It's safe to say that I am officially settled in to my life in the Faroe Islands. I was only adjusted before, but now I am feeling what it means to really be settled. I can now understand a lot of what people say when they speak Faroese, especially when it's typed, and I don't feel so awkward when people speak it around me anymore!
I know my schedule and all my classes, and how to "get along" in my classes. Classes like Faroese and Samfelagsfrødi (Civics), I don't have much of a shot at understanding. The Faroese class is like our English class - reading super advanced short stories and poems from the 1800's. Instead of discouraging myself by trying to understand the things they read, I just practice my kindergarden-level Faroese during the class. In Samfelagsfrødi, I got to talk a little bit about the American government and how it is set up, but that's about all I can contribute to the class. A lot of the "government terms" they use aren't really translatable from Faroese, so I just try and pick up what I can based on the diagrams. Classes like Spanish are almost completely hopeless. Unlike many other exchange countries, the language that our textbooks are in is different from the native language. All the textbooks are in Danish, and Danish is very different from the Faroese language. So learning Spanish in Faroese, with a Danish textbook, while I am supposed to be learning Faroese, is a hopeless case.
On the bright side, classes like Biology are actually helping me to understand the Faroese language. I took Biology last year as a sophomore, so the knowledge is still fresh in my mind. Since I already know what everything is based on the diagrams, it's easy to pick it up in Faroese. I had my first test in that class yesterday, and I don't think I failed! Whenever I am able to understand anything at all, it's a great feeling.
EG ELSKI MÍN FLOKKUR!
Translation: I love my class. We are all becoming super close, and they are all some of the best people I've ever met. They're helpful in teaching me Faroese, as well as extremely patient when I don't understand something. One of the girls in my class had a dream that I was speaking fluent Faroese, so maybe that is a hint of good things to come! Last night about seven people in my class got together to watch a scary movie for Friday the 13th. I was scared out of my mind when I got home, but we had so much fun, so it was worth it! I am already dreading having to leave at the end of the year. I will miss them so much.
Last night, I also made dinner for Bergtóra (my host mom) and Karin (my host sister)! I had my mom send me the recipe for "Homemade Mac and Cheese" that we make back home - one of my favorites. No one here has had mac and cheese before, so I just had to make it. Unfortunately, I am not the best cook. After about an hour of struggling in the kitchen, I finally had it finished. It wasn't nearly as good as it is when someone else - that's NOT me - makes it, but it wasn't so bad. It still wasn't the BEST first impression of mac and cheese ... :). We ate the dinner and played the lottery, along with some fabulous desserts. No one in 10 Hákunargøta won that day, but I got to learn some numbers. Maybe next Friday!
On another note, the camera that I brought to the Faroe Islands is huge. Don't get me wrong - it's still my favorite item in the world. But, sometimes I end up taking pictures with the camera on my phone if I don't have my other camera with me, and there are many I want to share with you.
The view of the harbor at night is spectacular.
My host families dog, Sasja
Some of my classmates on Monday, during or 11km walk around the outskirts of Tórshavn.
A beautiful view on a walk through Hoyvík.
My super-duper cozy room.
Strange, yet beautiful clouds near my house.
That is all for now, until next time!
Bye tit!
Katie
