Mads & Kelli

PEACE

2012-01-22T12:24:00.000+01:00

I was teaching a class on the top floor of the Herning Kommune's office building (3rd floor by Danish standards; 4th floor in my world!) on Friday afternoon when something very special happened. It was just a few minutes before 12, just a few minutes before my course participants arrived..... when I looked out the window and saw this:

Then to add to the awesomeness of the moment, the clock hit 12 noon and the church bells of the Herning Kirke began to ring out..... As these huge snowflakes silently drifted from the sky with the serenade of the church bells behind them, it was, in my opinion, a perfect picture of PEACE.

Memories

2012-01-21T07:07:00.000+01:00

This is my 18th year as a public educator.

Although every year of my career has included wonderful experiences with wonderful people crossing my path, 3 of those 18 years have an extra special place in my heart--- the three years I spent working in Wichita Falls, Texas' "Northside". But it was not the day-to-day things that I did in the classroom that made those years so amazing; rather it was the people with whom I worked those three years. And when I say that, I don't mean the colleagues.... I am talking about the FAMILIES in that neighborhood.

Yes, I am a supporter of integration in all communities, but in the case of Wichita Falls' Northside, there was something very special about this neighborhood because of the way it had been preserved as a predominantly Mexican-American community. NEVER BEFORE and NEVER SINCE have I felt so welcomed in a community. The students and their siblings and their parents made me feel like I was a part of their families on a daily basis.

And now because of Facebook, some of them have "found me" again.... Imagine my surprise when 5000 miles away from Wichita Falls, Texas' Northside community, I receive FB friend requests from "kids" I knew when they were only 12 years old.... They are now all grown up, some with families of their own (which does AGE me just a bit!), and yet they sought me out, posting things like "OMG I just found my 6th grade teacher!" I have enjoyed looking at pictures from their lives and hearing about how they are doing... and then I get a post like this on my wall, and I am reminded why it is that I do what I do.

Marco Antonio Torres Kelli Nørgaard

I haven't come here in a long time, but today I brought Venancio's kids to come play and all these memories came flooding back to me. As I've told you before Kelli, thank you for showing me the world still does have caring people in it.
Con muncho amor,
Marco —

Did you know???

2012-01-19T07:28:00.000+01:00

I was teaching an English class the other day with some business folks in Herning and as a warm up, they had random topics to talk about on the spot..... And on this particular day, I LEARNED SOMETHING NEW about Denmark.

One of the topics was "I am going on a trip around Jutland. Where do you recommend I go?" and one of the participants said I should go to COLD HAWAII.

HUH??
What the heck is Cold Hawaii and what does it have to do with JUTLAND, DENMARK?

Well, by the time he finished telling about his topic, I realized that there is another corner of this country that I have yet to explore! Not that I am into surfing or waves, or BATHING SUITS for that matter, but COLD HAWAII sounds like a really cool place to check out!

And the interesting thing is that it is not very far from Herning! Who would have thought that the closest I would get to HAWAII would be in the middle of Denmark! :-)

Herning Folkeblad

2012-01-18T17:02:00.000+01:00

18 January 2012
Today's Paper.
They interviewed me for this before the Christmas holidays, so I had no idea when it might appear.... and then today, IT DID!

Digging for Treasure

2012-01-17T13:28:00.000+01:00

I was in Bilka (the big giant Danish grocery store) yesterday and as always, I PEEKED OVER at the Ice Cream Section. I do not do this routine check because I am a huge ice cream addict; rather I do it because there is ONE particular kind of ice cream that I LOVE. In fact, it is the ONLY kind of ice cream I will usually eat... MINT CHOCOLATE CHIP. Now I would PREFER to have my Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream in a carton that says BLUE BELL, but seeing as how I don't live in the state that produces Blue Bell any longer, I cannot afford to be picky. Ok, I digress.

About 6 months ago, Mads and I stumbled across a TREASURE at Bilka. We were walking by the ice cream freezer, on the way to the bread section, when WHAT TO MY WONDERING EYES DID APPEAR but a freezer full of Baskin Robbins Ice Cream pint-sized ice cream for FIFTEEN KRONER a piece. Typically the pint-sized ice cream (Ben & Jerry's or Baskin Robbins) is about 50kr a piece (10 US dollars), but on this particular day, it was ON SALE FOR FIFTEEN KRONER! I think a "hallelujah" could be heard all throughout Bilka that day!

Needless to say on that day, they had EIGHT PINTS of Baskin Robbins Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream--- and yes, you guessed it, WE BOUGHT ALL EIGHT. We were like scavengers, digging through the freezer case.

So fast forward to yesterday. Bilka had ANOTHER Baskin Robbins sale.... 15 kroner per pint.... and you guessed it, I STARTED TO DIG! However, my efforts were all for naught.... as the only flavors that were on sale yesterday were "Pralines and Cream"and Hokey Pokey, which of course, I did not buy. However this Grocery Store Adventure got me to thinking.... What on earth must the Danes think about us Americans when they see ice cream flavors called things like HOKEY POKEY??? Do folks in Denmark know what the Hokey Pokey is?? And I wonder...what does Hokey Pokey even taste like?? Maybe I should I have bought one just to find out how ice cream tastes when you "put your right hand in and take your right hand out and then shake it all about...." Maybe I will go and get a pint or two and bring them home tonight and find out if Mads knows how to do the Hokey Pokey!

Happy 40th!

2012-01-16T21:14:00.000+01:00

This weekend Queen Margrethe celebrated her 40th year as Queen of Denmark. To say that there were lots of celebrations throughout Copenhagen this weekend would be putting it mildly.

Here is a video from 1972, when she was named the ruling monarch of Denmark..... Even if you don't understand the language, watch the video and listen for one thing... the traditional Danish HURRA HURRA HURRA....... and look at the number of people gathered in front of Amalienborg Castle to welcome her as their new queen.

Even then she was already a Royal Leader OF THE PEOPLE.... and she has continued to be just that through the last 40 years.

And that is evident in how the people of Denmark showed up this weekend to congratulate her on this important day and to THANK HER for her service to Denmark and the Danish people....

I do love being an American.... but I have to admit... living in a country with a Monarchy is a pretty cool thing---especially when the members of that Monarchy are so accessible to the people.The Danish Monarchy has existed for more than 1000 years and is one of the oldest in the world, and in my opinion, that is an incredibly cool thing!
TILLYKKE MED din 40-års Jubilæum,

Dronning Margrethe 2!

And just a bit more info for you...

our future king (Frederik) is to the left of Queen Margrethe...

and the king that will follow Frederik is this guy:

His Royal Highness Prince Christian. Again, pretty cool, huh?

Greatest words all week......

2012-01-14T23:01:00.000+01:00

I read a lot.
And in the course of reading as much as I do, I read MANY incredible words, incredible phrases, and incredible sentences.... however, I just read one particular sentence that makes all others PALE in comparison.

Here is the message from my parents regarding the meeting they had with the doctor yesterday, following my dad's latest PET scan....I am sure when you read it, you will see why all those lines from awarding winning literature that we so often quote, PALE in comparison to this:

The scan came back clear - there is no evidence of a return of the cancer and actually this scan is MUCH better than the one in September.

This Christmas was really special because of all that our family went through this year, but with news like this, I am pretty sure we have MANY MORE special Christmases in our future!

Thank you all for your good thoughts and prayers. We are SO grateful.

New URL!

2012-01-13T08:14:00.000+01:00

This may seem like a small (and somewhat dorky) thing to most, but my blog has a new URL which I think is pretty cool!

If you type in the old address : madsandkelli.blogspot.com, you will still find us through an automatic forwarding link, but we are officially our OWN site now!

www.madsandkelli.com

Pretty cool, huh?

And now that we have our own fancy URL, I need to get my rear in gear and get back to blogging. I used to be so good at writing just about every day, but lately, work has been CONSUMING, but in a GOOD WAY! My new project that I am running for the region (Det Internationale Elevcenter) has taken off and is FLYING.... and it is not even officially "open" for the students yet! But on a daily basis, I receive a handful of emails with something like "Jeg har hørt at du kan hjælpe mig komme til udlandet", so that tells me that this little idea I had about 18 months ago is actually something that the gymnasium students in DK (at least in Region Midtjylland) WANT and NEED.

I have just finished working with a company in Herning on the print materials for Det Internationale Elevcenter as I will start doing school visits in the early spring to introduce the students at the FIFTY-SIX gymnasiums in our region to what I can do for/with them. It is so exciting to get the mock-up copies of all the materials they have created for me--- but then when I placed the order for FIFTEEN THOUSAND COPIES (which is a pretty fair estimate of the number of students that I could potentially have contact with), I gotta admit... my heart starts beating REALLLLLLLY fast, and one phrase keeps rolling through my head and sounds something like this:

Well, I cannot think about that right now.
Today is all about celebrating the NEW official URL ....

www.madsandkelli.com

Happy Friday, everyone!

Picture of the week

2012-01-06T18:37:00.000+01:00

It has been a tough week.
Jet lag.
Missing Jess like crazy.
Re-Danishing my brain after not speaking Danish for nearly 2 weeks.
Back to work with SO many projects to juggle.
Jet lag.
Missing Jess like crazy.
And the Danish weather which has been something along the lines of FREEZING COLD HURRICANE WEATHER. If that is even physically possible?? Can a hurricane be freezing? Anyway, suffice it to say that the weather in Denmark has been HORRIFIC all week and I have been suffering from Jet Lag and missing Jess like crazy. (wait, did I already mention those??!!)

But then today we woke up to a new day.
For one thing it was Friday, but even better than that was THIS:

That, my friends, is a shadow of an orchid plant in my house.
And do you know how a shadow got in my house?
YEP! It came in because of the SUNSHINE outside my window.
Glory, Hallelujah! Who knew that a little sunshine could brighten a person's spirits SO MUCH!?
Maybe we will have just a little bit more tomorrow?

Not my first rodeo....

2012-01-02T10:10:00.000+01:00

and definitely won't be his last......

Those who know about rodeos thought it was awesome that Mads got to experience a REAL LIVE ONE last week.... Those who don't know anything about rodeos have wondered what the big deal is.... so here is a little taste of what Mads discovered at his real TEXAS RODEO!

In case you didn't know, RODEOING is an actual sport----where cowboys (and cowgirls, too!) compete in various events throughout their region, trying to earn points. These points are accumulated throughout the rodeo season and then the top performers are eligible to compete at the national level.... for LARGE AMOUNTS of Money and REALLY BIG BELT BUCKLES! And the most interesting part is that these events are just like the ACTUAL WORK that these cowboys (and cowgirls, too!) do on a daily basis on their ranches.

The night starts out with the singing of the Star Spangled Banner.....kinda sends chills down your spine.....

and then the fun begins! There is a little BAREBACK RIDING on the bucking broncos:

TEAM ROPING

BARREL RACING

(the Cowgirls' event)

There was STEER WRESTLING and SADDLE BRONC RIDING, plus TIE DOWN ROPING and even an event for the kids called "Mutton Bustin" where these TINY kiddoes (aged 3-6) got the chance to try and ride a sheep! I was too busy cracking up to remember to video these! In fact, the greatest line said all night was, "You can go to jail for spanking your kid in Wal-mart, but what you are about to see here is perfectly legal!" And then these little tykes came out, wearing helmets, and clinging to a sheep's wool with all their might!

and then we finished the night with the biggest and the best.....

