its been a while.

hello beautiful people.

as i write this i am sitting in on the floor of the library. i chose to sit here. 30 minutes a go. now i have to. and now all the chairs have people in them, and there is no way i can sit on those couches. they are too comfortable. i passed out in them last night at 2. i thought it could just be a nap, but i was wrong.

anyways. i got great news. as you know i have been planning on living in copenhagen in the near future. ill be honest, i dont really know anything about it. well that is slightly untrue. my sociology teacher raved about it (i dont remember why), and it is home of christiania, which is a tight squat. so there it is...i want to go to denmark. makes sense in my head.

so two days ago i was on my computer and i found this website: http://www.cph-bike-rental.dk. i think, "shit, i want something to do in copenhagen. and i wouldnt mind having a place to sleep, at least the first night." i mean, i plan on bringing a sleeping bag, but a bed never hurt.

i write an email.

it looked like:
"hello.

i stumbled upon your website today. i am planning on living in Copenhagen from late july-november, although my time is very flexible. i am currently living and going to college in southern californ, at Pitzer college. i am a cyclist. in late may i will be riding from San Fransisco to Los Angeles, 545 miles. i read pretty much all of your website and your shop/mission/philosphy sound great. (i have traveled in Tanzania, around Dar and Iringa, and think that your project is fantastic...bikes are the answer) I have some experience working with bikes/being in a bike shop, but not a whole lot. i can do things like: change tires and flats/tru wheels/fix the upper and lower limits of the derailer/etc. etc. i am a quick learner.

i will be traveling to copenhagen for a few reasons: to continue bicycling: to posibly get a job in a restaurant cooking: to shoot photography: and to learn the Alexander Technique (body movement work).

Would it be possible to set up some sort of work with you, maybe it could be a trade, or volunteer based, or whatever works for you.

power to the people.
thanks- Jesse"

you gotta love the internet.

so i have been crazed in the past few days. i feel like all i have done since i got back was work.

in the two hours between getting off of the plane and 3 o'clock, i had already hitched a ride back to school with some kids from pomona (who dragged me to Trader Joes with them, fuckers...i was at their mercy), helped my friends finish preparing a fat 40 person meal, packed it up into cars, and served it to people outside of city hall in the city of pomona...before was the college.

now imagine, that was 4 days ago.

it feels like life has been a continuation of those 2 hours.

today. i check my email like i always do. 20 times a day. unreal. and i find an email from Henrik. fuckin internet.

It looked like:
"Dear jesse,

Thank you for your mail. We love people who love us! Sounds like you are doing lot's of interesting things your self, and we will happily welcome you to Copenhagen and of cause also to our little shop. We are two persons running Baisikeli, Niels and me, and then we have two bike mechanics helping us with bike repairs, and one volunteering helping us with contacting hotels in the city. While Niels and I are running this rather complex project we have to take care of the bike rental shop and rent bicycles out to tourists. This can be very stressful at some times, because we have a lot of things to do. Further more Niels and his girlfriend are having a baby this summer, so we will have to hire a person to represent Baisikeli and be responsible for the bike rental shop, and be a helper for a lot of other things. Could that person be you???? If you are interested can you send me a few words about your self, and why you would be the right person for the job.

Any way, we will provide you with a bike, help you to find a place to live, and if it does not work out with you being in the shop, we know a lot of people that can help you with a job in a cafe.

I look forward to hear from you. Maybe we could talk over the phone or skype at some point.

All the best.

Henrik Smedegaard Mortensen

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BAISIKELI I/S

Turesensgade 10, kld

1368 København K

Denmark

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P: +45 26176642"

im smiling. i hope you are too.

life is good. matt, how is your search going? (matt and i are talking about spending some time together in some other part of the world)

Power to the people
jMA