Hej!
Or should I say "hi" now that I'm officially back in America? It's been a couple of days since I've been back now, and I'm still really jetlagged, which is annoying. But I love being back home, seeing my family after four months. I was so excited when I saw my mom there at the airport! But now that my abroad adventure for the semester is over, this will be my last blog post (at least here, maybe I'll blog again in the future!). Before I sign off, I wanted to give some last minute advice to those who are studying abroad in the future, whether with DIS or anywhere else: - Your time abroad is about you. Everyone around you is going to be doing so many different things, but you don't have to judge the success of your experience based on whether it looks like somebody else's. Do what makes you happy. Go where you want to and explore things that will excite you. Make your semester the best one for you. - Being abroad is not a fairytale break from reality. Maybe it was just me, but I kind of thought that besides maybe a little homesickness, everything about being abroad would be really fun. But just because you're in another country doesn't mean that all of the problems you had at home suddenly disappear. It doesn't mean that there won't be struggles, just like there are anywhere else. Every day is not going to be perfect, and that's normal. That's life anywhere. All it means is that you've got to take advantage of the good moments that can only be experienced in your new country, and make sure you have a great support system for the harder moments. - In that same vein, other countries are not ideal worlds. Despite what many people seem to think never having been there, Denmark is not a utopia. Honestly, one of the most unexpected outcomes of my study abroad experience this semester was that it made me appreciate being an American even more. I love Denmark, and I think there's a thing or two the US could learn from the way the Danes do things. But Danes aren't perfect. Certain things that work for them just might not here at home. And they have their own issues. We're all human, and we all have things we need to work on. In the end, that's one of the cool things that connects us, no matter where we are from. - Don't be afraid to try new things. Try local foods. Go to local events. Learn about and participate in local traditions. New can be scary, but it can also be amazingly wonderful. Trying new foods used to terrify me. Even now it's sometimes a good idea to tell me what I'm eating only after I've at least tried it. But I made a goal this semester to try any food offered to me at least once. I tried herring and found that it wasn't so bad. I tried liver paste and found that I actually really liked it. And I tried licorice and discovered that it is literally the most awful thing I've ever tasted, and that I will never understand why Danes like it so much. You don't have to like everything you try. When you try new things, though, you might just discover something you didn't know you liked. - Be in the moment. A semester abroad goes by in the blink of an eye. Don't focus too much on getting the perfect picture to post to Instagram. Don't focus too much on planning your next trip, especially when you're in the middle of one. Really enjoy the places you go. Experience them as much as you can in the time that you have. Make memories that will last decades, even if there's no physical evidence for anyone else. This is your moment. Really live it. - Find a sense of "hygge." Whether you experience it with the Danes, or somewhere on the other side of the world, the idea of coziness, togetherness, that is one of the most invaluable things you can find while abroad. I named this blog "qu'avec le coeur" because the things that matter most to me aren't the pictures or the sites or the grades. It's every person that I've had the opportunity to connect with in some way while I was abroad. It's the love I felt for my three younger host siblings when we were chasing each other around the living room, getting into tickle fights. It's the way that my fellow students in my core course made me feel like I was a part of something really amazing. The things that matter can't be captured in a photograph. They're something that can only really be felt deep inside your heart. On August 19, 2016, I was leaving home to go to this strange new world. Now, I have two homes. I have two great families, and I have friends all over the world. They say that home is where the heart is. Now a part of mine is back in Europe. I'm glad. Seems like a pretty great place to call home. Well, now that I've given you another long, rambling post. I guess it's time to say goodbye. Thank you to all of you who have read my blog and followed me on my journey. Hopefully, any prospective study abroad student reading it has found it helpful. Hopefully these random tidbits of advice above are useful. I had an amazing experience this past semester, and I wouldn't change it for the world. Now I've got to navigate being back. Luckily I've got awesome people around to help me do that. Well, I guess it's time to say it for the last time, Vi ses!
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Hej!
