Inbound information
Everything you need to know
Your sponsoring Rotary Club and District in your Home Country will prepare you for your stay in Denmark. However, we will try to ease your preparations with some specifics about Denmark and the Rotary Youth Exchange program in our country.
Age
To apply for the exchange to Denmark you have to be between 15 and 18 years of age at the begin of your exchange year (1st of August school start).
Arrival
Denmark schools break only for seven weeks in summer. We expect your arrival some days before school starts after the summer break. Districts have set up a time window during which you have to arrive in Denmark. Check early with your travel agent to book your flight. You have to have an open end return ticket. In case you have any problems with the dates, contact your Host District Chair immediately and before you book.
Young Leaders Exchange Management
After we have received your application, we will set up your account in our Danish Young Leaders Exchange Management. You automatically will receive an E-Mail, send to your E-Mail Address as listed in the application. Please complete your data and do not forget to update your database account regularly during your exchange year.
District
After you have received your hosting information – latest after you got back the completed Guarantee Form – you should contact your District Chairman, your Host Club and Host Parents to introduce yourself.
Duration of Exchange
The end of the exchange is the end of the school year for summer students.
For Winter students it’s end i the beginning of january.
The home
Danish social life revolves around the home and family. Danes like to stay home and entertain at home. They invest a major part of their income in their homes which can be seen in the high standard of their buildings, décor and furniture. All Danish homes are extremely well insulated and heated – you will not be cold indoors during the winter. However, heating, hot water and electricity are expensive and students coming from countries where energy is cheap often forget this. Many homes have wooden floors and visitors are expected to take their shoes off when coming in.
Mealtimes are communal, and should be respected. When called to the table to eat with the family, ensure you are there promptly. A tradition – and one which any Danish hostess will love you for – is to thank the hostess for your meal by saying ‘tak for mad’.
Danish children are given a lot of freedom and responsibility, which will also be extended to you.
First night
First nights at your new hostfamily aren´t always easy. To help you communicate and to check out rules and habits in Denmark and of your hostfamilies, we developed the questionaire „Let´s talk about“ for you.
Let’s talk Danish – English
Let’s talk Danish – Espanol
Let’s talk Ingles – Espanol
Let’s talk Danish – Portuguese
The School
You will be going to school in Denmark. This is a good thing because you will meet many people of your own age quickly. Danish schools are used to foreign students, so neither teachers nor students will look upon you as if you were a mysterious creature from another planet.
You will fit into your class easily and be accepted in no time, but we recommend learning Danish as quickly as possible, to avoid missing out on some of the lessons and to make friends quickly. On the other hand, you should do extremely well when English is on the timetable! There is a distinctly easy relationship between teachers and students and Danish schools are much less strict than schools in many other countries.
There is much less formal discipline, more self-discipline. But please do not miss school without permission. The relaxed atmosphere does not mean that you should not be present and work – only that schools expect students to take responsibility for themselves. Teaching in practical subjects such as woodwork and home economics is somewhat limited. However, this is made up for by the availability of foreign language subjects – English, German, French etc.
The Food
Every country has its own specialities. Perhaps Danish food is totally different from what you are used to, but food may just be one of the most exciting experiences you can have in a foreign country.
Most foreigners love Danish food and our Rotary exchange students have often gained some weight before their return home! They think we eat well, substantially and generously. It shouldn’t take long to appreciate the dark rye bread which is eaten with different kinds of meat; cheese etc. and you will enjoy the hot evening meals. These often consist of meat, white potatoes and sauce. Fish is enjoyed by nearly all Danish families.
The way of eating can also be different. The wisest thing for you to do is to watch how other people do it – and then do it in the same way. After all, you have come to Denmark to live like a Dane. As the saying goes: When in Rome, do as the Romans do! We have had few Rotary exchange students who would only eat hot-dogs and refused to leave their rooms to join the family at the dining table. These are the type of exchange students who should not have left home as they were not mature enough to be visitors to another country.
You can look forward to Danish food. It is delicious, well prepared and wholesome. It is not too spicy, but is solid and rich with a high calorific value. At many places you will undoubtedly be offered beer, a glass of wine or even stronger drinks. You can always decline and ask for something else.
The Danish “Frikadelle” (rissole) is a national dish served with potatoes, preserved sour vegetables and thick brown sauce.
The first recipes of this delicious dish is dated back to 1837, but the name “Frikadelle” (pure pork) is already recorded in the beginning of the 16th century.
In a cookbook from 1648 a similar “Frikadelle” dish is mentioned.
The Danes love their “Frikadelle” and eat the meal all year round as a main traditional dish.
Frikadelle is the Danes favourite dish of them all.
The Weather
Denmark is so small that the climate is usually the same everywhere.
In winter we can have snow and freezing temperatures, but sometimes we have mild winters with only a few snow storms.
During the summer months there are periods when it is warm enough to wear light clothing, but don’t expect tropical heat! The normal summer temperature during the day is between 20 and 24 C (68-76 F.).
We talk a lot about the weather in Denmark because it changes from day to day. It can be windy and stormy at all times of the year, and we get a lot of rain. But the sun always comes through in the end and there are often periods of calm weather with clear blue skies. In fact we enjoy our ever-changing weather! Providing you have the correct clothing it can be just as pleasant taking a brisk stroll on a windy autumn day as it is to lie on the beach on a beautiful summer day. We generally say that there is no such thing as bad weather – just wrong clothing!