A quick recap on the past few Wednesdays, when we don’t have official class, but instead go on “study tours” or field trips with our classes. Several weeks ago, my Sociology of the Family class went to a kids after-school day-care program. This specific program was for kids aged 9-11 years old. Parents paid $85/month for their kids to attend this program, and it is open 7 days a week. Some of the stark differences I noticed between this after-school program and ones in the United States: kids could come and go as they please, i.e. their parents did not need to be informed of their whereabouts. The kids were completely independent. Some evenings, the program was open so the kids could cook. The kids would grocery shop, then do all the prepping and cooking for their shared meal together. The facility was basically situated on a mini-farm; they had horses the kids could ride, pigs, chickens, goats, rabbits, and ducks that roamed the property. The kids also had to the option of taking care of one of the bunnies. The kids had to feed, wash, and play with the bunnies without the help of a staff member or their parents. A new room was just built where the kids could make tea and let the bunnies play around in the winter when it got cold – so Danish!

Additionally, there was a big field where the kids could play soccer or other sports. Right next to their field were the about 20 or so chicken coops, as well as a lot of poorly-built wooden structures. The owner of the facility explained to us they let the kids have wood and nails, and they get to essentially build their own treehouses. They also let the kids build their own fires in the firepit, and climb any tree they want on the property. There are basically no rules regarding safety, yet the owner explained the kids are more careful when they are playing because they know the dangers if they fall or hurt themselves. Therefore, there aren’t any more injuries than there would be on a normal children’s playground. Overall, I really liked this visit, and the after-school program I thought was a fantastic way to get the kids to explore their creative side and actually enjoy their time after school and burn off some energy, rather than being cooped up in a room with desks and only a few board games.

Last Wednesday, I didn’t have any study tours, but I had a group project to do for my Danish Language and Culture class. We were to visit the Statens Museum for Kunst (SMK) The National Museum for Art and see the exhibition “Danish Golden Age World Class Art Between Disasters”. My group got our work done fairly quickly, so I had some extra time to explore the museum with a friend of mine in the class. There were specific rooms for European art, Danish art, and French art, as well as a sculpture room. I saw paintings by Matisse and Picasso, which was very exciting because I love both artists, so that was a nice surprise to see some of their works!

This Wednesday, I had a study tour for my Art in the Making class. First, we visited NW Gallery, where we met and talked with the gallery owner and artist, Nina Worren. I loved this gallery, as it really opened my mind to different forms of artwork and let loose the creative child inside me. After talking to Nina and viewing her works, we walked to a nearby park where we ate apples from my professor’s garden and made mini-sketches. We then hopped on the metro to Christanshavn, where we visited the Overgaden Institute for Contemporary Art and viewed the exhibition “The Trail of Time between Trees”. This was one of the most interesting art exhibitions I’ve ever seen, as the artist essentially moved a mini forest inside the building. This exhibition really made me think about the dichotomy between the natural world and the unnatural world, and what the future holds for the natural world. All in all, this was a relaxing, mind-expanding, inspirational, and scholarly day all packed in one!

Oh, and after our study tour was over, I wandered into a “natural” store in Christianshavn and bought VEGAN Nutella. Needless to say, I ate half the jar when I got home and may or may not have a stomach ache now. I’d say it was worth it, though!