Last week was spent organising bank accounts, citizen numbers, train passes, bus passes, enrolling in school and other such necessary tasks. I started language school on thursday with 15 or so other exchange students who have already been there for 6 months. There's two kiwis, a boy from Ghana, two from the US, several from brazil, one from Colombia, a girl from Italy, a girl from Belgium, a girl from France and a few others from various corners of the globe. They were all very nice and welcoming, and a little crazy as all exchange students seem to be.
On Friday, the language school had an excursion to a salt farm. We went swimming in lovely warm salt baths:
After the salt baths, we went on a bus to our language teachers village to eat with the entire town of two hundred people. We ate Rod Glod med Flode(Red Jelly with cream), a food invented for the sole fact that it is truly impossible to pronounce if you are not Danish.
Me and Sinead (New Zealand) eating Rod Glod med Flode:
This week I joined Soren's band at school. They are a small rock group, run by a teacher from the school they have a performance on the 7th of February. The keyboardist was unable to make the performance, and I am now playing for them! This weekend, I have a music camp/jam session with Soren over two days.
I have attended my first rotary meeting and attempted some danish for them, and I think they mostly understood me! I ate some herring (gross!), but washed down with tasty Danish pastry it was perfectly fine
The Rotary club has bought me a 2nd hand bike to use during my stay, which seems to be the primary mode of transport around here. There are so many bike paths around, and I would almost go as far to say that in Ry sometimes there are more bikes than cars on the roads! It's a very flat place and quite beautiful to cycle around.
On Monday, I began my new school. I travel by bike to the train station in Ry, then train to Silkeborg (20 minutes) then a bus to the school. I begin school at 8:15, though in about 4 of the ten days I don't begin until 10. My class is very friendly, and willing to translate what is going on for me. I take Engelsk, Mathematik, Fysics, Kemistrie, Biologie, Musik, History and Social Science. I now go to school in the dark and sometimes come home in the dark which is a little depressing, but it is nice to see the sun rise each day.
In summary, I'm having a brilliant time. My family is awesome, the school friends are great, and I have found several pianos available to use! I have been craving Vegemite, but today a package arrived from home with a small jar of it and a whole heap of other goodies. Thankyou Mum! My Danish is coming along rapidly, but it will be a couple of months before I will be able to have a conversation I think. I can now understand my 7 year old brothers books from school.
Here is a photo of me at the "beach " in Ry:
and eating breakfast with Berrit and Freddie:
and finally, a pretty house in a town not too far from Ry:
Farvel!
