Aarhus was just voted the Cultural Capital of Europe 2017 by the European Union. My host dad is a native of this city, situated on the east coast of Jutland (mainland Denmark). He and the rest of the family lived there for some years before moving to Zealand (the island Copenhagen is on). This weekend I got a "speed tour" of the city. Going alone, I never would have been able to see much of the city, but my host family knew exactly where to go and how to get around. Here are some essential places to hit up in Aarhus. Aarhus Botanical GardensJust a quick walk from the Old Town (Den Gamle By), and it's free! Great architecture, awesome treehouse, lots of exotic plants, and fish that eat your dead skin. Den Gamle By (Old Town)A quick walk down the hill through the outdoor botanical gardens takes you to the Old Town. There is an entrance fee for adults, but students get a discount. This part of the city is split into sections from different eras, including the 17th century, the 1920s, and the 1970s, as if everything was frozen in time. Warning: there are some wax figures in a few buildings that scared me to death, so be on your toes. Dokk1 (Aarhus Public Library)The new public library and culture center is built mostly in concrete, yet it doesn't have the same cold feeling as its brutalist cousins. It really feels designed for people, and is meant for doing a lot for than just reading. There are playgrounds inside and out, an air hockey table, an electronic soccer court, great ramps for accessibility, and lots of natural light. Every corner of the place has something to play with or climb on. ARoS Kunstmuseum (Art Museum)Aarhus was once called Aros during the early Viking era. Now, Aros is the name of the contemporary art museum. The building has a famous circular rainbow walkway, "Your Rainbow Panorama" on the roof, an incredible experience to walk through. The lower level exhibition features huge sculptures: a helicopter, a chandelier, a gun, an armchair, all scaled up and constructed from common items like plastic cutlery, feathers, rotary phones, clothes irons, and pills. Åboulevarden (Canal Boulevard)In the city center is a quaint walking street called Åboulevard running along the canal, with foot bridges, nice public spaces, and bars, restaurants, and cafes all over. The area is cozy during summer, I hear, when it's warmer and livelier. I still thought it was worth a few photos, and I enjoyed the Italian food and beer we had there. Moesgaard Museum As we drove out of Aarhus and to the south, we entered a hilly forest. My host family calls this forest their old back yard, because they used to live right at the edge of it. As we drove on, a clearing of grass emerged, exposing a tall hill. Built into the hill is a concrete building, blending in to the surroundings with its grassy, sloped roof. The Moesgaard Museum is a newly built museum of human archaeology and ethnography. It's all about humans and our evolution over time. The main hall inside features a staircase with a progression of human ancestors, with Lucy the Australopithecus at the top, and Homo sapiens (us) at the bottom. The exhibits included one on the Stone Age, the Vikings, war, and one of the world's best preserved bog bodies.
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In the weeks before I left for Copenhagen, I experienced a bit of anxiety about spending four months in Denmark. Would I get along with my host family? Would they like me? How would the commute actually be? Would I like the food? Would I still be happy with my choice to stay in a homestay?
But as my host family met me at the airport, a huge wave washed away my anxiety, revealing my excitement. It was hard to sit through a 20 minute arrival presentation knowing my host family was outside waiting. I couldn't wait to start getting to know them. We took the Regional Train from the airport and up the coast to the small town of Snekkersten where my host family lives. It's a cute little town next to Helsingør, which is where Shakespeare's Hamlet takes place (as I was quickly informed my my host mom's father). The house is close to the Øresund, the body of water between Denmark and Sweden, and in fact Helsingør is the closest point between the two countries, just a 20 minute ferry ride away! There are two children in the family, Mathias who is 11, and Laura who is 13. I'm impressed by how well they can all speak English. Before today, Mathias was quite shy around me. Last night my host mom told me that he talks about me in Danish when I'm not around, but that he waits to know people before opening up, and the language barrier was perhaps making this process slower. Things changed today, though. This morning after breakfast the kids and I played in the living room. This was the first time we were all really silly together, and it made a difference both in my relationship with the kids and in Mathias' confidence speaking English. My host dad said that today Mathias was talking to him in English while they were alone! I guess these living room wars will have to become a weekly thing. I am confident that I have made the right decision by choosing the homestay. Not only do I get to fully experience Danish culture, but I get to be an older brother for the next four months. |
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