Et år siden.... One year ago...

17 juni 2008.... DFW Lufthavn....Kl. 15.00... En dansk mand gik ombord en flyvemaskine, holder hænder med hans amerikanske kone. Usikkert om hvordan hun vil reaktere eller hvad hun havde brug for. Han tankte til sig selv:"Skulle jeg lade hende være? Vil hun gerne snakke om ting? Vil hun græde hele flyvetur til Danmark? Og vil hun blive så lykkelig i vores nye hjem i Herning som hun var i Texas?"

17 June 2008....DFW Airport....3pm....A Danish man goes on board a plane, holding hands with his American wife. Unsure about how she will react or what she will need. He thought to himself, "Should I just let her be? Will she want to talk about things? Will she cry all the way to Denmark? And will she be as happy in our new home in Herning as she was in Texas?"

Damen havde haft mange "store dage" i hendes liv men i dag..... i dag var, måske, den største.
The woman had experienced many, "big days" in her life, but today.....today just might be the biggest.

Det har været et år siden jeg flyttede fra Texas (hvor jeg boede 38 år) til Herning Denmark. Det var en KÆMPE STOR ting at gøre men nu, 1 år siden, fortryder jeg ingenting. Jeg har haft MANGE MERE GODE DAGE i den sidste år end dårlige dage og at svare den danske mands spørgsmål om min lykke..... Ja, jeg kan være så lykkelig i Herning som jeg var i Texas fordi lykke har igenting at gøre med geografi. Lykke er en beslutning.

It has been one year since I moved from Texas (where I lived 38 years) to Herning, Denmark. It was a HUGE thing to do, but now, 1 year later, I do not regret anything. I have had MORE GOOD DAYS than bad days during this year and to answer the Danish man´s questions about my happiness... YES, I can be as happy in Herning as I was in Texas because happiness has nothing to do with geography. Happiness is a decision.

Mange venner har spurgt mig spørgsmål om mit første år i Danmark.....Jeg forventede mange af dem men de fleste af dem overraskede mig! Det har været så sjov at sidde og tænke på hvert spørgsmål og mit svar.... Tak for dem! Så jeg reflekterede på mit første år, hjalp det mig at blive klar til ÅR 2!

Many friends have asked me questions about my first year in Denmark... some of which I expected, but most of them surprised me! It has been so fun to sit and think about each question and my answer.... So thank you for them! As I reflected on my first year, it has helped me to be ready for YEAR 2!
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Min svigerfar spurgde mig hvis jeg tror jeg er heldig at have mine danske svigerforældre!
My father-in-law asked me if I believe I am lucky to have my Danish inlaws!

JA, JA! Det var meget svært at flytte fra mine forældre fordi de har altid været i mit daglige liv... men jeg er meget heldig at jet har svigerforældre som passer mig meget godt...De viser Danmark til mig, de hjælper mig med min Dansk, og de elsker mig ligesom deres egen datter!

YES, YES!! It was so difficult to leave my parents because they have always been a part of my day-to-day life, but I am so lucky to have inlaws that take such great care of me! They show me Denmark, they help me with my Danish, and they love me like their own daughter!
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LadyFi, min veninde i Sverige spurgde /LadyFi, my friend in Sweden asked:

Hvad har været mest svært og mest positiv siden du flyttede til Danmark?
What has been the hardest adjustment you have had to make since your move to Denmark and what are the most positive bits about being in Denmark?



Mest svært--at bo 5000miles fra Jess. Mest positiv--at indse at verden gør ikke tingene i den samme måde som vi gør i Amerika!
Most difficult--living 5000 miles from Jess. Most positive--realizing that the world does things differently than they are done in America!
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Paula, min veninde i Århus DK spurge / Paula, my friend in Århus, DK asked:

Har du haft en "panik angreb" siden du flyttede og syntes: "hvad har jeg gjort?"
Have you ever experienced a panick attack when living in Denmark- the 'what am I doing here, gasp, gasp syndrome'..

NEJ. Aldrig. Jeg har haft "blå dage" men ALDRIG fortryder min beslutning at flytte.
NOPE. Never. I have had blue days, but have never regretted my decision to move.
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Mom spurgde/asked:
Savner du din mor?