World Championship Bull Riding!

(And you've ONLY got to stay on for 8 seconds!)

One of the neatest things to see during the night was when one of the steers (they weigh about 300 lb. each) appeared to be less than perky when he got back up and they immediately called in the Rodeo Vet...he pulled up in a big pickup truck and immediately took the steer to be checked. The cowboys realize the importance of these animals and mentioned their appreciation of them many times throughout the night....

But the best part of the night (other than watching my Viking's face during each event) was seeing all the FAMILIES in attendance. I have been to many rodeos in my lifetime and every time it is the same.... FAMILIES gathered together enjoying the night.... And I feel so lucky that our family got to experience this night together!

Bittersweet

2011-12-29T19:12:00.000+01:00

Definition of Bittersweet:

Leaving HOME to go HOME.

Today's Riddle

2011-12-27T23:54:00.000+01:00

What do you get when THIS VIKING:

encounters ONE OF THESE:

with ONE OF THESE:

at THIS PLACE:

?????????????????

the ANSWER:

Mads' First Rodeo!

Yep! You heard it here first!

Mads Thellufsen Nørgaard, Danish Viking,

will be attending his FIRST rodeo

tomorrow night in Mesquite, Texas.

Note: Mads and I set a limit on how much we would spend on each other's Christmas gifts this year since we had to spend so much to fly to Texas..... so with my tiny budget, I bought him rodeo tickets!

Not only did I stay within the budget, but I gave him something that

will allow him to check something off his BUCKET LIST!

Can I get a "YEE-HAW"?!?!

(I bet I get lots of those tomorrow night! Pics to come!!)

A Taste of Texas

2011-12-27T02:08:00.000+01:00

Contrary to popular belief, Texas is not all just cowboys and longhorns. Granted, we do have our fair share of both, but our state really does have a little bit of everything else... and today we experienced quite of bit of the "everything else".....

This was Mads' first time to roam around the Texas Hill Country...home to 27 different Vineyards and beautiful sprawling landscapes filled with wildlife, beauty, and all kinds of cool critters! I love watching him experience new parts of my home..... and today was no different!

He realized that we don't have to go all the way to the Napa Valley to experience some amazing wine... and in fact he bought bottles of wine to bring home to Denmark.

As we shopped in downtown Wimberley today, it was like being back in MY ELEMENT... hearing "yes m'am" and "y'all have a good day" everywhere we turned just made me feel good all over. The motto of Wimberley is "A little bit of heaven" and now I understand why. From its cute boutiques filled with RUSTIC TEXAS DECOR to its locally-owned coffee shop "Sip! on the Square", Wimberley really is an awesome little town that I hope we can visit again!

But the highlight of the day was our dinner at SALT LICK BBQ.... which just might be some of the BEST BBQ I have ever eaten! Mads got to experience things like "a bucket of beer for 10 bucks", family-style all you can eat BBQ for $18, and some of the best finger-licking BBQ sauce on the planet. (and yes, we bought some to bring home!) So if you are EVER in the Austin /San Marcos area, you MUST go to Salt Lick BBQ.... be prepared to wait on a table, but trust me.... the wait will be worth it!

We will head north tomorrow, back to the DFW metroplex, with a carful of Texas goodies to bring back to Denmark.... but the best part is that we still have 2 1/2 more days of Texas adventures ahead of us!

A letter of gratitude

2011-12-25T15:42:00.000+01:00

Dear Janus Friis and Niklas Zennström,

I have verbally credited you Scandinavian geniuses before, but I think that there are some creations in our world that deserve multiple expressions of gratitude; yours is one such item that as an expat I appreciate on a DAILY basis.

Yesterday was Christmas Eve and families all over the world were united together, regardless of distance and time, all because of an idea the two of you had in 2003.

As I sat in my mom's living room in Fairview, Texas opening Christmas gifts with my sister's family in Crested Butte, Colorado, I realized again how incredible that little idea really is.

Sure we would love to all be in the same house, sitting around the same tree, opening gifts together and just enjoying each other's company, but in reality, that is just not possible because we all live in different corners of the world. But thanks to you two, we have the next-best thing to LIVE.

I could hear my niece squeal in delight as she opened her gifts and then it was precious to watch her bring each item closer and closer to the webcam for all of us to see.... So thank you for that. Thank you for taking your little idea and figuring out a way to develop it so that yesterday each of us from all over the world could have Christmas with the ones we love.

Gotta love that Scandinavian innovation!

Christmas love from Herning

2011-12-24T20:07:00.000+01:00

We LOVE LOVE LOVE being home in Texas for Christmas, but the one thing that makes us sad is MISSING Albert and Emmitt! All of you pet owners will understand; the rest of you are shaking your heads, I am sure! :-)

We have two wonderful girls staying at the house with the boys during our trip and one of them made this Christmas card and sent it to us this morning.... and it made me feel just a little bit better to know how well they are being taken care of!

So Merry Christmas from Mads and Kelli in Texas and from Albert and Emmitt back home in Herning, Denmark!

Mads' perspective

2011-12-19T19:06:00.000+01:00

Recent conversation with Mads and a friend:

Mads: Yeah, we will be driving a little more than 1600 km in nine days.

The Friend: Wow- that does not sound like a very fun way to spend your vacation.

Mads: Are you kidding?! We are talking about 1600km on TEXAS ROADS. There is NO TELLING WHAT we are gonna see!

The Friend (scratching his head).... still not quite understanding the excitement....

Mads continues: Kelli drives and I look for signs of "You might be a redneck" along the sides of the road. And the camera is always ready!

Feeling comfortable

2011-12-18T12:57:00.000+01:00

Last night about 20 of us gathered together for a birthday party in Karup.
All of us in Denmark for a VARIETY of reasons....
a few because they were born here...
others who moved here for love....
others who moved here for work...
and still others who moved here to study and then found love along the way.....

But no matter what brought us here, all of us have found ourselves living in Midtjylland Denmark in December 2011.

I looked around that room last night and felt really COMFORTABLE.
That adjective may not be such a big word to many of you, but in my opinion, it is VERY POWERFUL in the expat world.

Last night--
No one was trying to impress anyone else.
No one was trying to entertain anyone else.
And no one was left out for any reason.

The "conversation groups" kept changing throughout the night from:

the men gathered around the buffet being manly to
the ladies gathered on the sofas ooing and ahhing over how cute our youngest group member is to
a handful of us gathered to talk about basketball to
a handful gathered to talk about random experiences in DK the past few weeks to
a handful gathered to play with the dogs to
a handful gathered around the tv to watch Real Madrid kick butt to
a handful gathered in the kitchen to talk about work to
a handful gathered to just sit... not worrying about filling in the silence with words because we are THAT comfortable with each other.

And as I looked around that room knowing that each of those people had come into my life at different points over the last 3 1/2 years, I realized that I really am COMFORTABLE in my life in Midtjylland Denmark.

And that is my Christmas wish for all of you.
That no matter where you live or what you do on a daily basis, that you are COMFORTABLE in your life.....

Soroptimist

2011-12-16T07:11:00.000+01:00

It's official--
as of Monday night, I am a SOROPTIMIST.

and yes, they did mention that I was the first ever to be inducted into the group wearing one cute boot (size 39) and one big giant TRÆSKO (size 46).

Exchange Students

2011-12-13T16:21:00.000+01:00

(from the Erasmus Project)

As one of Herning Gymnasium's International Coordinators, I have many different areas of responsibilities; one of those is the Exchange Student Program. I am so excited to have this responsibility because I truly believe that hosting exchange students on our campus is a meaningful way of increasing our globalization without ever leaving the borders of Herning because these students add SO much to our lives and to our community!

In years past our campus has received students because host families in our area volunteer to have a student for a year. However, my goal is to create a program that actually ATTRACTS exchange students to Herning Gymnasium.

I am working on several initiatives to not only ATTRACT the exchange students to Herning, but I am working diligently on a program that really SUPPORTS them while they are with us. This week I interviewed a current exchange student to get some firsthand feedback about the GOOD and the BAD, but then I realized that lots of you with whom I am blogger-friends have been exchange students yourselves.... so I need your help!

What should a school do FOR/WITH/ON BEHALF OF its exchange students?

And WHAT can/should a school do to ensure that its exchange students have the experience (culturally, socially, AND academically) that they desire... one that, ideally, contributes to their personal development?

I think that being an expat gives me a lot of insight into how to create a framework that creates a mutually beneficial experience for Herning Gymnasium AND our exchange students, but I am CERTAIN there are things I have not thought of..... So I NEED YOU!

A Common Cultural Element

2011-12-12T07:26:00.000+01:00

This morning I woke up to SO MANY Facebook statuses of my Texas friends and family regarding the Dallas Cowboys and everyone's DISSATISFACTION with the team's performance in Sunday's game.

And it made me think....

Didn't I just see something similar from all of my FB friends who LOVE Madrid yesterday?

And wait; haven't I heard something similar from my Viking concerning FCM on more than one occasion?!

So the next time you think you are so different from that guy in Spain or the gal in Texas, remember that "OUR DISGUST WITH THE TEAMS WE LOVE" is a cultural element that we all share...so you see, we really are MORE ALIKE than you might think!

Texas holiday travels

2011-12-11T00:40:00.001+01:00

Just how big IS Texas?

Yes, I have told you before that it would take 18 Denmarks to make 1 Texas.
Or you could take 1.5 Germanies to do it... but do non-Texans really get how big that is?

Here is something a bit more concrete to help because after all, what does 18 Denmarks REALLY look like??

We will see 95% of my family while we are in Texas for Christmas (the other 5% is my sister and her fam who will be in Colorado this holiday). But it is not like coming to Herning and saying that you will drive around the country to see everyone.... because remember, TEXAS IS BIG. :-)

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Thursday, December 22, 2011

Friday, December 23, 2011

At this point, we will have slept in three different cities in three nights... and we will have racked up 497 driving miles (AKA 800km). To give you a frame of reference..... To drive from Herning, Denmark to Paris, France is 750km.. and we have only been driving in a

SMALL SECTION of Texas!

Sunday, December 25, 2011

Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Thursday, December 29, 2011

We will fly the 5000 miles back to Denmark..... just in time to rescue our

house sitters so they can go and have their own fun time on NYE!

But before we board that plane, let's look at our total trip of 1028 miles (1654km)

so you can see just how much of Texas we DID NOT see.....

So when we talk about everything being bigger in Texas, we ARE NOT KIDDING!

Merry Christmas Travels!

A good reminder....especially at this time of the year

2011-12-10T10:35:00.035+01:00

I loathe emails that have "FW: Story of WHATEVER" in the subject line.
And 99.9% of the time, if I do happen to get one, I delete it without ever reading it.
My mom knows how I feel about these "story emails", so when she actually does forward me one, I know it must be worth the time to read it. This week I received one such story..... It really pricked my heart and made me think.

Its subject is something that I have thought about a lot in the last several years---- it started the moment I moved to another continent.... continued the closer I got to 40... and still continues each day, as I watch Jess grow into a young woman finding her own way in the world. As she and Jeff embark on their adventures together, I am hoping she will learn the lessons of this story MUCH sooner than I have. And I hope it touches you the way that it does me each time I read it.

