1. How's my Danish? My Danish is moving along at a very slow but steady pace. I try to use as much Danish as I can, and I encourage all of my classmates and friends to speak Danish when they are around me. It is sometimes difficult to learn a new language when English is such an accessible and widely known language here. Almost everyone here knows English very well and instead of addressing me in Danish, they just speak to me in English. I have also found that when I do try to speak Danish in stores or at restaurants, they tend to pick up on my American accent and my broken Danish very quickly, then they immediately switch to English. When I am in busy stores, I let it go and just speak English so that I'm not holding up business, but when I am in quiet little places, I ask them to speak Danish to me slowly. Everyone is very helpful when I ask them to speak Danish, and they are all very pleased that I am making an effort to learn the language. The goal is that by November, I will be able to understand Danish when it is spoken to me, and that by the end of December, I am able to respond somewhat.
2. Do you like your host family? Yes! They are so incredibly helpful and kind to me. They make me feel at home and are always interested in what I have to say. They love hearing about my culture and love teaching me about theirs. It is strange to think that in just two short months I will be leaving my new home for yet another one with a different family, but it is all fine because I get along great with my second host family as well. My first family was a great pick for me though, they all speak fluent English, making communication with them a lot easier. They are also very good at teaching me Danish. They have made it a habit to speak to me in Danish as much as possible and then they switch to English once they realized that I can no longer understand the conversation.
3. Do you like it in Give? I love it!! It already feels like home to me, and I am completely comfortable walking around the city exploring. It is so beautiful here and everyone is very open and willing to help the "silly America", don't worry, this is said with endearment and only by my friends.
4. What's different about the schools in comparison to schools in America? The school that I am attending is the equivalency of American high school, and my class is the equivalent of being a junior back home (which is perfect because that is what I would be anyways). The school schedule is set up more like a college. You have about three classes a day, and you are responsible for knowing where you're supposed to be and when you're supposed to be there. There isn't as much homework, but when it is given it isn't repetition that you're doing, but actual work that you haven't seen before. Instead pen and paper for everything, they use their computers in almost every class. The strangest thing to me is the way that they address their teachers, or adults in that matter. Instead of using "Mr" and "Mrs", all of the teachers and adults are addressed by their first name. This is because children and adults are considered equals in society, maybe not on a political stance, but in everyday life, they are.
5. What do you miss most from home? The people of course! I miss all of my family and my friends, as is expected and I am dealing with it. I have had a few days where I have felt very sad missing everyone, but I am getting through it and staying busy. I also miss driving. I didn't think that I would miss it as much as I do, but I really do miss the independence and ease that driving supplies. However, independent travel is easy to come by because of the amazing public transportation system here, but driving was such a nice and calming thing that was an easy way to pass time with my friends. I also miss some of the food that I had back home. Most of the food that is in America is also in Denmark, but everything is in smaller portions and the American food is much more expensive here. I guess I miss how easy it was to just walk into my kitchen back home and raid the fridge, but once again I am definitely surviving because all of the food that I do eat here is absolutely amazing!
So far I haven't been asked about the political issues in America, and I am definitely thankful for that because I really don't know much about American politics. Also, American stereotypes aren't very common here, or at least I haven't encountered them so far. Hopefully, if there are any negative stereotypes, then I am proving them wrong and setting the record straight about Americans, whatever the stereotype may be.
This is all for now, but I should have more stories up by next Tuesday or Wednesday. Most will be about all of the crazy exchange students (because we are all completely insane), who I meet last week and spent the most amazing week of my summer with, and about this weekend with all of the exchange students from my district.
Vi ses i næste uge!
Becca
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