Camilla Rosa
As soon as I entered the house of the Danish family that
was about to host me for the following four days, Mrs.
Thye-Petersen, who brought me in the dining room, hugged
me.
There were about sixteen people around a huge table: five
of them were from South Africa, as I later discovered,
arrived in Toender to visit a south African student who
was staying over the Thye-Petersen house on an exchange
program. I also had the chance to meet Stacey, an American
student from Connecticut, who was living in the neighbourhood
as an exchange student as well; Stacey turned out to be
very nice and helpful in several occasions.
Mr. Thye Petersen analysed me with one glance and decided
to celebrate my presence there:
he poured white wine in every glass he could find and
then screamed in a rough voice: " skool!!" which
I guessed was a Danish way of greeting. We ate plenty
of Danish delicacies and I noticed that they love to eat
cheese with fruit after eating chocolate.
The dinner was really pleasant because I had the chance
to talk to lots of different people from different countries
about different topics: I spoke about Americans who are
not much of travellers with Stacey and Malene (the Danish
girl I was staying with), about Florence with Carl, a
south African guy who was in love with my city; I also
spoke with Malene's father about wines, food, literature,
art and WW2.
One thing that struck my attention was that nobody cared
at whether I was eating or not: I don't want to say that
they were impolite, -on the contrary- they just talked
to me. I think that that situation was unusual to me because
Italian parents are always worried about their children's
diet habits.
When the dinner finished everybody left the room with
their dishes and brought them in the kitchen, I did the
same and thought that my mother would have been enthusiastic
about hosts helping clean the table. Malene's father came
to us and told us that they were going to a concert and
we were free to do whatever we liked. I expected to hear
the classical bunch of annoying questions: "where
are you going? ,"who are you going with?", "at
what time are you coming back home?"… but none
of them came out of Mr. Thye-Petersen's mouth .
Alessandra Regoli
The only differences I noticed when I arrived in Denmark
are about some habits.For example they have dinner very
early in the evening(about half past six);they do not
have bidets;they do not go to school on Saturday;they
have a very rich breakfast.They can also use their school
to give a party.
Fiammetta Orsini
Hi teacher!!! First of all I want to thank you for this
funny and incredible trip..as you can understand I enjoyed
it very much!at the beginning I didn't agree with this
kind of exchange, but I changed my mind immediately.
M y "Danish sister's"name is lena and she is
from India (she is adopted). Her mother is very nice and
she told me a lot about Danish history,about theQueen,
the prince and also about what was going on during that
week(for example when a toender bank was
robbed).Her father instead is a policeman and he doesn't
speak English...he spoke to me in danish!!the fist thing
that attracted my attention was their tranquility when
they left the door open when they left home..and also
their terrible punctuality..very different from us!!!!
the food fortunately was pretty good,even if a little
bit fat..in my family they didn't use oil to dress salad,for
example,but a lot of strange sauces,and there was no water
on the table for them,only wine and beer...it's impressive
how many beers they can drink,her mother drank also during
the day,infact when we came back home in the afternoon
she always had a glass of wine in her hand...however I
think that danish people are very friendly,infact I met
a lot of Lena's friends also her little cousin that spoke
with me for a whole afternoon and she told me a lot about
copenhagen and the differences of life between people
living in small villages and people living in big cities.when
I was at home, after having a bath, I used to stay in
my room with lena speaking and watching television,and
I noticed that the Danish never translate foreign films
but they have some subtitle and during programmes there
is no kind of advertising..naturally another difference,big
difference,is about the school but I think we have discussed
enough this problem...I think it's all...see you tomorrow
morning!!!!!
Eugenio Mancini
I was a guest in Kenny Jensen's home, in Logumgarten,
a little town 15 km from Toender.
My first impressions about the family and its home were
good.. Kenny and his mother Ingrid welcomed me with simplicity
and pleasantness.
The little cottage is simple and clean: they do not look
like a very rich family but they have a lot of computers
and stereos.
I noticed they do not use rollar blinds and bidè.
Just arrived I had the dinner. They have dinner about
6 o'clock, early for me: I always eat after 8 o'clock.
They put three pots on the table and you must mix the
food on the plate. This is the dinner: the food (mostly
potatoes and meat) was good but I understood I would miss
pasta, potatoes, salad and fruit. They do not use napkins
(tovaglioli) but their mouths are always clean. I was
the only one to use napkins.
