird, but only six weeks of classes left!

I suppose you are wondering what the rejection is all about. Let me show you.

Wednesday. Wednesday was suppose to be a great day. 

I was suppose to finally get my bike. So as I headed to K3 to pick up my bike I stopped at my mailbox. Not because I thought I had something, but because the flap was left open. I expected to check it and find mail for random people that are not me. To my surprise I found something from what I am assuming is the Danish Embassy. 

I opened it up and I read this:

"Rejection of application for residence permit - insufficient fee payment"

I was devastated, confused, and on the verge of tears, but running late to pick up my bike so I held back the tears and headed to K3.

On my way I read through the three page letter explaining everything from what was wrong to me be deported in three weeks. Emotions were running high. 

As I got to K3, I found Erica outside searching for the guy with the bikes. As I joined her I showed her the letter. Through out this time all I could think of was how I just lost $900 and how my trip to Chicago was ineffective (although a blast because I got to hang out with my cousin Danielle!) in the residence permit department. $300 for the Case Order ID, close to $300 for the fee to the Chicago Consulate and $300 for the trip to Chicago. It was not good!

I suppose right now you are wondering why I was rejected?

Let me explain.

For the residence permit, you have to buy a Case Order ID. I bought mine on December 5th. I then submitted my application on January 18th. When I bought the Case Order ID in December it cost 1,645KK. In January it went up to 1,670KK. A 25KK increase or for you in America $5. However, no where did it state that the fee had gone up. The second problem, which surprisingly was not the main reason, was that apparently you have to submit the application within 14 days of paying for the Case Order ID. I didn't realize that. 

So when I finally got into K3, I emailed my mom. She informed George who was immediately on the phone with the Danish Consulate in Chicago, who said my application had been accepted, was referred to the Consulate in New York.

I have never been so happy for family and how they have my back, no matter where I am or what situation I was in.

George, after talking to New York, who felt horrible, found a way for them to reimburse me for the first Case Order ID. They said they felt really bad and it shouldn't have been that big of a problem. 

 So long story short, I had to buy a new Case Order ID, and have my biometrics done all over again on Friday. 

If you're wondering about the bike. I never got it. The guy was suppose to be there at 13:00. I was running late as it was and the whole rejection thing slowed me down a bit, so I knew I would be late getting the bike. But he was not there when I arrived. Erica sent him an email, to which he responded he would be running late. 

 I waited for about 30 minutes before I had to head to class in the city center. I had arranged for Tara to pick up my bike. When I came back from class, I learned that the guy just did not show up. We have all emailed him and are waiting to hear on a response. 

This added to the horrible day of Wednesday.

Valentine's Day! 

One of the most under-celebrated holidays in Denmark. It was nice! Nothing too exciting happened on Valentine's for me. Well, my Valentine's card from my Grandma and Grandpa came! I was excited! It had photos in it! 

However, that night the program I am in ICS (Intercultural Studies) for international students had a get together at Thai Garden. I would say there were about 30 some of us. It was really fun. Jens Peter (coordinator for the program) had reserved tables for us and the school paid. We got to actually sit and talk to the other international students outside of classes! It was really fun and the food was really good! 

Friday was an interesting day. Erica and I headed into city center. She showed me where the police station/immigration services was so I could resubmit my application. I think my photo this time might be a little bit better than the last. We'll see.

The rest of the afternoon was planning and preparing for TDC.

This preparing included napping and cleaning my room! 

TDC or Tour de Chambres is considered AIK's party of the semester! It started at 8pm and I survived until 4:30am. 

Needless to say, it was a party! I won't go into much detail on the night, but it was fun! TDC is a party to get to know everyone. I believe there were 7 rounds to TDC. Each round there are several predetermined host and guests. Each round you are with new people. Each host has to have some form of alcohol (30% or higher) and some form of entertainment in their room. I made it to five of the seven rounds. I was quite proud of myself. Overall, it was extremely fun! Between rounds there was a DJ booth set up in the common area so we could dance in between rounds! It was a great way to get to know the people that also live in the AIK! 

I guess that is all of the exciting news I have this week! 

Well, you could watch this. I remember waking up at one point on Saturday singing this song as it was blaring from my neighbors speakers. Those speakers blew out shortly after playing this song.

Stay tuned for more adventures next week!

-Suz

**Sorry to disappoint all my FB friends who saw Liam Neeson in the status, I should have sent him a letter asking to be my body guard while here! On the plus side, it got you to read this, didn't it?!