A friend of mine opened his wife's underwear drawer and picked up a silk paper wrapped package. "This, he said, "isn't any ordinary package." He unwrapped the box and stared at both the silk paper and the box.

"She got this the first time we went to New York City , 8 or 9 years ago. She has never put it on as she was saving it for a special occasion. Well, I guess this is it."

He walked over to the bed and placed the gift box next to the other clothing he was taking to the funeral home because his wife had just died the day before. He turned to me and said, "Never save something for a special occasion. Every day in your life is a special occasion."

Those words changed my life. Now I read more and clean less.I sit on the porch without worrying about anything.I spend more time with my family, and less time at work.I understand that life should be a source of experience to be lived up to, not something that we "get through".

Now I use crystal glasses every day...

I'll wear new clothes to go to the supermarket if I feel like it.

I don't save my expensive perfume for special occasions; I use it whenever I want to.

The words Someday and One Day are fading away from my vocabulary. If it's worth seeing, listening or doing, I want to see, listen, or do it NOW.

Now you can understand why my mom went ahead and forwarded it to me....and why it means so much to me that I wanted to share it today. For the first 2 decades of my adult life, I stressed and worried about STUFF; stuff that had nothing to do with the REALLY important things in life. And now, I MAKE time (and space in my budget) for the stuff that matters......

People often give me a hard time for how much we travel, but I intend, every single day, to fulfill that Will Smith movie quote that says that "Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away."

And now that Jeff is becoming a permanent part of our family (yeah, he really is...), I hope to extend my "life-long learning" to him too.... I want to show my kids (both of them now!) about finding the moments that take their breaths away.... I want to teach them to appreciate each and every day and realize that life is to be experienced and enjoyed; it is not something done TO US and that we just GET THROUGH.

Jess and I have been BLESSED to have 2 men in our lives that love us as we are! (Because trust me, we are not easy!) But I want her to learn with her new life with Jeff what I have learned over the years with Mads. Life is precious. Life is fleeting. And life is to be GRABBED BY THE HORNS and LIVED. Don't waste time doing things you hate. Find a path that allows you to do things that you CHERISH. And start this Christmas.

We have a LOT of miles (1028, to be exact) to cover during our 9 days in Texas this Christmas season, but I refuse to see it as "one of those trips that we just get through" because we have planned an itinerary that allows our lives to intersect with the lives of the people that matter the most to us. We don't get to see our extended family very often, so if driving 1028 miles in 9 days allows us to have a little time with each of them, then we will figure out a way to enjoy every minute on the Texas highways..... Yes, there will be music and road games, for sure. Lots of Starbucks and Sonic stops. Plus several occasions to stop and take photos of those great Texas things that "shock the heck outta Mads" when he sees them...

Merry Christmas!!!!!
I hope you have a season that TAKES YOUR BREATH AWAY!

And how was your day?

2011-12-09T08:47:00.001+01:00

1. I woke up yesterday at 615, a little bit grumpy because I felt kinda puny, but I had a LIST of things to tackle, so..
2. I got up, got ready, and headed out the front door to start the car (yes I warm it up before I get in... Otherwise why have butt-warmers? They need a chance to serve their purposes.)
3. Quick aside- Mads was in the shower at this point.
4. I opened the front door, saw it was raining, but noticed that it didn't feel too terribly cold.
5. So I ran down the four front steps we have.
6. Only successfully completed item #5 up to the second step. And down I went....down the last two steps, landing on the sidewalk, the fall being "broken" (no pun intended...see #22) by my left knee and foot.
7. As I attempted to get up (easier said than done), two early morning commuters (1 on bike, 1 on foot) passed right by me. No, they did not stop. But yes, they saw me. NO WAY to miss this display.
8. Managed to get inside, tears running down my face, and then I lay on the floor in the entry area, waiting for Mads to get out of the shower.
9. He discovers me and attempts to help, but I can't stop crying and won't let him touch my left side.
10. We get my jeans and shoe off to discover that it looks like said left side was in a car wreck.
11. He tells me to stay home from work so I can go to the ER as he was worried something was broken because yes, at that point--still crying.
12. Stubborn butt that I am, I insist I am fine.... Still crying.
13. Clothes are changed, mascara removed from my face, original shoe choice exchanged for UGGs (because now my foot seems to be expanding) and off I go....at 830am. Only an hour behind schedule.

Fast forward to 11:00
14. Pain is increasing by the second. I can hardly walk. Colleagues are telling me to go to the ER. Emails arrive from Mads begging me again to go to the ER. Only difference is this time I am hurting so much that I concede.
15. He calls the dr. to find out the process. We are told to be at the doctor's office no later than 2.
16. Mads meets me at the dr (yeah, driving a standard with a bum left foot... That's fodder for another blog)
17. Dr. asks me to remove my UGG so she can examine my foot. I soon realize that examine means she's going to TOUCH IT. Mads cannot believe the size of my toes and I can't believe I refrained from punching someone/thing as she EXAMINED it.
18. Dr. was worried enough that she said we needed an X-ray, so she sent us to the ER. Yes, in DK you have to (during office hours) go to your primary care physician to get a "ticket" to go to the ER.

Fast forward to 2:15
19. Arrive at the ER's X-ray dept, wait about ten minutes, and then it's my turn.
20. X-ray guy is super nice, asking me "hvor jeg oprindelig kommer fra" Which I discovered was his way of distracting me as he positioned my foot for the three X-rays. Yes he TOUCHED it too!
21. Sends me out to Mads while he reads the X-rays.
22. Five minutes later comes out with the news that the big toe is broken.
23. Sends us to the part of the ER that "repairs" you.
24. Nurse warns us that they are really backed up and asks for our patience.
25. After a 45 min wait (which after an ER experience in Houston of 6 hours, I was quite happy about) the dr calls my name and takes me back to get fixed up.
26. Yeah, she TOUCHED the toe as well...and this time I didn't hold back. I couldn't. ( you think I punched something, don't you?!) I screamed. And sobbed. The more she repaired, the harder I cried. Then she told me that it will take at least two weeks for me to have any real healing and relief, maybe longer, and all I can picture is the SIZE OF SCHIPOL AIRPORT.

Fast forward to 4:15
27. My knight in shining armor drives me home.... A little more than two hours later and the ordeal was over.
28. He put me on the couch, propped my foot up,and then I fill up on Advil. (Hey, I'd had a rough day...no judgment!)So again, I ask, "And how was your day?"Oh and did I mention how much this whole ordeal cost? Because the cost could be a concern right here at the holiday season.....who can afford a trip to the ER at Christmas?Answer: We can! Today's bill=ZERO. Each time I've used the Danish healthcare system , I've been nothing less than amazed.

29. Almost forgot--taking my husband and mother's advice--I called in sick for today. Not that walking is a direct task in my job, but it does play a big part and right now, walking is not on my list of possibilities. We'll see if today is better.

Blending of Traditions

2011-12-06T22:04:00.000+01:00

As I sit around my house and look at the Christmas decorations we have set out this year, it makes me think about all the expats I know who have a spouse/significant other from another nationality.

It is because as I look at our Nisse Calendar Candle (DANISH) which is sitting next to our stockings (AMERICAN), I think about how many people tell me how sad that they get at this time of the year because they have "left all their home country's traditions behind" and are trying to adapt to the new country's traditions.

And to that, I say "BALONEY".

Mads and I come from two different countries (which sometimes feels like two different worlds! LOL) that celebrate Christmas in two different ways. And our home reflects them BOTH. I brought all my Christmas stuff with me when I moved, and we have created an incredibly cozy holiday season the last 4 years with a blending of both cultures. We have also promised our families that we will "hold Christmas" with them every other year so that way everyone can plan accordingly and no one misses out all the time... It takes saving up our money to make sure that we can be in the US every other Christmas, but it is a choice we make because it is important to us and to them.

This may sound too organized for your taste, but I think it is CRITICAL that when couples come from two different nationalities, they MUST create their own family traditions together and those traditions MUST include something from both of their worlds..... Take the best from both worlds, add your own special twist to them and make new traditions. Then instead of getting sad about the holiday season rolling around, you get excited about unpacking the things that you have gathered TOGETHER.... It really is a GREAT way to usher in the season!

How do you know the Christmas season has begun?

2011-12-02T18:53:00.000+01:00

Some might say it's when Santa Claus has arrived at the shopping malls.
Others might say it's when the first light on the Advent Candle Wreath has been lit.
Still others might say it's when that first gift has been bought.

But in Jylland (that's JUTLAND for you non-Danish speakers!), we know that the Christmas season is upon us when it's about 540pm, and the television is tuned in to TV2, and you see THIS:

Copenhageners might disagree, but we Jyllanders know that when Gertrude, Oluf, Hansi, Fritz, and Gunther enter our living rooms, THE CHRISTMAS SEASON HAS ARRIVED!!

GLÆDELIG JUL!

Internationals helping internationals

2011-12-01T00:31:00.002+01:00

We started something new in Herning last week... something that I personally think is incredibly cool! It is a chance for the members of International Society to do something to Pay It Forward with the international students in the Herning area. This is an initiative of which I am really proud to be a part!

Read all about it here:
THE NETWORK LOUNGE

Once upon a time...

2011-11-30T17:13:00.001+01:00

on September 30, 2011, 28 Danish students boarded a plane in Billund, Denmark....
bound for Seattle, Washington USA....

with no idea of what awaited them.

For two months they lived with American families, ate American food, and did American things. But most importantly they went to school at an American college!

They collected memories, drank lots of coffee, bought lots of Apple products, and took lots of pictures. But most importantly they learned what it is like to take the same subjects they take at Herning Gymnasium in classrooms that use more American teaching methodologies.

And two months later, on November 29th, they experienced one more very American thing....

And today they head back to Herning, Denmark, FOREVER CHANGED.

Treasures in Fremont

2011-11-28T14:08:00.000+01:00

Every big American city seems to have its own version of Fremont.

It's that Artsy/New Age/Vegetarian-eating/Yoga-doing/Vintage-shoppingish kind of area that no matter how "big city" the rest of the city gets, this area stays the same. The people there seem to move a little slower, appreciate things a little more, and often seem oblivious that Big City Life is just a mile or two away....It is AWESOME. And of course, folks in communities such as Fremont believe that their home is the center of all things.... And Fremont, Seattle is no different.... They even have the street sign to prove it! It is definitely the kind of place that you MUST visit if you are in Seattle....

You will find used book stores with all kinds of treasures!
Plus a vegan/vegetarian restaurant... and yes I ate there ....just to try it out! I was a vegetarian for nine years, but have no clue what would constitute a VEGAN MENU! But I learned, and I actually ate an order of SWEET POTATO BISCUITS with CASHEW GRAVY! Not bad!!!
If you are there on Sunday, you will get to shop in the Fremont Sunday market where you can buy handmade things and you just might see something a little bit Danish!

You can see the Interurban Statue...
As well as the largest statue of Lenin in the United States... which was brought back to the US by an American veteran who was teaching in Slovakia. He found the sculpture lying face down after it was toppled in the 1989 Revolution. He recognized the artist's skill and craftsmanship and was determined that the statue should be preserved. He mortgaged his house to acquire the sculpture and brought it back to Washington.

