By Kat
Topic: Sports, Music, and TV
Lately, in the Ildor house, and practically the rest of Europe, the European Soccer championship tournament dominates TV screens. Fortunately, I love to watch soccer. Unfortunately, the Danish team didn’t make it very far in the championship.
Despite Denmark’s unsuccessful run at the title, everyone still seems to be very invested in the tournament. On my first night in Kalundborg, we sat down in front of the TV after dinner to watch a game while we ate dessert. Since then, I have watched at least some of each of the remaining games in the tournament. I was talking to my family about the upcoming olympics and they don’t have many plans to watch any other events in Rio aside from soccer. It seems that no matter where I go in the world, everyone loves to watch soccer, or as most people call it futbol. I remember when I was in Costa Rica, the men’s world cup was going on, and our plans were made to allow for time to watch the games.
I have since heard of a sport I never knew about called handball. The description I got was confusing and I still don’t know much about it, but I am intrigued by the concept. My family had similar reactions when I told them I play lacrosse. Since it is a native american invented sport, it hasn’t spread across the globe like soccer.
With the help of Majken,Johan, and Majken’s friends, I have been introduced to some of the popular Danish music. I have noticed that the sounds and styles I hear are quite similar to that of American pop music that was popular a year or two ago. Along with Danish music, a lot of American music is played on the radio. Some of the danish music is sung completely in English, but most of the music is a random mix of Danish and English using whatever language is more convenient to make the lyrics rhyme. As someone who speaks a minuscule amount of Danish, its interesting listening to music that I don’t understand and just hearing a few scattered words or phrases in English.
At the concert that Majken and I attended in Tivoli, one artist sang in English and one in Danish. I was surprised to find that Nabiha’s songs were all written in English. I figured this was to make her music more accessible globally. Between songs though, she spoke entirely in Danis, but if I had only heard her songs, I wouldn’t have now she was Danish. She barely had a hint of an accent when she sang in English which was very surprising. Djames Braun on the other hand, sang mostly in Danish, but with some english mixed in there when it was easier to rhyme.
So far, I haven’t watched much TV that wasn’t soccer, but here’s what I have seen. I have since learned that the Danish constantly discuss the weather and thus must watch the news to get the weather report. Also on the news, has been talk of the Brexit bill. Since Denmark is in the E.U., Brexit is a really big deal here. Since I don;t know much about European politics, its really interesting to really learn about what it means for the U.K. to leave the E.U.
Just by writing about all of this, my head has become a whirlwind of politics, soccer, songs that are currently stuck in my head, and more soccer. And don’t even think for a second that I’m done cramming my head, and my journal, full of new memories and new knowledge to put into writing right here.
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