Birthdays, Parents, Travelling and Friends - The life of an exchange student!

The week after I moved to my 2nd host family was not too busy, just going to school and catching up with friends, but on Sunday I went to visit my friend Victoria who lives in Århus again. We went to a ‘modern’ church service in Århus and that was really nice. I have seen many old churches around Denmark because they are very special here, and the churches in Australia are not that old, but it was lovely to see how a modern church works and how similar is it to the church I attend in Australia. Surprisingly, they were quite similar in size and the worship/set up, and they even had a little shop where you could buy CD’s like Hillsong, Mercy Me and Casting Crowns which was cool!

On the 15^th I had afternoon tea with my 4^th host family sister, and that was really nice to get to know her more.

 Me and my 4th family host sister, Benedikte!

The 16^th of April is the Queen’s Birthday and my host family thought it would be nice if we went into Copenhagen to see the Royal family stand on the balcony and wave. Little did I know that a lot of other exchange students were going in too, so it was fun to see them all again! While the royal family was out waving, I held up my BIG Australian flag up and Princess Mary saw it and laughed at me!

 Australia and Denmark - My two homes! <3

 Yes, I have an Australian flag that is a cape! #represent !!!

The Royal Family!

That weekend was very busy, on Friday was my host brother’s Birthday dinner with all the extended family, and it was lovely to meet them all! And on Saturday, another Rotarian picked me up, and I went with his family to a island nearby called Fanø. It was so beautiful there and I was lucky enough to see some seals! I also met the parents of the Rotarian and they made a birthday cake for me, which was lovely!

The rotary family I went to Fanø with! 

The next day, I went to a nearby town called Fredericia to visit my friend Mady, and see her sing a solo in the church service she attends which was fantastic!

Mady singing in church!

The next week was all about my birthday, the spring concert and my parents coming!

On Thursday 25^th April, I turned 17 and the best present I got, was to see my parents! The same night as they came, I had my school music concert and as always, I wanted my parents to see me sing in the choir, perform with my music class band, and play with the ‘house-orchestra’ which a small “big band”/jazz band, which I also had a solo in! I was also lucky enough to have my great friends Keenan, Anna-mette and Mady come and watch the concert! 

Keenan, Anna-mette and Mady supporting me! 

On Friday and Saturday Mum, Dad and I spent the day visiting the houses and families that have already, or will host me this year. I think that it was a great idea for my parents to come this time of the exchange so now when I talk about what I am doing; they can visualize and understand what I mean.

 To do list: Buy a pastry body and cut off its head whilst screaming as tradition for your danish birthday .. Checked! 

On Sunday, mum, dad and I drove in the hire-car to Århus where we spent the day doing touristy things then waited for the car-boat to take us across to Copenhagen. On the way to Copenhagen we made a slight detour and went to Sweden for some shopping and a nice night, then went back to Copenhagen where we saw lots of Castles, Museums and flowers in 3 days!

 Dad and I, in Nyhavn!

 Mum and I, in Nyhavn! 

I had the most wonderful week and it was sad to say goodbye again, but I wouldn’t have rather spent it with anyone but them!

After that the past few weeks have not been so busy, with just outings every few days. I have performed in Tivoli with my local orchestra, gone to a football match, visited Koldinghus (a castle and museum) with some Rotarians and been with lots of friends, especially the Exchange Students that will be sadly going home in a month!

Stefanie and I, hanging out with some other exchange students! 

The next 2 weeks will be about packing and getting ready for the time of my life, on EUROTOUR! 15 days, 11 countries, one bus and 30 crazy international Exchange Students – I am so excited!!!! 

The delayed version {16th March - 23rd April}

Hello everyone:) I wrote this a while ago so some of the numbers and dates are late but I can't be bothered to change it. I am writing a new one now, all about my adventures with my parents and my year awaited birthday! :) 

I have been here for 95 days and I turn 17 in 2 days which also means I see my parents in 2 days!! It has been about a month since I have posted and I have had a blast for the past few weeks, visiting more places and meeting heaps of people!