The statue has encountered a great deal of controversy over the years as many Americans think that it does not belong here. But in the opinion of Lewis Carpenter (the man who brought it to Fremont), art is supposed to make us FEEL, (not necessarily feel good) and the responses toward this statue prove that the work has done its job... People do FEEL a variety of things when they see it. Carpenter believes it is proof that ART outlives POLITICS.

And one more thing you must see if you are in Fremont is the very famous FREMONT TROLL under the Aurora Bridge.

And this troll does not just eat Billy Goats...he also eats Volkswagen Buses!
Fremont is the kind of place that just makes you feel good!

Beauty...just outside the city

2011-11-27T00:34:00.003+01:00

Visiting big amazing cities is AWESOME but as a traveler, you have to remember that many of the AMAZING things in the world are found just a little ways OUTSIDE the city limits.

And Seattle is no different.

Drive east about 30 miles outside of Seattle and you will find one of the North America's wonders-- The Snoqualmie Falls. I saw this last year with Mads and Jess and was happy when Gitte (the colleague I am traveling with) asked about visiting it this weekend. It really is an incredible thing to see.

Snoqualmie Falls is a 268 foot waterfall located in the foothills of the Cascade Mountains....isn't that awesome.... a waterfall in the CASCADING (yeah, I modified the word a bit) Mountains?

As I stood there watching the water spill over those granite cliffs, I remembered a shirt that I had seen in the gift shop.... a shirt that encourages us to take a little LIFE ADVICE from the waterfalls.....

They really are words to live by:

1. Go with the flow.

2. Roar with excitement.

3. Let your cares fall away.

4. Create your own music.

5. Immerse yourself in nature.

6. Stay active.

7. And my personal favorite..... Make a splash!

So when you travel, remember these 4 things:

1. Pack comfy shoes.....

2. Get OUT of downtown...

3. Journey OFF the beaten path....

4. Prepare to be amazed.

You won't be disappointed!

10 things that make me smile

2011-11-26T15:09:00.000+01:00

I have been in the US for less than 48 hours and here are the reasons that I have had a smile on my face the entire time:

1. My hotel room has a bathtub.

2. I had a pumpkin spice latte yesterday and am headed down to get another quite soon (plus more after that).

3. I have already eaten at 2 fave places (Chipotle and PF Changs) and have more faves on the very near horizon.

4. I got to hear about a dozen high school bands playing in yesterday's Macy "Day After Thanksgiving" Parade.

5. I am getting to hear about the END of the NBA lockout LIVE on ESPN!

6. I am only 2 hours behind Jess and my mom instead of 7 hours ahead so we can text/talk more!

7. I am passing people on the streets who are smiling, I am riding elevators with people who SPEAK to me voluntarily, and I am being bumped into and then being apologized to! :-)

8. I am getting the chance to show my colleague, Gitte, all kinds of wonderful American things! (Although she is afraid that if we stay longer than 6 days, she will be "poorer and fatter"!) So, yeah we are shopping and eating... lots!

9. I scored 2 pairs of jeans at Old Navy for FIFTEEN DOLLARS each! Yes, that is like 75kroner!

10. And I still have FOUR MORE DAYS to go!

An Expat Christmas

2011-11-24T00:05:00.001+01:00

When I was a little girl, I would wish for things like Barbies and bicycles for Christmas.
Now that I am an All Grown Up Expat, I wish for other things..... Things that may seem silly to other folks, but to us expats, they are the MOST INCREDIBLE THINGS.

Mads and I received a box of Expat Christmas goodies yesterday all the way from Missouri! And although we have not opened them yet (yeah, we will see how long THAT self-control lasts!), I have a feeling that there are some things in there that are going to MAKE MY DAY!!!! Especially because I know that Lisa and John, the incredible friends who sent this box to us KNOW the kinds of things that put a smile on our faces!!!!

But even MORE cool than the stuff IN the packages (well, EQUALLY as cool) is the fact that my friend, Lisa, whom I have only officially met once when she and John came to see us this summer on their Euro-trek, KNOWS enough about us to know that things that make me smile and that she took the time to go and buy those things, wrap them, and ship them to us all the way in Herning, Denmark......

I cannot wait to get home and tear open those packages!!! And then to THREATEN Mads that he better save some for me for when I get home next week! :-)

LISA NEIMAN, as a Christmas Elf, YOU ROCK!

The Silent Protestors

2011-11-23T00:39:00.001+01:00

You have your way of protesting. He has his.

The message here is quite clear:
Mom, you have been gone too much lately and I forbid you to put clothes in this suitcase and leave us again. Sincerely, Emmitt

Yeah, I am certain that Albert and Mads put him up to this.

The Purpose of Literature

2011-11-22T14:29:00.001+01:00

Literature is as old as speech. It grew out of human need for it, and it has not changed except to become more needed.

The ancient commission of the writer has not changed. He is charged with exposing our many grievous faults and failures, with dredging up to the light our dark and dangerous dreams for the purpose of improvement.

So that today, St. John the apostle may well be paraphrased: In the end is the Word, and the Word is Man - and the Word is with Men.

--my favorite lines from Steinbeck's Nobel Prize Speech in 1962

Dear John Steinbeck,
Thank you for writing literature that I have the PRIVILEGE of sharing with my students year after year.
Introducing you to them is one of the greatest parts of my career.
Sincerely,

Ode to a Bathroom

2011-11-21T07:05:00.000+01:00

When we travel (now that I live in bathtubless Denmark....insert violins here.....), the most important thing to me is that my hotel room has a tub. Sometimes I am lucky....sometimes, not.

However when I travel in Europe, sometimes I get TWO SURPRISES when I enter the hotel room as I did last week in Valencia, Spain.

First--no tub.
Second-- another doggone bidet.

Seriously.
I think of myself as a pretty culturally-adept gal... I know how to do things "when in Rome" no matter how COUNTRY (aka tiny bit redneck) I am at home.... HOWEVER, every time I went to the bathroom in my hotel room this past week, this lovely porcelain creature sat there directly across from me, WILLING ME to try it. Did I? OF COURSE NOT because

1) although they gave me an instruction card for how to open the electronic blinds on the window, there was NOT such a card for this thing (there is NEVER a manual for this and I am NOT ABOUT to die of a heartache in a hotel room and have the last google search they find on my computer be "how to use a bidet")

and

2) Even if I could somewhat imagine how this works, it does NOT look comfortable, easy or possible. Nope. NOT IN THE LEAST.

So today's post is ODE TO A BIDET because from me, a blog post is all this porcelain god will ever get. Is it just me??????? Am I really THAT much of a redneck??

Wanna have a little fun?

2011-11-19T11:15:00.000+01:00

This week's Big Bang Theory was, as always, a RIOT! However Mads and I made a very cool discovery as we were watching this morning....
See if you can figure out from this screen shot WHAT we found that was SO COOL!!

Hint: Remember...this is something KELLI & MADS would think is awesome.

Ode to a traveler...

2011-11-18T06:49:00.007+01:00

I travel a lot. Sometimes it feels like too much; however it never feels that way when I'm planning or preparing for the travel. The feeling only comes at the end of a long and tiring trip or on one of those in which awful things happen like being in a different country than your clean underwear and toothbrush.

But in honor of this Christmas season, when so many of us will be embarking on journeys around the globe in order to spend the holidays with the ones we love, I thought it would be appropriate to share my Christmas wish list related to air travel.

No, this list is not about destinations or sights that you might find on my bucket list.

Rather it is a list of SUGGESTIONS FOR BEHAVIOR for all those other passengers who will be traveling WITH us on these journeys around the globe this holiday season.

Here is my Top Five List of things I would like all passengers to consider prior to their boarding. (and if not all passengers, then definitely those flying with KLM to Houston, Texas on December 21.) (And trust me...you need to read all 5!)

1. Unless you can find contradictory proof in the Bible of Airplane Rules and Regs, I am quite certain that armrests are considered community property. They do not automatically belong to the person with the largest elbows or with the largest bodies. Let's all be polite and where the armrests are concerned, perhaps we could share? Take turns? Alternate? Rotate? I think you get the picture.

2. I can appreciate that we all have different philosophies and practices related to personal hygiene--often related to culture. These are fine for when we are at home;. however can we all agree that when we are flying with hundreds of others in the close quarters of a 747, we will all apply DEODORANT prior to boarding?

3. I can also appreciate that we all have different parenting methods--some less, can we say, "hands on" than others? However your parenting practices need to be adjusted a bit when you are flying with your very young children because again--the close quarters of a 747 do not really allow for you to just let your child do whatever the heck he wants to do. He should be taught/trained/reminded that a person is sitting in the seat in front of his. Don't force said person into being the bad guy by his/her having to repeatedly turn around begging your child to stop ramming his feet into his/her kidneys.

4. The vast majority of passengers on those long trans-Atlantic flights take off their shoes. I know that I certainly do; however, please do us all a favor. If you are a person who tends to have feet that sweat (aka smell), pack an extra pair of socks for the journey. (And by pack, I mean in your hand luggage!) You cannot assume that the removal of your "sweaty by association" shoes will solve the issue as you let your feet air out. You may feel better, but those of us inhaling your feet's release from their captors will not feel better. And if there's one thing that doesn't mix well with the air circulation in a 747, it's sour feet. Simple solution-put on a fresh pair of socks as soon as you take off your shoes. Our noses will thank you.

5. My final suggestion has nothing to do with your personal hygiene or parenting skills. (Did I hear a collective sigh of relief?) Rather it's all about your attitude. We all get stressed in airports--delays, lost baggage, canceled flights, and the list goes on. None of these things makes us happy, but this year as you fly to be with your loved ones for the holiday season, look at the men and women greeting you as you board that plane. They are working during the Christmas season to ensure that there are enough flights to get all of us "home" so BE NICE TO THEM. Forget about all the things about the trip that went wrong or wasn't what you expected before you entered the plane Think instead of the human factor--the human factor that is going to take care of you all the way through that flight so you are rested and ready to spend Christmas with the people you love.

And if these first five were not too much work for you as you began to prepare for that December flight, I'd like to ask you to do one more thing. Please? It doesn't require much effort! As you deplane, tell the flight crew THANK YOU for getting you home for Christmas. You might shock them a bit, but I guarantee you will make their days and you'll make the next flight they work for the next group of holiday travelers just a little bit better!

World-wide English

2011-11-17T06:43:00.011+01:00

I LOVE how international our life is in Herning. And I LOVE that within the 600+ members of International Society, we have 65 different nationalities (and no, that does not include how many different STATES the Americans come from! Well, except for the Texans, of course!!!)

And do you know what that diversity in nationalities means??? It means that we actually have 65 different kinds of English spoken at all of our events! It is amazing that we have ONE COMMON LANGUAGE between all of us, yet it sounds just a little bit different from person to person....

And this week as I have been working at the EAIE Academy in Valencia, I have been in a team of 14 other International Program Coordinators...from places like the Netherlands, Russia, England, Ireland, Spain, Denmark, Finland, Sweden, Czech Republic and France.... which has meant that within our group, we have had LOTS of different kinds of English but yet, as INTERNATIONAL EDUCATORS we were all "speaking the same language" this week. During our last module of the academy, our trainers showed us this video and I JUST HAD TO SHARE! Trust me.....this will be the best 41 seconds you spend all week! You gotta LOVE LANGUAGE!!

