Week 4 in Copenhagen

Personal Development.

I actually cannot believe that I have been in Copenhagen for a month now. It is hard to believe how quickly the time has passed. This week has gone especially quickly due to the fact there has been so much happening in university this week. I was just thinking today how great it is that in such a short period of time I feel so settled here. It has helped enormously making good friends in the Erasmus class and even better friends with the people I am living with. This experience has most certainly fuelled my ambition to travel and to see more of the world. It is such a privilege to learn from difficult cultures and we have certainly gained a lot from the Danish culture and indeed the cultures of those which we are studying with. This week I haven’t even had time to think a lot about home, although I definitely have moments when I miss my family and friends a lot – It is so great to be able to speak on Skype and to receive the parcels (keep them coming!), so that definitely helps!

My cooking skills have also been improving which will be quite a surprise to most of you! I made a delicious (if I do say so myself) pasta dish with freshly made tomato sauce- it was unbelievably good. I hope to progress to risotto in the next couple of weeks, so we will see how that goes and I will keep you posted.

I also had a bit of a disaster with my foot this week. The footpaths have been incredibly slippery due to the snow and ice. I stepped off the footpath rather awkwardly and twisted my ankle- and it was incredibly painful to walk on for a few days. I had to hobble my way to the twenty-four hour pharmacy in the centre of town and get a strap for it, Katie kindly made the journey with me to find the pharmacy. After resting it at the weekend, it is thankfully better again, however it was rather frustrating have to stay in this weekend. It made me appreciate the ability to walk about easily as you have to walk everywhere here, so having a painful foot is quite an inconvenience! This week I have also found were the 50m swimming pool is so I am going to see about joining next week and I am really looking forward to that.

Cultural Development.

One of the days after university our class organised a cultural food afternoon in a local cafe where they serve the famous Danish Smørrebrød. This is a variety of meats/fish served on rye bread and butter. I felt this was a great experience as many people refer to this when you mention Denmark, so it was great to see what they were talking about. We spent the rest of the afternoon drinking hot chocolate with our friends in the centre of Copenhagen, it is great to socialize with them outside of class time and listen to what each other had done the previous weekend. We are hoping to plan a day trip to Sweden so looking forward to that!



One of the biggest events of my week involved completing a visual culture assignment which I talked a little about in last weeks’ blog. The task involved comparisons between material and non-material culture in our teacher training institutions. We had to compare areas of similarities and differences between our home institutions. The group worked really well together and it was great to see the outcome of our work which was presented in wiki format. The task also taught me that quite often there are more similarities between cultures than you would first imagine. The second part of the task will involve exploring culture in a number of places across Denmark. Our tutor will be sending us to a number of different museums/ exhibitions for our research. Hopefully, I will be going to the Karen Blixen Museum in Rungsted. Karen Blixen is a famous Danish writer and is mostly famously known for the film and novel ‘Out of Africa’. I am particularly interested to visit the museum as I have spent some time in Kenya where the novel is set and where Karen Blixen owned a coffee farm. I couldn’t believe that there was a connection between Copenhagen and the place in Kenya where I love visiting. I am keen to find out a bit more about her life and I am currently reading one of her novels.

Professional Development.

This week at university has been incredibly busy, as I had stated earlier. I am enjoying each of the courses and I have learnt so much- both in theory and in practical and active teaching methods.



In Multi-Cultural class we looked at the concept of cultural diversity. Within the class, we also had to discover practical methods which could be used to investigate the above. The activity which really stood out for me was the idea of a ‘Me Bag’. We had been asked to bring five objects which were important to us and we placed them in a clear see-through bag. Then we (the pupils) had to explain in pairs why are objects were important to us. The aim of the activity allowed you to listen to the individual person without holding any stereotypes about them or their culture. It also made you realise that often between cultures there are more similarities than differences. I will definitely use this in the classroom, as I believe it is an excellent activity for the exploring diversity within the classroom setting and creates and excellent foundation for discussion.

