So Much to Say, So Little Post Space...

Hello all!

I'd like to start off this post by saying that my blog has reached almost 2,000 page views! Thank you to all my wonderful viewers! It's nice to know people actually enjoy reading about my many adventures.

Next, I'd like to apologize for not updating lately... I have been SUPER busy! But I promise I have a lot of exciting stories to tell.. it's been an interesting few weeks!

After the break, Danish students are supposed to pick a "career line", which basically means that they get to choose a career path that they think they might like, and then the school puts them in a class where the subjects match with the career path. This happens to all the first years, and since my school changed their Exchange Student policy last year, I am part of the first years too. All of the Danish students got the classes they wanted, but the previous class I was in became too full, so I was switched to another class. I was pretty upset because I had just started to make friends in my old class, and then I had to start all over again in a new class where I didn't  know anyone. The first couple days were very hard for me, but I had to keep reminding myself that exchange is about challenges, and facing those challenges will make you a more successful person in the future.

 After the first week back at school, I was invited to a Halloween Get Together for all of the Rotary Youth  exchange students in Denmark... it was a blast! My host family was kind enough to take me there by ferry, which is something I've never done before! All the exchange students  stayed at a school in a town called Holbæk, which is just an hour or so outside of Copenhagen. We carved pumpkins, got to explore the town, dressed up in costumes for the big Halloween Dinner, and then we had a Halloween dance where we didn't stop dancing until well past midnight.  It's a wonderful feeling being with other exchange students because  they understand exactly what you're going through, because they are going through it too. I am happy to say that I have over 200 people that I wouldn't  even hesitate to call my family.. afterall, we stick together through everything, and that's what families do, right?

 

 

                                                                               

 

 

 

When I got home from my Rotary weekend, I was invited to go on a class trip on Monday. It was a Hyttetur, which translated means a Cabin Tour. My entire class of 25 was going to bike together in the woods to this cute Little cabin where we would spend the night and do some quality bonding. I was pretty excited about it.. Until I realized how far we would have to bike. It was 9 km ( 6 miles) to the cabin from the school, and we all had to somehow meet up at the school before we left together. Well, the place I am living at right now is a 45 minute bike ride to school (if you are fast). I had to borrow my host sisters' bike, which is a Little too big for me so I was hobbling around trying not to fall off, and I ended up getting myself horribly, horribly lost... I ended up in a totally different town! And of course, I had forgotten my phone so there was no way for me to contact anyone. I finally managed to find my way to school after about an hour and a half, and I was soaked because a very unfriendly semi driver decided to soak me with a puddle. When I pulled up to school, my entire class was waiting for me. They all thought I had slept in, so I had to kindly inform them of my adventures of the morning. After some calculating, I figured out I probably biked close to 22 miles altogether in just one day... Anyway, the cabin retreat was loads of fun. We played different acitvities, cooked dinner together, and even made homemade bread over the fire. It was great for me to bond with my new class, and after that trip I can say I am pretty comfortable with everything at the moment.

 

To end this long post on a good note, I decided that I should inform you all that I had a dream in Danish last night. Yes. IN DANISH! I have been waiting for this moment ever since I stepped off the plane in Billund, Denmark. After talking to countless past exchange students, I am well aware that the first dream you have in your host language is very special because it marks a point where you are finally able to somewhat understand what people are saying to you.

 

 

I hope all of you get the chance to dream in Danish one day :)

 

 

P.S: I am going to Sweden to vist my host dad's brother this weekend.. stay tuned for posts and pictures about my trip!

 

 

xoxo fra Danmark

 



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! 

