By Camilla Louise Lyngsby
NEW YORK — Although they are from very different parts of the world, they are not so different after all. A notion which continually resurfaced as the five American cultural exchange students plied into uncharted territory of the old Nordic Vikings, and as host families and friends set sail to take them for a Danish nine-day joy ride.
On June 27, students from Jacob A. Riis Neighborhood Settlement House embarked on an exhilarating journey through hero tales of the far north, historic and contemporary Danish attractions and through a culture, which celebrates family values, the pleasures of travelling and the importance of exquisite foods.
Patrick Harris, Courtney Moore, Devyn Mays, Fatima Jannat and Kulwinder Singh were sent as ambassadors of Riis Settlement. They were welcomed among friends of last year’s cultural exchange trip, waving Danish flags at the bucolic train station in Ribe, the first and oldest Viking town founded in the early eighth century and at the time the most significant international trade city in Scandinavia. It was a moment filled with anticipation, which had mounted for more than a year to culminate in one emotional embrace. Courtney Moore, 17, was so pumped up with excitement, “I can sleep when I am back in New York; I can sleep when I am on the plane; I have no time to sleep while I am in Denmark,” she said resolutely.
Far removed from inner New York City life, the five Riis Settlement participants were selected to visit Ribe, the hometown of Jacob A. Riis, the founder of the agency. The last two days would be spent touring the capital, Copenhagen, Riis’ final destination before his pursuit of the American Dream in 1870 at age 21. He would later become an agenda setting newspaperman.
Board Chairman Flemming Heilmann has proudly — and successfully —spearheaded the thriving annual exchange program since 2006, and he continues to stand sentinel as the program carries on for its consecutive fourth year in partnership with Dean Bent Karsdal of the renowned Ribe Cathedral School dating back to 1145.
“Initially, I thought it could be great to have a youth exchange between the dramatically contrasted communities of Queensbridge, New York, and Ribe, Denmark,” said Heilmann. “The Riis-Ribe exchange opens eyes of the young people involved in this unique experience, as well as their parents, siblings and friends.” The financial strategy of “doing more with less” has prevailed at Riis Settlement, which offers the youth a once-in-a-life time experience, sustaining the Danish-American cultural exchanges despite the global economic downturn.
The Riis teens were hosted by Danish exchange students’ families of last year, who came to New York, and it was truly a sweet Danish-American reunion unfolding in Ribe. “Marie Andersen, who stayed with me last year in New York, we connected so well. It’s like a life time thing, said Courtney Moore as she savored the moment. Devyn Mays, 16, followed up speaking candidly about her host family and daughter, Sanne Dich, “I felt I was their child.”
The American teens demonstrated an immediate level of adaptability to Danish life style and enlightening differences. Executive Director Bill Newlin, who travelled with the teens was delighted, “Each day opened new opportunities and experiences for us on both sides of the Atlantic.”
The teens were given tours to Legoland, small farms and manorial agricultural estates. They also visited coastal marshlands and walked across the ocean floor. “It was terrifying walking across the ocean with all the worms, but then the guy showed us that the worms were just sand and mushed it. That was so cool,” said Moore. “They have very healthy eating habits, and they exercise a lot, and their hot dogs, strawberries, bread and pork liver pâté were so good. The Danes are sharp when it comes to being punctual, and it doesn’t get dark over there. Day or night, unlike New York which can be scary, I felt so safe and that’s the best feeling you can get,” Moore gushed hardly able to finish her stream of new observations.
The Riis students also went horseback riding and had downtime with their host families enjoying ice cream on the river and driving to nearby lakes. “Sanne’s dad would take us for a ride, and we were the only ones on the street, everything was so nice and quiet, in New York everything is so noisy. You are so lucky you are from Denmark,” Mays said.
A big barbeque was planned for Fourth of July, the last day in Ribe, and guests were invited to a large barn decorated with Danish and American flags, and red, white and blue balloons and candle lights. In Copenhagen, the students finished off their celebrations by hopping on a boat cruising the canals and harbors. They passed by the winter home of the royal family, Amalienborg Palace, the National Opera House and the Little Mermaid. They also visited the historic amusement park, Tivoli Gardens. Patrick Harris and Kulwinder Singh both conquered their fear of heights as they buckled up for the Golden Tower, the Demon and the Star Flyer, the world’s tallest carousel at 73.12 yards, which comes with a picture perfect view of downtown Copenhagen. The final hours were spent touring the City Hall of Copenhagen.
“I have been excited about this since last year when I knew we were going to Denmark,” said Kulwinder Singh, 17, who moved from Punjab, India to the United States when he was 12 and is in his senior year at the International High School at La Guardia, NY. Singh wasn’t hard pressed for words when expressing how marveled he was with how close the Danish relationships were between parents and children. “Frederik Jakobsen’s father, head of my host family, always asked me how my day was, how I had slept, and he always asked if I was prepared for tomorrow, or if there was anything he could do to help me,” he said. “Frederik’s parents really engaged you in their conversation, in their everyday life, and embraced you in the family, even me,” Singh said with a big smile.
From 2006 to 2008, surveys ranked Denmark — not Disney World — as “the happiest place in the world,” based on standards of health, welfare, and education, and it was agreed among the teens that the Danes are friendly.
“I LOVE DENMARK,” said Moore. “They are very happy people and very welcoming. It’s amazing how two teenagers from two so different worlds have so much in common. The only difference is the culture, and the language we speak. I would really like to be back for my 21-year-old birthday.”
A different life style in an idyllic town with cobblestone pavement can become a real life changing experience. “I have noticed when I came back; I have become a lot nicer, and I want to start using my bike again,” said Patrick Harris, 18, conscious about his new outlook on life. “There are no problems in Denmark. In New York you always have to compete and show off, and over there, it’s more of a team effort; I could have stayed there for much longer.”
