This is just going to be a picture post.

The Little Mermaid
Copenhagen

At the Palace with the Royal Guard
(I saw one smile...someone's getting fired!)

Christiania

Also Christiania

One of the very few places where you can use a camera in Christiania

Taking a nap in BR Toy Shop

More to come. Pictures and writing. Vi ses.   :)

November

   OK. So I have passed my 2 week mark promise, which is entirely my fault and due to, of course, my overwhelming laziness regarding this blog.
 The greatest city I have ever been to, so far, is Copenhagen. A member Rotary asked me if I wanted to join them on a little weekend trip to Copenhagen, and since I hadn't seen the Capital of this country in the three months that I had been here, I figured it might be a good place to visit. This was the weekend of the 15th of November. Copenhagen really is such an amazing city. It's history is woven into the fabric of this city. On one street you may be looking at a church a century or two old and the next street is brand new apartment buildings. I've never been a city person. I don't have anything against big cities, but I could never ever live in one. Though if I had to, I would probably live there. I also liked the fact that half the population of the city was biking to get around. It cuts down so much on the traffic. It is not nearly as congested as NYC. Though that may be due to the fact that NYC has a higher population than Denmark as a whole...too crowded for one place. Long story short, Copenhagen was awesome and I had a great time.
   I feel bad for making this post so short, but I am very tired right now and I have to go to sleep because my host family is taking me to Tønder tomorrow. :) I will elaborate on this post, most likely, tomorrow night, and many pictures are to come. Sorry about the shortness. I feel like I am lessening the awesomeness that was that weekend, but it is a story for another time. And with that, I bid you all, or what's left of you, farewell. Thanks for reading, and next post tomorrow. :) Vi ses.

Get Together, Skolebal, Moving, Lots of other stuff

All of you guys who have checked my blog for the past month all have the right to mentally strangle me. I guarantee most of you have checked my blog more than I have, and for that I am truly sorry. I've promised to be more diligent with these posts, but look where that's gotten me....
I hope you can all forgive me and can believe me when I say I will post more often. Even if it is just a "check-in" post. You may not believe me and I understand why, so, here's the deal: If I do not post AT LEAST every two or three weeks, you all have permission to drown me in complaints. My email is    markmhubbard@gmail.com.
There are a few pieces of news that are very exciting.
First, I would like to thank each and every one of you for visiting this blog, even if we don't know each other, or don't talk a lot. I have had 2032 page views, which is not very high to some people, but for me it is a very high number and I am glad that you all enjoy this blog. Here is a chart of the number of viewers by country:

Denmark	50
United States	25
Russia	8
Germany	4
Australia	3
Italy	1

On Thursday, the 25th of October, I went to the midnight premiere of Skyfall, the new James Bond movie. I had a great time and everyone else did, too. There were about 15 of us. Everyone dressed up, but not everyone was in the picture. 

In other news, Barack Obama has secured a second term in office. I am sure all of you know this, and honestly, i couldn't care less about who our president is right now. I don't feel the need to form an opinion of who I want in office when I am in Denmark and I can't even vote. The new 16 year old politicians on Facebook have gotten very annoying and I am just glad to say it is the end of all of that nonsense. 

^^^Sorry about that paragraph. It was the first thing I thought of writing because of writer's block. 

Now, onto more important news. This past weekend was amazing!!! There was a Get Together in Holbæk with all of the summer exchange students, and it was like a mini Introcamp. There was one major difference, though. I GOT TO MEET ALL OF THE WINTER STUDENTS. Just to clarify, these students are from the southern hemisphere and their school system is switched with the switched seasons, therefore, they arrive in December. I had an awesome time meeting the Aussies, and the South Africans, and everyone else. They gave us advice and we had such a great time. I think exchange students really share a connection that cannot be shared by other people. The fact that it only took one weekend for such good friendships to form really emphasizes that statement. It is amazing how different we all are, yet how close we can become as a result of an exchange. 

