I have talked about how learning Danish is a difficult task many times before. However, I took my Beginners’ Level 2 exam the other day and scored really well on it! How crazy is that? I remember telling myself that there was no way I could continue with learning Danish because it’s so different from the languages I know and it isn’t the easiest language to pick up. I’m so glad I continued taking Danish language.
It’s so crazy how much I could learn within a few months of being enrolled in Level 2 Danish. I can now carry a basic conversation about my vacation, the weather, what I like/dislike, and many more topics that don’t require me to know complicated words. I am so proud of myself! I never thought that I would ever understand Danes speak because they talk very fast (in my opinion), mumble a lot, and do not pronounce parts of words. For example, an area called Amagerbro is pronounced Amabro….so where did the ger go?
Anyway, I contribute my success in Danish to my Level 1 & 2 teachers. My level 2 teacher was phenomenal! His name is Oscar- he taught us more than the Danish language. He took us to the center and gave us a tour of the city at night! He informed us of Denmark’s history which I wouldn’t otherwise have known. He focused on conversational Danish and asked us questions almost everyday about our days. Hvordan gรฅr det? (How’s it going?) It was such a great experience having a dedicated and enthusiastic teacher :-) Thank you, Oscar for a wonderful semester! Right after our oral exams, we all went out to get drinks and Oscar bought us all beers!! How casual is that? He was actually the one who suggested that we all go out together after the class! The university culture here is so different where professors and students are equal, we do not address our teachers by Mr/Ms/Mrs. Instead, we call them by their first names. In the United States, I was informed to politely refer to my teachers and professors by their title. So the teacher-student relationship is Denmark really amazes me. It is so casual and does not intimidate students away from asking questions and being more engaged.
<3 Anyway, here is a photo of us at the Student House after our oral exams :-)
