Blessings

I have officially been in Denmark for one week. I feel like I have already been here for so long, but at the same time, everything is still so new and I still feel so alone. I have met so many people and seen so many things in this past week. I have eaten food, I have taken pictures, I have slept, and tried to sleep, I have read, I have journaled, I have prayed. God has blessed me in so many ways.

I am continually amazed at how easy it has been to fit into my host family. It was not difficult for me to figure out the layout of Copenhagen, and while I have certainly gotten lost, I have always been able to find my way eventually. People have been so gracious when I am lost. I have been able to meet new people without fear. I came to this country knowing two girls, and now I know and recognize so many faces. While I am still trying to figure out my friend groups, every passing day gets better.

This last week when I was at my lowest point, the very next day God turned that around and I discovered that there was a women's Bible study that meets weekly. My silly fear that I would not be able to connect with a Christian ministry here is just not true. Today, I had the opportunity to visit a church with some girls from the same Bible study. While I do not think I will make this church my home for the next four months, it was so encouraging to worship with fellow believers again. As I have been surrounded by Christians my entire life, it is a very stark contrast being surrounded by the world even for a short week. God is truly teaching me to rely on him in this time. It is difficult, I must say. But so worth it, I know.

This experience is also teaching me to appreciate so many little things. Long, hot showers. Being able to understand people wherever I go. Wearing sweats in public. Reliable internet. Dryers. Smiling. Hugs. Being loud and silly. Warm weather (even 40's would be great right now).

At the same time though, I would never exchange this opportunity for any of these things. When else would I have such an opportunity to live with a family in Denmark, of all places? To play with Danish kids in a daycare. Or more precisely, to play with Danish kids in a daycare where they go and hang out in the forest instead of a school! To see such beautiful, old buildings every day on my way to school. Swans swimming in the channels. Eating chocolate pretty much everyday. Exploring Hamlet's castle. Worshiping God in an old Lutheran church with people from all over the world. Appreciate the fact that Denmark just won the Handball finals. To live in the happiest place on earth. What more could I want at this moment that God has given me?

So many blessings. Just one week. So many more are ahead of me, I am sure.

Hygge

In Danish there is a word that cannot be truly translated into English. Hygge. Pronounced something like Hoo-ge...with an emphasis on the first syllable. I'm trying to learn what this means. Every night, my host family will sit around the TV, eating chocolate, drinking tea, laughing, talking, studying, being at peace with one another. The lights are low and it makes you drowsy. They simply enjoy one another's presence. This evening I fell asleep on the sofa, so tired from the days of running around Copenhagen, trying to understand this new culture. When I woke up later, my Dad said I've experienced a little Hygge. He described the cat like this earlier too. Max was laying on his back, sprawled out on the side of the sofa. He looked so funny. My Dad said he lay like that because he felt safe. This feeling of safety and comfort is a beautiful thing.

All this talk of culture shock and change is an interesting thing. At first I thought the language barrier would be the hardest thing to deal with, but it is not so bad. Every Dane I have talked to has been so nice and polite. Every time I'm lost (which has happened quite often), they are very quick to help. So while they do not smile at each other when passing on the street, they do not talk loudly in public, they appear reserved, they are so kind and approachable. It is an interesting balance.

My deepest desire is to represent America well. I want to break all the stereotypes of loud, obnoxious Americans. I don't know how well I'm doing. I find that when I am by myself, or with my host family, I come across quite reserved. But, as soon as I am with other DIS students, all American, I become quite comfortable talking all the time about everything again. There is just something about being with other Americans that are experiencing the same sights and sounds, discomforts and joys, even if I have never met them before, that instantly bonds us. These bonds are quite Hygge, I think. Going and getting pancakes, sitting in a pub, reflecting on our journeys. Being at peace, enjoying one another's company. Maybe in a month I will understand this phrase better, but it is all a learning process.

All I can really say that sums up my current understanding: Enjoy the simple things in life. But, not in the loud, excited American way. In the quiet, peaceful, Danish way.

Copenhagen!

I made it! After waking up at 4:30 Saturday morning, traveling to DC (5 hour flight), then to Copenhagen (7 hour flight), I am finally here! Our plane landed around 7:00 Sunday morning. I resolved to not sleep till evening to avoid jetlag, but unfortunately I did not quite make it as it is now 5:00 Monday morning. I made it all the way till 6:00 pm, but then crashed, thinking I would be tired enough to sleep till at least 6 the next day, maybe even later, but my body woke me up at 3:30 and I couldn't go back to sleep, so I decided to use this time to upload some pictures, figure out orientation schedules, and update my blog.

Somehow, it hasn't really sunk in that I am here. I thought it would sink in while on the plane, or at least when it landed, but here I am, having slept in my own bed in my house in Copenhagen, and it just feels like another day! It is quite surreal. Not the emotions I was expecting.

