So Seattle...?

Is so far... GREAT!

But after an 11 hours flight full of expectations, excitement, chatting, ambitions, sharing of fears and almost no sleep, I did not feel it was that great to be arriving... 

Uh, btw. I got to see Greenland for the first time and as you see that great Danish property is not a bad sight!

But as I mentioned, as my mind was so hazy that I didn’t even know whether I was excited about finally getting out in the socalled land of honey and milk or not... The group from last year had before I left Denmark tried to convince me that I definitely would start feeling crept out around half an hour before arrival – but I felt, well actually I felt nothing at all. I didn’t know whether I was excited or not, the only thing I was certain about was that I looked forward to Danish "Julekalender"... :) So you see walking out of the plane to the American ground seemed quite unrealistic to me. And with the sun shining and almost 25 degrees celcius we could basically have arrived anywhere but Washington that is supposed to be the most rainy state in America. But Washington it was…

One of the stereotypes of Americans are probably that they are extremely careful and suspicious regarding foreigners coming into the country - and the Washington Americans appeared to be no different pretty quickly after we arrived in the airport. All 30 of us had to go through security and VISA check, which was as bad as I had dreaded. I was sure that travelling 29 students together would be no less than a mess it actually went quite well. Or at least until this very nice druggie-dog with its however friendly police-buddy found two meat-ball (frikadeller) sandwiches in two different peoples' bag. Guess we all are gonna miss the sight of those so much that we had to smuggle it in... 

That caused that both of them had to go through one more security check and received a warning – guess we all learned from that, that bringing meat into America can result in a fine that involves like 300 $... J

just the way it is... 

When we finally got out we were met by this lovelaaay lady and her companion Jesse. Julie is in charge of our program and I have already learned that she must be my new best friend! She KNOWS basically anything about what to do around here, so that’s quite practical to have a friend like that (don’t talk about abusing here…) ;)

They took us to Edmonds Community College where we had to line up and wait for a host family to pick us… It sort of made me think of the orphanages in Denmark back in time, in which wealthy people came and selected the kid they liked the most. Anyway, someone picked me, so I guess someone liked me and before long I was in an American home in the suburb to Seattle called Mukilteo. I tell you though that I was a little scared when I opened the door and the first thing that met me was a 6 meter long exhibition of small dolls – and not just haloween dolls… And from upstairs I could see a small little collection of teddies peaking out. I guess this is where I have to say that this family does NOT have small children… :)

From the letter I had received just before leaving I had understood that I was going to live with a single mom named Barbara and her two children at 19 and 22 respectively. I’m sorry but I have to disappoint all the ones that have been writing to me to figure out whether the 19 year old "supposed to be elite-swimmer" guy is hot… Firstly, he has never been an elite swimmer. Secondly, he doesn’t live at home and thirdly: well, I have just met him today and he is not gonna come back and visit while I'm here again. The mom is however still named Barbara and she seems very nice. However, something like this popped into my mind when she on our way home in the car said that she was quite conservative...

However, we have already discussed alcohol + drugs + relationships, which she is quite open about, and she is thinking about reading the book “Fifty shades” so I guess she can’t be that conservative… :) 

Her daughter, Shannon, lives here as well. I haven’t seen her much though as she works late every day. Furthermore, I have gotten a Taiwanese host sister named Kristine and luckily she speaks amazingly English! :)

I guess one of my biggest prejudices against America was the fatty food and therefore I was naturally surprise when one of the first things Barbara told me about was her focus on eating and being healthy. That sort of ligthened up my worst fear, however, I rapidly came to the realization, that the American definition of staying healthy is quite different from the Danish... Or at least I was forced to acknowledge that when we got a sticky burger with tons of cheese and white bread as my welcome dinner... :)

Another prejuices I guess have already been confirmed is Americans’ relationship to TV. My host family is supposed to be in the “healthy” end of the TV-habits and their TV is turned on every night from around 7 to 11pm – and according to some random teenagers in a bus that is nothing…?!

 Sorry, now I sound a little too critical! This area is AMAZING and I’m nothing but excited about having 2 months left here - although it might signify fries, burger and TV every day ;)

Barbara took Laurids (he lives like next door), Kristine and I hiking on the Sunday after we arrived and although I’m not a very big twilight fan, I think referring to those movies is the best way to describe what Washington nature looks like… J As you can see on the picture it is a real twilight scenario ;)

And this is my host mom Barbara Gardner and Kristine Ivy my taiwanese host sister 

Don't know why it is not raining - that was like the only thing I was certain about before arriving, but this year Washington has decided to be sunny... :)

 

 Laurids and Kristine

 

And my room that is 10 times as big as my room back home, so I don't complain at all! 











Anyways, I'll go back to the American life. Hope you all have a great weekend! :)


xx