What kind of parent are you?

2011-11-16T18:18:00.003+01:00

I saw this advertisement in Århus last week and it made me think about HOW we parent...
--Do you encourage your child to conform (to society, the rules, the norm, whatever....)
--Or do you encourage him to TRULY be him/herself no matter how much that path contradicts the path you WANT for him/her?

People have often asked me things like "Why on earth did you let Jess color her hair purple?" or "Why on earth did you let her get another tattoo?" or "Why on earth did you let her pierce her nose?"

The first thing that makes me GIGGLE (ok, LOL) about these questions is the word "LET"... pretty sure that she does not do things such as these because I "LET" her... (since all of these occurred AFTER the age of 17) Anyway...

I have NEVER been the kind of mom who asked her kid to fit in a mold.
Cases in point:

She wore pink fringed cowboy boots for several weeks in a row in preschool. (I shuddered a tiny bit, but never said a word.).......
She befriended people in elementary school who most kids from her "circle" would never have given the time of day. (and I CHEERED!).....
She took advanced math in 8th grade in order to avoid taking math her senior year while everyone else did it to "get to Calculus".... (I supported her choice because it was not me sitting in that math class although I wanted to show her information from universities on a daily basis about what they wanted from their applicants)......

So yeah, she has always done things her own way and sometimes no matter how much I want to try and make her "more like me"... (OMG, WHY do we do that to our kids??!!), I hope she has felt supported all the way...through every "Jess-like" decision she has made (and yes, I have picked up the pieces when her decisions were not so great, but she had to figure it out herself). Some call me permissive; some call me irresponsible. But I hope my kid has felt empowered each step of the way.... in fact, I am pretty sure she would say that she has.

One reason I love the Danes....

2011-11-15T20:02:00.000+01:00

This was one of the things that actually put me off a bit when I first arrived, but it is one of the things that either:

1) I have grown to love, or

2) It was really great all along, but I was too uptight to appreciate it.

The Danes are "CALL 'EM LIKE YOU SEE 'EM" Folks...and I appreciate that. Maybe it's an age thing.... I have mellowed out the last few years and realize life is too short to just tiptoe around things. And the more I discover this, the more I am convinced that my MoMo Fontenot would have gotten along JUST FINE in Denmark... she was indeed a "call 'em like you see 'em" lady!

This picture proves my point.

Is it a "throw pillow" or a "decorative pillow" or an "accent pillow"?? Why get all fancy... just call it like it is! And yes, this was an ACTUAL SIGN I took a picture of in downtown Herning last week!

(PS: "Puder" means pillows

and "Tilbud" means offer".)

Headed South

2011-11-13T00:42:00.001+01:00

I am going HERE today:

and I am staying HERE:

(which I pray has TUBS in the rooms!!)

and from Hotel Barceló, I will have a view of:

which will be my first place to visit as soon as I check in today!

I intend to eat lots of this (possibly every day I am there!) since

Valencia is considered to be the place where it originally comes from:

and will attend all of my workshops with the

"European Association of International Educators" here:

It's going to be a GREAT week!

Discovering our world

2011-11-12T11:15:00.000+01:00

Have you ever heard of GEOCACHING ?? You can read all about it here: www.geocaching.com, but in a nutshell:

GEOCACHING is a real-world outdoor treasure hunting game. Players try to locate hidden containers, called geocaches, using GPS-enabled devices and then share their experiences online.

Does it sound a little bit nerdy, but at the same time, a little bit cool? Well, I can assure you it is REALLY nerdy AND REALLY cool...all at the same time! I have been reading up on it for a few weeks now, but last weekend, I took the plunge and went on a search for my first Geocache.

We had already planned to take Albert to the hundeskov on Sunday afternoon so I searched for geocaches in that same vicinity...and discovered there were about 20 within a couple miles of the hundeskov. However since this was my first attempt, I took the website's advice and went for one marked "EASY"! Then came the hard part..... explaining to Mads what I wanted to do after we had walked Albert..... Being the loving and supportive husband he is (and also having the good sense that when I get an idea in my head, I will not let it go until I see it through!), he consented to coming along on this "MAGICAL TREASURE HUNT" (as I called it)

So I set the location on my iPhone when we came out of the hundeskov and away we went..... I have to admit it was so exciting to watch the little blue dot get closer and closer to the coordinates of the Geocache we were hunting... and then we went go to the correct coordinates, the real fun began... figuring out WHERE it was hidden! I knew it was in one of "geocache approved/animal-proof/weather-proof" boxes, but it was not in plain sight... EVEN MADS got into the hunt.... but then after a few minutes, VICTORY was ours!!

Some caches have things you can take (as well as leave your own contribution) while others are clues to more geocaches...while still others are just simple caches that you find and then log your name as one of the discoverers! My first geocache was the third category--you find it and then log your name in the book amongst all the others who had walked that path before you. This geocache (#1 På tur i Løvbakkerne)that we found last Sunday has been in place since May of 2009...more than TWO YEARS! And the greatest thing is that it is #1 in a series of 12 other caches.... It is located along a path not too far from our favorite hundeskov, but it is on a path that we HAVE NEVER BEEN ON before! Which is the whole point of Geocaching....it gets you out into the world so you can discover new things along the way!
And as you can see from the log book that was with this cache, it is for ALL AGES! What a cool thing for a family to do together!!

I leave for Spain tomorrow and am already looking forward to finding a Geocache or 2 while I am there...something to get me off the beaten path, in order to discover something awesome!

#1 På Tur i Løvbakkerne may have been my first Geocache, but as Mads has told everyone.... IT WILL NOT BE THE LAST!

A student making a difference.....

2011-11-09T16:32:00.000+01:00

Today our students (as well as all the gymnasium students in DK) were not at school.

Because today was Operation Dagsværk.

Every year on a Wednesday in November gymnasium students in Denmark work together on a project from around the globe....last year the focus was on Zimbabwe and this year it is on Peru; specifically the human rights of the people living in Peru's rainforest. The idea behind Operation Dagsværk is that students are excused from one day of school in order to participate in different initiatives to raise money for the project. The goal is that each student raise 300dkk .... (There are 58 gymnasiums in our region so if each one has an average of 300 students and there are five regions in DK... you do the math! It could really amount to a great deal of money going to a very worthy cause!)

Sadly some students take advantage of the day off and just pay the 300dkk themselves instead of actually participating in some type of work/project during the day. But instead of talking about those that abuse the day, I want to tell you about one that really understood what the day was supposed to represent....and he has only been living in Denmark for a little more than two months.

Petru Cotarcea came to Herning Gymnasium from Romania this year. He is new to Denmark and to Danish culture, but he is not new to the concept of GIVING. He is a violinist... a very good violinist in fact. As one of the school's International Coordinators, I have the privilege of working quite a bit with Petru.... but today I saw another side of him.

Petru came to us with the idea of using his violin as a way to collect donations for Operation Dagsværk so I arranged with the manager of the Herning Center for him to come and set up a spot within the "Herning Mall" where he could play. We printed posters to advertise what he was collecting the money for and then at 10:30 this morning, I dropped him off at the shopping center.

I hoped and prayed that he would have a good reception because I thought it was incredible that he had the idea to SHARE a PART OF HIMSELF with the community as a way to raise the funds. He texted me at 12.45 to let me know that he was ready to be picked up and brought back to the school to turn in his collections.

When I picked him up, I asked if many had stopped to listen to him play and of those, if any had made any donations. He seemed a bit disappointed when he told me that many had stopped, but that most had only given coins. I smiled, knowing that he (like me when I first moved here) thought of "coins" as not being very valuable....however, in DK, our coins are worth several US DOLLARS!

We got back to the school and began to count his money..... (and in the back of my mind, I was just hoping he would have enough to make the individual student goal of 300dkk).... However, I should not have been worried because the people of Herning came through! As this young man gave a part of himself to those walking through the Herning Center today, they, in turn, gave something as well... EIGHT HUNDRED and FIFTY SEVEN KRONER to be exact.

I thoroughly enjoy having Petru at Herning Gymnasium and will miss him when he leaves us at the end of the year, but I think that the mark he is leaving on our lives is one that we will not soon forget. Now it's your turn to enjoy some of his music... (this video is from 2010)

Speaking Cajun....

2011-11-07T01:05:00.063+01:00

Often, when I am talking about food or cooking, I reference something that I assume the listener knows, but then I see that blank on his/her face and realize that a little translation is needed! So I thought that a post on the Cajun Dictionary might be in order both here and on our cooking blog!

CAJUN DICTIONARY

But we have to start with the BASIC VOCAB... What the heck is a Cajun?! (although my father-in law insists that we are a form of Indians...right down to the FEATHERS... WE ARE NOT.)

The REAL definition is this:
CAJUN: Slang for Acadians, the French-speaking people who migrated to South Louisiana from Nova Scotia in the eighteenth century. Cajuns were happily removed (they say they kicked us out; we say we chose this life!!) from city life preferring a rustic life along the bayous. The term now applies to the people, the culture, and the cooking. Our food is spicy and so is our attitude!

So here are a few more for your dictionary:
THE HOLY TRINITY.... the most basic Cajun term you need to know.... Onions, Bell Pepper, Celery. Period.

