Update

Ok so sorry its been so long since I've written anything, its been kinda hectic lately!
So as of 2 Sundays ago I've moved into the Windfeld household, and I absolutly love living here :) I have a wonderful mom, Dorte, and a very kind father, Jens. Two amazing sisters Julie and Christine whom I enjoy living with very much! I only moved about 5 miles from my last home so the area is still familiar to me, and I really am grateful for that. At first I found it hard to move because it was like I finally got situated somewhere and then I had to uproot myself once again. However, I'm grateful for the opportunity to get closer to another family.
I will be living with them until late January, so we will be clebrating Thankgiving (TODAY WHOO HOO!), My birthday, Christmas, and New years together. I couldnt have chosen a better family to celebrate the most special days of the year with!
Unfortunatly the only thing is that 1/4 my exchange is complete, and there's no going back. Its an odd feeling to think that I've been here for about 4 months, its crazy, but its soooo amazingly worth it!

Anyways, more updates.
Today I will be going to a Rotary Thanksgiving meal with my family, my counselor Henrik, many other rotarians, and all the exchange students in this district. Im really looking forward to kinda/sorta celebrating thanksgiving, especially since Im away from my fam. during it.

Tuesday I will be going to the Paramore concert with a friend from Canada, and Im SUPER excited to finally see them (I havent even seen them in my own country!).

Friday is my 17th birthday and the schools formal gala. Im SO excited because we will have dinner with our class in a decorated room at the school, and then at the dance we do a traditional french dance (which Im TERRIBLE at may I add). So it should be alot of fun.

Saturday I will celebrate my birthday with my family and some friends, and in the evening go to Tivoli with some friends.


So everything is getting really exciting starting December, and the "hygge" is much needed right now due to the dreary danish weather, and short days of sun.
Anyways....

Sending all my love back home, Happy Thanksgiving, I love you all very much!

PEACE && LOVE (:
Megs

P.S.

Above I posted some pics of my new room, I absolutly love it!

New set of eyes; same pair of shoes

I have gained a new pair of eyes by living in this country. I've learned how to view the world from a different viewpoint, and Im seeing things in a different way; more different then I ever have before. However, because I've recieved a new vision doesnt mean that I have to change the shoes Im walking in as well. I will still, and always will be, me. Because I've gained a new perspective on this crazy rollar coster we're on doesnt mean that Ive changed who I am as a person. I am still Megan Elizabeth Bender, and will be until my name is forgotten. I just wanted everyone to be aware of this fact. I have changed and I know I have but its for the better, to better me, and to better the world.

Another point I want to make is about my miserable and amazing weekend. Friday I slept all day, and felt bad for myself, so I watched the OC and (despite the fact its fictional) I felt much better about my issues. But when It rolled around to bed time I realized how useless it is to feel sorrow for myself.... really, how selfish can I get. So Saturday I enjoyed a nice day to the art museum Louisiana with my host sister and host mommy. I was SOOOOO INSPIRED by an art exhibit by a danish photographer named Jacob Holdt. He had traveled around the United States after being a drop out and not knowing what he was searching for had ended up in the states, hitch hiking and meeting people along the way. His philosophy on life was what hit me the most. The fact that he opened up his heart and his ears to people who needed it, he allowed himself to feel others pain in order to realive them of it. He meet some amazingly hurt people, people with more pain then I can even interpret. He said that on his journey he never once met an evil person (he met many KKK leaders and murders), they weren't evil just troubled. And throughout the exhibit each photograph had a story, and thats what I found so amazing, one second you would be laughing at the story and the next picture you were balling your eyes out. It was a beautiful exhibit. Jacob Holdt is now officially on my Denmark List as someone I would want to meet... even before the Queen hahah!

That was the amazing part of this weekend. The miserable came on Sunday. As I was getting home from a friends house and mass I arrived at the Holte train station to see that my bike... was GONE! I had paced madly around the train station trying to find it, but I ended up calling my host mom balling my eyes out. Someone had cut the chain on my bike and stole everything right from the bike rack. I never ever in my life thought it would be an issue, but it was enough to ruin my whole eveing. I feel terrible, but theres nothing anyone did wrong. Just people in this world who think that its okay to steal things... especially when it benefits them and they dont think about the one their taking from. It was tragic.