Globalisation and Professional change is one of my favourite lessons of the week. This weeks’ challenge explored ‘how to deal with differences in cultures in a more and more globalized world’. We again explored the concept of stereotypes and we considered the idea of being able to communicate, understand and work with different cultures. In the second part of the class we had the opportunity to listen to a guest speaker (a Danish student) who told us about her work in Turkey working for an NGO – (Non Governmental Organisation) and how she was able to work and adapt within a different culture. I am really enjoying this whole experience, and I can’t believe how relevant it could be for me in the future as I would (if I got the opportunity) love to teach in other countries, especially in Kenya as most of you will know.

In Comparative Education this week we continued observing the different methods that the student teachers had practiced from their home countries in relations to making sure that every child learns within the class. Following this discussion we had another interesting discussion regarding similarities and differences between our education systems. Finally, we began looking at the Danish equivalent of the GTCNI and the ideals of Danish teachers.

Hope everyone at home is doing well, will fill you in on my adventures next week as I am now mobile again after the foot incident! Heading to a flea market in Copenhagen tomorrow and then to watch Ireland v. England in the Six Nations with some classmates. Hope you have a good weekend!

Speak soon. G.

Week 3 in Copenhagen

Personal Development

This week has been hectic, I didn't know that it was possible to have so many things to do in just one week. It has been really great having the feeling of being settled somewhere new and having the confidence to move about the city on your own. Each day, things that once seem strange and unfamiliar, have slowly started to reveal themselves as the familiar. I have even managed to get the hang of the clipcard situation on the trains, it has been stressing me out for the past three weeks, however finally I think I have managed it! Going shopping has been a less stressful task also, and I now know where I can get the cheapest deals, however 'cheap' is an exaggeration in this city- every item is incredibly expensive. I had to laugh at myself the other day when looking in my basket, as the brand I have been buying here is called 'budget', and every item was from that brand- such a cheapskate ( It is honestly not even that cheap!) This week there has been even more snow , which makes the city so amazing to look at and the snow carries with it an amazing sense of peacefulness amidst a vibrant and busy city centre. The rivers, ponds and lakes are all still frozen solid which is quiet an unbelievable sight. On Wednesday evening, I took a trip up Copenhagen's Rundentaarn (The Round Tower) which was built by Christian IV following the Holland Renaissance style architecture. This amazing tower has no steps and you ascend up the tower by means of a cleverly constructed slope, once at the top of the tower you are greeted by amazing views over the city. We also got the chance to visit the observatory and gained even more spectacular views, it was unfortunate the sky was cloudy as we were not able to see any stars, I will most certainly be making another visit back during my stay. This week I also made a trip to the Frederiksberg area of Copenhagen, my new favourite place to visit. There is a huge park in the area, which is covered in a blanket of snow, there are also an number of huge hills where families gather to go sledging...we have decided we are going to join the sledging sunday afternoon gathering before the snow melts! Outside the park is a small ice rink, which looks like a scene from a movie. Katie and I also decided to visit another church in Frederiksberg on Sunday, It was really great to see another side of religion in Denmark and I hope to return to this church in the following weeks.





Cultural Development

As it is the season of Lent we decided that we would make pancakes in the flat, a great success although I have to say we did drop a number on the floor! However, this week we discovered that this is not a normal Danish activity. Danish Culture however partakes in a Nordic festival- 'fastelavn' which takes place the weekend prior to the beginning of lent. The children all dress up in fancy dress costumes and they gather to beat a large wooden barrel filled with sweets. Traditionally the barrel would have been occupied by a cat (shocking, I know!) and they would have beaten the barrel with the cat instead, the cat representing evil. However, we were assured that this took place well over a hundred years ago and doesn't happen anymore! We were invited to this festival with our landlady, Kirsten and her family which took place at the old town - Ballerup (similar to the Folk and Transport museum in Cultra).






This week we also had the opportunity to make a traditional Danish meal. We met with our class at one of the Home Economics rooms in another campus in Skovlunde, We were educated about the traditional and present eating habits of Danish culture. We were split into groups to cook an number of separate courses, from Danish meatballs (Frikadeller), White cabbage salad, red cabbage salad, Danish roulade, Danish apple cake. We were told by our lecturer that most of these would have been cooked in rural families due to the ingredients being cheap and they could also grow on their farms. The evening was a great success, and the food was delicious!







