Author: Bailey

One thing I didn’t think about prior to flying across the ocean was the entire subject of eating. I assumed I would try some interesting foods, or have to stop some of my eating habits, including peanut butter, my favorite cereals, and Ritz Crackers with cheese. A lovely surprise has been that living and eating with my host family has been not too difficult of an adjustment. This could be due to the fact that Minnesotan eating is pretty similar to Danish eating; lots of potatoes and vegetables with a type of meat.

The food, in my homestay has been wonderful! My host-dad is very savvy and thrifty at buying things on sale, at a good kroner value. This means he may go to the store multiple times a week, only getting a few items each trip. At first, I didn’t quite understand because at home we go once or twice a week to get all the items we want and need, but I am beginning to understand it’s to waste less, and keep all our food good and eaten.

I am used to the concept of composting, in Minnesota and at school in Massachusetts there are places for composting food scraps. Here in Denmark we have three hens which get our food scraps. This is sort of like composting….

I have been eating a lot more meat than I am used to here. My host dad is a “meat and wine expert” so he seems to really know what to prepare and what to pair with what. He is also trying to make me a well rounded person, teaching me about truly tasting wines for their full flavor.

Jette and Hans-Erik across the table after dinner one evening

Today I asked about Nutella because I was craving some chocolate. My host-dad explained  how he knew Americans like to eat it but, it is too sweet for him and my host-mom. Also he spoke how Nutella is “going the wrong way in life”. I mostly found this funny, as he also stocks various forms of ice cream in the freezer downstairs. By past host students, Hans-Erik was called “Ice Man” which is fitting for such an ice cream lover (another lovely similarity to my Dad back home!).

One day last week our neighbor Peter brought over “cream puffs” (I can’t seem to spell the actual name of this delicious treat!) I kept pronouncing it “flub-er-bubbers” but that is completely wrong. It was such a wonderful surprise and such a taste-y treat, a must try by all!

All in all, I am loving the connection I have been able to get with my host family through our nightly dinner traditions. I am hoping to pick up on some of their cooking skills during my time here!

After a week and a half of living “as the danes do” I am starting to get my footing. I am understanding the various forms of transportation and  which s-tog stop is fastest to my classes. I am understanding the silence of various public places which contrasts greatly with the friendliness of those whom I dare to speak with.

Among all of the new-ness, I realize how in a few short months, the insanity I find with some things here will probably seem normal. Below is my list of my first ten impressions/thoughts that come to mind when I think of Denmark today.

• Design ( spaces, sidewalks, stairs, visuals)

I have this thing with floors

• Hygge (not a place, not a thing, it’s a feeling)
• Black/Color (I expected all black, but there is actually a lot of color in Denmark, people wearing colors and throughout the city)
• Glass ( Just the use of windows and their “see-through-ness”)

CIID [Copenhagen Institute of Interactive Design] building {stairwell)

• Wet/Rain (both outside, and inside through the focus on shorter showers)
• Warmth (mainly through copious amounts of coffee and tea)
• “Locked” doors (S-tog and building doors both from the inside and outside)
• Handball (Nej!! Being shouted with much animation by my host dad at the TV due to some unfortunate results. The Danish team lost this week to Sweden and Germany)

If I could upload a video I would

• Light/Air (focus on air; the concept of fresh air; and the closeness of lamps to tables/your reading or food)
• Style (the effortless [or so it looks] style of everyone; riding bikes, walking around town, office wear)

My host parents have children that are all older than I. One of their daughters comes over often and has 2 sons, therefore my vært fætter (host cousins).One is 4, and the other one is 1 and both very adorable. They remind me of my cousins back home, except for the fact that I can’t understand what they yell at me, and they can’t understand what I yell back at them!

vært søster og vært fætter (host sister and host cousin)

airport meet up with host fam; Hans-Erik on the left of me, Jette on the right of me

I have been in Denmark for a day and a half, and I am finally starting to feel at home. That may be because I have only been at home, mainly catching up on sleep for the majority of these days. My host “parents” are very sweet and welcoming. I have quickly learned that Danes, or the handful of Danes I have met so far, have the same sense of humor as my own family back in Minnesota. There has been a great amount of laughter and quite a bit of teasing. My host parents, Jette and Hans-Erik have hosted about 3 or 4 students before me and seem to have the system down quite well. We had dinner with our neighbor George last night and I learned a ton about celebratory meals. It seems that here a celebration or welcoming means a variety of alcohols and a whole slew of tasty dishes.

Three new words:

Skål! (Sk-oh-l) = Cheers!

Gulerod= Carrot

et glas vin  = a glass of wine