And once I got home I made my host family Tater Tot Hotdish, so that they could taste a bit of Minnesota. I was teary eyed, (not only from the onions) but being with my host family and just enjoying what I did have left and looking forward instead of back helped make the evening much nicer. They LOVED it, and I was so proud to say I even cooked something haha. So it was a cozy evening. And following we had an apple dessert my host mom made and some Hershey's Kisses to add an american twist to it ;) It was good fun.

Sooo... moral of this post is that in life we are al handed lemons, so we have to do the best we can with what we're handed. Its never fun and its never easy to deal with the difficult things in life, but the point is that IT WILL GET BETTER. If we dwell on past things or past motives we cant see the happiness in the moment we're in. Things could've been worse in my situation, but they weren't. It doesnt change that the bike was stolen but all I can do is look ahead. And in the case of the infleuntial things in life. I would love to take Jacob Holdt's philosophy on life as my own. We're all put on this earth, so lets all live together in it. Another's pain and suffering is my own pain and suffering, as well as other's joys. I find that then I will have a meaning to this life.

This weekend held too much emotion for me, but its okay, Im alive, and what didnt kill me made me stronger. I will always stay hopeful and look forward, not back.

I would like to think of myself like Holdt. Im a hitch hiker, in a foreign land, not knowing what Im searching for, but as long as Im open to the emotion and the adrenaline and the beauty, I will find what Im looking for. With my new set of eyes, and my same old trusty pair of shoes, Im off on the road, to figure out what Im searching for :)

Halloween G2G in Holbæk :)

This weekend was another one of our fabulous get togethers with ALL of the exchange students in Denmark. We had to dress up for our dinner/dance, so here is some pictures of what it was like. I didnt have a whole ton of money to spend on a costume so I just used what I had and bought the little things, soooo I was "my own worst enemy" or edderkop pige (spider girl) hahaha. My friend Mika drew the spider web going from my chest to my shoulder and it turned out pretty amazing, it was a great time :) Heres some pics. from the weekend! Enjoy!

In Theory

Today marks the reality that I have been in Denmark for 83 days.
WOW! So for 83 days I havent seen my family/friends/school/house/city etc.
Its so incredibly crazy to think that its been that long without those things above but these past 83 days have been so amazing. I wouldn't for a second take back those 83 days. Denmark is what I've been dreaming about my whole life, and that is my independence.

So far these 83 days have changed me alot I believe. I feel like I'm so much more mature and I can def. say that I feel like an adult now... not like a 16 yr. old. It is my belief that no matter who we are as a person, its INEVITABLE that we change. Change is such a feared thing in this life...
when really we should embrace it, go with it, and see what the outcome is. It would be so strange to say that I stayed the American Megan in Denmark. I feel like I'm not another person, but another personality of myself, the person I can easily be without so much care. I like who Im becoming here, and I appreciate every single second I spend in this country, because I know that when I return to my country that I will be American Megan... once again.

Im pretty sure this is how Darwin must have thought when he was philosophing about evolution- we must change in order to survive in the enviroment we are inhabiting.
Its science, its life, and Im witnessing it. If theres one thing I will greatly gain from this year abroad its my ability to accept change. Im learning now to accept things in a new and more relaxed way then before, and I like that about myself.

I love being challenged as a person, because if theres one thing I know for sure its that Im becoming a person I never imagined I'd become. Being an exchange student is an amazing and a once in a lifetime opportuinty to re create yourself and to grow into who your meant to be.
Im beyond thankful... truly I am


Sending all my love and best wishes to you all back home :)
Hej Hej!

Megs :)

Picture Updates

Glyptotek

Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek

Me at Ny Carlsberg Glyptoteck

Where they hang out :)

The guards at Amalienborg (Queen's Castle)

Dear Mom and Dad, I would much rather prefer this then a new car ;)

Irina and I, laughing haha

By the fountain at Amalienborg

Irina from Argentina and I visiting Den Lille Havfrue (The little mermaid)

Typical danish dish Smørrebrød w/ herring. Det smager meget godt :) (It tastes very good!)