Andouille (ahn-do-ee)	A spicy country sausage used in Gumbo and other Cajun dishes.
Bayou (bi-yoo)	The streams crisscrossing Louisiana.
Beignet (ben-yea)	Delicious sweet doughnuts, square-shaped and minus the hole, lavishly sprinkled with powdered sugar.
Bisque (bis-k)	A thick, cream or milk-based shellfish soup, usually made with crawfish, shrimp or oysters. (but in our house, NEVER oysters!)
Boudin (boo-dan)	Hot, spicy pork mixed with onions, cooked rice, herbs, and stuffed in sausage casing. (OMG The Danes need to learn how to create this...they say they are the Pork Kings, but until Boudain can be found in the local butcher shop, I say that DK is still a bit incomplete on the meat-front!)
Bourrée (boo-ray)	French for "stuffed”, it is the name of a Cajun card game which requires the loser of a hand to stuff the pot with chips. We actually had a Bourree group in Dallas when I lived there... wonder if I could get this going in DK???
Café au Lait (kah-fay-oh-lay)	Coffee with steamed milk. No, Starbucks did not create the Latte concept! We Cajuns have had it for generations. But perhaps this is why I am SOOO drawn to SB! It's in my blood!
Cayenne (ki-yan)	A hot pepper that is dried and used to season many Louisiana dishes.
Chicory (chick-ory)	An herb, the roots of which are dried, ground; roasted and used to flavor coffee.
Coonass (koon-ass) BE VERY CAREFUL USING THIS ONE!!!	A controversial term in the Cajun lexicon: to some Cajuns it is regarded as the supreme ethnic slur, meaning "ignorant, backwards Cajun"; to others (like me!) the term is a badge of pride. In South Louisiana, for example, one can often see bumper stickers reading "Registered Louisiana Coonass". The word originated in South Louisiana, and is derived from the myth that Cajuns frequently ate raccoons. Like I said... BE CAREFUL; I call myself and my family members "COONASS", but you and I better have a GREAT relationship before you try it!
Couche-Couche (koosh-koosh)	A popular breakfast food, made by frying cornmeal and topping it with milk and/or cane syrup.
Courtbouillon (coo-boo-yon)	A rich, spicy tomato-based soup or stew made with fish fillets, onions, and sometimes mixed vegetables. The BEST is Catfish Courtbouillon, but I cannot find a Catfish-like fish in DK!!
Crawfish (craw-fish)	Crawfish resemble lobsters, but are much smaller. Locally, they are known as "mudbugs" because they live and grow in the mud of freshwater bayous. They can be served many ways: in etouffees, jambalaya, gumbos or, simply boiled. And you know you are a real CAJUN if you are willing to boil 'em and suck the heads before you eat the tail meat! :-)
Creole (cree-ol)	The word originally described those people of mixed French and Spanish blood who migrated from Europe or were born in Southeast Louisiana and lived as sophisticated city or plantation dwellers. The term has expanded and now embraces a type of cuisine.
Dirty Rice	Leftover cooked rice sauteed with green peppers, onion, celery, stock, liver, giblets and many other ingredients. It is a whole meal in itself.. .and don't forget to put in the HEART..that is the best part! Yes, the chicken heart.
Etoufee (ay-too-fay)	A smothered dish usually made with crawfish or shrimp. Crawfish and Shrimp etouffees are Cajun country specialties. We even eat it for breakfast over an omelette!
Gumbo (gum-boe)	A thick, robust roux-based soup. There are thousands of variations, such as shrimp or seafood gumbo, chicken or duck gumbo, okra and file' gumbo. But in my family, we NEVER make it with OKRA!!
Jambalaya (jum-bo-lie-yah)	Louisiana chefs "sweep up the kitchen" and toss just about everything into the pot. A rice dish with any combination of beef, pork, fowl, smoked sausage, ham, or seafood, as well as celery, green peppers and often tomatoes.
Joie de Vivre (zhwa-d-veev)	An attitude towards life
Laissez les bon temps rouler (lay-zay lay bon ton rule-ay )	Let the good times roll! This was the THEME for Mads' Birthday party last month! And it's the theme at Mardi Gras, too!
Maque Choux (mock-shoo)	A dish made by scraping young corn off the cob and smothering the kernels in tomatoes, onion, and spices. A STAPLE in our house! We never eat just REGULAR OL' Corn!
Mardi Gras (mardi graw)	Commonly known as Fat Tuesday, it is the day before Ash Wednesday, the first day of the Roman Catholic season of Lent. It's also the day of the Biggest Party on Earth!
Po-Boy	A sandwich extravaganza that began as a five-cent lunch for poor boys. Always made with French bread (not like what we call French bread in DK!), the best po-boys are stuffed with shrimp and spread with REMOULADE...again, NOT like what we have in DK!
Praline (praw-leen)	The sweetest of sweets, this New Orleans tradition is a candy patty made of sugar, cream and pecans. (Savannah, GA claims they created the praline, but we know the truth!)
Red Beans & Rice	The traditional Monday meal in New Orleans, red beans are cooked with ham or sausage and seasonings, and served over rice. Yes, it's a whole meal in itself!
Roux (rue)	Base of gumbos or stews, made of flour, oil, and onions. A STAPLE that you will find in the back of EVERY Cajun's fridge. Mads learned LONG AGO that you do not ever throw it away!
Zydeco (zi-de-co)	A relatively new kind of Creole dance music that is a combination of traditional Cajun dance music, R&B, and African blues. Want to see a sample?? CLICK on this video for the music:

And then here are some pics of our family.... Gettin' down in New Orleans.....

So hopefully now you know a bit more about WHAT/WHO I am and what the heck I am talking about when I get excited describing something related to food......Cajun culture is like nothing else.... and neither are the folks called Cajuns. 100% unique.

Travels around the world

2011-11-06T11:08:00.009+01:00

I LOVE to visit new places.
Living in Denmark the last 3 1/2 years has afforded me the opportunity to see so many cities that, before I moved, I had only read about.
Even more than the actual traveling, I LOVE to look around my home and see all of the things we have brought back from the wonderful places we have visited.

Mads and I are not big souvenir collectors, but we do have evidence of our travels throughout our house because we believe that those memories add a little something to our everyday lives each time we look at the things we have collected from around the world.

One thing we are particularly proud of is our B&W photo wall (which needs to be expanded because we have 4 more pics to add, but no room right now!) These are unique shots that the two of us have taken around the world.... it is always a cool thing when someone comes over and tries to figure out where each of the pics is from...

One of the most fun things we do as we travel is to search for that perfect thing to bring home... the thing that we can add to our home decor that will add something that was missing before... And I think we have found some pretty great additions over the last three years.

Like this hand-painted bowl from Istanbul that holds my earrings on the bathroom counter.....

.....and this handmade Czech glass vase that we bought in Prague... there were 3 in the shop and each of them was unique so I know we have a one of a kind...

One of my favorite treasures is my cast-iron teapot that we bought in San Francisco's China Town (the biggest Chinatown outside of China!) Even though it was HEAVY to bring home, it was worth using the extra pounds (and bringing back less JIF that time!) I love serving tea to my guests in it!

And what trip to London would be complete without SOMETHING from Harrods... I searched for a long time to find a tea box that I really liked and then on one of our trips to London, this one found me!

We have two prints from Amsterdam hanging in our home---both from the Van Gogh museum. There is just something HAPPY about both of them...

Our trip to Malaga was incredible because of the day we spent walking through Picasso's birthplace.... there was something really special about knowing that we were walking the same hallways and stairs as he did. And then I spent a LONG time going through all the prints that you could buy, trying to find the perfect one for our home... And then there was the day we drove to what appeared to be the middle of nowhere (at the top of a very steep, very narrow mountain) but in the end, we discovered the most quaint, most perfect family vineyard where the owner himself took us around sampling his wines. We are saving this bottle for a special occasion....

And then there is our recent trip to Savannah, Georgia. These treasures may seem silly to some, but I would MUCH rather thumb through my own Paula Deen cookbook than google recipes on The Food Network... I love that my cookbook has my own "marks" on it... clumps of dried flour, stains of vanilla, and some markings that mean something ONLY to me. And I am sure that I could use my oven timer as most normal folks do when I am baking, but again, there is just something special about baking desserts as my chicken timer from the "Lady and Sons Restaurant" counts down the minutes.

I leave for Valencia, Spain next weekend and am already wondering what wonderful things I will discover that I can bring home to our house and well as things that I can buy for my family... this is my way of bringing a bit of the world home.

A little Texas incorrectness....

2011-11-05T10:55:00.000+01:00

I LOVE LOVE LOVE "The Big Bang Theory".

Honestly I sit there for 20 minutes each week and ROLL ON THE FLOOR LAUGHING!

Especially on those episodes when Sheldon's mom comes for a visit.

She is from East Texas and I do declare that those writers NAIL IT every time she comes to town.

If any of this sounds funny, you MUST WATCH the episode below. (In four seasons of BBT, this one is in my top 3 faves!) Especially since I have been writing about how awesome Texas is...you need a taste of it from "the inside"! :-)

"Lord, Mary Cooper here. Coming to you from Gomorrah, California."

And this time she is in town in preparing to leave on a cruise called the: "Born Again Boat Ride".

Christian Quarterly gave the cruise a great review...
5 Thorny Crowns!

"You can put it on the menu with those Kung Fu letters but that don't make it sushi."

"Her parents are not not happy with her dating someone white."
"Now that's kind of funny. You don't think about it going that way."

A cat can have kittens in the oven, but that don't make 'em biscuits."

For this and other examples of Texas-sized political incorrectness spiced up with a little Bible-belt humor and "Texas sayins", CLICK HERE:

Top Ten Reasons Why Texas is Great

2011-11-01T23:26:00.016+01:00

The long awaited.....

TOP TEN Reasons why Texas is so GREAT that it should be tattooed on your foot:

10. CRICKETS.
Yes, I am serious. (and no, NOT the semi-baseball sport!)
Although I am not a fan of Texas Heat, I am a huge fan of sitting outside on the back porch (YEAH for all those Porch Nights!!) in the summer, listening to the crickets chirp. To me, it is NOT summer without that sound...
and it is something I miss in Denmark, the land of no crickets.
We sit outside in the summer, but there are no sounds. Kinda sad, in my opinion.
If I could have the Danish summer nights with a nice breeze and SUNLIGHT until midnight PLUS the chirping crickets of Texas, then to me, that would be the ultimate summer night!

9. Texas Lingo.
Yes, we did give the world "Y'ALL", but that is just the beginning!
There are LOTS of words/phrases that could be on this list, but here are some that I PERSONALLY use on a regular basis (causing some interesting looks here in DK!)

fixin' ..... Not as in "fixin the broken lamp".... but rather: I am fixin' to do that. (Honestly I TRY to keep this one at bay because we sound so uneducated when we say it, but I do hear it come out of my mouth every now and then)
holler .... Just holler if you need something. Yep, I use it OFTEN!
dadgumit .... a favorite "nice" curse word
and what have you ..... in Danish, it is like "osv...." ... We use it to end a sentence, with the assumption that the person we are talking to knows just what we are talking about..
coke .... In Texas this does not always mean "Coca Cola"... it really means soda (which is a YANKEE word!)

We also have some of our own units of measurement in Texas:

a mess of..... As in: "a mess of beans" (yes, it is a UNIT of measurement that all of our Texas grandmas can understand!)
She's about knee-high to a grasshopper... a measurement of height...
big ol' .... as in: I got a big ol' knot in my shoulders..or... He has a big ol' mess to clean up!
a bushel and a peck ... as in: I love you a bushel and a peck. My mom sang it to me... I sang it to Jess... and I have been known to sing it to Mads!

And then there is the VERY useful phrase to let everyone know you KNOW what you are talking about...

"This ain't my first rodeo!"

(Yes, as an English teacher, I confess. This is the one time I use ain't!)

And the phrase to let everyone know just how busy you are right now:

"Busier than a one legged man in a butt kickin 'contest!"

8. Driving Etiquette
This one shocked the heck outta Mads the first few times, but it grew on him pretty fast!!

The majority of Texans respect another driver's need to hurry, even if they don't feel the need to hurry themselves. They will almost always pull onto the shoulder of a two-lane road just so the guy behind can pass. But remember----you need to wave to say "thank you" as y'all zoom on by!

This seems like such a small thing, but it just one more example of how friendly we are..... helps restore your faith in the goodness of people! Remember: Just because we carry guns in our pick-ups, that doesn't mean we aren't friendly! We only use them if we have to! :-)

7. Bluebonnets.
There is something incredibly special about driving along the Texas highway and seeing the bluebonnets in bloom because it is the sign for all of us that winter is over.

You know--they are the STATE FLOWER of Texas (and you are not supposed to pick them!) but you are ENCOURAGED to stop alongside the road and plop your kids down in the middle of them and take their pic! We've ALL done it!

And where did Bluebonnets come from?? No matter what botanists say, Texans will argue that the only way to answer that question is with the LEGEND OF THE BLUEBONNET.

6. 99.5 THE WOLF.

Yes, seriously.

This item is not just about the awesomeness of "country music" in general, but to me, one of the things that makes our state great is 99.5 THE WOLF.

