Amalie is a Rotary exchange student from Denmark hosted by the Orono Rotary Club located 15 miles west of Minneapolis, MN. She arrived in August of 2011 and has been attending Orono High School for the past seven months. As a member of the Orono Rotary Club, I wanted to know how her experience was progressing, so I sat down with Amalie to find out.
Amalie, where are you from?
I’m from Vordingborg, Denmark, a town of 20,000 people on the Baltic Sea.
How old are you?
I turned 16 years old right before I came here.
Tell me about your family.
My dad works as a residential housing inspector and my mom works as a manager for the Danish post office. I have two brothers. One is 18 years old and goes to high school. He’ll be moving out of our house soon. The other is 8 years old and lives at home with me and my parents.
Why did you want to be an exchange student?
I wanted to do something different. I wanted to see the world. I considered working as an au pair but my mom talked to a co-worker who knew about the Rotary exchange program. Mom suggested I go this route because she heard that I would be watched over during my time away from home.
Did you want to come to the United States?
Yes, I wanted to go to the United States because of all the movies I had seen. The whole high school experience seemed so cool.
I remember that your English was so good when you arrived. How has it improved?
I’ve learned a lot more words. I’ve also learned slang....I say “like” too much. I’m trying to cut back.
What are some of the things you noticed that were initially silly and that are now completely normal?
I knew that you could get a driver’s license at age 16 here, but after seeing it in person, I thought it was so weird. Some people don’t even seem tall enough at age 16 to reach the car pedals. It seemed so unnatural to handle such a big machine at a young age. At first it was scary driving with 16-year olds. But I’ve gotten used to it.
What’s the driving age in Denmark?
In Denmark we don’t have a period of using a permit. At age 18 I’ll be able to take a driver’s class and behind-the-wheel classes. Then I’ll take my test to get a driver’s license.
What will you do when you return to Denmark?
I’ll go to the next level of high school called Gymnasium. It’s for grades 10 - 13. Not everyone goes to Gymnasium....my grade point average had to be high enough and then I received an invitation to attend the school.
If I decide not to attend Gymnasium, I can take classes at a school to learn a trade such as hair stylist, plumber, electrician or chef.
Tell me about the school system in Denmark? Does everyone go to college?
Not all who graduate from Gymnasium go on to the university. We don’t have enough spots in the Danish universities for everyone to attend. So after completing Gymnasium, I have a choice of attending a technical university (for engineering), a traditional university, a school to learn a trade or I can find a job and begin working.
What surprised you about the United States?
I was so excited when I landed in Minnesota. I remember looking out of the car window and noticing how the road signs looked so different. Then I saw all of the big cars.....most people in Denmark drive smaller cars. And very few people drive trucks.
I thought that most Americans ate at McDonald’s three times a day and that most would be overweight. Instead, I’ve found that lots of my friends are very careful about what they eat.
Were you expecting “Mean Girls” or “High School Musical” at Orono High School?
A little of both. I was afraid I’d have to eat lunch in the bathroom for the first few days before I made any friends. But luckily I met Amie, my future host sister, at the Corn Days Parade and she invited me to sit with her for lunch. That was nice.
Is the relationship between student and teacher different between Denmark and the United States?
It’s more relaxed in Denmark. We call teachers by their first names. I was afraid of calling an Orono teacher by their first name so I tried not to notice their full name.
What are your favorite foods here?
Mac and Cheese at Noodles and Company.
With the Rotary exchange program, you’ll live with three families in the same school district. Is this a good thing?
It’s a good thing. At first it was hard because I’ve liked all of my families and moving from them has been sad. But each family seems excited to have me and show me their life and Minnesota.
So far you’ve lived with two of your families and will be moving to your third in April. What have you learned from your families?
I’ve learned to be more accepting of their suggestions to try things. I’ve learned to adjust to different styles of living.
What else will you be doing here before you go home?
I’m going to California with my second family for spring break. We’re going to see the Hollywood sign, the Hollywood Walk of Fame, the San Diego Zoo and Palm Springs. I’m also going on a Rotary bus tour in the summer. I’m most excited to see New York City and Washington, D.C. on the 4th of July. And my birthday will be during our days in Florida.
What are some interesting things you’ve done here?
I was on the Orono Rotary float during the Corn Days Parade and tossed candy to the kids. We don’t do anything like that in Denmark.
Halloween was so fun. I still have candy. I celebrated the holiday with other Rotary exchange students. We carved pumpkins, had a costume contest and stayed up all night long just talking and laughing.
When do you return to Denmark?
July 20.
What will you miss when you return home?
My families and my friends. Just thinking about people I’m going to say goodbye to makes me cry. I’ll always remember how two girlfriends in Denmark took a train to the airport in Copenhagen to say goodbye to me at 4:30 in the morning as I left for the United States. It’s going to be ten times harder to say goodbye to my American friends because I don’t know if I’ll ever see them again.
Since you attend our weekly meetings on Thursday morning, most of the members of the Orono Rotary Club have become close to you. We will all miss you.
Thanks. I’ve really enjoyed going to the weekly meetings and getting to know everyone. I’m going to miss them, too.
For more information on the high school Rotary Youth Exchange Program, please visit www.northstaryouthexchange.com. For more information about the Orono Rotary Club, please contact Chrysanne Manoles at 612-327-7779.