On the 16^th March I got together with some of the other exchange students who are called my ‘oldies’ because they have been here for 8 months, and I am their ‘newbie’ who is new. (obviously..) I had met them all before but it was nice to talk more and because there was a blizzard out side, all five ( Mady – USA, Cathryn – Canada, Keenan – USA, Poncho – Mexico and myself)  of us spent 3 hours sitting in Sunset which is a sandwich shop.

 Mady (from USA) and I

 Poncho (from Mexico), and Cathryn (from Canada) creeping out Keenan (from USA)

Poncho, Cathryn and Keenan enjoying the snow... Yes, when there was still snow.

The following two days my class and I had off to finish our SRO, which is a big assignment and I had to do it too. I had to write an essay about School Shootings and I actually wrote 10 pages, but other than that my week was fairly relaxed.

The week after that was holidays, only for a week but it was well appreciated!

On Sunday I went with my host mum and another exchange student - Flora from Germany - to a place called Esbjerg and Rema, which are on the West Coast. Rema is known for fishing and it smells a lot like fish (which I dislike) and Esbjerg has four very big white statues of men sitting down.

On Monday I caught the train to Århus, which is a nearby city and met up with Victoria, a fellow Australian Rotary Exchange Student, and went shopping with her.

Victoria and I enjoying the random items in a $2 shop called 'Tiger' :)

Thursday I spent the day with my host brother, Asbjørn and host dad, Arild – who took me to a football (soccer) match in Vejle. Arild has a friend who owns one of the private boxes, so we were lucky enough to spend the day watching the game whilst trying yummy food and drinks. It was so nice to spend the day with them, doing something they love with them and having a nice day with my brother and dad!

The soccer game, and the great view!

The last few days of holidays were the Easter weekend and I spent that with Mady who is another exchange student (“oldie”) from America and my family. My first host family shares a holiday house on the West Coast of Denmark with another family but only use it 1 or 2 times a year, and it was then! My mum, dad, brother, Mady and I drove up to the summerhouse, which took about 3 hours and then got settled in. The house was small and old but had a great view of the water and was close to everything. On Easter Sunday we went to a nearby church in the morning for the service then went home and got ready for all the cousins and family to come over for lunch. Because the summerhouse is on the coast, there was A LOT of fish – which I did not like – but I tried all of the different foods. It was so nice to spend time with Mady and get to know her better, and I can not wait to visit her and all my exchange student friends in years to come!

 Mady and I :)

 Mady being scared of sharks while trying to get a nice photo..

 2 minute walk from the summerhouse!

Mady and I! Jeg elsker dig! <3

After that great weekend spent with my family and Mady, everything seemed to go by fast and it wasn’t until the 6^th April, which was the day before I was moving to my 2^nd host family. That night they surprised me by inviting the 3 girls who were Danish, who I was closest with: Camilla, Anna-mette and a friend from the band I am in, Laura. We all met together at the ferry and went across to another island. After eating dinner at this lovely restaurant we went back to my place and just hanged out! It was such an amazing and selfless thing for my 1^st host family and I am always reminded how lucky I am to have these chances and memories!

 Mig! (me)

 Anna-mette, myself and Camilla on the boat to an island :)

 The cute, little restaurant we ate dinner at!

My surprise guests - Anna-mette, Laura and Camilla :) Thanks for a great afternoon girls!

The move to my 2^nd host family was not hard because I knew I would see my 1^st family again because they were best friends, and I had met my first family a few times already. When I arrived there were Australian and Danish flags all around the house and my bedroom, which was cool, and I added a few of my own!

My new room, and all my bags!

 A nice lunch with my 1st and 2nd host families.

 The flags!

 The front of my new house!

My bedroom, now more "home-y"(and more flags!)

Lately I have just been visiting places around Denmark and meeting more people, as usual! I can’t wait to see my parents in 2 days too! We have planned to visit all the houses of my 4 host families, as well as my school, counsellor house and some other places around Horsens in which I live. I am having such an amazing time here and I don’t ever want this to end!

Another updated one will be coming soon!