Anyway, enough of the cheesy, i'll tell you about the weekend. 

Friday, we unpacked and everyone said their hellos and "I missed you!"s and everything. That night I couldn't sleep, so I stayed up with a few other people, and, naturally, was exhausted by 8 in the morning. Not exactly my brightest idea, but fun nonetheless.  It was good to catch up with friends. Saturday was interesting. We were allowed to go into the city and explore and take in the sights and everything, which was also very nice. By around 6 or 7, the Halloween dinner started and everyone dressed up. Some of the costumes were very clever. There were lots of "punny" costumes, such as "Identity Crisis," "Creep on the Internet," "Blackmail," "Black Eyed Peas," and my personal favorite..."One Night Stand." In other words...me. I had a very good time with this costume. I made it very quickly and last minute, but it worked out much better than I had expected.

Pocahontas, Black Eyed "P",  ME,  Blackmail, Black Eyed "P" (again-had to be more than one, right?) 

Anyway, the party started right after dinner and continued to about 5 in the morning. I guess you can say it was a fun night!!! Sunday was pack up day and everyone was sad and it was very difficult leaving such great friends. It was especially difficult saying goodbye to the oldies (winter students), knowing it may be the last time we see them (NOT LIKELY). 

I think I could write about this past weekend for pages, but those are memories best shared in person, by far.

To any oldies or newbies reading this. Thank you for an awesome weekend, and to the oldies, we will meet again!!!

So, we have now caught up to the present, and I see a very exciting weekend coming up. 

Friday is Skolebal at my school. It is basically a prom for the "upperclassmen" of the Gymnasium, but everyone at the school can go. I am looking forward to a good time. We have to learn how to dance a french dance called Les Lancier. 

 Here is a youtube video:

      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bwjfeEmda6w

It is very complicated and I am wondering how someone as uncoordinated as myself will manage it. It is a very strange dance, though. Watch the video for a good laugh.

This Saturday, I am moving in with my second host family. Everyone (second family and myself) is very excited for Saturday and though it will be difficult changing atmospheres and saying goodbye, I think it will work out very well. 

Now, I saved this news for last because I think it is the most shocking and wonderful, yet sad and unnerving. I think that amount of emotion is overwhelming to most, but to an exchange student, it's standard procedure.

AS OF THIS SUNDAY, I WILL HAVE BEEN IN DENMARK FOR 100 DAYS!!! It is unbelievable how quickly time has passed and I now have a better perspective on some of the feelings going around with the oldies. The sadness of leaving Denmark, the awesomeness of going home, it's all very confusing and emotional and difficult. It takes a lot to leave on an exchange, but a lot more to walk away from the greatest year of your life. 

All in all, I am still alive, I will try to post much more often just to prove that and I will definitely post this weekend. Hoping for the best.

Vi ses,

Mark

P.S. MY DANISH IS REALLY IMPROVING, i think. I am getting more confident with it by the day and hopefully that trend stays consistent. Missing everyone and hoping all those in NY are safe and have or will have power very soon!!! 

By the way...

Here is a video from the Sermo Party at my school...got this idea from AG's Blog...figured i'd share it with you!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=73HzU1Bu_4w&feature=plcp

Way, WAY Overdue Post...

OK...so it has been just over 3 weeks since I've posted which is unacceptable in my mind, and I assume in some of yours as well, if you're still following. So, I apologize for the tardiness of this post. To be honest, I have been putting it off...nothing new for me really though.

