To be honest, it has taken me a while to warm up to the Danes and the Danish culture. Keep in mind, I come from South Carolina where everyone talks to everyone, you wave to strangers just because, you smile at people when you pass by and you make new friends wherever you go. The Danes are the exact opposite. The bus is silent everyday and no one ever really looks you in the eye. They will not approach you and don't find it necessary to meet new people. DARE you smile at someone when you pass by.
Yet then again, this may just be "city life," and not necessary the Danish life, that I am not used to. But last night I really began to understand the Danes a little more.
On Friday night I received a call from my "visiting family." DIS sets up different cultural immersion programs such has Danish buddies and visiting families. This allows students not living in host families the opportunity to immerse into the Danish culture and get to know Danes. My family, Tove and Anders, said they would like to have me over for dinner the next night and they would pick me up at the Metro.
I was so excited and so nervous at the same time. Would they like me? What housewarming gift should I bring? Could I find my way there? What if I couldn't understand them?
I set off on my first journey alone and made a quick pit stop at one of the great bakery's in Copenhagen to grab a cake to take with me. I was relieved to find out that their Metro stop was in Zone 2, meaning I didn't have to buy an extra clipcard. The Metro was very easy and I got off at the last stop, Vanløse, just like Tove had told me. She and Anders had the car waiting for me when I got there! They showed me around their cute house (very Danish) and then Anders made his special meatballs, called Frikadeller, a Danish favorite, with a great salad, mashed potatoes and rye bread. It was absolutely delicious.
There were candles everywhere in their house--another Danish tradition, hygge. It is explained as
One of the fundamental aspects of Danish culture is "hygge", which, although translated as "coziness" is more akin to "tranquility". Hygge is a complete absence of anything annoying, irritating, or emotionally overwhelming, and the presence of and pleasure from comforting, gentle, and soothing things. Hygge is often associated with family and close friends.
I LOVE this about the Danes and I really felt it last night. They even gave me two glass candles designed by a famous Danish designer, Piet Hein We had a nice conversation over dinner about our families, religion and Danish politics. After dinner they made coffee and we sat in the living room and had coffee and the cake I brought with this precious little tea set. I told them I was going to Berlin next weekend and Tove got very excited, Berlin being one of her favorite cities. She brought out a big scrapbook of things from Berlin and even gave me a book of maps to take with me! I had such a great time with them, even though it was a different experience than I have ever had before.
After that I went to go hang out at one of the Dane's flats that I had met a couple weeks ago at the DIS party. It was fun to go from a Danish family setting to a younger Danish crowd, seeing that it is pretty much the same as in the US. There were about 14 or 15 of us, me being the only girl for most of the time until 1 more came. But hey, I am not complaining :) It was very unusual for me, because usually the ratio is WAY more girls (at Elon and in the DIS program). Again, we talked a lot about politics (Danes LOVE to talk about politics). They played a bunch of Danish songs and all sang together (video on Facebook soon). At about 1:30 they decided they wanted to go out finally, WHEW. Way too late for me, so I made my way home.
It was my first time really venturing out into the city by myself and spending time with the Danes--an accomplishment if I might say so myself. I'm glad I can now say I really enjoyed the Danes!
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