So...today was my last full day in Denmark. I can't believe I'm actually saying that. I can't believe how quickly this semester went. To continue my end of the semester reflecting, here are some lists of favorites from my semester abroad: Favorite Sites 1. Kronborg - Otherwise known as Hamlet's castle. There is no way I could come to Denmark and not go to Hamlet's castle, and I'm really glad I did. It's a really nice castle with a gorgeous view of Sweden right across the water. The coolest part was probably going through the tunnels underground. I don't even know why I found it so cool, but it was really fun and I felt like I was in the middle of an adventure movie. Definitely put it on your list of places to go if you're here in Denmark. 2. The Louisiana - Sometimes, a museum looks like every other museum you've ever seen. Other times, you go to ones like The Louisiana and receive an amazing art experience. Whether you're an art lover or you just like seeing things that are cool and different, it's a really great museum. I loved the variety, from photographs to paintings to sculpture to installation art. It can be really inspiring. 3. ARoS - The museum in Aarhus, well known for its Rainbow Room, was one of my favorites. Again, the art was more modern, some really interesting and provoking. I liked it because it was something I'd never seen before. It's definitely a place I could've spent several more hours walking through. Favorite Foods 1. Kanelsnegl - It's not like cinnamon rolls are something that don't exist in the US. Yet somehow now, for me there is something so Danish about eating them for breakfast or a snack when I feel like treating myself. Definitely not the healthiest snack, but hey, sometimes you've got to give yourself a little indulgence. 2. Remoulade - More of a condiment than actual food, I am in love with remoulade. It can go on literally anything, from fish to potatoes to your hot dog. I'm also in love with the Danish version of doing a hot dog. I don't know if I ever want to eat a hot dog again without remoulade and fried onions on top. 3. Aebleskiver - This Christmas dessert is one of my favorite discoveries of Denmark, and similarly to the cinnamon rolls, I've probably had way more than I ought to have. What's even more awesome is that my amazing host parents recognized my love of this Danish treat, and as a goodbye present they actually bought me the special pan that you use to make æbleskiver, so I can make my own when I go back home! I'm super excited, and I'm so glad I got to spend four months with such a sweet and thoughtful family. Favorite Assignments 1. Final Film Project - I love creating films, and the final project for my European Documentary Film class allowed me to work with film in a way that I hadn't before. It was a little frustrating at times, working from a bottom-up approach with these seemingly random shots, but I'm really happy with the final product, and I've received such good feedback on it. It was definitely one of my favorite assignments this semester. 2. Ordering Food in Danish - One of the big assignments I had to do for my Danish class was to go to a cafe and record myself ordering in Danish. It was slightly nervewracking, mostly because I had to record it, but due to speaking Danish a lot with my host siblings, I was pretty comfortable trying out my Danish and did very well. The main reason I liked this project so much was that we got to do it in groups during class time, and our teacher gave us money to buy food or drinks with. It was a very...delicous assignment! 3. Bringing Hamilton to Denmark - Okay, so this was actually part of my Child Development Practicum assignment. As part of practicum, we were supposed to pick a day and do a particular activity of our choice/design with our practicum students. There were no real guidelines for what sort of activity, it just had to have some sort of intentional purpose. Being as obsessed with the musical Hamilton as I am, I decided that I was going to teach the fifth grade class at my site the lyrics to the song "Alexander Hamilton." To help with english language learning and teaching them some about American history. It was really fun, and honestly, it won't be long until this American musical is being seen worldwide. Favorite Danish Words/Phrases 1. "Jeg er færdig" - It just means "I'm done," but my little host sisters both shout this phrase in a sing-song tune to let people know when they are done using the bathroom. It's really cute, and writing it out on a blog can't really demonstrate how amusing it is to me, but this simple sentence is now one of my favorite Danish phrases because of this. 2. "Fødselsdag" - It's the Danish word for birthday. First of all, it's just a fun word to say. Here in Denmark it also means that the birthday person will be woken up with singing and flags, and there will be cake and nice celebration. I'm really glad I got the chance to attend many fødselsdagsfester (birthday parties) this semester. 