Recently, another wave of homesickness reared its ugly head, and I was thinking about home, but this time I was prepared and got over it very quickly. This post is going to be mostly school themed. So far in the TWO MONTHS - yes, two months (I'll talk about that later in this post) - that I've been here, I have only had one homework assignment and I have not had to do much of anything except be there. My schedule is extremely light, and It's great that I don't have to spend countless hours at school, but I think it's more of a curse than a blessing. My schedule is lighter than those of my fellow classmates, much to their disliking; and I am starting to feel the same way about it. Leaving earlier than the rest of my classmates really limits my interaction with them. My host family, my teachers, and my Rotary counselor have all noticed that I am quiet, and to me that is what I am used to. It has been difficult for me, especially, to open up so much in such a short time. You'd think once i'd heard it ten times I would be able to, but it's something that doesn't come to me very easily. I haven't had difficulty making friends, I've had difficulty maintaining a social life. Throwing parties or inviting people out isn't something I am used to doing. I'm more used to being invited, going with the flow. Clearly that isn't working for me here. I have to get out of my comfort zone and, though I may not want to, it is absolutely necessary. Saying it is one thing; doing it is the trouble I have with it. This is probably the most important thing for me to do and I now realize is the reason I am here in the first place. I've always thought that the question "Why did you choose to go on exchange?" was an awkward question...I never knew the answer and I feel like I just spewed random shit..."for college" was the answer I hid behind for the longest time. Opening up, growing up, finding myself as a person is the whole point of this exchange for me. I don't think I am nearly there yet, but I know now that this is the reason that I am here. I've realized that very few people actually know the real me. I feel like most people just see "Mark- he studies, plays soccer, is a nice kid..." What does that even mean though? Where is the individuality in that? Unfortunately, that's all I know of myself as well. I've fallen into a trap. I've found that even I don't know myself. I can think of no other description of myself other than that entirely generic description I just gave. If I were to see anything in the mirror of Erised, it would be for me to find myself. I want to know more about me, just like everyone else here in Denmark, and at home too. Reading has always been something that comforts me when I really need it. I need to change that...not drop it, but translate it to my relationships with people. Hoping for the best.
Now for the next topic...WOW. I've been here for two months already. Time is moving unnaturally quickly. Hours are minutes, months are only a few days long. I can't keep up! "Time is the coin of your life. It is the only coin you have, and only you can determine how it will be spent. Be careful lest you let other people spend it for you." -Carl Sandburg. I found this quote online and really liked it. Now, how will I spend that coin? Something to think about.
Hopefully this is somewhat coherent...Sorry, again, about the lateness. More posts to come!
Vi ses!

10th Post

     This post is very late, as can be expected from me at this point. It's mostly just about my weekend because school this week, so far, has been basically the same.
     First, it is with great sadness that I inform my avid readers (assuming there are a few) of the demise of my orange bicycle. The story of it's downfall, however, is actually quite amusing! By amusing, I really mean unenjoyable on so many levels. But, everything's funny with retrospect, right?
     For the sake of time, being that I have so much of it right now, I will use large words in a fruitless attempt to confuse all of you...muahahaha. My class period had finally ended on Friday afternoon and everyone was immensely excited for Sermo (School Party) later that night. I went to the bike racks and began my journey home. Within two minutes, my handlebars began to twist in ways they are not supposed too...take that as you will. After yet another minute, this one filled with confusion and an puzzled look on my face, the handlebars completely separated themselves from the rest of the bike. Naturally, I lost control of the bike, but I managed to slow down enough to plant a foot under myself to keep from wiping out completely. Picture me on a bike with the handlebars separated and a "What the F**K?" expression on my face. Yeah...funny to you. Anyway, long story short (but not too short!), I decided, stupid as I was, to carry the bike home for almost 2 miles... So much for being a fat American...

GOOD NEWS THOUGH, I got a new bike today!!! It is white and needs to be cleaned a bit, but it is functional and that is all that matters. Any suggestions on names for it? It's random and seems stupid, but i think it'd be fun to see people's reactions to it.
     On Friday night, there was a school party called Sermo! It was a lot of fun and there were so many people there. All I can say is that it is very different from what a school party back home would be...not that we have any parties in Smithtown... Friday night was great because I got to talk to/meet a lot of people and really be out of the house without a guide, which AG has been kind enough to be.
     Saturday was also great! My host parents took me to Odense for the day and we (we being my host mother, her father, and I) went into the city and I was given a tour. It was an awesome day, the sun was out and the temperature was nice. We went around the city and saw many of the sights, including Hans Christian Andersen's birthplace, house, and many statues. We also got ice cream, which is always a plus. Pictures on Facebook, as usual. Odense is a beautiful city and I hope to go back soon.
     On Sunday, after my host family informed me that there would be some sort of surprise that day, I found out I would be going flying with Tonny (Host Dad), his mother, and his son. I was even allowed to fly it myself! I managed to keep it in the air so we can consider that day a success for me.