Do you miss your mom? :o)

Hver dag. Jeg savner især vores "gåtur" og ønsker hun var her at gå i skoven med mig om eftermiddagen! Vi havde mange gode samtaler på vores tur!
Everyday. I especially miss our walks and I wish she was here to take walks in the forest with me each afternoon! We had lots of good talks on those walks!
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Lisa, min veninde som bor i California (for nu) spurgde /
Lisa, my friend who lives in California (for now) asked:

Tror du at det kunne være bedre at bo med Mads i USA?
Do you two ever think you might be better off in the States?

Ikke endnu. Måske i fremtiden. Jeg tror at hvis du er gift med en dansk, er det meget meget vigtig at bo i Danmark og forstår de danske mennesker, sprog, og "måde af liv". Så lige nu....vi vælger at bo her.

Not yet. Maybe in the future. I believe that if you are a married to a Dane, it is very important to live in Denmark in order to understand the Danish people, language, and way of life. So for now.... we choose to live here.
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nettielouise, min Texas veninde, som vil rejse til Danmark at besøge mig I DAG spurgde /
nettielouise, my Texas friend, who is flying to DK to visit me TODAY asked:

Hvem er din favorite danske berømthed og hvorfor er han/hun berømt?
Who is your favorite Danish celebrity and what is their claim to fame?

Karen Blixen, forfatter af "Out of Africa"
Karen Blixen, author of Out of Africa
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June, som er den næste at flytte til Danmark /June, who is the next to move to Denmark asked:

Spiser du rugbrød eller hvidbrød?
Do you eat rye bread or white bread?

JEG ELSKER RUGBRØD!!!
I love the Danish rye bread!!

Kan du give råd om hår frisør og negl salon i Danmark?
Any hair and nail tips for someone moving to a country where going to a salon is expensive?

JA, BLIVER NATURLIG! Jeg havde "kunstige" negler næsten ti år men da jeg fandt ud at "a fill" koster 600kr, bestemmede jeg at DETTE VAR TOSSET! Det var meget "tramatisk" men jeg overlevede! (Blog er her) Hår frisør er også temmelig dyr...men det er NØDVENDIGT!! Hår er mere vigtig end negler!

YES, GO NATURAL!! I had pink and white acrylic nails for almost ten years, but when I found out that 1 fill costs about 600 kroner, I decide that was CRAZY! It was very traumatic, but I survived! (Blog is here) The hair salon is also quite expensive, but it is NECESSARY! Hair is much more important than nails!

Synes du at du vil bo i Danmark resten af dit liv?
Do you think you will retire/ live the rest of your life in Dk?

Det ved jeg ikke men vi har ikke planer at flytte lige nu.
I don´t know, but we have no plans to move just yet.
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ShellyH , en af mine bedste veninder spurgde / ShellyH , one of my very best friends asked:

Så du ser tilbage din blog arkiv, hvad tingene om DK har skiftet fra "så vigtig" til "ikke så vigtig" nu?
As you look back at this blog archive, what things about DK were you totally focused on before you moved there that now, after living there a year, aren't so much things you focus on now?

Jeg var bekymret om "kan jeg blive en ægte del af Danmark", sproget, og kan jeg lave mad i den samme måde? Jeg bekymrer ikke om disse nu.
I was worried about " can I become a "real" part of DK", the language, and if I could cook the same way.... I do not worry about any of these now....

Hvilket hukommelse i dit første år laver dig at grine?
What do you look back on and laugh at?

Da jeg lærte at køre en "stick".... When I learned to drive a stick!

Hvilke ting i USA savner du ikke? What things about the US do you not miss at all?
Spild, vejr, og walmart.
Waste, weather, and walmart.

Hvis du har ikke lært dansk før du flyttede, ville flytning har været mere svært?
If you hadn't learned Danish before you moved, would it have made that much of a difference in how you acclimated to the culture?

Ja, fordi det var MEGET vigtig til mig at jeg kunne kommunikatere med mine svigerforældre uden Mads så snart som muligt!
Yes, because it was VERY important to me that I could communicate with my inlaws without Mads as soon as possible!

Hvordan har dine oplevelser i din mands hjemland påvirkede dit forhold?
How has experiencing your husband's native land and language impacted your relationship?

