So, much to my dismay, time has indeed been passing. WAY faster than I would like it to, but what can you expect on exchange to a country you love? It is no longer summer, and definitely no longer August like I have been telling myself it is, and contrary to what I tell everyone: it's getting a little cold. Denmark is known for the gray-skies, windy, sitting-inside-with-a-cup-of-tea, hygge-encouraging sort of weather, and that is definitely what I have been experiencing as of late.
My life has gained a sort of nice, comfortable routine at this point. I don't feel like I'm going to faint of excitement every time I go into a store anymore, and now when I go to school it's school-- not a magical land of tall blonde fashionable young-adults and vending machines filled with magic beans. Walking around my city still gets me though, and I don't see that fading any time soon(hello people, cathedral, remember?). I've heard the next few months are the hardest part of exchange for a few reasons: 1. You are no longer a kind of novelty to your classmates and friends...you're just a person. 2. The 'honeymoon' stage of exchange is over- not EVERYTHING is new anymore, and not EVERYTHING is super amazingly fantastically wonderful. 3.This is when language starts to get frustrating, continues to be difficult, and is limiting in terms of what you can express(This is also a time where many host families stop speaking english to their exchange students, mine included.) 4. You realize you miss some things from your home country; friends, family, food-- whatever.
HOWEVER, all that being said, I am still having an amazing time, and calling this anything but lovely would be an under-exaggeration. I admit I can feel the pressure of language starting to kick in, and I know I need to remind myself that the only thing that will get me where I want to be with danish is persistence and hard work. But liverpastej with rødbeder is STILL heaven, and being around my friends and classmates is something I value a lot.
School for my classmates has started getting difficult, and the week before holiday they had to submit a massive, 1/3 of their final grade-worth paper, and knowing this is one of the toughest years of schooling-- I can see it continuing to be as stressful. This means a bit less flexible time for hanging out and relaxing, a bit less patience(probably) and people being a bit more worried.
The equivalent for me is, of course, danish. And danish lessons. I have an interview in a few weeks with my commune to see about some more danish lessons and level placement. And, as I've mentioned, I already have danish lessons(for the exchange students in my area) twice a week. The ones I have now are getting harder, and if I add in the additional lessons that will of course be more work as well. Also the art that I do for 6 hours a week(the billedkunstskolen) is really great, but pretty fast passed and some deadlines are coming up. All of this basically means that the attractive life quality of 'not busy and not obligated' is going away. Of course this is also a good thing, because it means I'll be getting shit done! Haha.
Denmark, in terms of autumn weather here, is pretty similar to back home in the states for me(wisconsin). The trees change colors(mainly to pretty golds and yellows), the wind picks up, the temperature cools down a few degrees. Also the danes have started pulling out the MASSIVE circular scarves that are so popular here, big jackets, and gloves(seems a little early for this wisconsinite, but I GUESS its cold...). The general aestehtic of my city has just changed, and it is really, really beautiful. Also christmas-type things have started coming out, and I've heard a danish christmas is not one to be missed-- so that's pretty exciting already! I've heard lots of sweet things, alcohol(like always, hah), and many varieties of pickled herring. Exciting stuff.
I think this update is rolling around to a close, but know that in general things have been kicking along, and it's really great.
ses till next time everyone!
-Rowen
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