Professional Development.

This week we have been continuing mostly with our Danish language lessons, and the classes have been focusing on developing our confidence in conversation. The classes are extremely interesting and I hope that with each day the language barrier will become less. We have been also working a lot on our Visual Culture presentation which looks primarily at similarities and differences between third-level education institutions for teacher training in different cultures. Within my own group we have been comparing our home institutions, with representative countries, Northern Ireland, Spain, Switzerland, Belgium and Germany. We have been using Wiki spaces and podcasts to present our work which has been incredibly useful and effective. This week we are continuing with our Multi- Cultural classrooms and Comparative Education classes along with Globalization and Professional Development, so another full week ahead.

Speak soon,

G.

Week 2 in Copenhagen

Personal Development

Week two is drawing to a close and what a week it has been. I am finding it hard to believe it has only been two weeks since I arrived, it feels like considerably longer. This week I have felt a lot more settled and I am beginning to find my way around Copenhagen, although there is still much to see and do! One of the most difficult things over the past two weeks has been getting used to the transport system here, it is extremely complicated- even the residents agree that it is difficult to use! There are many zones, and you have to work out how many zones you will pass on your journey, it is much harder than it sounds! I am also slowly beginning to gain confidence using the small about of Danish language that I have picked up and I am being taught it University. I was sitting on the train the other and for the first time I was able to understand a little of what someone was saying, it felt great! I think one of the hardest things for me has been the language barrier and I hope everyday I will get a little more confident and listening to and speaking the Danish language.

This weekend we headed to the coast, Ishoj with the other Erasmus students and some of the lecturers. It was an amazing setting on the coast, where the sea was frozen. We were actually able to walk out on the sea, an amazing and surreal experience. The weekend aimed at addressing the issues in relation to cultural identity and also began looking at the multi-cultural classroom ( I will expand upon this later as there is much to say!). Personally, I gained a lot from the weekend away as I was able to get to know the people in my class a lot better. I was able to ask lots of questions and was asked lots of questions in return about home- especially in relation to the troubles in Northern Ireland. I find it sad that this is one of the most significant issues that Northern Ireland is known for, so my aim was to paint a different more positive picture of the Northern Ireland to the people I have been meeting.



I have also had moments this week when I have really missed my family and friends at home, I think for the first time this week it sunk in that I am not only away for two weeks, but for four months. I think sometimes it takes you to be removed from the familiar and safety net of home to really appreciate how lucky you are. However, I have also realized how lucky I am to be in an amazing city and the opportunities that are ahead of me here, I am thoroughly enjoying my course and it is so interesting to learn from people from other parts of the world.

Cultural development.

This week I feel that I have developed significantly- not only in relation to Danish culture but also from the cultures of the other Erasmus students. One of the most significant activities for me this weekend was in relation to a visual activity which we completed. Each of the students were asked to split into pairs, each from a different nationality and we had to draw each other and then fill the page with answers to a number of set questions, which were personal to the individual and culture that we come from. From this activity, I realized that for the majority it is about getting to know the individual person and not about stereotypes or prejudices that many hold about other cultures. I gained so much about other beliefs and practices/ rituals from this activity and was also able to share about my own.




This week I also had a class on Danish Religion in University and it gave me insight into much of the religious culture in Denmark, especially in relation to the Reformation. One of the things that I have been told is that Danes are quite reserved about expressing their feelings and especially in relation to religion, so this class gave me a great insight into Danish people and religion. Over the next couple of weeks we will visit some of the religious buildings in the town and I can't wait to learn more and these places, especially in relation to Christian III who introduced the reformed church to Denmark.

