So we are in the few final days before Christmas, and I’m getting pretty excited. On Christmas day, we’re actually just staying home and resting, which sounds fabulous but having grandparents over Christmas Eve and going to family on another island in Denmark the day after. I’ve been spending this last week prepping for the holidays, buying the last of gifts and watching Christmas movies and shows. Yesterday, my class had a “Julefrokost” which translates to Christmas lunch but was actually held around breakfast time. Even though American pancakes aren’t a traditional Danish Christmas food, my classmates “suggested” I bring them in (more like strongly encouraged). Last Thursday, I went ice skating with my class at the local rink. Unlike the ice rinks in America, this ice rink only rented hockey skates so I had my first go at attempting to hockey skate, I fell (along with my dignity) a few times and ran into the wall multiple times. It’s nice, though, doing activities with my class because it makes me feel like an actual part of the class and not just here for the year.
Last Saturday, I was also able to attend a Danish wedding! The wedding was for my host sisters’ cousin and consisted of the church ceremony, reception, dinner, and dance party which means we were celebrating roughly from 11 pm to 2 in the morning. It was a lot of fun, though and I was able to meet and become closer to my extended host family. One of my host aunts even invited me and my host sisters to spend a few days at her farm during Christmas break! At this point most of you are probably wondering why I’m so excited to spend a few days on a farm although I lived my whole life in Farm Country, USA but it just isn’t a normal farm. My aunt’s farm actually is a rehabilitation center and living center for mentally handicapped people. They believe that these farming practices and being around the nature can help people with certain mental disabilities and it has really changed peoples’ lives. I am so ecstatic to see how this happens and to be able to help people (even if it’s just for a few days).
The final thing worth mentioning is that after 4,5 months in Denmark, I finally found the time (and my way) to the Little Mermaid Statue! The Little Mermaid stature (or Den Lille Havfrue) is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Copenhagen. No Copenhagen native really understands why it's so popular, because it's this little statue tucked away on a pier in Copenhagen but it was made to coincide with Hans Christian Andersen's famous tale "The Little Mermaid". To be honest, my friend and I wouldn't have found it if it wasn't for the camera flashes from the other tourists which lead the way while the sun was setting. I have to admit, it was a little unimpressive but maybe that's just because we've walked a mile in the cold, windy dusk and just wanted a warm place to drink coffee but at least I can cross it off of my Denmark bucket list.
A few photos from the wedding are below, it was too dark for pictures at the Little Mermaid, but if you want to read more about it/ see a nice photo of it, here's a good link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Little_Mermaid_%28statue%29
Will update soon about Christmas break!
Sophie