3. "Hygge" - This is a word that I'd never heard before coming to Denmark, and as I prepare to go back home, it's a word that I want to always be a part of my life. A simple translation of hygge is "cosiness," but it is really more than that. It's lighting candles, sitting with friends and family over a meal or dessert and sharing good conversation. It's curling up together on the couch with a bunch of blankets and a silly show on television. It's all the tension of a long day melting away, because when it comes down to it, all that really matters is being here with people you care about. That is what I've learned "hygge" to be. That's what I want to take back with me from this experience. I am so thankful for this amazing experience, all the moments, good and bad. So Denmark, tak for et fantastisk semester. Det var hyggeligt! Vi ses! <3 Hej! I can’t believe it’s the end of the semester. I’m reaching the end of my last full week in Copenhagen, and it feels like I’ve only just gotten here. It’s funny how time works that way. At the beginning of the semester, it felt like I had all the time in the world, and now it feels like it’s gone by so quickly. It doesn’t even feel real yet. I feel like it might not really hit me until I’m boarding the plane, but who knows? I’ve written about a lot of random things on this blog, experiences, classes, topics I hope could be helpful to someone. Now that it’s the end of this study abroad experience, my last few posts will probably be mostly reflective. I’ll take this moment to look back on the classes I took this semester, what I think I’ll take from them. And to any future DIS students contemplating taking these courses, hopefully it’ll give you some insight into what they’ve really been like for me. CDD: CMC I honestly had no idea what to expect when I signed up for a Core Course called Children in a Multicultural Context, but I can honestly say I am so glad I chose this to be my Core. I feel like I got to see a side of Denmark that other students didn’t. I wouldn’t have thought of this as a country where multiculturalism was a relevant topic, but it is in so many interesting ways. This class taught me how to think in new ways, how to always ask more questions, and how to appreciate fun and creative ways to engage with learning. Our two teachers, Maja and Amana, are absolutely amazing. I would take the class ten million times over just to have them as my teachers. It’s also been a really good group of students, and I was surprised at how well we bonded as a class. Maybe it’s a product of how DIS is structured, with so much travel with your Core Course. Maybe we were just the right group of students to put together. I don’t know, but I know that I learned so much about the world and about myself, and this experience would not have been the same had I not taken this class. Danish Language and Culture So, taking a Danish language class was interesting. To be honest, I probably wouldn’t take it if I could do it all over again. I absolutely love learning languages, and if you’re coming in with absolutely no knowledge of the Danish language and little opportunity to get exposure to it, then the class can be helpful. I, however, being the ambitious person that I am, actually taught myself a considerable amount of Danish before I got here using DuoLingo. It made it so that the first half of the material we learned this semester was actually stuff I already knew, so I was a little bored during parts of the class. I also felt like being in a host family helped me pick up even more of the language fairly quickly (so if you’re looking for plenty of opportunity to practice your Danish, this is the housing option for you), so sometimes it felt like the pace of the class wasn’t helpful for me. I did like some of the field studies we had, such as visiting Christiansborg Slot (the castle). I had a really nice teacher, and she really helped us understand the feeling of ‘hygge.’ I also bonded with some of my classmates over the shared frustration of trying to pronounce certain Danish words, because they can sound really weird to our American ears sometimes. In the end it wasn’t the class for me, but I did do well and now I am capable of having a very simple conversation in Danish, so that’s pretty cool! Developmental Disorders Because it’s very relevant for the field I want to go into, this was probably my favorite class content-wise. I not only got to learn about the different developmental disorders children can have, but I learned about how psychologists look at individual cases and have to make decisions, how to think about treatments for children versus adults, and more. The field studies we went on were interesting, getting to experience to some level how certain treatments and activities can be beneficial to people struggling with different types of issues. I liked that the class was a good balance of lecture and group work - too much of either one is not so much fun. We also had great guest speakers who brought in really cool perspectives. For me it honestly felt a lot like my classes back home, which was really nice. I mean, it’s cool to be pushed out of your comfort zone every now and then, but it’s also good to have something feel a little familiar. The one thing I will complain about, though, is that somehow every time I stepped into that classroom, the desks were arranged differently, and some arrangements were not conducive to the work we were trying to do. That aside, if you’re a psychology major, especially if you’re interested in being a clinical practitioner, I would definitely recommend taking this class. It’s really interesting. European Documentary Film This class was cool because it brought together people from a more theoretical film background, a more practical film background, and no film experience at all. We were also a class of only eight, which I