It's over. It's done. I have left Denmark and have gone back to my homecountry, Belgium. (Although I'm on vacation in Norway right now). But it is over... I do not live in Denmark any longer... But let's not make this a sad post, I owe you an explanation of what I did in the last 3 weeks!!
WEEK 45B: YFU presentations
Sooo after Grundlovsdag, which was on June 5th, Marianne, Signe and I went to our vacation house on Saturday where we enjoyed the good weather and the nice company of our aunt and cousins. On Sunday we woke up quite early and make a strawberry cake for the YFU arrangement:
All the exchange students from my region had to make a presentation/a thing which described and summerized their year abroad. And everyone brought cake. It was a very nice day (with tears of course), but it was nice to see some people back and Lesly and I enjoyed ourselves by taking beautiful pictures:
When we got back I got picked up by Kristiane because we had to go grocery shopping for the week after!!
This was my presentation:
WEEK 46: Canoe-trip and goodbye-party
Monday morning I met up with some people from my class to drive to Silkeborg, BECAUSE we went on a canoe-trip for 3 days with a lot of people from our class! It was pretty cold the first day, but we sailed from Monday to Wednesday. We stayed at campings in the evenings where we sang at the bonfire and had a great time together. It was very tiring but a lot of fun!! ("JUSTINE, JUSTINE, DU BLIVER NØDT TIL AT HJÆLPE MIG"). Hahaha, I shared a canoe with Kristiane and we laughed soooo much! Here are some pictures:
I was literally sooo tired (and sunburned) when I got back... Wednesday evening and Thursday I spent together with Nikolaj.
Friday it was time for my goodbye party!! The weather was sooo good, so I invited my class, made hotdogs and ordered pizza. We sat in the garden all evening long and afterwards we went into town to party:
I spent the weekend watching Orange is The New Black since season 3 had just come out!
WEEK 47: Working at a school, getting a tattoo & AT-exam
From Monday to Wednesday I worked at a primary school kantine. Well... "Worked". I had to peel carrots, sell snacks to the kids and make sandwiches. It was voluntary work, but I enjoyed it :) It was together with two other exchange students, so we had a good time together.
On Monday after working at the school, I met up with Karoline and I went to get a tattoo!!!
This is like a before-during-after picture. I got the chemical molecule "acetylcholine" tattooed on my left arm, right under my elbow. It symbolizes my year in Denmark. Acetylcholine is a neurotransmitter in the brain that makes it able for you to learn, dream and keep memories.
On Wednesday I was supposed to start preparing my AT-exam, but I procrastinated soooo much... I even baked a whole cake and went over to Karolines. Well we did do something at Karolines, but it wasn't much.
On Thursday I had to go to school to get my diploma of being an exchange student at Rødkilde, we took some pictures with the headmaster and got a rose:
I "graduated" with an average of 9.16, which is very good, so I was very proud ;) Karoline had to do the exam on Thursday and since we had the same project with the same subject, she gave me her papers and I prepared the thing.
On Friday, I was a bit nervous, but I got in, did the thing and got a 7 ( = a good job).
Friday evening Mette and Mathias came by and we drove to our vacation house. Mathias and I left again Saturday morning, because I wanted to spend the day with Sascha and the kids.
We had great weather, so I baked cake and we enjoyed the sun outside.
In the evening I went to a birthdayparty at Jonathans! I don't remember what I did on Sunday, haha...
WEEK 48: Givskud & the end
On Monday and Tuesday I worked at the school again.
Tuesday evening we celebrated Sankt Hans, which is a thing where we burn a witch on a bonfire. We went to a park and took our barbecue and ate there.
On Wednesday I went to the Zoo with Kristiane and Karoline. We took the car, so we could drive around in the Zoo! We had soooo much fun! We saw all kinds of animals! I made a video of our day in Givskud:
On Thursday I started packing and cleaning up my room. It was sooo hard to take everything down and look at the empty walls. Also emptying my closet and bathroom was terrifying.
On Friday evening the girls came over and we made lasagna together and afterwards we went into town and partied until we couldn't anymore!
Saturday I literally just spent cleaning up... And it was such a sad day... Seriously. Every time I put something in my bag I started crying...
Sunday was the day of my departure. I invited Kristiane, Karoline and Nikolaj over to have a last goodbye and Sascha, Andreas and the kids passed by as well. It was hard to say goodbye to the kids, since they don't understand what's going on, at all. I also had a cry-party with Kristiane and Karoline. We drove by Nikolajs house to drop him off and then we drove to Tommerup, where my life in Denmark ended. Signe, Marianne and I ate some sandwiches together in the YFU house and then we had to say goodbye as well...
