I am starting to think that time isn't always something that can be measured in minutes, days or months. It felt like forever waiting to get to Denmark last summer, but in the same amount of days or months, I feel like I don't have enough time to do everything. This upcoming Friday, I move to my third and final host family. I would just like to say thanks to the Bistrups - thanks for always remembering to feed me (even when I may have forgotten that the meal "dinner" does exist), speaking Danish to me even when it feels impossible for me to speak it, helping to fix my bicycle because it always seems to be breaking, and putting up with me playing my ukulele when it doesn't sound the greatest. My new family seems just as welcoming and friendly, and I look forward to spending the last part of my exchange with them.
This week has been spent just trying to adjust to life in Denmark after the trip to Spain. This includes biking in cold weather again, saying "unskyld" instead of "perdón", and having actual class time. On Wednesday, I went on a field trip with my Danish language school which was fun, because it's always nice to have a break from school and it's always a fun time with my "sprogskole family". One of the hardest parts of finishing my year in Denmark will definitely include saying goodbye to the three others and our teacher for language school. Meeting for two hours twice a week has not only improved our Danish skills, but it also has given us an opportunity to congregate as exchange students and just be able to talk about what it's like being an exchange student and being able to understand what the others are going through.
Last Thursday, my two other exchange student friends, Molly and Aly, and I were planning to perform at an open-mic night at this cute little cafe. Aly and Molly were planning to sing, Molly and I were planning to play the ukulele, and I was planning to accompany on the piano for one song. We showed up at the cafe, though, to find out that it wasn't really an open-mic night; you could perform only if it was a song you wrote yourself (the three of us were planning to perform only covers of other songs), and you sort of had to sign up before. Although we didn't actually get to perform, it was entertaining to see the artists and also enjoy a cup of coffee (and maybe a muffin or two).
These past couple of weeks have also been a time of physical exercise for me. Besides the mountain biking, rock climbing, hiking, and kayaking I did on my class trip, I also go to a kickboxing class three times a week. This does not mean that I am good at kickboxing, actually I think I'm there more as a comic relief for the others, but it is fun to try a new sport and learn a little self defense too. I also participated in Track and Field in my gym class. It is safe to say, that my classmates now know my lack of athletic ability as I placed last in every single event that we did over a two hour time period, (I did manage to stay in my lane when doing the sprints, something I was not able to do last gym class). My classmates are really nice about it, though, encouraging me and mentioning that although I'm last, I am improving! Sometimes I wonder why I was put in a class where their main study is sports, but then I remember how sweet my classmates are and I couldn't imagine being in a different class.
So as the weather warms up and spring is arriving (finally!), I continue my year in Denmark. It will definitely be a new chapter, moving families and all but I'm excited also to expand my Danish "family" - all the wonderful people who welcomed a strange 17 year old American in their home with open arms. So although I do have a wonderful American family back in the U.S., I also am able to have family here - even if we aren't blood related. Hopefully I'll update soon about moving day and my upcoming Easter (week-long) break!
Sophie
This week has been spent just trying to adjust to life in Denmark after the trip to Spain. This includes biking in cold weather again, saying "unskyld" instead of "perdón", and having actual class time. On Wednesday, I went on a field trip with my Danish language school which was fun, because it's always nice to have a break from school and it's always a fun time with my "sprogskole family". One of the hardest parts of finishing my year in Denmark will definitely include saying goodbye to the three others and our teacher for language school. Meeting for two hours twice a week has not only improved our Danish skills, but it also has given us an opportunity to congregate as exchange students and just be able to talk about what it's like being an exchange student and being able to understand what the others are going through.
Last Thursday, my two other exchange student friends, Molly and Aly, and I were planning to perform at an open-mic night at this cute little cafe. Aly and Molly were planning to sing, Molly and I were planning to play the ukulele, and I was planning to accompany on the piano for one song. We showed up at the cafe, though, to find out that it wasn't really an open-mic night; you could perform only if it was a song you wrote yourself (the three of us were planning to perform only covers of other songs), and you sort of had to sign up before. Although we didn't actually get to perform, it was entertaining to see the artists and also enjoy a cup of coffee (and maybe a muffin or two).
These past couple of weeks have also been a time of physical exercise for me. Besides the mountain biking, rock climbing, hiking, and kayaking I did on my class trip, I also go to a kickboxing class three times a week. This does not mean that I am good at kickboxing, actually I think I'm there more as a comic relief for the others, but it is fun to try a new sport and learn a little self defense too. I also participated in Track and Field in my gym class. It is safe to say, that my classmates now know my lack of athletic ability as I placed last in every single event that we did over a two hour time period, (I did manage to stay in my lane when doing the sprints, something I was not able to do last gym class). My classmates are really nice about it, though, encouraging me and mentioning that although I'm last, I am improving! Sometimes I wonder why I was put in a class where their main study is sports, but then I remember how sweet my classmates are and I couldn't imagine being in a different class.
So as the weather warms up and spring is arriving (finally!), I continue my year in Denmark. It will definitely be a new chapter, moving families and all but I'm excited also to expand my Danish "family" - all the wonderful people who welcomed a strange 17 year old American in their home with open arms. So although I do have a wonderful American family back in the U.S., I also am able to have family here - even if we aren't blood related. Hopefully I'll update soon about moving day and my upcoming Easter (week-long) break!
Sophie