Being back in Denmark brings with it many exciting new challenges and hurdles that I hadn't anticipated, but also a big element of familiarity and ease of getting around and seeing the places and things that have become familiar to me over the past four months. One of the biggest surprises that I frankly didn't anticipate about being back is how different it has been being here without the American friends I made last semester. Almost all of my American friends were semester students only, and thus are home this semester in the States. Additionally, I switched my housing option between semesters, moving from a dorm like arrangement (in Danish called a kollegium) to staying with a host family north of the city. Not only is the commute longer, but I am not in close proximity to the Danish friends I made last semester. This choice was my own, mostly because I wanted to experience a different facet of Danish life that I hadn't really gotten to fully see before. My host family is wonderful. I have a host mom and dad who are both teachers, a fifteen year old host sister, and a twenty year old sister (who isn't living at home any more). I have had a great time getting to know them so far, and I feel certain that I will have many stories to tell from our interactions as the semester goes on.
It is great in a way to be able to see the "new kids" trying to navigate through their first days in Copenhagen. Their conversations, not at all unlike my own of months past, revolve around where the good places to go out are, where the cheap cafes are (hint: nothing is cheap in Denmark!), and how to figure out the night bus. It is endearing in a way that they seem to look up to full-year students, peppering us with questions about these issues and more. A sampling of a few I've had... Where can I find a toothbrush? Where can I buy a converter? What's the deal with those crazy guys in green shirts biking like maniacs through the streets trying to kill me? How does this whole "night bus" business work? And on, and on. It actually gives me a lot of satisfaction being able to help them, although, I am trying to not offer too much help unless they ask me. Part of the fun is trying to figure things out on your own, and I know that they are all bonding over these common dilemmas. As the weeks go on, I feel certain that I will feel less of a divide between "us and them" (ie, full year and semester students). It was great to get to go bowling with the other full-year students last night at a local sports club. I learned that I am (still) a terrible bowler, but it was a lot of fun.
Hej Hej for now
Whitney
Danish fact of the day: Did you know that in Jutland (the most western part of Denmark that sticks out of the top of Germany) there are more cows than people? Interesting...
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