     Now I will skip Monday, as it was a pretty slow day in comparison to the weekend preceding it.
     Good...I can breathe now that this post has caught up to the present.MORE GOOD NEWS!!! My host mother has arranged for me to do volunteer work at a dog kennel! I am so excited for the first day! In a very good place right now. But it is very late and I shouldn't be awake, so, signing off for now.
Godnat
-Mark

P.S.

          P.S. As of yesterday, I have been here for a month. WHERE DID THAT TIME GO!?!?!?!? This is completely and utterly cliche...Time flies when you're having fun. I guess if it weren't so true it wouldn't be cliche.........c'est la vie........LA VIE...again...need to get  life

"I see what you did there..."

VERY Late Post - Intro Camp

As you all most likely know, this is a very late post. I can honestly say the lateness of it is due solely to the fact that I was too lazy to get up and write...my apologies to those who are kind enough to check often. But, here is a new post and there are probably more to come soon.
          As you may have noticed, this post is going to be about Intro Camp that all of the Rotary students in Denmark  had to go to. IT WAS ARGUABLY THE GREATEST WEEK OF MY LIFE!!! (Cartoon reference - I need a life.............haha)

The first day of the week (Sunday, 26 August 2012) was completely chaotic... 180 exchange students all packed into buses and then a small cafe-like room. It was impossible to remember all of the names and countries. I still haven't met some of the students! The week was pretty straight forward after that. It was unbelievable how many people were there. There were about 40 Brazilians, maybe 25 from the US, 10 Canadians, and many more including students from Chile, Ecuador, Argentina, Taiwan, Thailand, Japan and even one from Lithuania...the only European. From Monday through Thursday, there was a total of 5 and a half hours of Danish lessons each day...but it sounds much worse than it was!!! There were coffee/tea/bun/fruit/cake breaks every 2 hours and  lunch break in the middle. After lessons was dinner, which was delicious most of the time, with the exception of the lasagna which was mushy and tasteless... There was always an evening activity and then free time. There was a pool, an open gym, game rooms, pool (billiards), and lounge rooms for lounging or music (people brought guitars, and it was awesome).
          On Tuesday, the evening activity I chose to partake in was soccer. It was great to see all of the Brazilians demolish everyone else...I think I competed pretty well.
          Wednesday, we had a surprise from the teachers. They had a band come in and play a private concert for everyone!!! The pictures are up on facebook. QUICK QUICK OBEY...a Danish band. They're good but not quite famous, yet. They have a facebook page...just search Quick Quick Obey and they'll show up. They have some music on soundcloud and other sites for download if you like them.
         Thursday, the evening activity was Volleyball. I was playing volleyball often with the other students and I improved a lot, thanks to Alexis and Cigne (Indiana and Alaska).
          Friday was an amazing day because we got to go on an "Excursion to Århus!" There are also picture on facebook of the trip to Aros art museum. After the museum, all of the students were allowed to explore the city and see the sights, for lack of a better word. Hopefully I can return because there really is so much to see in the second largest city in Denmark. After that, we watched a Danish movie about a resistance movement during WWII. It was a very good movie, but  very depressing as those movies have been know to be. Fortunately, Alexis, Cigne and I went to go play pool and snacked our depressing feelings away with chocolate chip buns...they were fresh and DELICIOUS!!!
          Saturday was great because there was a big Banquet and then a party. Just before the party, though, each of the five or six classes had to perform a skit. They were all very....interesting, but entertaining anyway. Then there was the party which was awesome as well. Music and dancing with friends is always a good time.
          Sunday was the day where all the excitement and laughter vanished because it had finally hit us, we were leaving Intro Camp!!! So, we all went our separate ways and the week was over. In October there will be a big get together with everyone, so it will be fun and exciting all over again. It is not the last time we exchange student will be united either.
          Sorry this post is so long...I had a lot to say and I barely had time to write during Intro Camp...If I had been writing I would have missed out on a lot. Next post to come soon...I will try to be more diligent with this blog. Vi ses!
-Mark

