First Day of School

The day started with a welcome assembly in the Festel (similar to a small gym). The rektor (principal) of the school, Elizabeth Austin, welcomed us back to school. At least I think she did, but I don't really know since the entire speech was in Danish. Hanne Bolt, an English teacher at the school, introduced the exchange students to the entire student body. After the assembly, Esther, Hunter and I wandered around the school sporting a deer in the headlights look. It was confusing to be in a new school, but even more confusing to be in a new school in a foreign country. Luckily, two girls from my class, which is 2y, invited me to join them in the katine (cafeteria, not a bar). They introduced me to the rest of 2y. Since we had a free period right after the assembly, I sat with my class and listened to them speak Danish to each other. I understood about 20% of the conversation. One of the girls, Ida, occasionally spoke to me in English. After a 20 minute break between the second and third classes, I went to my first class, Chemistry.

The only thing I understood in that class was the teacher introducing herself to me. The rest of the class, not so much. I think we were observing the sulfur in solid, liquid and gas form. At the end of class, my teacher Kigga, handed out textbooks and periodic tables in Danish. Our homework involved reading about 12 pages of the textbook. Kigga knew that I had a very limited Danish vocabulary, so she suggested that I just look at the pictures in the book and hopefully I would understand what was happening.

Since I had no foreign language, and my PE class was cancelled, I had another free period. However, I had no clue what to do with that hour. Ida and Cisca (classmates) suggested I just go with them to their German class. Their teacher was very nice and let me stay in the class, and study my Danish.

A 25 minute lunch period began right after German class. I sat with Esther and Louise, one of Julie's friends that I met at her party. Her English is extremely good, and it was a nice break for Esther and I to have a conversation with her in English.

The fifth class of the day was math. At the beginning of the class, Hanne Bolt, came into the class and had me introduce myself to everyone. I gave a very short speech half in Danish and half in English about where I was from and what my hobbies were. Hanne also explained to my classmates that they needed to speak Danish to me slowly and in short, simple sentences. Once she left, my math teacher, Trine, acted upon Hanne's advice and began her to lecture slowly in Danish. My classmates thought it was hilarious, but at least I could semi-understand what was happening. However, when she assigned a few warmup problems, I was once again lost in a sea of confusion. She knew that I spoke very little Danish, so she asked me in English if I had ever seen this kind of math before. I did recognize some of it, but most of it was Greek to me.

Instead of attending my last class, I participated in Lanciers, which are five dances taught to the first year gymnasium students. These dances are common at the four Thule parties the gymnasium has each year. Even though Esther, Hunter and I are not first year students, we did not know the dances, so we had to learn them with the new students. The dances are very formal, but hopefully not to complicated. The dance teachers paired us off and then grouped four pairs together. We learned the first dance. After we practiced it a few times, most of the students including myself seemed to get it. I say most because one of the boys I had to dance with had no idea what he was doing even after an hour of practice.

Even though it was a confusing first day, I am looking forward to the rest of the school year. Everybody is very nice even if they are afraid to speak English with me. Also, I'm sure at some point, I will even understand my classes.