thought would make me nervous but actually ended up being really great. It’s easier to get comfortable with a smaller group, and in my opinion comfort is very important when you have to show creative work to people. This semester we all made short films. I’ve taken film production courses before, but this one was a very different experience. We basically did several little assignments throughout the semester, then towards the end we took the shots that we had and edited them together to create short documentaries. When I first looked at the seemingly random series of clips I had, I didn’t think it would be possible. I ended up very satisfied with how my final product turned out. Making this film actually allowed me the opportunity to really reflect on my semester. Early on I would measure how things were going by comparing my experience to that of others. It took a moment for me to realize that I have my own goals for traveling, and I’ve gotten some amazing things out of the experience. My five minute film is simply a reflection on these thoughts, and I’ll end this post by sharing it with you. Hopefully it does a good job of summing up my positive takeaways from this semester. Vi ses! Last Thursday was Thanksgiving, and it’s obviously very different being abroad during this uniquely American holiday. This was the first time that I was not sitting with my family around a table groaning with the weight of my mother’s delicious cooking (although apparently my family went to someone else’s house for the holiday this year, so that made me feel a little bit better). Luckily, being in a program with a bunch of other Americans during this holiday increases the likelihood that you will be invited to a Thanksgiving dinner hosted by a friend. I was able to attend an early Thanksgiving dinner the Sunday before with my friend Bethany, her host family, and some other great guests. The food was delicious - classics from turkey to mashed potatoes and gravy to apple pie for dessert! - and the company was awesome. We all went around and shared the things we’re thankful for. I am definitely thankful for the good community of people I’ve found here in Denmark. I’m thankful that it was such a wonderful night, and I’m glad that even though I’m not at home, I was still able to have a little Thanksgiving in Denmark. Studying abroad with an American program is also really great because it means I’m one of the only of my friends abroad who actually got a Thanksgiving break. I decided to take advantage of the time off and do a little traveling to see friends in other parts of the continent. Around noon on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, I hopped on a plane to Edinburgh and got to spend a little time with my best friend from home, Olivia. It was great because it was also her birthday, so I got to spend it with her. She turned 21, and we celebrated with a little wine and cheese party (because we’re so classy, obviously). Olivia was an excellent tour guide, and Edinburgh is an amazing city. There’s so much more I know I haven’t seen, since I barely got two days to be there, but the parts I did explore were wonderful, and I can’t wait to go back someday! On Friday afternoon, I left Edinburgh to fly into Paris, and then took a bus to Lille, France. I was here to visit my penpal, Amandine, for the first time. First of all, I think it’s just amazing that it’s possible to make friends with someone who lives on a completely different continent but you find that there are so many ways for you to connect with one another. To actually meet in person was really great, and I loved meeting her and her friends. I was only in Lille from Friday night to Sunday afternoon, but we packed a lot of fun into that small space of time. We watched good movies - we spent Friday night watching Mulan in French, and then Saturday I met a bunch of Amandine’s friends before we all went to see Fantastic Beasts. I also enjoyed a lot of good food. Pain au chocolat from the bakery, and a tarte sucre. Delicious! We also made crêpes on Sunday afternoon and had a lot of fun trying to flip them over in the pain (none fell on the floor, so I’d say it was a success!). As with Edinburgh, I know that I only scratched the surface of Lille, but it’s also such a nice and beautiful city, especially as it gets closer to Christmas time. I got to walk the streets of Old Lille with all of the Christmas lights and a giant ferris wheel that I got to take a ride in. We also walked through the Christmas market, and the delicious smells alone were enough to make me wish I could stay there forever. I loved every minute of it, and I definitely want to come back some day. I should say that the only disappointing thing about visiting France is that I realized despite five years of studying French, I am not as good at the language as I hoped I’d be. I guess that’s what happens when you don’t practice or listen to it for a long while. I guess I’ll have to brush up for next time! All of my DIS breaks have been amazing, but this was probably my favorite one. I got to see old friends as well as meet some cool new people. I got to see two amazing cities decked out in Christmas cheer. I got to eat really good food. I got to have fun, and isn’t that the point of study abroad? It’s weird that I only really have two weeks left before I go home. This journey is almost over, but I’ve definitely gained memories I know will last a lifetime.