These were my first impressions about my "new"
family.
Iacopo Taddei
Sensations about the arrival inToender. Only just got
into (or out of ?) Cille's car I realized that all the
stories about Danish people and beer were real: as a matter
of fact a box of beer was lying in the boot. At my surprised
and worried look Cille answered back with a smile: "For
tonight". To my great relief Cille was just joking
and assured me that she'd never drive if drunk.
After having spent some days with them I realized that
they are really
responsible and the drivers don't drink at all. "Only
Coke for drivers!".
About the cultural differences I think that their lives
are as flat as their
countryside. That barren land, desolated and identical
for miles, made me
understand how sad and flat their existence in Tonder
must be.
I don't usually spend much time in the country but I should
not go out alone at night there under any circumstances:
it's impossible to find the way to come back home because
of the collocation of Cille's house (among meadows).
Andrea Abbassi
After the arrival by train, I met Nanna and the other
friends at the railway station. Then I went to Nanna's
home by Nina's car (Nina is the best friend of Nanna;
she gave hospitality to Marco Castagnoli). Nanna's home
is four km far fromthe centre of Toender. The little town
where she lives is called Saed, just 20 houses. We arrived
home. The door was not locked. Everyone could go into
the house On the following day I noticed that every family
didn't lock the door. Nanna's car was open, too. I went
into the house. I had to take my shoes off before meeting
her parents. The floor is made of wood. Everything is
made of solid wood. First of all I met Nanna's dog. It
stunk like a sheep. -What's its name?- I asked. - Sheep-.
Perfect. Then I met Nanna's parents. The father said:
- Welcome to Denmark-. I had never understood his name
and his job. The mother, Elizabeth, is a tailoress. I
just shook their hands. No kisses (I remember my mother
kissing Nanna when she arrived in Italy), and then the
dinner. Butter, beer and sauces. Nothing else.
Jacopo Rosselli
Welcome to Denmark
As soon as I met my Danish friend's mother, Michaela,
I understood I would spend a beautiful holiday in Toender.
She was very polite and funny. They took me to their house
by car. As we arrived they asked me to take off my shoes:
it's a danish usage.
It was a very simple house but really nice and cosy. Danish
are usually very wealthy but they hate showing it. They
made me feel not lost at all. As I entered the small diningroom
I met Rasmus's father, called Walter. They're German but
they live in Denmark now. Danish people are used to having
lunch and dinner very early, that's why we had dinner
at half past six. They offered me many typicaldishes like,
for example, their famous sardines. Talking with this
nice family I immediatly understood they were very open-minded
and wise (expecially Walter). We talked a lot about religion
and politics and I understood they were free-thinking
and licentious (?). Anyway they were really polite and
well-mannered I had fun with them, that's for sure!
We all came back home "sadder
and wiser"!
Tiziana Ferrua (teacher)
Curious about Toender? This is what you need to know
- After the war in 1864 Tonder was annexed by the German
Empire.
After Germany's defeat in World War 1, Tonder was reunited
with Denmark.
The closeness of the border and the presence of the
German minority have left their mark on the town, which
has a German school, kindergarten and library.
- The capital of the salt marshes is surrounded by polders
on three sides.
What is a polder?
(terreno sotto il livello dell'alta marea, bonificato
e reso coltivabile)
It is a low stretch of coastline protected by dykes.
The latest and highest dyke was the result of a joint
Danish/German project, successfully completed in1981.
The new dyke can withstand water levels 6 metres higher
than normal and 2 metre waves.
- Since the 16th century the art of making lace has
been the major economic activity of the town. Its peak
was reached in the 18th century when about 12,000 females
mastered this craft from the early age of 5.
The beautiful houses that line the streets of the town
were built by the many wealthy lace merchants.
About the Danes
They love modesty and the understatement, therefore they
do not like boastful people, especially when they exhibit
their wealth.
They like to say: "The higher a monkey climbs, the
more you see of its bottom!"
They also like to say about their country that "few
have too much and even fewer have too little".
If you want a friend for life, try one of these:
"Tell me again about the '92 European Championship."
"Yes, if you include Greenland, Denmark is really
big!"
"I think that a few candles make a place much more
cosy!"
"Hey, neat flags!"
"Hey, great chairs!"
"Can I get you a beer?"