One of my favourite places to visit in Copenhagen is a small cafe in the centre of town. There are many small cafes like this in Denmark, however we have become quite fond of this particular place. Danes seems to love relaxing in the afternoon with endless cups of coffee and various types of tea whilst sitting in dimly lit cafes with candles...as you can imagine a very relaxing scene. One of the problems is, as with most things in Copenhagen- the price! it is unbelievably expensive so we may soon be on the hunt for a cheaper place to enjoy this cultural danish daily activity.



Professional Development.

As I have previously said I am really enjoying the courses that I am studying at UCC. The weekend gave us a great insight into our course especially in relation to 'multi-cultural education' ( as I explained earlier) and 'comparative education'. It was incredibly interesting to note the similarities between the education system in Northern Ireland and Denmark, and indeed with other parts of Europe. One of the main questions we considered this week referred to ' How to teach in such a way that every child learns?'. This lecture opened up a huge area of discussion from differentiation, professional development, active learning to the inclusion debate. I am really looking forward to the progression of these lectures as I find comparing education systems an essential part of improving and reflecting upon our own.



This week we also were split into our groups for our teaching placement and I can't wait until the block placement in schools to get an opportunity to see first hand what Danish schools are like. In these groups we again got to discuss what teaching practice entails in different parts of Europe. One of the most significant features that I have found out is in relation to substitut e teaching, in many cases, especially in Denmark student teachers can have the opportunity to work on their days off in schools and get paid for it also- this must be a great experience.

Within Globalization and Professional change we addressed the issue of Culture Shock. It was very interesting to note the changes that people go through when beginning to live in another culture. We looked specifically in relation to what we feel a school should look like, and were able to compare our knowledge of schools to different schools and their setups across the world. Danish class has also been excellent this week and I love learning new phrases which I can use on my travels into Copenhagen town!

Speak soon. G.

Week 1 in Copenhagen

Personal Development

So, the time has finally arrived, the months of form filling, phone calls, google map searches, emails and conversations have all paid off and it is time for the adventure to begin! My last week at home was unbelievably busy. There was lots to organize and lots of goodbyes to say, however I couldn't wait for the moment when I actually arrived in my new home for the next four months. The night before I left, I didn't sleep a wink! I had a lovely meal with my family and said the last goodbyes before catching the bus to Dublin airport with the others. On Thursday 28th January at eleven o'clock we set off for Denmark and we got the first flavour of the Danish accent as we boarded the plane.

Once we arrived in Copenhagen, we were met by a student from UCC and she took the four of us to our accommodation. This was so kind of her, as the train and metros are not easy to use in Denmark, especially when you have to work out which zones you are traveling to and work out what you have to pay, (we are still trying to get the hang of this!). It was so great to arrive at the flat and get things unpacked and get settled. Our accommodation is really nice and feels like home for now! The first evening we endeavoured to go to the local shop, we have all been laughing at how such simple things at home are made into missions when you first arrive in a new country. In a book I have been reading it sums our experience up really well, ' Even commonplace activities become extraordinary, routine choices become adventures, and are often experienced with a sense of heightened clarity.' Young (2007, p.15). We have also found that shopping is very expensive here too, so we have spent a large majority of the time trying to find the best deals and cheapest options, very much the student approach!

One of the most pleasant experiences about this week as been the amount of snow, the place is covered in a blanket of white. Apparently there hasn't been this much snow in over twenty years in Denmark. One of the evenings we were caught in a snow storm as we walked home, a truly amazing experience! Katie and I also spent a large part of Sunday afternoon building a snowman, it was quite the challenge and I think we became rather competitive, however we were rather pleased with the result!



I have found Copenhagen to be a very modern and well organized city. Everyone here can only be described as very cool and fashionable. The people have been very helpful towards us and are always keen to give directions and advice. I feel that I have settled here extremely quickly and it is so great to have the company of the other Stranmillis students in my flat. We have all found it great to have each others' company, especially in the initial stages of our stay. It was also great to see the bigger picture of this experience during our welcome talk at uni. We met with the other Erasmus and Danish students and have already had some great conversations and we are looking forward to getting to know them more this weekend during our residential weekend away this Saturday. I am really excited about the modules that I am taking in University and can't wait to discover more of this amazing place.

