New Years!

I found new years to be almost the same as in the states. So first I ate dinner with my host family and some family friends. At 6 the Queen talked to all of Denmark. Than I went to a friends house and hung out there. Right before 12 o'clock they watch this short show about this guy at a party where all the guests die and so he has to drink for all the guests. It is all in black and white! But than instead of kissing they jump into the new year. Everyone gets on a chair and jumps. So other than that it was the same as the U.S.A. :D It was very nice!

Danish Christmas!

WOW! I love danish christmas! Well first off all the festivities are on December 24th at night! So at 4 we went to church which was nice but short. Next all than around 5 all the family came over. I think we were around 12 people. Than we ate a lot. We had duck, potatos and something like pork. After dinner we danced around the tree. We all held hands and sang danish songs. Than just for me everyone sang "Last Christmas" which is something I will never forget! After that we ran through the house chanting. Than it was time for gifts. This took forever! One person gets up and picks a present and gives it to the person who it is for and they open it and than goes and gets a gift! It is really nice to see what everyone got but it takes forever :P Than of course we had coffee and tea! The next day is a big drinking day. Everyone went out and partied. Than on the 26th we went to a big lunch with family again. It was really nice. We eat alot again than take a walk around the town. I was surprisingly not homesick until the 26th. But over all it was an amzing time! :D

Copenhagen Trip and Update!

So my class and I went to Copenhagen for four days a few weeks ago. It was so amazing. We saw the little mermaid and the queens castle and christiania. Also their parliament. It was great. Other than that we just hung out and got even closer! It was very nice :) I also met up with my exchange friends Sarah and Wilimary. It was great to see them and spend some time with them.

I also moved families! I love my new family already! They are so sweet and helpful. I feel a part of the family and we can joke around. They have 2 sons ( 18 and 19 years old) and a daughter (21 years old). They also have a son who is in Texas right now on exchange! It is nice to have siblings to hang out with! I am trying to only speak danish with them but it is hard! But it will come I hope :)

 Other than that nothing big has happend. I am excited for Christmas and to see all the new traditions they have! :)

Turn In the Road!

This weekend I went to a rotary get together with all the exchange students in Denmark. I was so much fun! I was having a hard week and a hard time with my host family and just in general. But this weekend put everything in perspective. Some of the exchange students from Australia are going home in 2 months and that was their last time seeing eachother. I have been in Denmark for 3 months and time is flying. I realized I only have limited time here and how lucky I truly am to be here. I also realized all the amazing friends I have made! So I decided to just live out every moment to the fullest! One of the exchangers said "You win some and loose some." This made me realize that my exchange may not be perfect but I need to focas on the good parts!  It made me realize how much exchange students are there for you and they actually do understand. This weekend showed me how fast things go by and how much I need to take it all in because it will all be gone before you know it. So overall it was an eye opening weeked and one of the best in Denmark so far. 

Update: Paris, Host Families, and more!

    Over the fall break (1 week) I went to Paris for four days! It was amazing! We drove there and it took about 12 hours. It was so weird to think I could get to a new country in 12 hours! I saw all the big places! It was so much fun! Other than that I have just been living the danish life! I started dance classes which is great becuase it is something from home! There is another korean girl in my ballet class which is nice. She is in college though. Also my host family started only speaking danish to me :/ . I can understand a lot but talking back is the hard part!
   On halloween I had all my host families over for a party. It was really nice! We had chicken noodle soup and lots of candy.  It was the first time that I really hung out with my next host families. They are so sweet! I think I will get along great with them! I am so excited for the future! This coming up weeked I am meeting up with all the exchange students again and I am so excited! I think it will be a blast.

P.S. Sorry about my english, the more danish I learn the worse my english gets! :p

I am an exchange student!

