Tuesday 8 March 2016

Florida International University


So we went to Miami after a week in Orlando to visit FIU (Florida International University). The fist day it was raining like crazy and we actually got lost on our way there, because it was raining so much that we could not see the roads we had to turn on. So people! IF it rains in Miami, it freaking rains in Miami. OK!
When we finally got there we ran from building to building to find our class and Professor Tanke. We were soaked when we finally sat down and i'm pretty sure that the american students were laughing at us. We could have come right up from the ocean and we would have looked the same. We soon found out that people in Miami are crazy abou the aircondition, so note to self; bring a sweatshirt next time you go to school and have to be indoor. They told us that there is a lot of aircondition on there schools because their professors have to wear kind of nice and formal clothes and it would be too hot for them. The University was so kind to us and gave us free dry shirts with the schools logo on.

In Professor Tanke's class we had about Multicultural Diversity. They take it much more serious than we do in Denmark and i do believe they think about it more than we do. It's not just about race but also age, religion and gender. It was kind of weird at first to discuss at first because we had about service and toursim? But as a lot of examples came on the table it all made sense.
One in particular i remembered was that one of our danish students said something like "All elderly people don't like to see people with piercings and tattoos behind the counter in a supermarked" and the american students all gasped. How could we say "all elderly people"?! It was too generalizing and mad to say. Im sure that if you said that in Denmark not anyone would see it as offensive in any way or you would just shrug. And not to be rude or anything but it sounds like that americans are easier to be offended and if you work in the tourism industry and world with people you have to be extra careful about what you say.

We went to the University the rest of the week and had the opportunity to really see how it was to go there and enjoy campus. It was so awesome and i'm a bit jealous about it.They had a pool right at campus and their canteen was a freaking Subway. Simple 6 menu, yes please! Give me all them cookies! Their library had a starbucks because... why not. I could really get use to it!




Monday 7 March 2016

Universal Studios Florida


The day after spending the whole day i Disney we took a trip to Universal Studios. We bought a Park-to-park ticket so we could go from Universal Studios and Adventure island as we wanted and well.. take the Hogwarts express from park to park.
I have to admit i was there mostly because of the Harry Potter World which was spread out in both the parks. In the Universal Studios park we saw Crustyland like in The Simpsons, some kind of Dapper land with blues drummers and Shrek. We went to find the Hogwarts Express. We met a guy working near "the Kings Cross station" and he told me that i could take the train, or i could continue down the street we were on. Sure thing and we saw the Nightbus and all but then... we went into something that looked like a wall? It was a little weird but on the other side... Diagon Alley! And i have to say... I cried... a whole lot. It was magic and i couldn't take a picture that described how awesome and beautiful it was to see, if you are a huge Harry Potter fan. And i am very sorry Kristina, that you had to witness that. But i went into every single store in Diagon Alley even though most of them had the same things. I tried the Gringotts ride which was with amazing 3D effects. I can't describe how awesome it was. If you are just a little fan of Harry Potter DO IT.

After that we went to the Adventure Island with the Hogwarts Express whivh was crazy awesome as well. Instead of having the view of just trees on the way there, they showed the sceenary that are showed in the movies and Hagrid flies pass on his motorcycle. And on the close to see through doors we got a visit from the Dementors but was saved by the shadows of Harry Potter and his friends. You could hear them talk as well.
As you step out on the Adventure Island you step right out in Hogsmeade and this time i DIDN'T CRY ok. But it was a snow landscape and i bought a Pumpkin Juice to go (not good though) and went through the street until i came to Hogwarts. We were there on Valentines day, so there was long queues everywhere so you could stand there and see everything and take pcitures of all the magical Harry Potter things that was around you. The portraits were talking and Dumbledore was in his office and Harry and his friends were in the classroom which looked exactly like in the movie. The Hogwarts ride again was amazing. You were fliying through a quidditch game, had a dragon chase you and you went through the forbidden forrest before you fly over the lake to the castle again. It was beautiful!
All in all a really good day for me and my Harry Potter heart!