Today is the 25 of June. We are leaving on the 26 of June. The 26th is TOMORROW! At first I wasn't feeling all of the emotions including scared or worried for things that might go wrong, no at first I was the brave one. I encouraged my mom to do this and I was at everyone's side to comfort them. Now, since we are leaving TOMORROW, the feelings are shooting at me like a nail gun to a wall.
I am currently feeling like the color brown. Why? (you may ask) Why would you be feeling like the color brown? Well, to answer your possible question I would ask you back: Well, do you know how the color brown is made? You might answer be like: Yes, yes I do. It is all of the colors (not including black or white because they are not colors) mixed together. Blue would be sad or scared. Red would be full of love and happiness. Yellow would be my excitement of getting this opportunity and taking it.
Hoping your shade of brown is more tinged with red in the coming days. We love you!
ReplyDeleteI totally agree... Thank you! Love you too!
DeleteOn the eve of your departure, I wish you safe travels and best wishes for a thoroughly enjoyable and rich experience. I envy you.
ReplyDeleteDanya, you will have a privileged perspective being bi-cultural, and with a cultural interpreter (your mum), so I wonder:
= can you/do you observe that Dans think and feel differently than you? are you able to observe their cultural habits of thinking/feeling/responding (as different than what you take for granted here in the States), especially in kids of your age?
= what do you new friends find interesting or puzzling about you and your American ways of responding/thinking/feeling/acting?
= what kids of things do they expect of you, or take for granted, that is not automatic for you in your family?
= I wonder about open-mindedness,or being comfortable with expressing yourself/being outspoken: do you notice differences? do you notice a difference in confidence between Danish kids and American kids?
= I wonder the classroom (so many things to observe): what differences do you see there: in what you do, how you do it, how kids demonstrate respect, or not, your friendship with your teacher/s?
= what do you observe about the basics of Danish etiquette versus in America
= I wonder if you find that Dans tend to view the world differently than Americans
= how are the things that Danish kids think about different than American kids
My assumptions (knowing that there are terrific differences between people):
Americans weigh more
American are more openly friendly
Americans talk more
Americans are affected (Have a nice day!)
Danish kids play video games and use social media just like American kids
So much to think about/write about/reflect on!
Again, I wish you a safe, rich, challenging, and enormously fun year, and look forward to spending time with you at Christmas.
MSped
Interesting questions, MSped! I'll be sure to answer them throughout the year in Denmark...
DeleteAbout "brown":
ReplyDeleteYour observation is very important, Danya. We are incredibly complex, interactive beings, and tend to experience clusters of emotions rather than one singly, as if we were sitting around a conference table with other "I"s, each of whom have distinctly different attitudes, opinions, levels of maturity, etc. Brown might be the color averaged among the six personalities expressing themselves simultaneously, ranging from the one who puts on a brave face and says, "come on people, we can do this!", to one who is insecure, scared, crying, and doesn't want to go, as we might have responded when we were 2 years old, to one who is the counselor, who soothes and reassures and says, "let's just takes this one step at a time and everything will be find." This cast of characters is you, and may collectively appear brown, but will change colors instantaneously, like a chameleon or a squid, as the situation changes. The difficulty and challenge is getting separation enough the chatter to observe it.
I know of a friend who looks for images to match her mood, and typically searches for several images to capture the various points of view present in a mood, sitting around the conference table expressing themselves. Of course, just like real personalities, not all use words. Some express themselves purely through emotions, or movements, arguments, whatever. She collects images and tries as sincerely as possible to capture the words that each speak.
It's all in the brown. I think your image is very insightful. Imagine the colors you'll experience in the next year, and in the next 80 years!
Someone asks, how do you feel about . . . whatever . . . being back in the States after three years in Senegal. The most accurate answer: I feel a dozen different ways about it, and I can tell you all about each one.
To say I feel one way about anything is shortsighted.
Thank you, MSped! I just felt like it was the right description if you think in terms of colors and emotions (I'm feeling blue/ sad).
DeleteSafe Travels to all of you! I can't wait to read about your experiences here!
ReplyDeleteThank you for the compliment, Jenn! I will be sure to log most of them onto this blog...
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