My German sister

Exactly 6 months. It feels like an eternity, but still I feel like I know her like the back of my hand and in no time we're back to the way we used to be. My German sister Lena - it feels so good to be reunited! It's like finding a piece of myself I had almost forgotten about. Now we got 5 days to catch up (and mock each other enough to make up for the rest of the year). Ready or not - Frankfurt here we come!

Merry Christmas!

First of all a merry Christmas to everyone. It’s a little strange knowing that all the Americans are just about to get started on the unwrapping, when our Christmas really is over. With the sugar hangovers I have from last night it’s probably for the best I didn’t have to get up early though. We celebrate Christmas the 24^th with the best (and probably richest) food of the year. Duck that melts on your tongue, heated chips, and potatoes cooked in syrup. Maybe we can’t compete with the deep fried… basically everything… you can get at State Fairs, but we can use our (greasy) imagination as well. And it’s most obvious when we make our Christmas candy. In my family we always have a little completion going on to see who can come up with the funniest thing to shape in marzipan. We kind of went with a unicorn theme this year.

 

 There was even a unicorn that moved in to the Christmas tree.

 

There’s something about traditions just putting you in that Christmas spirit. And the gifts always make it better as well.

 

The best part about this Christmas was definitely being back home with my family. It was probably the time I missed them the most last year. I’ll just let the family photo speak for itself. Nobody compares to them.

 

Oh, and then you can’t really come about the Christian thing when it happens to be Jesus’ birthday. Christmas Eve is for church, what January is for Fitness Centers, the only time of the year that Danish people actually bother going. My little sister insisted on singing an actual Birthday song for Jesus as we walked around the Christmas tree, but wasn’t sure, if it really was necessary to go to church. Here is your quote of the day.

Quote of the day:
We’re discussing whether or not we should go to church, and my little sister W was a strong advocate on skipping.

W: “I don’t wanna go. I don’t believe in God and all that – I believe in Big Ben!”

We ended up leaving the mass a little early. I mean if it’s family mass on Christmas Eve and you know everyone is preparing their duck at home, you don’t expect the mass to last 1½ hour. Do you?!

Anyways, Merry Christmas to all whether you believe in God, Big Bang- or Big Ben for that matter!

Dancetastic

The world did truly lose a great man, the day Mandela died. He did such great things and brought tremendous personal victims, so  that you can't help but admire him. Of course his death was tragic, but he was also 95 years old and it is a time to look back at his long life and great accomplishments. I went to the memorial for him in Copenhagen and it really was more of a celebration of his work than sorrow you found there. Everyone had a torch and it was so pretty. He pushed the world in the right direction and if one person can do that, what couldn’t we all accomplish together as one world? It gives me hope. The whole memorial was full of hope and there were even some African dancing. Really wish I could do that!

Me and my girls Friday night

I did dance Friday night at the school’s Christmas party though. And the best part; so did some of my teachers! You kind of get a new view on your math teacher when he’s in the middle of the crowd showing off his best old school moves.

Oh, and the dancing doesn’t stop just yet. It’s hard to come about the fact that it’s Christmas Eve tomorrow and we will of course take up the proud Danish tradition of dancing around the Christmas tree. I’ll leave the rest to your imagination.

Something's in the air

It's beginning to smell a lot like Christmas, and candles, cookies and glitter in your hair. Christmas is really a great time. It’s a season of “hygge” as we say in Denmark. It’s not a word you can translate. It’s spending time with the ones you love. Sitting in a cozy chair by the fire place. Relaxing playing a game. Just having a good time.

I’m definitely having a good time with Christmas parties, get-togethers and advent calendars. My tummy is having a good time as well. Way too good actually. But you know what? I like Christmas candy too much. I mean January is synonym to diet anyway. So I’ll just join the Danish migration to the gym in the beginning of the year. And I’ll be one of the ones sticking to my New Year’s resolution – of course(???) But until my blog turns in to a health freak’s diary, you can just sit back with and enjoy the pictures of my excessive use of chocolate in this s’mores dip me and my friend made the other day (my mouth did literally hurt for days because of that sugary stuff).  You can relax, knowing that you might sit on the couch with your computer but I just beat you bad on calorie consumption.

Oh, and no “hygge” without my YFU family. Never has glue all over been feeling as good, as it did today making Christmas packages for the Danish exchange students  in the States.