I am so so thankful that they were willing to take me in and keep me for the year. We were a lovely family and I will never forget our moments together.
The YES
We spent the evening in the YFU house, playing some games and telling stories about our year. The next morning we left for the YES by bus. It was a long bus ride, but we finally arrived in Berlin around 16.00. We were not in Berlin, but a bit outside of Berlin by a lake. At the YES were people from YFU who are from Europe and went on exchange in Europe in 2014-2015. We were there from Monday to Friday. Everyday we did some activities, but we also had a lot of free time to swim in the lake and relax, but most importantly, meet new people! I also enjoyed seeing the other ones from Belgium again.
The lake was very beautiful in the morning!!
We also made a "YFU"-picture! Do not try to find me, I'm hiding under a danish flag!
On Friday we drove from Berlin, over the Netherlands to Belgium where we reunited with our families!
I miss Denmark so much :( I guess this is the end...
Okay okay, I'm sorry... Very very sorry... This blog started out by being a blog where I posted every single week, but I guess I can't really hold to that (anymore).
Buuuut the end is near... And I am so so so sad to leave soon and I really try to enjoy these last weeks. I hang out a lot at friends', go out eating and I'm just really trying not to think about "the end".
Week 41: Mimer & Re-entry
SOOOOO, in week 41 we did have a normal school week. It was pretty hard, since we didn't have that much cancelled periods. On Thursday a few girls came over since we had to prepare for the last schoolparty on Friday. The theme of the party was "Rave", so we bought UV-paint and painted T-shirts and stuff!
Then on Friday was the party, which I enjoyed a looooot. We held a preparty where we ate pizza and played some games. We took a taxi to school where we raved away! (haha)
The day after I had to get up early and travel to Odense, to meet with the YFU students at Re-entry. Re-entry weekend is the weekend where we learned how it is to come home and talk about how we have changed in this year. There were tears. A lot of them. AND I WON AN AWARD! I won the "Dane of the year"-award :) :)
This is everyone that won an award!
It was good to see everyone again, but it was also pretty sad, because some of those people I won't ever see again... On Sunday I travelled back to Vejle, where I spent the day with Nikolaj at home.
Week 42: Mothers day & galla
In week 42 I had my last gymnastics training. That was pretty sad... But yeah. Things come to end. Before practise I made dinner for Marianne, because it had been Mothers day, the day before.
On Monday and Tuesday we just had normal schooldays. On Wednesday we got a bit earlier off, which was good since I had to catch a bus to Copenhagen. I spent the long weekend at Regitze's since she invited me as her prom "date".
On Sunday I baked cake.
I guess it was also in this week that we found out that we had an English exam? I don't really remember...
Week 43: Last school days & SRO
In week 43, we had our last 2 days of school... Well not really but we did. It's so hard to explain. But on Monday and Tuesday we had normal school days. I took a danish flag with me to school, so that my friends could write on it. On Wednesday was "the last school day", which started off by getting to know which exams we had and when they were. I have English (exam, written), Danish (test, written), AT (test, oral). Which is tooootally fine! After that, the 3rd year students did like a show thing, with awards and videos and stuff, it was really funny hahaha! They basically laugh with the younger students and the teachers and things that have happened at school in the past year.
Then hell began.
I decided that it could be fun to write SRO just like the other people in my class. SRO is a paper you write about a topic your teachers decide and it is about two subjects. So our subjects were biotechnology and math. On Wednesday evening we got the topic and then we had until Tuesday evening to write the paper. There was a lot of stress involved and it was a loooong weekend, but I did it! (Kind of, I couldn't do all of it, but I tried).
In those 5 days, I also went to a wedding! Karolines sister got married and needed help. So I helped, which resulted in me being very very tired and missing two days where I could've written my SRO.
We also went to our summerhouse in Juelsminde because on Monday was a free day, so Mette and Mathias were here.
Week 44: AT & the English exam
After we handed in SRO, we had AT. We have had AT before, but it has been a while, so maybe I should explain again what it is... Not that I understand what it is, because it's the weirdest thing ever. But on Wednesday and Thursday I was at school working on this project for English and History about colonies in South Africa. I DON'T KNOW, DON'T ASK. (I also dyed my hair light again)
But on Friday we had the English exam. The exam lasts from 9-14 and it was divided in two parts. One part where we got an examthing on paper and we had to make grammar exercises and translate. We had an hour to do that. Than we have to hand that in and we can start on the second part. You basically get a paper where there are two choices, you either write a paper or an essay. And I wrote an essay about a short story. I think I did good. To hand in, you upload to file to Lectio (the school platform thing) and then someone comes with an iPad to ensure that you have handed in, and then you can go but you need to leave all your stuff (computer etc) there. At 14.00 when everyone has handed in, the doors open and everyone can go get their stuff and leave. You are allowed to eat and drink as much as you want and you are also allowed to go out and pee!!!!! #lovethedanishschoolsystem
After the exam, I went into town with Karoline and Rusbjerg to eat lunch and afterwards I went to a bar with Kristiane to celebrate the exam and we met a bunch of guys and had a lot of fun!