Hejså Allesammen :)

Wow... I'm so bad at keeping updated with these blogs. Soooo... I will just quickly run through how things have recently been going.

Right now Im on efterårsferie (fall break), and I'm just relaxing (slappe af in danish). Im enjoying my time with my family and just REALLY getting into the danish culture, which I feel I've been neglecting lately. So on Sunday my host mom, host dad, sister, and I went to Odense and visited mor mor (grandma on mom's side) and went apple picking! It was so much fun, and as usual mor mor always over feeds me. And it was the very first time I tried the danish specialty, herring. Most forigners dislike it from what I've heard but I ADORE IT! It is so good on a piece of rye bread, with dill sauce. I love it. And we had my favorite danish dessert, which is the old fashioned birthday cake. So of course I had a wonderful time :)

And yesterday I went to the København zoo with my friend Mika. The zoo is about 150 yrs old, and it had about the average animals you would find in a zoo. After we went shopping for some touristy stuff. I bought a really nice scarf with the danish flag that says Danmark on it! And a little gift for my sister, Sam. No Sam you cant know what it is until Christmas time either!!!
And since I was already on a danish high I decided to stop at the musik store and find some good solid danish music. The best I could come up with was Nik and Jay. Haha aka: danish rap!
And now as I listen to the songs over and over again I find myself understanding more and more of what they're saying, which is a great achievement for me... especially if they're rapping it ;)
And after our big shopping spree we met up with a friend in Lyngby to go shopping for our Halloween costumes for Holbæk weekend. We all wanted something cheap but something unique- I ended up with a black sparkly mask, spider web gloves, deep red lipstick, and a black pen. I will be "Eddercup Pige" (Spider Girl) Hahah. I will have my friend draw a spider web going up my kneck leading to a spider on my face, haha so it should be fun :)
And later that evening I went home with my friend. And we ate dinner with her host family and watched Jurasic Park with danish subtitles. It was such a great evening, just spending time and laughing at how corny the movie really is...

And today.... I FINALLY cleaned and sorted through my room. Its about time too. And after I went with my host mom to go visit my host sister at her work. And also to go to the library for some kids books in danish. I walked out with 9 silly kids books and one being Klods Hans (H.C Andersen fairytale, and a play I saw my 2nd week here in DK). I also got a cd with the national song of Denmark, which I will learn by heart! So after my host mom and I were browsing through Kvickly (equvilent to Walgreens or something but with more groceries) and we found a collection of three Cds with all kids music on it, all the traditional danish kids music. So I will be singing "Fastelavn er mit navn", "Ole har fødselsdag", and "Puf" in no time!

So overall things have been so amazingly great lately. I feel much more immeresed and I feel my danish improving alot. Now that Im forcing myself to do so, the easier life gets. I'm so happy to be here, and my homesickness has faded to 5% now. So Im at a good spot on the exchange student chart right now.

Anyways, that was a quick and brief update. Love you all :)
SHALOM
Hej Hej!

The (most recent) logic of Megan Bender ;)

Ok sorry, it takes me so long to update this blog. Im usually really busy, or Im too tired to write. Haha so I will take the time today to write a nice long post about whats going on here, how Im feeling, hows DK etc. I will bold my topics, so things wont get so confusing ;)

Funny/Odd Things I've been told/asked
So far I have gotten alot of questions or statments about where Im from or why I do things the way I do. Haha so here is a collection of the funniest things I've heard.

-Are all american highschools exactly like they show in the movies?
-Are the girls as mean as they are in "Mean Girls"
-Are all americans fat?
-Where do you come from... you have a really funny accent?
-How can you live in a society like the U.S (after watching Sicko)
-I'm so glad I dont live in the U.S, its not safe at all, you cant walk out on the streets at night, and the fashion there is just so ugly
-In the U.S everything is just extreme, theres not in between, either your obese or your annorexic, either your religious or your protesting religion

My only reaction to half these is laughing them off, obviously some are pretty amusing, but sometimes I find these statments to be offensive, and in a way like they are already set on the answer they want to hear. The U.S is not at all a bad place, we have alot of issues yes, but so does every country. Im doing my best to explain to the best of my ability but for future cases, I know not to take it so personally, its a cultural difference and Im learning. And lauging while doing so ;)

