When I came to Denmark, I of course was expecting to speak Danish and English, most of which I've been doing. Last night though I ended up speaking four different languages with all different people. Let me explain...
DIS (the study program I'm on) paid for our small groups (about 15 of us) to go out to a cafe for dinner and have our "hygge" dinner. Hygge is supposed to be a comfortable, friendly setting that we've been hearing so much about. I was speaking English with the other DIS kids, who are mostly American, but also consist of students from China and Russia. One of the Chinese students was in my group and was super cute and friendly, so I was speaking Chinese with her a bit. She couldn't believe an American had tried to learn her language! When the waitress came, I ordered my meal in Danish, probably making a funny face as I said it (at least that's what my host sister Ida says when I try to speak Danish). Later that night, I went to a bar downtown that student volunteers work at. As we approached the bar to get a drink, our bartender immediately started speaking to us in English. We were thrown aback a bit and asked, "Do we really look that American?" He laughed and said no, he actually didn't know Danish since he was from Mexico on exchange at KU (Københavns Universitet). So then I started speaking with him in Spanish.
To sum everything up, it was definitely a night filled with lots of languages that I wasn't expecting to use here! I guess it goes to show that wherever you go, there will always be some degree of diversity...you just have to find it.
Friday, January 25, 2008
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Hej from Jægerspris!
Hello everyone! I'm alive and made it to Copenhagen via Chicago and Stockholm, sans my luggage. I've gone through orientation and will be starting classes tomorrow. However, I received my luggage yesterday after a few days...good thing they tell you to pack extra in your carry ons!
Anyways, I moved into with my host family and they are incredibly kind and sweet. Suzanne and Allan are my parents, and Ida (14) is my sister. Their home is cute and cozy, and I feel like this was definitely the best option for me in order to really get a taste of the Danish culture...literally, I can't really cook for myself so they cook for me. I've tried some Danish dishes like frikkadeller (a type of meatball), leverpostej (liver pate), and of course, "the" danish.
I'm loving Copenhagen, and the first full day we were here was actually sunny...a good sign in my mind. The city is filled with history along its winding roads, and I marvel at all the women who can walk along the streets in their high heels. The public transportation system is very clean and super easy to use. It definitely is a large part of my time here, as my commute to class is over an hour and I use all three modes to get there (bus, train, metro). That really is the biggest drawback, but I think the family stay benefits outweighs the transportation time.
We've gone around the city a bit, but I know I still have lots to see and am excited to try everything out. The past few days we've had our survival Danish language course, and as hard as it is, I'm looking forward to the real Danish class I'll be in. I've already used some Danish so far on the streets, etc.
I've got lots more to tell, but too much to tell here! For now, hej hej! (bye!)
Anyways, I moved into with my host family and they are incredibly kind and sweet. Suzanne and Allan are my parents, and Ida (14) is my sister. Their home is cute and cozy, and I feel like this was definitely the best option for me in order to really get a taste of the Danish culture...literally, I can't really cook for myself so they cook for me. I've tried some Danish dishes like frikkadeller (a type of meatball), leverpostej (liver pate), and of course, "the" danish.
I'm loving Copenhagen, and the first full day we were here was actually sunny...a good sign in my mind. The city is filled with history along its winding roads, and I marvel at all the women who can walk along the streets in their high heels. The public transportation system is very clean and super easy to use. It definitely is a large part of my time here, as my commute to class is over an hour and I use all three modes to get there (bus, train, metro). That really is the biggest drawback, but I think the family stay benefits outweighs the transportation time.
We've gone around the city a bit, but I know I still have lots to see and am excited to try everything out. The past few days we've had our survival Danish language course, and as hard as it is, I'm looking forward to the real Danish class I'll be in. I've already used some Danish so far on the streets, etc.
I've got lots more to tell, but too much to tell here! For now, hej hej! (bye!)
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
Pre-Denmark Departure
I heard from my host family for the first time two days ago and feel lucky to say that I am so excited and relieved. Putting yourself in a new country for 5 months is not the easiest thing to do, and going into a stranger's home for that time period makes it even more nerve wracking. However, the e-mail laid all my fears to rest as my new family seems ready and willing to accept me into their home. My host mom, Susanne, sent me the nicest e-mail, complete with descriptions of all 5 family members and a few pictures. Her and my host dad Allan live with their daughter Ida (14) and Felix, a Kooikerhondje puppy (aka adorable). Susanne has two older children as well, Mikkel (22) and Camilla (25). Their family picture could probably not be any more perfect, and I have a feeling that I definitely made the right choice in choosing to live with a host family.
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