Week 45: More AT & the Danish test
On Monday we worked more on the AT project thing at school. I think we left early though, I don't really remember. On Tuesday I was at home, because I wasn't feeling too well (we were allowed to be at home, so I didn't skip anything). Karoline came in the evening to prepare me for the danish test.
But on Wednesday we had the danish test thing. Which basically went the same way as the english exam. We got 4 different papers to chose from and then we write one of them and hand it in. I personally think it went okay, even though my danish writing skills aren't the best. BUT I TRIED.
On Thursday we had to finish the AT thing (we basically wrote the whole thing there, haha) and in the evening we went to Heidi's to celebrate her. We had burgers and talked and imitated videos. Because that's how funny we are ("hvad fanden sker der", "så stjæler man sgu da biler", "kæft en idiot"). Karoline drove me home and on the way home, we secretly drove by McDonalds, hihi.
Today is Grundlovdag in Denmark, which means that we don't have to go to school. Well we don't have to go to school anyways, because we have "læseferie", which is like "studybreak" (voor de belgen: blok). We don't have to go to school, but have exams, if we have exams.
Okaaaay that was it I guess... I'm the worst blogger ever! I hope the weather is better where you live than here in Denmark (det regner, dansk sommer, kæft hvor er det dejligt).
Have a great day and make great exams, all the best luck to youuuu
Love,
Justine
P.S.: Remember that time I did challenges with Karoline? I also edited part 2:
Welllll hellooo! Another two weeks has passed, that actually were quite exciting and fun, soooo let's talk about those ;)
FIRSTLY though: a video about april has been edited & uploaded to my channel :) It's a short one!
In week 39, on Monday we tried playing (muggle) Quidditch in idræt! Because we don't have broomsticks and can't fly, the rules are different than real Quidditch. I must admit (as the HP fan I am) that it was a loooot of fun! We laughed a lot (well what would you do if you saw 30 people running around with sticks between their legs?)!
The weather was so good, we went outside to eat lunch:
In the evening I went to gymnastics because the summer team started. There are some new people, but most of them are the same ones as on our regular team. Since we're not training for anything, it's not that "hard" ;)
On Tuesday we only had 3 periods, so after school I went into town with Rusbjerg because I had to buy some things, and she had to as well. We sat outside because the weather was beauuutiful and had nachos for lunch ;) (there was quite a lot of wind though)
The days after were normal days at school, where Kristiane and I often stayed after school to make a math assignment, but nothing really happened.
BUT though, I ATE A NEW DANISH THING! Since summer is coming, we eat a thing called koldskål, which is a milk-yoghurt-y-thing and we eat it with cookies in it (it's de-li-cious):
OH god, how can I forget about Friday?? There was Fredagscafé!! And it was a "special edition", firstly because it was outdoors and secondly because the other gymnasium came over to ours to play soccer against each other, AND WE WON TWICE!
After Fredagscafe, we went to a bar to hang out, and we had a lot of fun (*smirkface*) ;) I went home early though, because we had to drive aaaall the way to Copenhagen the next day!
So on Saturday we drove early in the morning to go to Sarah's confirmation. We did not go to church, but we were at the reception. The reception was held in a hotel, where we also got a room. A confirmation consists of: eating, speeches, embarrassing pictures and stories. Oh and presents. The food was delicious and everyone held beautiful speeches (I cried...).
I guess that on Sunday we drove home? I don't remember, shame on me.
In week 40, we had a sports day at school (for all 2.g), with "alternative" sports. We decided that we would dress up, so our class went dressed up as nerds to school. We played Quidditch again, we played war, we played volleyball with giant balls, we played basketball where we were bounded together with another person, so we had to run together. I was together with Jeppe, that wasn't a great idea... And we also did an estafette! It was a loooot of fun and we had a great day with our class :) In the evening I had gymnastics, but i sat mostly aside because I was exhausted.
On Tuesday we had a normal day with 4 periods, but we did something very very cool in biotechnology. We had to analyse "DNA", which was not real DNA, but it was very exciting! Even though our experiment failed, it was fun to try!