NEW FRIENDS - After Concert. 

QUICK QUICK OBEY Concert

BOY at Aros Art Museum

RAINBOW at Aros Art Museum

Quote I Found - Random Post

Yesterday, I was looking through a Facebook group called "You Know You're a Rotary Youth Exchange Student When..." and found something interesting. Here it is:


"'And you.. you think you know everything?'

How will you know what is a dream…if you never made one come true.

How will you know what is an adventure … If you have never been on one.

How will you know what is anguish … If you ever said to your family and friends “see you soon” with eyes full of tears.

How will you know what is despair … If you did not get to a place, alone, and understanding almost nothing.

How will you know what is strange … If you’ve never been away from home.

How will you know what is diversity … If ever you shared the same roof, with people around the world.

How will you know what is tolerance … If you should ever get used to something different, even you do not like.

How will you know what is autonomy … If you never had to make decisions for yourself.

How will you know what it is to grow … If you never stopped being a child, to start a new course.

How will you know what is impotence … If you had ever wanted to hug someone, but a screen prevented it.

How will you know what is distance … If viewing a map, you’ve never asked “How far I am?”

How will you know what is a language … If you never had to learn one, to make new friends.

How will you know what is patriotism … If ever shouted “I love my country” holding a flag in hand.

How will you know what is a party … If ever you traveled hours to go to one.

How will you know what is an opportunity … If you never took advantage of one.

How will you know what is pride … If you never feel proud of yourself when you realize what you’ve accomplished.

How will you know what is a friend … If the circumstances never showed who are the real ones.

How will you know what is the family … If you never had one who supported you unconditionally.

How will you know what is the money … If you never had to manage it for yourself.

How will you know what is imagination … If you never thought at the time to go home.

How will you know what is the world … If you’ve never been an 'Exchange Student'”

Some of these are so true right now...and others are sure to follow. Thought this was an interesting quote, and figured I would share it. 

Second Day of School...and my day in general

Ok, so now I have caught up to the present. Today, I had History and Physics...

I guess I'll start with history because it was the most...interesting (?) I guess... When everyone walked into class and sat down my teacher decided to write on the chalkboard.............

"AMERICANS ARE FAT AND STUPID"   is what was written. Naturally, the entire class laughed... (not gonna lie) including myself. After everyone had their laughs, our teacher then wrote on another section of the board.......
"DANES ARE..."   At this point, I was asked to stand up and think of something to write. As soon as I stood up, my teacher stood as well and crossed off the "FAT" in his first sentence... After about five minutes, I still couldn't think of anything to write about Danes...after all, I've only been here for 2 weeks! My teacher then proceeded to put a giant circle around "STUPID" in his first sentence... If only I had thought of something clever to write...eh, too bad...lost my chance. I didn't mind it anyway...all in good fun, right?
    Once my teacher's little joke was over, we were told what we would be studying in the coming weeks...the United States Presidential Election.........just what I want to learn about on exchange to learn about Denmark! }:[ After that, our teacher played horrible metal songs about American freedom going wrong and war all the time and then we had to think of good and bad aspects of the US...weirdest class period ever!!!
    Oh.......another thing about Gymnasium in general... Class periods are 90 minutes, breaks in between are 20, classes can be cancelled, and free periods do exist. There are also beanbag chairs in the library for people to sit and nap on! Also, my class is not separated through the day. The same people in every class.
    I had 2nd period off, but the people in my class were in German...I knew no one in the cafeteria and went to sit alone at a random table with my trusty Deathly Hallows book. Time well spent, in my opinion! Then, 3rd period was physics...certain words I recognized, but I have given up on translating the words in between, for now.
   I had a pretty short day today,as well, and got home around 1:45...then started to read again.

