Christmas/New Years

Hej alle,

How was your holiday season? Mine was good... relatively.

I guess my explaination of Christmas should start a bit earlier than the 24th. My Christmas this year began with December 1st. In Denmark they celebrate Christmas everyday in December. They have these things called Advent calendars and every morning in December you get to open a little piece of your calender which will then traditionally give you a cholocate. Most people only have one, Christina and William had like eight. I honestly have no idea why. I had three, one from the ice cream man (which was a scratch off one where you can win ice cream,) the second was given to me by Lisbeth's sister (which was a Haribo candy calander,) and the last was from Lisbeth (which gave Make-up!)

In Denmark they also celebrate the four Sundays before Christmas. So every Sunday we would all sit together at breakfast, like we normally do, and like another candle. It reminds me of the candles in Hanukkah but for Sundays.

My next realization of Christmas was the 20th. That day I had dinner with all of the Australians and Americans and we celebrated an Aussie Crissie (Australian Christmas.) It was pretty damn awesome. We all sat around for hours eating sausage sandwichs and Pavolova (, named after Anna Pavlova-a famous ballerina.) A typical Aussie Chrissie is celebrated in your backyard with all of the adults standing around drinking beer and all of the kids swimming in the pool. (In case you forgot, when America has winter Australia has Summer because they're in the Southern Hemisphere.) The food was delicious, but Caity promised me a true blue Aussie barbe (a real Australian barbecue,) when I visit in spring of 2012.

That same night I had my classes Christmas party. (Just incase I forgot to tell you guys, in Denmark you have one class you stay with for all 3 years and go to every class with.) Let's just say that Danish parties are sooooo much different from American parties. I do have to say, it's not always that fun obeying all of Rotary's 5 D's (Drinking, Driving, Dating, Drugs, and Debt,) but at this party it was. Everyone, and I mean everyone, except me was completely smashed drunk off of snaps and Christmas beer. I spent hours watching people run around and make fools of themselves while I took pictures that will probably make me laugh for the rest of my life. I stayed with a girl in my class, Katrine, that night because she lives in town. I'm pretty sure we left around 4 or 5 the next morning.

My next Christmas was one that was a lot more about family and less about drinking. The Danes celebrate Christmas on the 24th. So that morning we all woke up and ate breakfast together, as always, and patiently awaited the arrival of Lisbeth's and Mik's parents. That night we all lit candles and put them on the tree (yes, real live actual flaming candles on a tree...) We then preceded to dance around the tree and house while we sang songs. The experience was definitly different. Afterwards we opened presents. Lisbeth's and Mik's parents were nice enoguh to get me small presents (which I hadn't expected) and of course I got a few from my host parents and siblings. Unfortunately my package from my parents has still yet to arrive which is saddening but I know it will make it all the better when it eventually shows up :)

Christmas Day was atrocious (if I spelled that right.) I haven't mentioned until this point that I had contracted a lung infection and was pretty much not able to function or sing... (for those of you who have seen my Youtube video you already know this, hehe.) So, Lisbeth decided to let me stay home. So I spent Christmas alone... all by myself... while I was sick... and my parents were in Mexico... Sadness

I'm just now starting to get over the lung infection. I can sing again, but I have to reherse for 4 hours tonight and I have no idea how my voice is going to take that.

New Years was good, I'll tell you more about it when I have time.

~Jasmine H

Snowed in...

(This now happened a while ago) Ok, so when I said that I wanted a white christmas I didn't mean 2 FEET OF SNOW! Yesterday I was in town at Kate's house and it had already been snowing for about 12 hours. So after the day was spent I walked to the bus stop that's by Kate's house. And then I proceeded to stand there for about 30 minutes waiting for the stupid bus to show up. It never did, so I decided I had to walk. Keep in mind it's snowing cats and dog, well really more like bears and mammoths and it was about -7¤. Normally the walk from Kate's to the bus station is about 30 minutes. It took me an hour because none of the sidewalks or streets were plowed. Now you think a SCANDINAVIAN country would have a plan for snow, but Denmark doesn't. So I got to the bus station, waited an hour (outside) and then found out that they just cancled all of the busses. So I call my host parents. They inform me that the road from Otterup to Odense is closed, so not only can I not get out but they can't get in. So, I call Kate the only exchange student in Odense and of course she says I can stay at her place. Then I walk all the way back to her house (this time it took about 45 min.)
The next day:
Kate and I wake up. School's cancled. We go back to bed. Then Aaron comes over because he tried to go to school and literally couldn't get into the building because there was so much snow (it's still snowing at this point.) Then Aaron and I leave around 16.00 and try to get to Caity's house. We get to Caity's house and there's no one home, not even a dog. Aaron and I are both freezing so we stop at the closest place on the way into town. Which was a Cafe bar and we stay for about and hour defrosting and drinking hot chocolate. Then we get up to go through the blistering winds agian. On our way to town we stoped from linner (that's lunch and dinner combined) at Kafe Kræz. We stay there for about two hours. Then finally get to the bus station. The busses to Otterup still aren't running so I get on a bus to Kerteminde, which is actually farther away than Otterup is. And meet-up with Greg, exchange student from Cali and stay at his place.
The next day:
I catch a bus with Greg to Odense, just praying that all the busses are finally running again. I make it to the bus station and the busses to Otterup are runing!!! So I immediatly get on a bus and go home.

