Intro Week; Aros, Danish, and More Exchange Students

In Denmark, exchange students are kind of celebrated. Rotary seems to try to take care of you, including making sure you have the tools to survive in the country. Because of this, exchange students are sent to an introduction week. During the intro week, exchange students are sent to a school where they eat, live, breathe the Danish culture, and get to know other students.

Getting to know the other exchange students was a really essential part of exchange because they were like your safety net. When you felt homesick, needed someone to talk to, or needed help with a situation and didn't feel like you could talk to your hosts or counselor, you still had your peers.

We spent quite a bit of time in Danish classrooms where counselors taught us the basics of the Danish language, and a basic vocabulary to help us get along. Students were also expected to enjoy various assigned activities such as gym time, pool time, choir, and more.

My roommate and I had such a great time being roomies! But because her English wasn't great, and  my Spanish had dwindled, there was a lack of communication. I actually spent a bunch of time with Kate and some of the students from her city, but we did promise each other that we would see each other after

During the week, all the exchangers got on a bus and went to Viborg, where we visited a cathedral. Afterwards, we walked around the city exploring the different places. Kate and I bought scarves and then ended up at a park where we splashed each other in the fountain (I'm sure the Danes that were walking by thought that we were crazy). When it was time to go back to the meeting place, we got lost and the bus had to come and pick us up.

In the latter part of the week, we were driven to Aarhus where we went to Aros, an art museum. The most famous piece of art in the museum is called "Boy." It's a gigantic, life-like statue of a crouched young boy. When you're looking at it, it's almost like he's going to move, but then you realize that if he moved he'd break the building because he's huuuuuuuge.

We didn't get lost in Aarhus, but we did enjoy roaming the streets, especially because it was "Festuge" or Party Week. It was kind of like a city-wide party with sanctioned activities all around.

On our last night in Bjerringbro, we held a huge party and all the students danced and danced and danced. I think my favorite part of that night was when I did one of my friends' make-up and one of the Brasilian guys saw her and they didn't separate all night. She felt great and was so exhilarated. I was so happy.

As always, the goodbyes the following day was full of laughs and hugs and tears and promises of visiting one another. I took the train home, called Annette, and she and I drove home and I prepared myself for school the following day.

Unfortunately, because I had gone to introweek, I'd missed a crucial get-together with my classmates. I was a bit apprehensive of the following day, knowing that they'd spent a weekend together enjoying and getting to know each other.