Another Batch of Homesickness... Along with Some Happy Moments

I'm pretty sure the title of this post explains the past week- I've been going through some challenging times. I never really thought I'd miss the little comforts of home, like my own bed, chai tea, my favorite movies... But here I am, missing exactly that. I have wonderful days here, and then some days I feel a sense of lonliness that can only be accompanied with homesickness at the pit of my stomach. I won't bore you with details.. SO I guess I'll transition into some of my happy experiences in the past 10 days! I am getting along so well with my classmates; they are so sweet to me and invite me to hang out all the time. Friday night I went to a get together for all the first years at my school. We ate popcorn and watched Insidious which was completely terrifying! It's safe to say I did not sleep at all that night. But it was still loads of fun! Saturday night was very special because all three of my host families and my Rotary counselor got together for a big dinner. It was a very special moment for me because I knew that I had brought these people together, just by simply existing. I cannot explain to you the feeling that accompanied me Saturday night... But pure bliss is a good way of trying to describe it. Sunday afternoon I went to a museum in Århus with my second host family. It was a orginal buildings from different centuries, and when you walked inside it showed you how the Danish people lived, worked, and shopped during that period. It was so much fun and also very interesting. Today I was very fortunate to recieve a care package from my grandparents. I felt very accomplished because I told the postman that "I don't speak Danish".... In Danish. Oh, the irony! But the package was wonderful; it made my day so much better and I am so happy to know that the people who love me most are thinking of me. Thanks to all of you who read my blog. To end this post on a good note, I hope you all have a fantastic week; I know I will :)

 Kram fra Danmark
Hugs from Denmark, xoxo

1 Month Down..

En måned i Danmark! Jeg er så glad være her. Jeg elsker at her.
- One month in Denmark! I am so happy to be here, I love it here

I've been here for one month.... I can't believe it. It feels just like yesterday I was walking off the plane in Billund, Denmark, unsure of absolutley everything. Now I just have to laugh at myself for all the funny/embarrassing moments that have happened in the past month. Here's some examples:

•  When I first arrived here, I would say "Tak for mad" after everything because I was under the impression that it was a very polite way of saying thank you. A couple weeks later I realized that "mad" meant food, so I had been saying "thanks for food" when my host dad would drop me off at school, when my teachers would give me papers, etc... Now I know that they weren't laughing at what I thought was my cute American accent that became very pronounced when I politely said thank you, they were laughing at the invisible food I was apparently thanking them for.
• I didn't know that you had to press the stop button on the bus if you wanted to get off, I just thought the bus driver would stop at every stop. After a couple weeks of having to walk a few miles more than I needed to, I realized that the red button labeled STOP wasn't just there for emergencies.
• Everywhere I go, people think I'm Danish (it could be the blonde hair, but it may also be the thousands of clothes I've bought in the short amount of time I've been here) so they speak to me In Danish and I just look at them like a lost puppy...
• The first weekend I was here my host family took me to Djurs Sommerland, which is an amusement park in Århus. When I walked into the bathroom I got really embarrassed because there were men everywhere. I thought I had walked into the wrong bathroom, so I asked the person next to me if this was the ladies room and he looked at me like I was crazy. Apparently same sex bathrooms are the norm in Europe, but how was I supposed to know that?
• I'm not even going to count how many times I've gotten lost...
• Or missed the bus...
• Everytime I speak Danish, I feel like I have a potato in my mouth.. It's a really awkward language, so therefore it has led to countless embarrassing moments when I say something in Danish and people have NO clue what I'm trying to tell them.

I could go on for days about all the funny things I've done here, but I'll just leave it at a few of the best ones. My point in this post is that even though I have never felt so uncomfortable, awkward, embarrassed, crazy, and just straight up weird ever, I wouldn't trade this month of my life for anything in the entire world. I love it here in Denmark, and I can see myself changing (for the better!) every second that I'm here. I can't wait for the next ten months! If they go by as fast as this month did then I will be home before I know it.. And I can't even bare to think about leaving this amazing place yet. There's still so much to do! I haven't seen even a quarter of the things I want to see yet. Today I am thankful for everyone I've met, everything I've done, and everything I will do. Much love, Denmark. xoxo

To the people who read my blog:

Vi ses næste uge!
 -See you next week!

Intro Camp

These last couple weeks have been so hectic that I haven't had the time to blog about what I've been doing. But now that it is Tuesday night and I have nothing to do except some English homework (Yes, I have homework here), I decided to update my blog!