And now I must thank Apple for the "iTune radio" app because that means I can have the Wolf in the CAR, in the kitchen when I'm cooking, in my office... ALL OVER DENMARK! There is something pretty special to be sitting at my desk at work and hear "It's 2:00 in Texas!"

Makes those 5000 miles seem much smaller.

5. MEXICAN FOOD....and to be more specific... TEX MEX--THE ULTIMATE comfort food, hangover food, latenight scarfing: It has many purposes; all of them delicious. And in our house, Mexican Food IS A STAPLE!

And so far, I have been to every "Mexican food" restaurant in Herning, and all I can say is... We have NO Mexican food restaurants in Herning, REGARDLESS what the signs say.

If we want Mexican food, we stay in.

4. ICED TEA AKA "Wine of the south"

No, I do not want beer, wine or coke with my dinner.

I WANT ICED TEA. Unfortunately I live on a continent that has not figured out the iced tea phenomenon yet.

However I do love that when I give folks the choice of what they want to drink when they come to our house for dinner, MORE OFTEN THAN NOT, they pick ICED TEA!

In fact, I am drinking a glass of it as I type this blog.

_________________________________________________________

So now for the Top Three.

The three things that I think are most special about Texas life and Texas culture... and without these three, the other 47 wouldn't matter. Family is a big deal in Texas. A really big deal. I hope it's that way in other cultures, but I can assure you.... FAMILY is the key to all we do in the south.

I hope you listen to all three songs.

And that they touch you the way they do me.

_________________________________________________________

3. MOMMAS.

2. DADDIES.

1. DAUGHTERS.

The greatest part of my life in Texas is that girl living out in the middle of the country, just outside College Station. Sure, I love Mexican food, Mavericks, and Country Music. But there is a kind of love reserved for our daughters... it's like nothing else.

I hope you have fallen a little in love with my Texas as I have shared these 50 things.
Trust me; Texas is not the kind of place you will visit only once.

Mads thought that in 2006.... and now look how his life turned out. :-)
We Texas gals are something special.... we come from good people. Just ask...we'll tell ya!

October 31

2011-10-31T09:39:00.001+01:00

Am I the only American living an expat life that DOES NOT miss Halloween? I am not sure if it is because I don't have small children??? Or the fact that, other than trick or treating, we did not really celebrate Halloween as I was growing up?? No clue, but to me, today is just October 31... and it was not until I logged onto Facebook and saw all the "Happy Halloween" wishes that I realized it was today.

Is it just me?

Albert

2011-10-30T17:16:00.001+01:00

Over the last two weeks I have taken lots of pics of Albert... doing what he does best-- "ALBERT HYGGER SIG" which translated actually means "Albert is being cozy", but for some reason it just sounds better in Danish.

If you are considering buying a dog because you want someone to snuggle with, you need a ~~Albert~~ Bichon! Trust me. He really does increase our quality of life.

Case in point:

He and Emmitt positioned themselves on the couch and then beckoned me over... "Mom, we saved a spot for you!"

Albert is never far away...here he is just waiting for dad to finish playing Farkle so he can focus 100% on being "HYGGELIG" with Albert.

Here is Albert protesting the morning walk at 730am. "ARE YOU KIDDING ME?? Maybe if I scrunch down really well into this blanket, they will leave me alone and forget this morning walk madness!"

He LOOOOOOOOOVES when Jess is in town....

But his favorite place is snuggled in as close as possible with his momma. And quite frankly, his momma is pretty ok with it too!

EVERY home needs an Albert.

Texas is still great... almost to the Top Ten!

2011-10-29T14:05:00.001+02:00

A friend asked the other day if I am doing these posts because I am homesick. And honestly,the reason I am writing them is because I was sent a list of the Top 50 about a week ago...and that list linked to the Top 100 and all I could think of as I read those 150 things was, "WAIT! What about ______ or ______?! How could they leave _____ off the list!"

So that is what prompted it. :-)
I am not homesick; I am just proud.
Yes, I am an American, but first and foremost, I am a Texan.

22. Yes m'am and No sir.
Don't be shocked and don't feel old when you hear it. Because you WILL hear. Gotta love the manners of the southern folk!

21. The SHEER SIZE. Seriously. You can drive 13 hours and still be in Texas...... And along that drive you can experience "global" places like DUBLIN, Texas; PARIS, Texas; TURKEY, Texas; ATHENS, Texas, and even PALESTINE, Texas... So maybe we should require Texans to have a passport just to drive through the state! :-)
(Trivia: Did you know El Paso, Texas is CLOSER TO CALIFORNIA than to my hometown of Nederland, Texas?!)

20. Nederland, Texas..my hometown. It may have been settled by the Dutch (hence, NEDERLAND), but it is as close as you can get to Cajun Culture without being in Louisiana. This is an area where names like Fontenot (our family name), Broussard, and Thibodeaux are as common as Nielsen and Larsen are in Denmark!

19. Speaking of borders... Folks wonder why Texans don't often travel too far from home? Well, we not only have EVERY type of geography and landscape in our 696200 km2, but we also border 4 other states (New Mexico, Arkansas, Louisiana, and that state to the north) PLUS the Gulf of Mexico AND the country of Mexico....so a road trip through Texas can offer a lot! (although I still say we Texans need a passport and need to get out of the south every
now and again!)

18. "The Friendly State". Yes, every state in the US has a nickname and technically we are the LONE STAR STATE, but the word "Texas" comes from "Tejas" (a Caddo Indian word meaning FRIEND or ALLY), so if you "know" anyone from Texas, I can guarantee that you have a friend for life!

17. The Dallas Mavericks.
Because you see, I loved them LONG BEFORE they were NBA champs!
And one of the best purchases I ever made was the year I decided to get season tix for me and Jess... and the next year. And the next year. And the year after that.

16. Dirk Nowitzki. Amazing ON and OFF the court. We have bumper stickers in Texas that say:

And Dirk fits into that category. Other teams want him and have been wooing him....but he's a smart man. He knows a good thing when he sees it.

15. BBQ Crabs & 10 minutes-- the recipe to finding heaven on earth. The benefit of being from SE Texas is the 10 minute drive you need to cross the border into Louisiana to find ALL YOU CAN EAT BBQ CRABS at Starks Silver Dollar. Now of course, MoMo Fontenot would say that the fact that you could gamble in the back room while you rested from eating the first round of BBQ crabs was the BEST part of the drive. God, those are incredible memories..... I think I need to take my Viking there at least once....

14. Texas Rodeos.
Did you know the world's first rodeo was in Pecos, Texas in 1883? Whether you are a cowboy/girl or not, EVERYONE should experience an authentic Texas Rodeo AT LEAST ONCE! (And no, you do not have to wear boots... I never did! Right, DAD?)

13. There are A LOT of Texans in the world! And that is a good thing!! SEE #18 on this list! No matter where I travel in the world, when I say I am from Texas, IT NEVER FAILS that the person I am meeting is either 1) FROM Texas, 2) Has a relative/good friend in Texas, or 3) Wishes more than anything to someday TRAVEL TO Texas! So how many current residents are there in Texas???
About 24,750,00.....and that does not include the 15,000,000 heads of cattle!

Why even the little community of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex (where I lived before arriving in HERNING!) has more than 6,300,000 residents... which is more populous than THIRTY-ONE of the US States.... and is about 800,000 MORE THAN THE WHOLE COUNTRY of Denmark!

12. Texas truly has something for everyone..... We even have COWBOY CHURCH! Did you know the first "Cowboy Church" was started in Waxahachie, Texas? This is not something I will personally ever experience, but it is just an example of how Texas really does have something for you...no matter WHO you are!

11. The Comal River, just outside of New Braunfels. There is not a one of us that does not have a memory of floating the Comal on a hot summer day.... and for most of us, we have LOTS of memories from LOTS of summers.....

And I think that is really where my Top 50 list comes from.... each item is associated with a memory.... a smell, a taste, a warm feeling on my face.... So stay tuned. The Top Ten is coming soon!

The Center is Open!

2011-10-28T19:29:00.000+02:00

Remember this post: MY NEW JOB ?

I started on this new adventure in August, but the first two months have been consumed with planning and establishing contacts. However as of this Tuesday, 1 November, Det Internationale Elevcenter is "open" for the gymnasium students in Region Midtjylland.

I am really proud of the center's webpage that will be officially released next week!! In my opinion, it has turned out really great! Ieva Sulutaura and Ilze Bicevska-- 2 of Århus University's recent graduates in its International Communication & Multimedia department--built it and designed it from scratch! (so if you need the name of a good graphic designer, just let me know!!)

So click here and see what you think! (yes, it is in Danish, but I'd still love to hear your thoughts!!)

Texas is Great, TAKE 2

2011-10-27T00:03:00.002+02:00

Continued from here: Why Texas is great!

More of the Top 50 reasons that Kelli Nørgaard thinks Texas is great:

34. The stunning art museums in Houston, Dallas and Fort Worth. And the fact that we know enough not to act shocked at the idea that Fort Worth would have a world-class art museum. Really!!! If you live in DFW and have never been to a museum, shame on you!! They have all kinds of cool special events PLUS their normal day to day exhibits... beat the Texas heat in the summer and go to the museums!

33. Did you know that the odds of meeting an actual astronaut are higher in Texas than anywhere else? Seriously! No wonder Mads wants to move there!

32. George Strait (plus many of us Texas gals) have populated the state with our exes, so we are making sure that Texas population just keeps on growing... but actually this is more about those country greats like George......

31. Texas Sunrises over the Gulf.....even if you had a rough night, they can brighten your spirits and they are truly unlike sunrises in any other place on earth!

30. No matter what teams you cheer for or what sports you love the best, we can all be proud of the likes of sportsmen like Nolan Ryan, Tom Landry, Lance Armstrong, Lee Trevino, and Earl Campbell.

29. Matthew McConaughey. (No explanation needed.)

28. I LOVE that there is BBQ and then there is TEXAS BBQ...and believe me, they are NOT the same. We may have a state covered with the ugliest and seemingly useless tree on the planet (MESQUITE)...but boy do we know how to make the best of what God has given us. You haven't really had BBQ until you've eaten meat that has been smoked/roasted/grilled with mesquite wood!

27. Denmark may have "pølsehorn" but in Texas we have Kolaches (thank you Czech Republic!!) AKA "pigs in a blanket" and I am sorry DK... if I had tried yours first, I might think more highly of them, but there is nothing like stopping at a bakery on the way to school to pick up a few kolaches still warm from the oven!

26. I LOVE LOVE LOVE that no matter where you are, you can start singing; "The stars at night are big and bright" and someone in the crowd will either 1) sing the next line with you or 2) do the clapping part and then sing the next line with you! Even Sheldon Cooper (one of my current heroes) knows the power of it!

25. Friday Night Lights. Not the book, movie or show -- the real thing. High school football in small-town Texas is something everyone should experience at least once. Trust me. There is NOTHING quite like it on earth. And for that, we are actually quite proud!

24. Texas A&M Aggie Football. Whether your blood runs maroon, burnt orange of none of the above, EVERY Texan should experience an Aggie football game at least once. I used to think being an Aggie was like being a Moonie or a David Karesh follower; however, I admit, that there is something really cool and really special about being at Kyle Field with 90,000 people and watching the POWER that the FIVE Aggie Yell Leaders have to get the entire crowd chanting the same cheers... yeah, a LITTLE cult-like, but really really powerful!