Tonight, I was invited to go bowling with most of the people in my class. It was a lot of fun and it was also my first time out of the house without any of my host family members. I surprised myself by getting four strikes in a row in the third game but time ran out in the middle of it... >:[  After that, we all went to a pub not far from there, and talked. And before any of you wonder if I was drinking, I wasn't...I had a few cokes.
  I've found it is nice to have people to talk to other than the same handful of people. Homesickness is fading and I am starting to settle in, which I am happy about. I miss everyone back home, of course. All my family and friends, and hope you are all having awesome summers...This is the last post for tonight. Signing off for now! Godnat.

SOCCER

Ok. I am happy to inform everyone that I have found a soccer team that I am likely to play with over the course of this year! The coaches spoke mostly Danish, but thank God for demonstrations. One of the coaches explained everything to me as well... This is a pretty short post because I've only been to one practice...never realized how much I missed playing...even for just 2 months! Only one more post tonight. Will be posted soon!

FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL!!!

Isn't it weird to think that I have started school on the 16th of August?!? It is to me...funny to see everyone complaining... School is great so far, actually! I was placed in the second year of Gymnasium, which would be like High School but it's only three years and I am placed with 17 and 18 year olds. AG is in her first year, and is like a freshman. I got to the school around 8:40...SO MUCH BETTER THAN 6:30!!! And everything was crazy! First years had "1" drawn on their cheeks in red lipstick as an identifier, i guess. Then their hands were ziptied together and they had to take their shoes off...To those at Smithtown School, Freshman Friday is nothing compared to this! They then went through a maze in the school going into each and every room. I am not exactly sure what ws in other rooms, but in my classroom, it was a youtube video of the greatest movie insults of all time...and pointing and laughing. This is the Gymnasium's way of welcoming all new students in first year. After the "tour", everyone moves into the cafeteria area and the first years sat in the center, while upperclassmen dropped oats and rice from the balconies onto their heads!!! The morning was crazy and fun at the same time.
Not too soon after the rice and oats, everyone had to start going to class. I had Danish first...and we talked about poetry...i think. After Danish I was supposed to have English, but it was CANCELLED, yes, CANCELLED! HOW CONVENIENT, because I could leave after that...by 11:30 I was in the town with some friends (Yeah Friends! I was surprised too!) and buying some paper and pens. I was home by about 12:45...awesome school day!
Unfortunately, it rained the rest of the day...but I enjoyed it! Writing yet another post! Will be finished soon!

LEGOLAND

Ok, so this is really late and I apologize for that, but I've had a lot going on, lately, which is why there are going to be multiple posts tonight. This first post is about Legoland, where I went on the 11th of August. I HAD A GREAT TIME! It is a place where everyone can be a kid and LEGOS ARE EVERYWHERE, as can be expected. Here are some pictures!:

Me with three of the four Tennessee-ans...

Replica of City...made of legos, of course.

Smaller scale Skyscrapers

Movie Set!

Mount Rushmore was huge...and made of legos!!! If only I had that kind of time...

Now, Legoland is an amusement park, and therefore has rides like roller coasters and whatnot. It is different though from most amusement parks. Traditionally, most parks have a wide variety of rides, and so does Legoland. The difference is that all of the rides are lego themed and much more creative! Legoland prefers to avoid mainstream rides and attractions... There was one coaster that was ice themed, with  a penguin exhibit sort of thing integrated into the ride. At one point the coaster stopped dead with nowhere to go. I figured we would drop straight down which is what happened. The platform with the coaster dropped and the ride continued. There are a more pictures of course, but the take forever to upload, so they will go on facebook.
For all of my Harry Potter geeks out there (you know who you are!), I am pleased to inform you that I am now in possession of lego Ron Weasley and Rubeus Hagrid keychains!
That's all I have on Legoland! More pictures on Facebook! Off to write the next post...