Cultural Development

My first cultural experience has been in reference to food, typical in relation to me! On our arrival our ladylady very kindly set up some "afternoon tea' for us which included bread, cheese, cakes and Earl Grey tea (they drink that a lot here). The room was very dim and had small tea light candles lit. She explained that because it is often expensive to eat out in Denmark, people often invite people for 'Hygge'. The word does not translate easily into English, but basically means 'cosy'. We all really enjoyed the experience and are keen to Hygge again soon! On Sunday evening, we were again invited for tea, the meal included an amazing traditional Danish dish, Frikadeller (a type meatball) which was so tasty. One of our course involves learning to cook traditional meals and I can't wait for that!

Our first trip into the centre of Copenhagen opened our eyes to the vastness of the city, the beautiful buildings and endless museums all waiting to be discovered over the next four months. On Tuesday we headed to see Den lille Havfrue (the little mermaid), one of the most famous sights in Denmark. Unfortunately, we chose one of the coldest days of the year to visit the mermaid and the water had even frozen in parts of the marina! However, on the positive side there were very few tourists so we got a great view, however we were keen to escape the minus temperatures and made our way back to the station!







On Sunday, Katie and I went to the local Luthern Church ( Hedegardskirken ) with our landlady, we really enjoyed the service and people were so welcoming. We hope to get involved with some of the events over the next couple of months at the church, we feel that this is a great way to get to know the local people. The service itself was very traditional, and involved a lot of hymns, more than would be the case at home. The Hymns were sung by three extremely talented musicians and there was a lovely atmosphere during the service, even though the language barrier was somewhat of an issue; we still gave the singing a try! I cannot wait to learn a little more Danish, as I find it extremely frustrating at times not understanding what is being said. The minister spoke to us after the service and explained a little about the format of the church in Denmark, especially in relation to their Parish. The parish includes two churches, the East and West and the church has four, full-time ministers who take one service each month. We are keen to visit a few more churches during our stay so that we can getting a bigger picture of the religious culture in Denmark.

Professional Development

On Monday, we arrived at Blaagaard/ KDAS and met with the other Erasmus Students and were introduced to the course. There are students ranging from Switzerland, Spain, Austria, Norway, Germany, Belgium , France and of course four from Northern Ireland! The university format is similar to Stranmillis, with the exception that the course classes are not set times each week, there is a different schedule for each week. Classes are split into day and night classes for students, which gives those who are working during the day; the opportunity to study full-time for another career path during the evening. We have had one night class this week and it went on until 9.30pm, something that we are definately not used to at home!

So far this week we have had two modules, Danish and Globalisation and Professional Change. The Danish class for me was extremely well taught and interesting, I found that already I have grasped a few key phrases, we even practiced the whole way home in the bus and I can't wait to learn some more phrases. One of the most difficult aspects of the Danish language is the fact that the spelling and pronounciation are in no way related, a challenge which will be difficult to overcome. We have been told that is essential for us to grasp a level of Danish which we can use during our school placement. Each of us are eager to meet this goal during the duration of the four months.

Globalisation and Professional change has a number of aims which we are going to consider over the next couple of weeks. The module investigates the issue of discovering other professionals in other cultures and countries. The emphasis deriving from the fact that we as student teachers will inevitably come into contact with other professionals from other cultures and we need to know how to relate, communicate and learn from each other.

The course focuses on English as a global language, it was extremely interesting to note how essential the other Erasmus students place on their ability to learn English and how talented they were at reading and speaking the language. In many ways it made me embarrassed at my ability to only speak English fluently and my poor grasp of languages that I learnt at school. It made me reflect on how important the initiative of introducing languages in primary schools in Northern Ireland is, many of the Erasmus students told me how they had been learning English from a very early age, and this was essential for the development in the language.

I am looking forward this coming week to learning a bit more about the Danish school system. We have an Erasmus residential weekend this coming week and I feel this will be an excellent way to hear more about other school systems and share our own experiences.

More to follow after week 2! Speak soon,
G.