And here is some basic information about Copenhagen
Its original name HAVN (port), then KOBENHAVN (the traders'
port)
This name (mercatorum portum) is found for the first time
in the 12th century chronicle of Saxo Grammaticus "Gesta
Danorum", in which also the Hamlet legend arises,
commissioned by BISHOP ABSALON, a great administrator,
general and religious leader who ruled over the city.
Originally an insignificant trading centre on a marshy
piece of coast, it developed fast thanks to the large
quantities of herring that inhabited the waters around
it.
This fish is still a staple of the Danish diet.
The town income from the herring trade in the Middle Ages
can be compared to that of oil-rich states today!
The wealth deriving from that trade and the strategic
location of Copenhagen on the most important approach
to the Baltic sea were to change the destiny of the town.
Before the Middle Ages the history of Danmark is mainly
related to the VIKINGS (sea-robbers) who first established
the Danish state in 800 AD.
At the beginning od the 15th century Denmark was part
of the largest kingdom in Europe including also Norway,
Sweden, Finland, Iceland and Greenland under the name
of the KALMAR UNION, ruled by Margrethe I.
From 1450 to 1500 Copenhagen became the economic, political
and cultural focus for the nation under King CHRISTIAN
I. He founded Denmark's first University.
He was followed by CHRISTIAN II, the Machiavellian king,
reputed to have said "If the hat on my head knew
what I was thinking, I would pull it off and throw it
away ". In 1520 he murdered 100 leading members of
the Swedish nobility (he detested the aristocracy) during
a reconciliation celebration, later known as the "Stockholm
Bloodbath".
Under CHRISTIAN III the Danish Reformation (separation
from the Catholic Church) was completed in 1536 (In England
Henry VIII, 1534)
Denmark's best remembered King was CHRISTIAN IV, the
Sun King, the Architect King (1588-1648). During the 60
years of his rule Copenhagen changed as much as London
did under Queen Elizabeth . He built:
Christianshavn, a new district modelled as a kind of mini
Amsterdam, still perfectly preserved with a grid of streets,
a square and a canal.
Rosenborg Slot (the castle, home today to the crown jewels,
Rundtarn, the Round Tower, an observatory enriching the
Copenhagen skyline.
Borse, the Stock Exchange, with its fabulous spire of
three intertwined dragon tails.
But he got heavily in debt and underwent a number of
defeats by the Swedes, which reduced Denmark to a third
of its former size.
In 1711 a plague killed 3,000 people.
In 1728 a fire destroyed 1700 houses, the university
and the Town Hall. The situation was made worse by the
fact that the firemen happened to be drunk that night
(they had spent the money they were given for fire drills
on booze!)
CHRISTIAN VII ruled the country for 42 years (1766-1808),
despite frequent fits of insanity. Because of his madness,
power was taken over by the king's doctor, Struensee.
He also had an affair with the king's wife, 18-year-old
queen, Caroline Matilda, the sister of king George III
of England.
These days the doctor would have been awarded a Nobel
Prize for his work in restricting exploitation of the
poor. He also caused a sensation in Europe by banning
censorship in 1770. However he was unpopular among the
people especially for his German background. The king
was forced to sign a statement against his doctor who
had his right hand cut off and was then beheaded. Afterwards
a law was passed to preclude foreigners from holding a
government post.
In 1849 FREDERIK VII knew that the days of absolute power
were over and granted Denmark's first written constitution
without a drop of blood being spilt and established Folketinget
(an elected chamber)
In 1913 Copenhagen gained its international emblem: Andersen's
Den Lille Havfrue (the Little Mermaid).
During WWI Denmark remained neutral and it hoped to do
the same when WWII broke out in 1939. But on April 9 1940
Hitler's troops entered Denmark. and obliged it to accept
a compromise: the country remaind sovereign but Germany
gained access to Norway and Sweden. "A friendly occupation."
When rumours spread that the Jews had to be eleminated,
nearly 7000 Jews were helped to escape safely to Sweden.
At the end of 1943 the official policy of collaboration
ended and the state secretely financed the resistance
movement.
In 1973 Denmark joined the European Community.
In 1976 Denmark became a welfare state, looking after
the sick, the elderly, the unemployed.
In 2000 the Danes vote against the adoption of the euro.The
present queen is much loved MARGRETHE II who came to the
throne in 1972