.-How are you gonna know what a dream is...if you've never completed one.
.-How are you gonna know what an adventure is...if you never undertook one.
... .-How are you gonna know what anguish is...if you never told your family and friends "see you soon" with your eyes full of tears.
.-How are you gonna know what desperation is...if you never arrived in a place, alone, without understanding anything the others were saying
.-How are you gonna know what it means to miss someone...if you've never been away from home
.-How are you gonna know what diversity is...if you've never shared under the same roof with people from all over the world
.-How are you gonna know what tolerance is...if you've never had to get used to something different, even if you don't like it.
.-How are you gonna know what independence is...if you've never had to make decisions for yourself.
.-How are you gonna know what it means to grow...if you never quit being a child to start in a new direction.
.-How are you gonna know what disability is...if you've never had to urge to hug someone, but the computer screen got in your way
.-How are you gonna know what distance is...if you've never looked at a map and said "Wow, I'm far"
.-How are you gonna know what a language is...if youve never had to learn one to make friends
.-How are you gonna know what patriotism is...if you've never shouted "I love my country" holding a flag in the hand.
.-How are you gonna know what a party is...if you've never traveled hours to go to one
.-How are you gonna know what true reality is...if you've never had the opportunity to see many different ones so you can create your own.
.-How are you gonna know what an opportunity is...if you've never taken advantage of one
.-How are you gonna know what pride is...if you never felt it for yourself when you realize what you've accomplished.
.-How are you gonna know what it means to seize the moment...if you've never seen how time passed through your hands with great strides
.-How are you gonna know what a friend is...if the circumstances never taught you which ones are real
.-How are you gonna know what a family is...if you've never had one that supported you unconditionally
.-How are you gonna know what your boundaries are...if you've never passed them to see what lies beyond.
.-How are you gonna know what money is...if you never had to manage it to get along.
.-How are you gonna know what imagination is...if you've never thought about the moment you get back home
.-How are you gonna know what the world is...if you never were an exchange sudent!

The Diffences....

1. Order doesnt matter when your in line (if they want it they will get it)
2.  They sell beer and wine EVERYWHERE! (movies, every store, schools)
3.  The radio stations have no theme they just play whatever they want
4.  Carrots are in everything!
5.  Water and ketchup costs money...Everything costs money
6.  All cars are stick not automatic
7.  A three story building is like a national monument.
8.  Stoplights go green, yellow, red, yellow. Not green yellow red. 
9.  Danes dont hold doors open for people or say excuse me when they want you to move. They will just push you.
10.  Swearing in class is normal (Even the teachers do it)
11.  They call their teachers by their first name
12.  Eat everything with a knife and fork (pizza, bread, everything)
13.  They are very shy at first
14.  They are VERY competitive
15.  They wear swim suits as shorts (guys)
16.  They dont understand accents at all!
17. Beer is cheaper than soda or water
18.  Little kids take the bus and train alone
19. They drink a lot of tea and cofee and have set tea times
20. When the teacher is sick you just get that class off (no subs)
21. They hang their clothes up to dry
22. They think that a hour drive is far far away 
23. They dont have fabric softener! 
24. The mom usually does everyones wash.
25. Trackers can drive on the road and are used like a car
26. It is normal for girls to stay at guys houses even if they are not dating
27. They have a 4-hole punch not a 3-hole punch and the binders have 2 rings not 3
28. They raise their finger in class not there hand. 
29. They put random obstacles in the road....And round abouts where there should be an intersection.
30. No one says bless you after you sneeze.
31. Every party has a pre party
32. Everyone participates in class and is eager to learn because it is not the law to go to high school.
33.  You stay with the same class, all day every day.
34.  No tipping at restaurants unless you are feeling generous.
35. No one likes peanut butter.
36. Teachers just leave you alone in a classroom and expect you to do your work.
37.  Everyone brings their laptop to school.
38.  Everything is closed on sundays except for the first sunday of every month.
39.  Everything closes early (6/7)
40. All cars are manual, its rare to find automatic.
41. People either have the most high tech phones (iphones) or the crappiest, low tech phones. There is no in between. (Same with cars)
42. People ride their bikes EVERYWHERE!
43. When watching any game the clock counts up not down!