6 weeks to Christmas: First Presentation

Christmas is HUGE in Denmark. There's about 6 weeks left for Christmas, and everybody is already preparing for Christmas. Coming from a country where Christmas is hardly celebrated, I'm completely stoked!

Christmas play

Egeskov Castle

I also went shopping to the Egeskov Julemarked (Christmas market). It was in the premises of the Egeskov castle. There were countless amazing Christmas related things; from clothes, decorations and toys, to dry fruits, jams and drinks. However, it was extremely expensive, more expensive than Denmark already is. Coincidentally, we found a shop for spices, where I bought some Indian spices for a pretty decent price. One could feel the Christmas spirit in the middle of November at that Christmas market. There was a Christmas play going on, and the whole place was lined with hundreds of Christmas trees. It was simply beautiful, and I couldn't help but feel the Christmas spirit too.

We have been singing a lot of Danish Christmas carols in the school choir lately, and I think they are beautiful. Of course, I don't understand much, but they sound really nice and I thoroughly enjoy singing them. The songs are almost always stuck in my head.

First Presentation

Speaking at the school about India

I had to give the presentation on India for the first time on Friday at a school in front of three classes. Despite being really nervous, I reckon it went quite smoothly, and the students seemed to like and understand what I put in front of them. By the end of the year, I am expected to do it in Danish, but I did it in English at the school. It's really shocking how little I knew about Denmark before I came here and how little they know about India here. It was a great experience overall, and I realised, that the exchange program has helped me overcome my stage fright. I don't feel scared in front of large crowds any longer; I have changed a lot without realising it, in only three months.


Language check: I'm able to fluently read Danish aloud (I don't understand all of it, though) and I can also speak faster Danish now. I can type messages in Danish with ease and understand messages with a little effort. I am improving at Danish at a fast pace, and needless to say, everyone is quite impressed.

P.S. For people in my sponsor district (India - 3140) interested in the Rotary Youth Exchange Program - the last date to submit the application form is the 21st of November. You can find it here: Preliminary Form.