My flight went well though. I met Dianne and Alexis at the airport, we said goodbye to our parents and headed towards security. When going through security, I got randomly selected for additional screening. That was fun.

"Excuse me ma'am, you've been randomly selected for additional screening. Come this way." Then the security guard proceeded to swab my palms, then said he would look at my boarding pass and passport and make sure everything was fine. As he was doing this; "Are you going somewhere warm?" "No. I'm going to Copenhagen." (Why he didn't see this on my boarding pass I'm not sure.) "Oh, well at least it will be more exciting." Then he let me go. Ridiculous.

Then of course, going through security, I had to get checked extra again. I got pulled aside, and the guard looked at my watch, then asked me to take off my scarf, and searched it. It was a good start to our trip.

Our flights were fairly uneventful. We arrived in DC, found our gate, sat for about five minutes, and boarded. Sleeping was out of the question. We were all exhausted, but the seats were so small and crammed, that it was impossible. Also, the fact that our bodies were thinking it was the middle of the afternoon, even though it was the middle of the night in Copenhagen, didn't help much. On that last flight, a lot of the passengers were DIS, and we met all the people around us, including two girls that are in my same program.

When we arrived we were met by happy DIS representatives, and we all traveled to a hotel where we got our arrival packets with information about orientation. Then after a brief introduction to the country, we got picked up by our host families and went our separate ways! My host family lived very close to the hotel. When we arrived I met my sister and brother, and my parents showed me my room and a little bit of the house and left me to unpack and get settled in. My room is so cute and little, but just perfect for what I need.

After lunch, my host family took me to downtown Copenhagen to help me figure out the buses that I would need to take into the city. Thankfully, I only have to take one bus the whole way, it makes it much easier to remember my commute!

My family is so generous and nice. Even though I was tired, I chose to spend lots of time sitting and talking with them yesterday. Tom is probably the most fluent in English. He is a postman for the city, and knew the area very well. Anette can understand English, but is not very comfortable speaking it. She works in a lab in the city studying vaccines. This was a funny moment when they were trying to explain what she does. Tom had to look up the word for where she works, and told me she worked in a lavatory. I asked him if he meant laboratory, because lavatory is a toilet. When he realized his mistake it was so funny to him and he explained why we were laughing to the others.

Fredrick was very good at English, but he did not hang out with the family a lot while I was there. Only during lunch and in the evening when I gave them my gift. Ida is a sweetheart, I really like her and think we will get along wonderfully, but she doesn't speak much English, which will be interesting.

I think my favorite thing though is just watching my family interact. They obviously love each other and all get along very well. Even though I could not understand what they said to each other, from their body language and expressions I could understand so much. I know this will be a good experience. I am excited to learn some Danish and be able to truly call Copenhagen home.

Today will be a day of meeting students and exploring the city. It will be very different exploring Copenhagen with a bunch of American students, than with my host family yesterday. I am excited! I will post more pictures of my home and the city later. I am sure I will be playing the role of tourist much more over the next few days and will take lots of pictures!

One week from now I'll be on a plane to Copenhagen!

Just one week till I leave now! I heard from my host family earlier this week, they sound like a wonderful family, I am so excited to meet them and join their family! The parents are Tom and Anette Hansen, they have three kids, two of which still live at home. The oldest is 24, and he no longer lives at home. The other two kids are Frederik, who is 16 and Ida, who is 11. Frederik loves music and has three guitars and his own drum set! Which is very exciting, because I will have an opportunity to play guitar with him, even though I can't bring my own guitar along. Ida loves horses, which I can totally relate, considering that when I was eleven, horses were probably my favorite animal. Apparently she goes riding every Thursday, I surely hope that I will have an opportunity to go with her at least once! They live about 30 minutes away from DIS by public transit, which is so wonderful. A half an hour commute is not bad at all! I am just so excited to meet them, and to join their family.

I am so ready to leave. At the same time, I am so excited to see what God has in store for me this last week while I'm in Tacoma. I haven't started packing yet, and I work every day, I want to make sure to say goodbye to everyone I love so dearly, and I plan to spend a lot of time in prayer and the Word. This opportunity of being here in Tacoma over J-term has given me so much time to press into God and truly fellowship with Him. I know that what God is teaching me about Him in this time will carry me over these next four months, and I know that He will continue teaching me so much about Him while I am in Copenhagen. He has called me to go, and even though I am going for the classes and the experience, God has so much more in store for me, and wherever I go in this world He guides me, and I will be a missionary in that place through my words and deeds! My only desire is that I will be able to glorify God in everything that I do and say wherever I go. While I am leaving my tight knit community here at PLU, I have no doubt that God will provide while I am there, and I do not need to fear falling away or getting disconnected. God is in Denmark, just like He is in Tacoma, or Spokane, and if he can encounter me here, he will most definitely continue to encounter me there!

This will probably be my last post before I leave. The next time you hear from me will be from Copenhagen! Till then, Vi ses!