School life
School has been going pretty good for the most part. I enjoy going to school because I get to test out my knowledge of "coversational danish", especially when it comes to understanding everyone when they're speaking at their pace. I dont understand much outside of danish and spanish class but I do learn alot by sitting there and TRYING to find something. So even though its a great struggle, I really enjoy testing myself, and doing homework for my danish class the day before! The only real obvious struggle I'm encountering is that everyone is SO nice, and everyone is willing to be nice, but it seems like theres no one willing to work towards a friendship, just that its left at an acquantance basis, and no further. It kind of sucks to feel like you're the one tagging along, but then again I know that anyone new would feel the same way. I just walked into a class of like 26 people who are super close and have known each other for a 2 years... so Im guessing I should've expected it. But Im not giving up hope, of course I want close friends so I will keep trying but Im thinking that I should try a sport/activity to meet danes in a better enviroment, and then maybe I will be able to get closer to people, and still be immeresed in the danish atmosphere.


Exchange Student/Rotary
This past weekend we had a get together with all the exchange students in my district, 1470. It was such a nice, cozy weekend! "Hyggeglit" is a very sutitable adjective! Anyways, we had a weekend of just chilling and spending time with each other while playing games, and making up projects and providing evening enteratiment. I enjoyed just being with people who are all SO different, but we all get along, we all get along well. It was just a nice change of pace to experience it from that point of view and to spend some time being busy to keep my mind off of what I miss back at home. I definatly appreciate Rotary's support in helping us exchange students get closer, because we are our best support system. And I thank God for it everyday!


How I'm feeling in general
Overall I think things are going at a pretty decent rate. Im super happy to be here and Im super excited to learn more and more as the time flys by. My greatest struggle as of these past two weeks is just a bit of homesickness. Actually I lied... alot of homesickness. I just miss things being normal, and not having to worry about the simple things that I used to never think about back home. I miss my mommy and daddy, and my sister. I miss spending time with my grandparents are their cabin in the fall, I miss my best friends Megan, Kaitlin, and Kathleen. But most of all I miss who I used to be in some ways. I miss how strong I used to be in alot of ways, it feels like Im incredibly passive now, and nothing affects me in the same way as it used to. I enjoy that Im changing, but in another way I dont enjoy the fact that Im becomming less of myself. However, as of today, I can tell you I dont miss anything. All I can think about now is how Im going to make THIS YEAR the best, and how Im going to make lots of friends, and how Im going to speak fluent danish by the end of the year. Im so so so thankful for this opportunity. I love Denmark and I love every emotion Im feeling, even if they hurt. I like the fact that I'm questioning the way I live back at home, and I like the fact that I'm growing more independent. I hope that this year I can gain a strong sense of confidence in myself, and that I can take that home with me and continue building on to it. So far, things have been amazing, I really really have nothing to complain about. So for all of the future exchange students, just understand this, you will have days that are the lowest of the lows, but dont ever let it stop you from pursuing a great year. One day can't possibly determine a whole year... unless you let it. So just let the clouds pass by and the sun will shine through before you know it.... trust me, it will be worth it =)

Anyways, so there was a nice long update. As of now I dont have too many huge plans.
So it feels like Im ACTUALLY living in Denmark now, I can no longer be looked upon as a tourist! Haha its a nice feeling, but also a very hard hitting reality. Im less American everyday Im here, haha minus my accent =)


So just for fun Im going to write some danish phrases/words I know

-Jeg Hedder Megan
-Jeg Kommer fra U.S.A.
-Jeg bor i Holte, DK
-Jeg elsker Danmark!
-Jeg vil gerne have en kup kaffe
-Hvor gammel er du?
-Hvor kommer du fra?
-Jeg elsker dansk dregner!
-Jeg har en cykel
-Jeg elsker dansk mad
-Tak for mad
-Hvad?
-Hej Hej
-Hav en god dag
-Hav en god weekend
-Hvad skal du lave i weekenden?
-Slappe af


That was just a quick example of what I enjoy saying. Haha so yeah, theres a bit of danish for you! Anyways, I love you all very much! Anyone who takes the time to read this- thank you so much, you're the reason I'm writing!
'Til next time

PEACE && LOVE,
Megan =)