After eight hours of sitting in the same uncomfortable plane chair and several failed attempts at falling asleep, I was about ready to start kissing the ground the moment we landed in Denmark. Then it hit me. I was in Denmark! I was finally here after months and months of waiting. If my first few days are any indication, then I have no doubt that this will be one of the best semesters of my life! I arrived here on Saturday a little after seven in the morning, and after a short orientation introducing me to Copenhagen, I finally met my host family! My host dad, Frank, came to pick me up with his three kids: Asbjørn is nine, Ingrid is six, and Ellinor is three. Their car can only seat five people, so Franca, my host mom, was waiting for me at home. I only got to explore my new home for a brief second before we were out again, heading to the park for a four-way birthday party for Asbjørn and three of his classmates. It was great because it immediately allowed me to feel like part of the family, and to see a little bit of their normal. Ingrid took a quick liking to me, and the entire time she led me around to all of her favorite playground spots, saying "Faith, kom!" every time we went somewhere different. Near the end of the party a bonfire was built (because unlike the hundred degree weather I left behind in the U.S., the weather was nice and cool here) and the kids roasted marshmallows. They weren't making s'mores exactly, just putting the marshmallow between two cookies without any chocolate, but they really enjoyed them, Ingrid even eating five! It was such a fun afternoon. Afterward we went back home where I had time to unpack and relax. I ate dinner with the family outside, then before bed Asbjørn taught me his favorite card game, Casino. It took me a minute to pick it up, but I ended up winning the last round, and it was really fun. All in all, it was an amazing first day in Denmark. Deciding to live with a host family can be really daunting. It was always my first choice for housing, but even then I was still really nervous about it. I wondered if I would fit in with the family, if they'd like me and if I'd like them. I was wondering about little Danish siblings who don't speak much English. These are normal concerns. But I encourage anyone who is traveling, study abroad or otherwise, if you get the opportunity to stay with locals, do it! You'll get to see the country from a different perspective rather than as a tourist. For example, on Sunday morning after breakfast I got to go with the whole family to a neighborhood flea market, and I got to see how the neighbors interacted with each other and what community was really like in this area. Eating meals with the family ensures that I don't just stick to my comfort zone with food, but that I actually try new things. For lunch we had traditional Danish open sandwiches, called smørrebrød, which is basically a slice of Danish rye bread with whatever toppings you want piled on it. I even tried liver paste, which to me sounded iffy but ended up tasting pretty good. Danes are pretty healthy in general, and my host family definitely tries to eat organic and sustainable meals. Lots of fruits and vegetables. It's perfect because I can feel less guilty if I eat a lot because it's all healthy! :) It's comforting to know that basically everyone speaks English in Denmark, so communication isn't much of a problem. This is not true, however, with young Danish children. They start learning English in school around second grade, but my host siblings are all really young, so they don't know much. They do know a few phrases and are always excited to share with me what they do know, but sometimes I have to guess at what they're trying to say to me. Luckily, play is a universal language, so it's not actually that much of a problem. The other day Asbjørn and Ingrid took me on a walk to show me their school, and then we went to the park, where we ran around and played hide and seek among other things. Even though they usually have ten times more energy than me, they are so sweet and so fun to be around. Ellinor took a little bit of time to be okay around me, but we bonded over her extreme interest in my long hair, which she likes to play with and "style" so that I look like Elsa or Anna (because there's no escaping Frozen around a three year old). I love it though. It feels great to be a big sister here, especially since my own younger siblings have all passed the age of cuteness and have entered the stage of doing everything they possibly can to annoy me. I'm loving it here, and I can't wait to have many more little adventures with my new family. Also, if you were wondering about the title, it's an ode to the three hens that live in the backyard. They generally mind their own business, although one seemed to think that my foot was food at one point and kept trying to peck it. My favorite meal time entertainment is when they climb onto the deck when we are eating outside, and Ellinor starts shouting at them and chasing them to make them go away. It's really cute. And it's a great reminder of Life Lesson #341: If you ever lose you way, just remember that home is where the chickens are! Vi ses!
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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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