Efterårsferien (Autumn Break)

Good news... Autumn break was everything I thought it would be plus a little more :) It was relaxing on some days, and other days I was so busy I'm surprised I even had time to breathe! To inform you of my whereabouts of the past week, I think I'll give you some of the highlights:

• After school on Friday I had been planning on going to my friend Sarah's house for the night. My host mom was out with a friend, so I decided to take the bus. If you know me I'm always late.. and I mean ALWAYS. So of course, I miss the bus to the city. I'm sitting there, waiting for the next bus when an elderly couple comes over to me and they start talking to me in Danish. I kindly told them that I don't speak Danish that well, so they were then very interested in where I come from and blah blah blah. Long story short, I ended up having a 20 minute conversation with a pair of Jehovah's Witnesses about how Alaska is most certainly NOT Canada and is in fact part of the United States. The were perfectly nice people (although they should have probably brushed up on their geopgraphy skills) and I can honestly say it was the first time I've ever had a conversation with a Jehovah's Witness.. It just shows you who you can meet on the bus! Anyway, I ended up having a great time at my friend Sarah's house, who is just awesome :) She has been so great to me since I've came here, and I am really grateful for our friendship
• On Saturday I went to a class get together. Because I'm a first year, we have to pick our career paths so that we can have specific classes after autumn break. Some of my classmates are changes classes, so it was a great way to celebrate being together.
• relaxing days in my pajamas watching Gossip Girl
•  I went to Århus for the day with some of my host family's friends that were staying with us. We window shopped, and went out to a Cafe. Tuesday night we all traveled to Copenhagen for the big adventure, which took 4 hours actually.
•  My host mom and I stayed together in her company's apartment in Copenhagen. My host dad was at work, my host sister was in Dubai with her shool, and my host brother was in Turkey with his school as well. So it was just the two of us. Wednesday was a great day. We went site seeing all over Copenhagen. I got to see the Rosenberg Castle, the Royal Family's Crown Jewels, King's Garden, the parliment, the Danish stalk market Building, the Queen's Castle and I got to go on a Canal tour... And I was lucky enough to be accompanied by my friend Andrew who is an exchange student from the U.S who met up with us in Copenhagen.
• I got to fly in the cockpit to Switzerland which was AMAZING! I got my own headset, so I could hear other pilots and the control towers. It was a very clear day so I got to see the Alps when we were coming into Switzerland.
• I went to one of the oldest amusement parks called Tivoli, which was so much fun
• On one of the last days of break , I got to spend the night with my third host parents, who made a lovely dinner for me and then watched Slumdog Millionaire with me. It was a fantastic night :)

That pretty much sums up my week :) I posted some pictures... In order they are: The Rosenberg Castle, the Crown Jewels, a room in the Rosenberg Castle, the Crown, parliment building, and an old ship from the Canal tour. Enjoy!

 
 



 

 

 



 

And Let the Celebration Begin..

TO MÅNDER I DANMARK!!! Jeg er meget glad. Jeg elsker min familie, venner, skole, og Rotary Club. Det er meget flot i Danmark nu fordi det er efterår. Det er så smuk!

 

TWO MONTHS IN DENMARK!!! I am very happy. I love my family, friends, my school, and my Rotary Club. It is very nice in Denmark now because it is autumn. It is so beautiful!

...And let the celebration begin! It has been two months since I have left Alaska and I must say it feels like 2 hours. The time is flying by.. I can already see the changes in myself. I believe going on exchange is the best thing that I could have ever done. I wish everyone my age could experience what I am experiencing now... Forget about the highschool rumors and the big football game; I've already seen the Queen of Denmark, tasted pig liver (not the tastiest thing, but it's worth trying), and I am currently attending a school where learning Latin and Greek is the norm. I have grown up, and that is exactly what I needed. I now manage my own money; I pay my phone bill and I pay for my bus card. I'm broke half the time but hey, at least I'm learning responsibility! I have been blessed with the most amazing people here in Denmark. When I really think about it, I feel like I belong here, like a part of me was always destined to end up here on exchange. I agree with their ideals, I am absorbing their culture like it's second nature. I can't help but feel like I am a young child again... learning a new language, learning new customs.. I stare wide eyed at people most of the time and I find myself copying their actions; memorizing their movements. It's been a long road to get to where I am now, but I know it has been so worth it.. even the hard times here have been the best.

On a different note entirely, autumn break is rounding the corner. You know what that means! 1 week of food, friends, sleep, and lots of days spent in the comfiest clothes. But instead of enjoying the weather from indoors, I am going to be flying to Geneva in the cock pit with my host dad! He is a pilot and has invited me along to take part in this amazing adventure. This will be on Tuesday of next week. Immediately following I will be going to Copenhagen (the Capital) for a bit of shopping and some site seeing. On the days before my big adventure, I'm planning on going to a class get-together this Saturday, and then I have plans to hang out with some friends on the days prior. Sunday of course will be devoted to my unhealthy obsession of Gossip Girl (a highly addicting tv show if you didn't know). I have signed up for Netflix, but I'm planning on canceling my account after the first thirty days because it's free right now... My 2 months of exchange have taught me how to save up as much money as possible. After all, my wish list of Danish fashion items won't pay for itself. Now it's time for me to dive head first into my last day of school before break.. wish me luck!
Kram fra Danmark
(Hugs from Denmark)

Overly Sentimental.. But Hey, I'm an Exchange Student!

Here I am, being all sentimental again.. But these are some of the feelings I've been having and when I made this blog, I even wrote at the top "experiences, FEELINGS, etc..." You get the picture. Lately I've been feeling a little lost.. As most of you probably know, I have a boyfriend back in Alaska. And it hasn't been a walk in the park.. Long distance relationships are difficult. So I've decided to limit my contact with people from back home. This was my original plan, but it turned out a little differently. But I need to focus on here and now, I can't be attached to things that are happening at home. I love you all.. (Nathan I hope you're reading this) But I've decided to take the leap and live in the moment. 

On another note, I've been having a pretty good week. I went to a friends house on Friday night, and then to a birthday party. Her name is Laura and she is SO sweet. She's my third host sisters close friend, but she has treated me like one of her close friends anyway :)

I went our local semi-pro soccer team on Sunday which was very fun. I had a hotdog there, but in Danish it's a little different.. It's called "pølser med brød" which literally means sausage with bread. So you eat the sausage and then the bread, you're not supposed to eat them together. I thought that was strange! This morning I was thankful for a little act of kindness given to me by particularly happy bus driver. I got off at the wrong stop, but it wasn't that far to walk to my next stop so I decided to walk. Well, the bus driver saw me and picked me up and didn't even make me pay! Of course she spoke to me in all Danish, but I just smiled and nodded my head and thanked her (in Danish!) when she finally dropped me off. To top it all off, there was a beautiful sunrise that I got to see from my the lovely bus window.

I've seen the kinder side to Denmark.. And it makes me a little happier. I know it will be hard not talking to the people I love back home, but I have been shown that there are people who care enough about me here to make sure I am happy and safe... The hardest things in life are sometimes what is best for us. You can thank my father for that little piece of advice :) 

Vi ses!