Host Family
The host family I am staying with is a couple, twin daughters who are 17 and two little dogs about 25 minutes outside downtown Copenhagen (in a suburb called Herlev). The girls love to dance and the family loves to go camping, “the European way”. They have been a host family for 6 years now and thankfully they all speak pretty good English.
Study Tours
With the Communications program I will take a weekend tour to Ebeltoft and Kolding, in Western Denmark to visit news media sites. Then I will travel to London for a week to study public relations, and the role of British media and the tension between public service broadcasting and commercial interests as well as visit media institutions. Hopefully I can see some of my friends who will be studying abroad in London for the semester too!
DIS offers field studies on Wednesdays. As part of my classes I will be traveling to advertising agencies, newspapers, museums and historical sites.
My field study for Holocaust and Genocide will be to travel to Neuengamme concentration camp, the largest concentration camp in north-west Germany. I think this experience I will remember for the rest of my life.
There are also a couple weekend adventure tours I will be participating in. One is to Bornholm, where I have the chance to bike the city, enjoy the beach and see some of the city’s famous glass. My host family says that Bornholm is completely different from the rest of Denmark and I am excited to see this enchanting place once its warmer – in May. Another tour I am taking part is hiking and canoeing in Sweden. I love experiencing God’s beautiful creation and am happy some of my good friends will be able to join me.
Travel Break
Also known as spring break, will be two weeks I have to travel on my own or go on an adventure tour through DIS. Although I am not sure what I want to do the first week, the second week my family is coming to visit. We will be touring Norway, Sweden and Denmark. I am happy that not just my parents are coming- but also my brothers, so it will a memorable family vacation. I am also going on the DIS “Czech Trek” and experiencing caving, rock climbing and other adventurous activities. It is something I would normally never sign up for, but I am up for the challenge.
Danish Buddy
I applied for the Danish Buddy program through DIS to have a contact in Copenhagen. My buddy Nanna is in the IB Programme in high school and loves to dance. She has been a great help for me to get around the city and learn more about Danish culture.
Interesting Facts
-It is a monarchy ruled by Queen Margaret II
-the country’s motto is “The Help of God, the Love of the People, the Strength of Denmark”
-Denmark was the first European country to ban slavery
-During World War II Denmark declared neutrality but Germans occupied the country 1940-1945. During that time the Danish King along with most of the Danish population wore the yellow Star of David and smuggled the real Jews out of Denmark and into safety.
-Denmark has been determined to have the happiest people on Earth!
- Hans Christian Anderson who wrote the fairy tales of the Little Mermaid, and The Ugly Ducking is Danish
-The Little Mermaid statue is in Copenhagen
-No place in Denmark is more than 52km from the sea
-Copenhagen is called the “Paris of the North”
-Dinner can take up to 5-6 hours! Courses include fish or seafood appetizer, main meat course with salad and dessert.
-You can get a cash refund for returning empty beer bottles to any supermarket
-On average each Dane rides 3km per day by bike
-Wind energy provides over 20% of Denmark’s electricity, more than any other country
-Danes don’t have a word for “please” in their language
Danish Holidays while I am there
-Crown Princess Mary’s birthday Feb 5
-Princess Marie’s birthday Feb 6
-Common Prayers Day March 31
-German Occupation of Denmark (during World War II) April 9
-Queen Margrethe II’s birthday April 16
-Princess Isabella’s birthday April 21
-Princess Benedikte’s birthday April 29
-Worker’s day May 1
-Liberation of Denmark (1945) May 5
-Ascension day May 13