Hej! As a student in the Child Development program here at DIS, a large part of my experience in Denmark is being around children. I’ve got to say, it’s a lot of fun. One thing that’s a big part of this program is the practicum aspect. All Child Development students are assigned to a practicum site which they go to on Thursdays. I remember not having any idea what to expect before I started. At some point towards the end of the summer, I filled out a short survey and listed preferences on the type of site I’d like to go to (and I honestly don’t remember what I put down), but there’s no guarantee of anything. I mentioned in a post a while back that my site is a private Muslim school, with students from Grade 0 to Grade 9. I move between different classes throughout the day, starting with a second grade class, to fourth grade, to fifth grade, and finally to first grade. There have been both good and bad aspects to being at my specific site, but I’ve got to say that the kids there are some of the sweetest kids. From day one they were super excited to have me there. I felt very welcome. Despite the language barrier, they never shied away from talking to me and asking me for help with their work. Of course, many times I had no clue what to tell them, but I was really proud of the instances where I got the question and was able to help them understand whatever was confusing them. They always loved to show me what they could say in English, and some of them were really surprised and excited when I was able to show off the little Danish I do know. I’ve gotten random gifts from the kids, from a drawing (I’m not sure what it was of) to a chestnut from outside. My favorite thing to receive, however, is the unexpected hug. The first graders in particular always seemed especially happy to see me and loved to hug me when I came and before I left. The kids at my practicum site have really big hearts, and I have to say that it was the best part about going every Thursday. Of course, experiencing Danish children doesn’t begin and end with my practicum site. The Child Development program also has this thing called The Children’s Room, which is something put on during the days that kids do not have school, but the DIS teachers still have to come to work. During those days, Child Development students can volunteer to take a shift and watch the children of DIS staff members. The first Children’s Room of the semester happened during Denmark’s Fall Break. This was also the week before Thanksgiving, so we decided this year to take the Thursday of that week and do a little Halloween party for the kids. I worked with a group of other students to help set up trick or treating in a few of the DIS departments, to bake cookies and set up a Halloween cookie decorating station, to set up a pumpkin painting station, and to set up games like Pin the Wart on the Witch (a variation of Pin the Tail on the Donkey). It was a lot of fun, and the kids were absolutely adorable! Several of them dressed up in costumes and got really into it. I think the event was really successful. The kids seemed to be enjoying themselves, and we DIS students were having fun being creative and playing around as well. It was also cool because I got to see some of my professors’ kids, which is always fun for some reason. Hopefully this event continues for future Children’s Rooms. Even outside of things set up by the Child Development program, I still get to enjoy how amazingly adorable Danish children are. My absolute favorite thing is that now that it’s cold outside, I’m now always seeing Danish children in the most adorable, fluffy snowsuits. Seriously, they look like little colorful marshmallows and it makes me so happy every time I see them. If there is any reason at all to come to Denmark in the winter, it is definitely to look at the cute little marshmallow children.
So, that’s a brief look into what it’s like being around lots of children in Denmark. And after all that I get to come home and be around three more crazy but amazingly sweet kids. Of course, doing so much with kids can be very tiring. There are days where I have the energy to nothing but pass out on my bed. But for me personally it’s very rewarding, and it makes me happy. Being in the Child Development program does not mean you need to be around kids 24/7, but if you’re super kid crazy, you will definitely have plenty of opportunities to play and let your inner child out with the children of Denmark! Vi ses! |
AuthorOn ne voit bien qu'avec le cœur. Part of my heart I'm leaving behind in the United States. Join me as I take the rest on an amazing adventure to Copenhagen, Denmark! ArchivesCategories
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