Have those birds always been chirping like that? It’s December 2019 and I’m walking up the path to Thorsø’s only elementary and middle school: Tungelundskolen. I’ve walked this route blindly as a student approximately 1,000,000,001 times, plus or minus a few trips, and now I’m walking it as a teacher.
In the last few days I’ve scheduled visa meetings, doctors appointments and even booked my flight. It feels like working is just a way to make time go by faster.
Today, though, everything seems a little different. Today I hear birdsong and notice how the sun is reflecting in the morning’s frosty grass. It’s all so amazingly gorgeous.
Now I feel a little guilty admitting that I’d never looked at Thorsø this way. That December morning was likely the first time in a long time my eyes took in my surroundings. Only then did I realize the tiny village I grew up in is way more than just a boring bunch of houses where everyone knows each others’ grandparents. I mean, it’s that too, for sure, but it now struck me: how charming to have no streetlights, less than 2,000 people, and only one grocery store.
I’m not saying that the countryside of Denmark is hands down the shit, but I have to admit, I’m starting to fall in love with my hometown on another level. Might be a tad cliche, but it’s best described as “You don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone.” (Don’t worry, it’s very much not gone. The church, built in the 11th century, is probably singing “I’m still standing!”, of course in a churchy way with four-voice choir.) I’m pretty sure that when I visit Thorsø again the only changes will be a renovated bingo venue, the Hansen family will have gotten a new dog, and maybe two new teachers will work at Tungelundskolen.
Even though Danish weather is very grey and unpredictable, and even though diversity is lacking in parts, there’s so much beauty that I now miss about my motherland.
I miss the snow, the clean streets and don’t even get me started on our politics.
Okay if you beg me, I’ll try to cover that topic briefly right now, for those who still wrongly believe Denmark is a city in the Netherlands…
- Democracy (like, we really mean all for one and one for all),
- High tax to get free education (you actually get paid after you turn 18!) and free healthcare
- A WOMAN as our prime minister.
If I have to say it myself (and I will, since it’s my blog), I could probably sell a ticket to Copenhagen to any average American. Denmark should hire me as their marketing agent, (which would be great, since I’m still waiting for my American working permit). And that’s what I mean; I’m suddenly so passionate about my home country.
It did take a lot of work to get to live in California. Filling out forest-threatening amounts of paperwork, getting in shape for dance auditions and kissing friends and family goodbye for the time being.
I had this great picture of me moving to Los Angeles and pursuing all my dreams while being with the love of my life. The picture is still hanging, but take a closer look and you’ll see lines are tilted and shadows are prominent…
I still see Los Angeles as a place of opportunities that I wouldn’t have had in Denmark, but I also now realize that I’ve taken a lot of things for granted while living in Europe.
“Grass is always greener,” I guess (another cliché that rings true).
Did I make you look up flights to Denmark for a coming vacation? If that’s the case, remember your rain jacket and a bike helmet, and stop by “my blog post”, where I’ll tell you to grab a drink by the lake “Å’en” in Århus, rent some bikes in Copenhagen and much much more!
Kys og kram,
Victoria Liv