Det er mere stærk fordi jeg forstår hans kultur og hans "historie" som hjælper mig forstår ham bedre. Og han værdsætter mine anstrengelser at lære alle jeg kan om tingene som er vigtige til ham.

It is stronger because I understand his culture and his "history" which helps me to understand him better. And he appreciates my efforts to learn all I can about the things that are important to him.

Hvad antagelser har du lavet om Danmark som du opdaget at være sand?
What assumptions did you make about DK that actually turned out to be true?

Jeg prøvede MEGET HÅRDT at lave ikke antagelser før jeg flyttede.... Jeg ville at have en åben sjæl og åben hjerte. Dette lavede min overgang meget bedre.
I tried REALLY HARD not to make any assumptions before I moved... I wanted to have an open mind and an open heart. That made my transition so much easier.
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Sarah, anden expat ven fra USA i Danmark spurgde /
another US expat friend in Denmark asked:

Hvad 3 ting køber du hver gang du rejser til USA?
What are three things you must buy every time you are back in the U.S?

JIF, Crystal Lite, & Advil!

Når du er i USA, hvilke ting i Danmark savner du?
When you are back in the U.S what are three things you miss in Denmark?

ALBERT & EMMITT!!
Plus landskabet og deler vejene med cyklister/
Plus the landscape and sharing the roads with cyclists. (Yes, I am serious.)

Har du råd om det danske sprog?
What is your advice/tips to learning Danish?

SNAKKER DANSK MED DIN MAND!! For nylig, begyndte Mads og jeg at snakke dansk hjemme... sprogskolen er ikke nok!
SPEAK DANISH WITH YOUR HUSBAND!! Just recently, Mads and I have started to speak Danish at home....Danish school is not enough!

Så du ser tilbage over dit første år i Danmark, er hvad din stolt af?
Looking back at the last year, what are some things you are proud of?

Min blog... min indstilling.... og min mand fordi han har været den perfekt støttelse til mig.
My blog....my attitude... and my husband because he has been the perfect support for me.
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Stephanie , min veninde som vil flytte fra Sverige til Danmark i august og Mida, min ven fra mange år siden spurgde det samme spørgsmål/
Stephanie , my friend who is moving from Sweden to Denmark in August and Mida, my friend from many years ago asked the same question:

Hvordan har du mødt din flotte viking mand?!!
How did you meet your handsome Viking husband??!!

Du kan læse historien her/ You can read the story here:
http://madsandkelli.blogspot.com/2008/10/for-2-r-siden-2-years-ago-today.html#comments

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journeyinfinite (Jenny & Dave) spurgde/asked:

Dave vil gerne finde ud hvis de danske mænd klæde på "speedos" når de er på stranden, ligesom resten europæiske mænd?

Dave wants to know if the Danish men wear Speedos when they go to the beach as so many other European men do?

Ikke min danske mand!!! :o) Jeg har set FLERE speedos end jeg har lyst for!!
Not my Danish husband!! :o) Let´s just say I have seen WAY MORE speedos than I ever wanted to in my life!
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Jesper min gode ven som flyttede FRA DK til USA spurgde/
my good friend who moved FROM Denmark to the US asked:

Synes du at du vil gerne spise nogensinde Nutella i stedet for "peanut butter"?
Do you think you will ever prefer Nutella over JIF?

ALDRIG! Nutella er for dessert! JIF er en "basis mad"!
NEVER!! Nutella is for dessert! JIF is a basic food item!

Mavs eller Ulvene? NBA eller danske fodbold?
The Mavs or The FCM Wolves ...or should I say NBA or danish scoccer?

Undsklyd Jesper (og Mads).... IKKE KONKURRENCE! Jeg er MFFL!! (Mavs Fan for Life)
Sorry Jesper (and Mads)....NO COMPETITION! I am a MFFL!!! (Mavs Fan for Life)

Favorites: Dansk forfatter/Danish author --Karen Blixen
Dansk film/Danish movie--Kan jeg sige "Julekalender"?? Can I say the "Julekalender"??
Dansk musik gruppe/Danish band--Brinck, Thomas Helmig, Alphabeat

Kan du definere Danmark med 1 ord?

If you have one word to define Denmark, what would it be?

HJEM.....

HOME......
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Skål til ÅRET 2! / Here´s to YEAR 2!