Wednesday was another normal day at school, I guess... I don't really remember tbh.
On Thursday, our first and last period were cancelled, soooo after school I went into town with Rusbjerg and Karoline and we did some shopping :) In the evening I went to Bilka with Karoline to do some groceries.
BECAAAAUSE, on Friday, Karoline and I had aaaa lot of fun! And yes we filmed it! We made a mess, but it was so much fun ;) (disclaimer: this is only part one, I have not had time to edit part two, please watch in HD):
It's disgusting, but soooo funny! hihi! We also did normal things, like baking deliiicious cookies:
Yesterday I woke up (okay) early and I went to the grocery store to buy some things and when I came home, I made a pasta salat because we had a barbecue with the girls from our class at Anne's. We made too much food:
I decided that I wanted to go party, so Rusbjerg and I went into town after the barbecue to paaartaaay! It was so so so much fun! And it got late... haha, well...
Guess who's back back back, back again, I am back back back, back again! :)
Okaaaay, soooooo I've not written a blogpost for a few weeks... Reason? I'm lazy. Hehe. Because actually, I had a few quite exciting weeks! So let's get to it!
Week 36: Easter break!
Yaaaas, FINALLY break! I think we all needed it :) We left on Sunday March 29th, after my last gymnastics recital, to Søndervig. Which is a tiny little town at the west coast of Jutland. Well that's a picture of me during the last recital at BGI. I wish I could, in one way or another, thank all of SpRytme for this year, because it most certainly made my experience in Denmark a lot better! Some of them even said they will miss me next season :( and they hope to hear someday that a "belgian started a danish gymnastics club in Belgium" haha. Not that that's ever going to happen.
Silje!
But after some driving, and picking up Annette (my aunt), we arrived at the HUGE vacation house we were going to spend break at. And by HUGE, I mean HUGE. There were 2x2 bedrooms and 2x4, plus a divan. So that makes 10 beds... Talking about luxury, there was a swimming pool, a sauna and a bubble bath inside and a hot tub outside! We needed that much space though, because the whole family came. Well not all at one time though. I don't exactly remember who came when, but Andreas and Sascha came with their kids, Mikael and Martin came (cousins) together with Line and Mette, and Mathias and Mette came as well. So we were a bunch of people! But it was a lot of fun though! We went for walks, played games, laid outside in the sun, read books, went to Ringkøbing, etc.
A series of pictures (read description):
This is Søndervig, a town with A LOT of vacation houses...
The cutest little Vigga, who is always happy to see me!
We went to Ringkøbing, where they had easter eggs in the trees, haha.
The weather was soooo good! Except for Tuesday, when it snowed... #Denmark
I baked kanelsnegle with Annette (cinnamon buns)
The west coast...
Okay this last picture needs a bit more information than a description. Danes love their flag. They will hoist their flag for any occasion. A birthday, a national celebration day, if people come to visit, if they have something to celebrate or in this case, if they are in their vacation house. A lot of people have a flag pole in their backyard. Like a lot... Haha. We don't have one here at home, but we do have one at our vacation house. I think it's very nice to walk around and see houses who have their flag hoisted. It gives me a feeling of safety and it reminds me I'm in Denmark... Haha!
When we got back on Easter, Mathias really really wanted to eat tartar, but we couldn't find it anywhere, so we decided to make our own. It looks disgusting but it tasted GREAT! Besides that, we didn't really do anything special on Easter.
Week 37: a short week at school AND REGITZE CAME
A short week of school means that I don't remember a lot. There were a lot of classes cancelled though. So that might've been why (EW THERE WAS A BUG ON MY KEYBOARD, I'm sorry). I think I stayed after school once or twice to finish an assignment, but that's it. That's where we took this flattering picture. I look great. Thanks.
Thursday was an exciting day though, because Signe (my host sister) won a price! CONGRATS SIGNE! She won a price for being a good scout and a lot of other things. She deserved that! So we had to go pick up the price! We got to dress semi-fancy, me likey.
Also, before I move on to the exciting weekend, THE WEATHER WAS SO GOOD! Like honestly, it was so good!
Buuut on Friday evening, REGITZE CAAAAME! Woopwoop! Friday we didn't do much, we had a lot of catching up to do, but on Saturday we went for a looong walk in Vejle, since she had never been there and I wanted to show her where I live! We had a great time together and we had a sad moment when she had to leave on Sunday, but yeah that's life I guess... BUT ENJOY SOME PICTURES OF A COPENHAGEN GIRL IN A "LITTLE" JUTLAND CITY (photocredit to RNM):
Oh I look great in that last picture.... Hahaha, we also took a selfie (well we took multiple, but here you get two):
No, but we did have a great time :)
Week 38: VERY VERY busy week
Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday were actually quite normal days at school. Well on Monday we had 5 periods instead of the normal 4.