23. Did we mention our State used to be a nation? Yeah, our state used to be a nation.
And that our flag is the only flag of the 50 states that can fly at the same height at the US flag?
Yeah, it can.

An Important Birthday

2011-10-26T00:01:00.003+02:00

2011 has been one of the hardest years in the life of our family because in February my dad was diagnosed with esophageal cancer. After a long road of chemo and radiation, we were confident that he had kicked the cancer's ass.

Then in May the doctors removed what was left of the tumor and performed an esophagectomy. Again, we were confident, while he was in the middle of that very long, very stressful surgery, he was kicking cancer's ass.

However, while the doctors were performing the esophagectomy, they discovered more cancer in his lymph nodes and recommended another round of chemo; but this time it was an experimental treatment that had had horrible side effects. However, in an effort to kick cancer's ass once and for all, dad agreed to the treatment. He struggled every day with what the "good medicine" was doing to his body, but he continued to fight.....he continued to KICK.

Then in September his latest PET Scan showed that the cancer was gone.

And although the doctor said that we would have to continue to monitor his scans in the months and years to come, for right now, in this moment, he is CANCER FREE.

And today he turns 65... on what might be, his most important birthday yet.

So Happy Birthday to Mike Rogers... who is not only my dad, but who is the man that I know personally who KICKED CANCER's ASS!

Mom & Dad in Crested Butte CO, October 2011

WWJD??

2011-10-25T00:20:00.001+02:00

In the 90s the slogan WWJD was circulating all over the globe... parents used it to teach lessons to their kids; church groups used it to ~~guilt~~ remind its teens about making good choices; even friends used it to help each other remember to stop and think before giving into some kind of peer pressure. We had t-shirts, bumper stickers, and of course, bracelets.

And whether you are a Christian or not, the concept behind it really is a good one. We all say we are good people. We all say that in the face of pressure or crisis, we would keep our heads about us and do the right thing..... Right?

But really, when hard choices confront us, do we always STAND and do the right thing? Or does fear take over? Fear of the unknown.... fear of the uncertainty....or even fear of the multiple tattoos! YES, you read correctly. So in the face of a.... sticky? uncomfortable? less than optimal? situation, WWYD??

This commercial came out in DK a couple of months ago and we have passed it around to our friends and family, but every time I see it, it reminds me of the lesson (and no, the lesson is NOT about "how to get a beer") :-) Enjoy....

Why Texas is great!

2011-10-24T00:14:00.005+02:00

Ain't bragging if it's true.

There are so many lists out there right now about which state is the best at this and which is the worst at that.... however a list was sent to me this week about WHY Texas is great....not great in one category or in one kind of ranking, but just 50 things that we Texans KNOW make our state great. (Actually the list should have more than 50 since we are the size of 1.5 Germanys or 18 Denmarks, but 50 will do for now!) And then as I read it, I saw that the list actually referenced ANOTHER list that found 100 more things that make Texas great.

So I read the 150 items, deleted quite a few, edited quite a few, and of course, added my own items. Shocker, I know! But we Texans do tend to take creative license when it comes to stuff like this because each of us wants to make sure that the things WE think are great are included as well!

So here are the Top 50 Reasons that Kelli Nørgaard thinks Texas is great and why every time someone in Denmark asks me where I am from, 100% of the time I say: TEXAS (no, I do not say the US or America.... and once you read my list, you will hopefully understand why!)

I consider myself quite an expert about Texas for several reasons (besides the fact that Texans tend to think they are experts "just cuz"!)
1. I lived there 38 of my 41 years on planet Earth.

2. I actually taught 4th grade Texas history one year. (and yes, it is true that our students get Texas history twice in their 12 years!)

3. In my 38 years, I have lived in every single part of the ~~country~~ state. In fact when I started school in Wichita Falls in the 6th grade, WF was actually the FIFTH city I had lived in since kindergarten (aka "null klasse" for you Danes).... and those 5 cities were ALL OVER the state.

4. I have a tattoo of Texas on my foot just to prove how GROUNDED I am in what in means to be a Texan.

5. I, like 99.9% of the Texans you meet KNOW what Texas culture is and we are proud of it. And no, I never owned a gun, a horse, or a pair of boots, but if that is all you think Texas culture is, you REALLY need to read my lists!

(Actually here is INSTALLMENT #1 because the list is such a big one....it needs to be broken up into a few different blog posts so you can really savor each item!)

Kelli's Top 50:
50. We gave the world the Quaid brothers (gotta claim 'em both), ZZ Top, Jamie Foxx, and Beyonce. You're welcome!

49. From a windswept dustbowl like Lubbock, Buddy Holly unleashed pop rock on the world that is still the basis for new and great music.

48. The State Fair on Texas-OU Weekend is an amazing, appalling, exciting thing to see, even if you're not wearing crimson or burnt orange.

47. The stunning ecological diversity of the state--from the arid canyons of Big Bend to the shadowy forests of the Big Thicket to the miles of sand along the Gulf Coast.

46. "Failure is not an option." This sums up generations of work at NASA that hopefully will not end with the shuttle era. (Wait, you DID know that NASA is also in Texas, not just Florida, right??!!)

45. The remoteness of El Paso: Waaaaay out there in the desert, all by its lonesome, still considered part of the family. We may be big, but that just means our family has that many more members!

44. You can go to an opera and a rodeo and see the same people in the crowd at both (sometimes wearing the same pair of Wranglers to both events!)

43. You have to admit -- Texas politicians can be very entertaining. Dangerous, yes; misguided, almost always; but at least they provide lots of laughs, none of them intentional.

42. For better or worse, three of our last nine presidents have been from Texas. Please, hold the applause.

41. Port Arthur: A gritty Golden Triangle refinery town that somehow produced Janis Joplin, Jimmy Johnson, Robert Rauschenberg and MY MOMMA.

40. Watching families in their "Sunday best" (do you know what Sunday best is??) taking the same bluebonnet pictures that generations have taken before them. Yes, we've done it and I do remember Jess complaining about BEES??? Or something like that! But boy was that picture cute!

39. When Katrina refugees needed places to stay, we took them into our schools, our churches, our homes and now that we are on the other side of that crisis, I can personally say that the students and families who came to my school during that time blessed my life abundantly more than I could have ever blessed theirs.

38. The most popular poker game in the world isn't called New York Hold 'Em, is it?

37. October in Texas almost makes up for August.

Thank you, Brenham, Texas.

36. Blue Bell ice cream ... one of the only ways to survive a Texas summer...

35. And speaking of summer, have you ever watched the Bat colonies fly in to their perch under the Congress Avenue bridge in Austin? What a way to spend a June evening...

So there are the first 16.... 34 more are coming your way in the upcoming days.

But I think you should let these first few tidbits soak in a bit first.... After all, Texas is A LOT to take in all at once!

BUDWEISER

2011-10-23T00:32:00.001+02:00

Did you know that Budweiser has been around for more than 225 years?

WAIT.... how can that be? America was only born in 1776 and although I am not a mathematician, I am quite certain that must mean that once America became a new nation, the first order of business was the brewing of beer?

What the heck? How can Budweiser be 226 years old when the country it comes from is only 235 years old?
It's a mathematical mystery!

Or is it?

FACT:
Budweiser IS 226 years old.

FACT:
Budweiser was first brewed in 1785.

FICTION:
Budweiser came from America.

In fact... it came from Czechoslovakia! Here's the whole story in case you are interested.

But in a nutshell, Budweiser Bier was started in Czechoslovakia in 1785. It was first exported to the US in 1871. In 1876 Anheuser- Busch started using the name and officially registered it two years later...something the CZ brewers had neglected to do....
Many lawsuits and heated discussions later, we learn that Anheuser-Busch can only use the brand Budweiser in North America because the name was originally NOT theirs. Those sneaky Americans!

Pretty interesting stuff, don't you think?

Except really all it makes me wonder are these 2 things:
1) To whom do the Clydesdales really belong? Are they Czech or American?!
and
2) Why on earth is Bud-lite still so expensive in Denmark? I used to think it was because it was being imported allll the way from the US, but now that I know differently, I want to know why it is not as cheap as Tuborg Classic!

Now THAT is a mathematical mystery I would like to participate in solving

A little more Prague....

2011-10-22T00:17:00.000+02:00

the FIRST site we visited in Prague:

I knew this was called the "Dancing House" prior to my arrival and so it was at the top of my list of things to see in Prague. However, once we got there, I realized there was more to this building than just the fact that it stood out, architecturally, from the rest of the city....

The reason that I did not originally realize that there was more to this than it merely being the "Dancing House" was because this first picture I took did not capture the full concept that the designer had intended.....Shame on me!

To get the full understanding of this architectural idea, you have to cross the street....yeah, ALL the way to the other side and then look back at the building (this was what Zack--Lisa's son made us do).... he led us across several crosswalks and instructed us to stand on what seemed like the farthest point from the building and then he told us to turn around... and THIS is what we saw:

The building has only been nicknamed the Dancing House, but its original name was

FRED and GINGER.

Now are you having the same aha that I had?

Do you "get it"? :-)

Look at the bodies of the building... how they are perpetually swaying with one another. As you stand across the street, looking back on this building, you really can feel what the architect had in mind. And if you want the REAL effect,

click HERE for a 360 panoramic view!

It really is something to see !

Another one of those architectural oddities that tourists find themselves drawn to because you know that SOMEWHERE there is a story... a story that explains why Frank O. Gehry, a Czech architect, wanted to create a building in the middle of Prague to symbolize the dancing bodies of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers.....

Prague, Pt. 4- Your address

2011-10-21T00:02:00.002+02:00

Did you know that houses in Prague were not given house numbers until 1770, so instead of folks saying that they lived in the third blue house on the left, they used House Signs. This system was quite charming, but I learned during our trip that the system was also meant to be quite allegorical.

Addresses such as "The Golden Key", "The Two Suns", and the "The Three Fiddles" are some of the more well-known locations, but during our walking tour downtown, these are a few that I stumbled upon.

I have no idea what these 3 are called, although it was kind of fun to think of my own interpretations.... well isn't that what an English teacher would do when confronted with an allegorical meaning???

For instance--the one above..... was this the home of a wise teacher, the YODA of Prague, the one that residents sought out to learn the lessons of life? I can imagine people wandering the streets, looking for his address.....needing answers....

Was this golden snake marker the home of the city swindler? Or some man considered to be quite spineless? But then if that were true, was it his scorned lover that "named" his address? Surely one would not name himself something so slippery and despicable??

And then there is this one... is it a sheep? A dog? Or perhaps a combination of several animals? And if that is true, does this represent a house of confusion?A house of chaos?

As I roamed the streets of Prague, looking for other picture addresses, I actually began to wonder what I would have used for our home had I been a resident at that time. What symbol would be the one that I would want to tell potential visitors as the identifying marker to my home and ultimately to my life?

Think about it. If you did not live at 1927 Main Street or Haraldsgade 1, what would your "address" be? What allegorical meaning (as portrayed in a symbol) would you want hanging above your door, written on all your personal correspondence, and listed on your driver's license? I still can't decide for sure on mine, but the mockingbird keeps coming to mind.....