Well...this is my second post. I am REALLY missing home right now...not great with dealing with it but I have an interesting few days ahead to get that off my mind. The quiet is a killer for me...unfortunately, the time that I used to enjoy is now filled with the sadness of not seeing everyone at home...in particular, my family. It's nighttime right now, which is, of course quiet time...figures, right? I know the homesickness will pass but it seems like forever from my perspective. I am determined, however, to push through and get over that.
Language is another contributor to my homesickness. Danish is a very difficult language and it takes time...key word being time... I learn new things everyday, including Danish, but it seems to be too much to take in. I am forgetting things (like I have been known to do) and remembering other things...I guess I am just overwhelmed.
While I am missing home and venting in this post, I DO NOT want anyone to think I am depressed or unhappy in any way! It's the daytime where I am able to forget my homesickness. Although returning home right now may seem like a good idea, I don't feel in my  heart that it would be the right thing for me to do. I know things will get better and that my feelings are just magnified by my confusion.
I think it is bad timing and the fact that I am not in school until 2 weeks into my exchange makes this more difficult. Basically, I am interacting with the same 3 or 4 people. This isn't bad and they're all awesome, but it isn't the kind of interaction I need to get the most out of this exchange.
Tomorrow, I am supposed to meet AG's biological father and her sister. I am not sure, however, what else we will be doing. Saturday is Legoland, like I said in my last post. And now, Tuesday, I am going to be on a train with my host family's neighbor exploring Denmark. The neighbor is a conductor, I guess, and it's less like exploring and more like seeing major Danish cities through a window. Which is fine because I will probably see more later in this exchange. What I'm not sure I like about Tuesday is that I have to be awake by 3:30AM! Not sure what is happening Wednesday, and Thursday..........School starts! Again, not sure what to expect, except that the first days will probably be difficult...what else is new? Wish me luck!
Sorry this post is so long again...and to bring anyone down...just venting.
To my family- I miss you all more than I can even say. Would love to see you guys!... :)Can't wait for skype this sunday with Mom, Dad, and Sam.
To my friends- miss you guys too!
Signing off again...Godnat.

First Post

Obviously, this is my first post on this blog, so it will be pretty long. So far, Denmark is great! This is the end of my 4th day here and I am still alive! I know everyone should be happy to know that. As expected, there are some distinct differences between the US and Denmark. First, I have discovered a Fanta soda flavor  exclusive to Denmark...It's called Exotic and the name fits it VERY well! Another discovery I've made is that     wall outlets have switches to save power...it only took about twenty minutes to figure that out (facepalm).

Outlets also have different shapes than do outlets in the US. It was hard to find a correct adapter to fit everything. There is daylight from 4:00AM to about 10:20PM in mid-summer!

This is about 9:00 PM.

In Denmark, if you don't have a bike, you can't go anywhere. Cars are only for long distances outside of town. The bike issued to me by rotary has a seat like a rock, which is uncomfortable, as can be imagined. 

AG, my host sister, just returned from her exchange to Australia about a month ago and has a heavy Aussie accent...I should have expected we would be going back and forth joking about accents and pronunciations! Some students from a community college in Tennessee are here for a different program. It's great to hear some American English spoken. I am going to Legoland with these students on Saturday. I don't really know what to expect, but I've been told it will be a day when I can act like a child...but I think I do a pretty good job of that all the time! 

I miss everyone back in the US and hope you are having wonderful summers, while it lasts. Hopefully the next post won't be so long, and awkward...(not a great chance of that...haha). Signing off for now...

Godnat (good night)