Last week I was gone at Intro Camp, which is a week long camp for all of the Rotary Exchange students staying in Denmark.We had 5 hours of Danish lessons every day, but that doesn't mean it was boring... It was quite the opposite. We stayed in a town called Bjerringbro, at a boarding school called Nørgaards Højskole. When we got there, we were given dorm rooms that we shared with 1 other person. My roomate's name was Anna from New Mexico, who I LOVE... (Anna I hope you are reading this!) We had free time throughout the day where we could play games, or just hangout and talk in this cool room with sofas and chairs. There was a pretty awesome rock climbing wall outside as well. I'd also like to point out that the staff at the school was ALWAYS feeding us. I got pretty good at saying the Danish word for bread: brød, because we literally had it in every meal. There's honestly so much I could say about Intro Camp, but I've decided I should probably just break it down into the days so it's clear for my readers to follow:

Sunday: We all  arrived in Bjerringbro, seperated into our Danish classes for the week, ate dinner and then took a walk to the river.
Monday: DANISH LESSONS begin... They were extremely long but helped me so much. As a freetime activity I participated in hygge, which is a Danish tradtions where everyone sits around a candle lit table, drinks tea or coffee, and talks about life. There's no directly translation of the word, but the closest you can get to it is "cozy".
Tuesday: More Danish lessons... then at night we all went to the grocery store to buy snacks (even though I don't think I was ever actually hungry once.... SO well fed!) Then we had a really neat bonfire where we were able to make homemade Danish bread on a stick. And of course, the 12 meter climbing wall was begging for takers.

Wednesday: Again, more Danish lessons.. Then our teachers surprised us with a concert held in the lecture hall. The band was actually quite good. They're called Mettro, and are a local Danish band. I got a picture with the lead guitarist if anyone was wondering :)
Thursday: Probably one of the best days at Intro Camp. It was our free day, so we all took a bus to the city Århus for a tour of this fantastic art museum. They had something called the Rainbow Room, which was this hallway that went in a circle at the top of the building. It was all different colors of glass, and if you stared at one part of it, you're eyes adjusted so well to it that you hardly noticed it was colored until you moved on to the next one. The artist is a contemporary artist, and his idea was to make it so each time you moved you got a different perspective of the city. After the art museum, we were free to roam around the city on our own. I had lunch and then went shopping, and then me and mmy friend Andrew (Andrew, you BETTER be reading this!) went exploring and found the cutest neighborhood. After that we all met back at the bus and went back to the school.

Friday: Danish lessons start again. Then Friday night we had a movie night with popcorn in the lecture hall, where we watched a movie called Royal Affairs. It was about Denmark's royal family in the 1700's and how the government was corrupted.
Saturday: This was our very last day of Danish lessons. After we had covered the last of the material, each class came up with some form of entertainment to show at the banquet that night. After lunch we walked downtown because Bjerringbro was celebrating 150 years of being a town. Because of that, the Queen of Denmark came to visit. She walked through the streets and waved, and I will admit I was within 3 feet of the Queen :) We all wore our Rotary blazers and brought our country flags. My class sang The Scientist by Coldplay, because a boy from my class knew how to play the piano. We also had the drums and some other instruments.After each class had preformed, we had a dance which was so much fun. The night ended with fabulous fireworks outside in honor of the Queen and also the 150 year celebration.

Sunday: The saddest day since I've been in Denmark :( We left at 9:45, and saying goodbye to these wonderful people that I've met was so hard. I made life long friends at Intro Camp, and I can honestly say that I miss them already.

So there you go. An entire week all summarized into a couple paragraphs. I couldn't explain to you all in enough detail to make you feel the way I did at Intro Camp, but let me leave you with a few choice words that might help: I felt loved, cared for, and independent. I felt the warmth of new friendship, and laughter in my heart every minute of every day. I never stopped smiling; I'm even smiling as I write this! I am so thankful that I got to experience this wonderful camp. I now know the joy that Rotary Youth Exchange causes, and I've experienced first hand what it is like to have a second family of Exchange students.

Stay tuned for more on my life in DK! xoxo