On Tuesday evening, quite exciting, I had to do one of those presentations again, just like I did somewhere in January/February where I had to speak in front of future potential exchange students and their parents. I always think that's a lot of fun. They're always amazed about how "good" my danish is!
Wednesday after school, Signe picked me up and we drove to Bilka, where I bought some danish specialities. When we came home, I packed the last things and then we drove to Billund, because I had to catch a plane to Belgium. Because, yes, I was homehome on Wednesday evening & Thursday, due to a miscommunication with the hospital (nothing serious, no worries). BUT I flew with the tiniest tiny airplane, I think we were 25 people on the plane. I was seriously worried how they were going to mangage to fit my luggage in the plane.
But on Wednesday evening, a few of my closest friends came over to my house and I made them taste some danish specialities (kanelsnegle, hindbærsnitter, romkugler) of which some they liked, and some they didn't!
Thursday I was in the hospital for an hour of two and then I went into Brussels to walk around a bit in my city. It was soooo weird, like really. I was so glad to come back to Denmark, because I wasn't ready at. all. to come home for real. Sooo Thursday evening I arrived with the same tiny plane back in Billund where I got picked up by Marianne!
On Friday we didn't have to go to school, because of a reason I didn't understand, so Kristiane, Karoline and I decided to go to IKEA in Aarhus! We had a great time together. (Jeg bliver ved med at sige "great time", når jeg bare gerne ville sige at det var hyggeligt.)
And this on the side is a picture of me and Karoline (and Kristianes knees) in the car that I don't know how to rotate. So enjoy that.
Oh yeah, and then there's the story about the fact that I forgot my keys so I couldn't come home... Well, let's forget about that! Let's just thank Karoline and Karolines sister for taking care of me haha!
This weekend was not that special. Mette and Mathias came over on Friday and left again on Sunday and on Saturday we went to our vacation house to hang out.
THAT'S ABOUT IT. WOW, this is a master blogpost. So long...
I hope you enjoyed reading my very exciting life,
Justine P.S.: In case you haven't seen my March video:
Monday morning I met up with some people from my class to drive to Silkeborg, BECAUSE we went on a canoe-trip for 3 days with a lot of people from our class! It was pretty cold the first day, but we sailed from Monday to Wednesday. We stayed at campings in the evenings where we sang at the bonfire and had a great time together. It was very tiring but a lot of fun!! ("JUSTINE, JUSTINE, DU BLIVER NØDT TIL AT HJÆLPE MIG"). Hahaha, I shared a canoe with Kristiane and we laughed soooo much! Here are some pictures: 
Yaaaas, FINALLY break! I think we all needed it :) We left on Sunday March 29th, after my last gymnastics recital, to Søndervig. Which is a tiny little town at the west coast of Jutland. Well that's a picture of me during the last recital at BGI. I wish I could, in one way or another, thank all of SpRytme for this year, because it most certainly made my experience in Denmark a lot better! Some of them even said they will miss me next season :( and they hope to hear someday that a "belgian started a danish gymnastics club in Belgium" haha. Not that that's ever going to happen. 
When we got back on Easter, Mathias really really wanted to eat tartar, but we couldn't find it anywhere, so we decided to make our own. It looks disgusting but it tasted GREAT! Besides that, we didn't really do anything special on Easter. 
A short week of school means that I don't remember a lot. There were a lot of classes cancelled though. So that might've been why (EW THERE WAS A BUG ON MY KEYBOARD, I'm sorry). I think I stayed after school once or twice to finish an assignment, but that's it. That's where we took this flattering picture. I look great. Thanks. 
Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday were actually quite normal days at school. Well on Monday we had 5 periods instead of the normal 4. 
Wednesday after school, Signe picked me up and we drove to Bilka, where I bought some danish specialities. When we came home, I packed the last things and then we drove to Billund, because I had to catch a plane to Belgium. Because, yes, I was homehome on Wednesday evening & Thursday, due to a miscommunication with the hospital (nothing serious, no worries). BUT I flew with the tiniest tiny airplane, I think we were 25 people on the plane. I was seriously worried how they were going to mangage to fit my luggage in the plane. 
On Friday we didn't have to go to school, because of a reason I didn't understand, so Kristiane, Karoline and I decided to go to IKEA in Aarhus! We had a great time together. (Jeg bliver ved med at sige "great time", når jeg bare gerne ville sige at det var hyggeligt.)