And that's my three day adventure with the snow

Some pictures

Last day with the girls

Caity Trumm and Bridget after the N.E.R.D. (the show at Tivoli) And yes Jen N.E.R.D. is that one band that sings that one song in Blue Crush :)

Before the show at TivoliBowling at Introcamp (sorry couldn't figure out how to change the view)

Holbæk (exchange student get together, Kate, a bunch of other exchange students, and I hand made the costumes!)

Thought everyone (but Chris) would like this one :) Tis short but it captures his essence, hehe

A Happy Blog Post

Hej allé,

Last night all of the Americans threw a Thanksgiving dinner for the Australians. It was a major blast, a great way to finish off November. There were nine people in total; 5 Americans, Greg, me, Krista (on exchange to Poland who was visiting Kate), Kate and Mandy (on college exchange to York England visiting me,) 4 Austrailians, Caity, Dean, Prue, and Josh (YFU exchange student.) Mandy and I started cooking around 11:45 after getting back from København. (The trip from KBH to my house took 5 hours!) We had a ton of food, the Australians were very impressed. Overall we had, mashed potatoes, string beans, indian corn, duck, gravy, apple pie, corn bread and brown sugar carrots.

We started out dinner with passing our plates around the table like we do in my family, then we went around in a circle and gave thanks like they do in Kate's family. After we finished that, which took a while, we dug in :) The food was delicious! Even the indian corn that I sort of screwed up, hey man it's not my fault their pan was to big. The dinner conversation was amazing. Just like home, there was that one person (and there always is) that makes everthing either really awkward or just makes super rediculous comments. That person was Prue (aussie.) There was a heart tugging moment as there always is as well. We were all eating and Caity and Josh asked us if we missed having Thanksgiving with our familes, and I just looked up and said, "of course, I miss the family I have in the U.S. but we are eating with family..." and then everyone went "aww." It's a bitter sweet thing that is.

After dinner we all sat around my computer and watched comedians and the top ten Autralian beer commercials of all time. Then we just talked about everything and drank coffee. A few people stayed over but everyone left on the 11.30 bus back to town. Overall a very fulfilling experience.

~Jasmine H

Take a good look at my face

Hej allé,
How's everybody doin'?
Everyone, and I mean everyone, is sick. Caity's got piggy flu, a girl in my class has piggy flu, and host sister Christine has a horrible cough. I'm currently trying to figure out how open doors with my feet so I don't have too touch the doorknob. I'm really suprised more people in Denmark don't know what S.A.D. (Seasonal Affects Disorder) is. I swear almost every person in the whole country should have it. I'll probably end up with it. The sun, it never comes out. The clouds, they never end. The wind, it never stops. The rain, it doesn't end. My advice to any exchange student coming on exchange to Denmark, bring vitamin D.
Apparently November's supposed to be the worst month during an exchange year. I don't know if it the worst. My best way to describe November is just... blah. Nothing really good, nothing horrible's happened yet though, which I guess is good. I don't know why I even write these blogs, no one ever reads them anyway, I guess being pregnant is more exciting. Actually, being pregnant is probably more exciting than my life right.
Before I got to Denmark I was extremely dedicated to becoming a journalist. That hasn't changed. But I've realized that that's not all I want to do. I have a lot more things to do in my life now that I've just sort of let go. I have another big dream now. I'm not going to tell you guys what that is though. I don't trust people enough to not shoot down my dreams anymore, so I'm just not giving many people that option. I don't need others approval to go after what I want. I'm going to do what I want to do after graduation, what I need to do for myself, not what others expect me to do. Life's to short to waste what little time is given to us. I wish more people would realize this and go after what they want. Ask anyone, anyone you work with, anyone you live by, maybe even yourself if you're brave enough. What did you want to be when you were my age. If you're that now, if you've followed your dreams, I applaud you and am very proud of you. But I bet at least half of you became something that wasn't your dream. And for those of you who didn't even try, who just fell back, it's never to late. Achieving just the smallest part of your dream can make it come true, at least in your eyes.

~Jasmine H

the dawn is breaking, its early morn

Hej allé,
How's everything going in America? Everything in Denmark is fine and complacent.

I can finally say that I'm simply content with the way everything here is. My host family now is great (second host family.) They have one son William, who's 9, a daughter Christina, who's 13, and a son Alexander who's 16 and is currently in Brasil on exchange. This family isn't like my family at home but that doesn't mean it's bad, just different. I've adapted to fit their lifestyle.
My oldies are leaving soon... it makes me angry that Rotary never told me about this part. I feel like it will be the hardest thing I do all year. One of the first things I learned when I got to Denmark is that exchange students are family. Not the kind of family that you keep if touch with sort of kind of, but the kind that you tell your deepest and darkest secrets to. The exchange students I've met this year I will never forget. I feel like my heart will be minced into little pieces and shipped all over the world when they leave... when I leave. I'm leaving on a jet plane. Don't know when I'll be back again. Exchange students co-exsist like no other species I've ever seen. It's like exchange students are almost a special bread of human. I know that everytime I hear an australian accent, everytime I see some kid running around with a brasilian flag as a cape, everytime I hear someone list the four d's, or everytime I see an blazer... I'll remember everything. I have to go to the airport 3 or 4 times in January to see off the people that mean the most in the world to me. I wish it was possible to explain how much these people mean to me but it one of those things that you just can't. I think I had some other things to tell you guys but I can't remember what it was.


~Jasmine H

Life is... i have no idea

Hej allé,

Ok, so I've officially passed the three month mark. At first I couldn't figure out what the feeling was on the 1st of November. Then I realized that, I was aplomb (that's for the vocab book mom and dad ;).