I just was thinking about what I miss and also the differences between Denmark and Australia and thought it would be nice to share them....
- I miss my mum! Do I need to explain this? I'll just mention that it's impossible not to appreciate your mother more, especially in my case as my year in Denmark is a gift from her, an incredibly generous one at that.
- I miss my family and friends. Distance really does make the heart grow fonder. Of course you are going to make amazing friends during a year abroad, but... an Aussie is an Aussie, and what kind of Aussie doesn't need their mates?!
- School. Okay, well my observations can only be fairly made by the one class I understand; English. Number one rule: put your hand up to speak, or suffer the death penalty. Seriously... Also, they don't have GBS or school teams for soccer, basketball, netball etc. Every now and again, classes form a team to have an in school competition for volleyball or something (though I don't think it is taken entirely seriously). We have sport twice a week (we are currently playing basketball), but no one seems to know the rules, I mean - have you ever heard of back court, or travelling? And our teacher doesn't correct anyone, it's driving me mad I tell you.
Everyone brings a laptop to school too! In fact, it would be exceedingly strange if a student didn't have one.
- Take away coffee from any one of the numerous coffee shops in the morning. Danish people don't do take away coffee so much - well, at least not where I live. Maybe more in Copenhagen though? But man, a good latte would go a long way right now! Especially considering the weather is often so cold and rainy, which is when it was most likely for mum and I to stop into Banjos on the way to school back in C-Town... we were so sneaky...
- The food. Oh God, good Aussie food........ pies; pasties; frozen cokes from maccas, natural confectionary lollies, dip (Danes don't do dip - who doesn't do dip?! And I lived off dip too...). And the huge variety of global cuisines... Thai, Chinese, Japanese, Indian, Turkish, American - what ever you want, anywhere you like. It's really expensive to eat out in Denmark too, dammit! However, the pizza in Denmark is healthy, kid you not. It's thin and not covered in cheese and yet tastes so good (though not the same). You also don't die from saturated fat after eating it which is always a plus!
- Denmark epitomises safety. I don't know how to elaborate much more on that, but you can all be assured that I am safer in Denmark (be it 16 000 km from home, with very little knowledge on the language) than I have ever been in Australia.
- Riding bikes. It's like Bike World... everyone rides a bike almost everywhere! Compared to Aussies who really only use bikes for cycling in lycra (yuck) or bmxing. It's so refreshing... (i'm aware I sound like a geeb!)
- 24 hour time. This may not seem like much but it had been pretty damn confusing for the first few months when people were telling me to meet at 1900!!!!
- Public transport.... is so much cheaper in Australia. For example, it cost less than $5 to catch a train to the city back home - it now costs me at least $20 to do the same in Denmark. On the other hand, the possibility of being stabbed on the train in DK is like... 0.0002% and the chairs aren't covered in filth!
- Summer Houses. Okay, it might just be me, but has anyone else noticed that almost every family owns a summer house in Denmark? (Be it just an hour from their own home). But seriously, everyone!
I can't think of any more for now - but I will edit this post if I do.
I think a 'final thoughts' would be appropriate for this....... But I guess all I can say is, before you ask, neither is better, I consider both Australia and Denmark my home and love them for different reasons.
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