I'm in Denmark - really!

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I'm sure it seems like all I do is travel outside of Denmark to exotic locations like Amsterdam, Brussels, and Kangerlussuaq - but that is not the case. This weekend I am staying in Denmark. Granted, I am traveling from Copenhagen to Jutland, the main peninsula, but at least I'm not leaving the country. And it's not all fun and games; I have research papers to do. I mean, I won't work on them this weekend because this is strictly family business, but hey, it's something hanging over my head.

First, I will take a bus to Århus to visit some family, kind of. It's my grandfather's half-sister and her husband and daughter - I think, but don't quote me on that. After a couple of days there, I will take the train to Aalborg to meet up with my aunt and uncle and cousins (the ones I live with), who will just have had lunch with my aunt's dad in the middle of Jutland. In Aalborg, which is actually where my mother grew up, we will briefly visit my great-uncle. Then by car I shall victoriously make my way to Skagen, the northern-most Danish mainland.

Also, I have started volunteering with SheZone, a program that, through a community swimming hall, provides ladies-only swim lessons for women and girls. The target audience is the Muslim community and they do make up a majority of the students, but there are also a handful of other women. It's a really great program that helps integrate these women further into Danish society. In case you haven't pick up on this by now, there is a growing anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim sentiment in Denmark, so I'm really happy to be able to help out that community. It is also an opportunity for me to practice my Danish. The younger girls are really forgiving and enthusiastic and sometimes scared, so they don't really care how well I can speak. I am a little intimidated by the older students, but hey - I know how to swim and they don't, and they can speak better Danish than I can, so we can help each other out.

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