Mixed Emotions

This Saturday, June 16th, will be 6 months to the day that we arrived and moved into our new home in Denmark, and we will be departing the same day for summer vacation to the United States.

When we arrived, life was a whirlwind of things to do... There was the moving in and unpacking, setting up house and learning the locations of important places like the grocery stores, the post office, and the closest bus/train station. We learned how to use the Danish currency, Skype, and military time as well as the time difference between our new home and the one in North Carolina.

Over time, we ventured out, explored, learned how to use the mass transit system, travel to school, shopping malls and specialty stores as well as exercise and dance classes, after school sports and the like. We began to travel not only outside of our city but to other countries!! All the while, returning to our Denmark home in Bagsvaerd.

It is home to us now...the white walls of the house we moved into holds pictures of family near and far. It has been filled with the beloved and cherished things we brought from NC and has been transformed into our home...a place where we gather for family dinners, to discuss the daily happenings, whether it be school, job or just to share our day. Even my furry daughters, Maggie and Balcony who were at first very nervous and anxious, have settled in and are right at home.

Expats are often warned that they may experience a period of "romance" with their new home and those feelings eventually pass as they settle into life and the everyday routines. I indeed have fallen in love with Denmark, but the feelings have not passed and now with our home leave trip just days away, I find myself having a whole range of feelings. On one hand I am excited to travel to the states to see family and friends, but I have feelings of sadness about leaving Denmark. I will be returning in July and even knowing that and the excitement that will bring, I can't help but feel that I will be missing and longing to get back to my home in Denmark (as well as my furry daughters).

This country is very special. It has been summed up well in the article linked below...
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/06/world-happiness-report-2012_n_1408787.html

I am not a world traveler...YET...but no where else have I seen such a sense of community, family and the appreciation for family togetherness, self respect and respect for ones neighbor, equality and acceptance of all. The people of Denmark are warm and friendly and very, very humble.

I am an American... I am an American who has relocated to another country for 3 years. For the 3 years that I live here, Denmark is and will be my home and I will treasure each day! I will enjoy my visit to the states, I'm sure of it, but I will also be looking forward to returning to my Denmark home.

Cycle here, cycle there...

Life is like a ten speed bicycle. Most of us have gears we never use.

~ Charles M. Schulz 

Bicycles are the indicator species of a community, like shellfish in a bay.

~ P. Martin Scott

If bicycles are the indicator species of a community as Mr. Scott claims, I would say that Denmark is quite a healthy community. Everywhere one turns, there are bicycles!! Denmark is one of the leading nations in everyday cycling!!

There are special paths and lanes set up just for cyclists and there are even smaller versions of the traffic lights in some of the lanes.

Most children start cycling to school when they begin school, at age 7/8. There are cycling classes taught in school when they reach 10-12 years old. They are taught traffic rules, behavior, and regulations much like when the US offers drivers education at school.

There are special cars on the trains and metros for bicycles. You can ride to the station, take a train with your bike and then finish your journey by bicycle. If you choose to leave your bike parked at a train station, there are plenty of bike racks provided, even several double-decker bike racks. 

This kind of reminds me of the sea of baby penguins on the shore awaiting it's mum to return with a meal. How does the mum know or even find it's own baby out of the mass of thousands that look just like it does??  How does one find their own car in a Wal-mart parking lot after shopping the day before Christmas?? I have to believe that sometimes one may go home with a bike that looks an awful lot like the one they rode in on...Hmmm.....

All in all, getting around Denmark whether it's by bicycle, train, bus or foot, they are all very convenient and friendly. I have not missed my car, I feel healthier, and I like to think even if it is a very small amount that I have helped the Earth to be a little healthier by not using a car and gasoline.