Notes from our 8th Annual Riis Denmark Cultural Exchange Program
Jacob A. Riis Neighborhood Settlement House recently sent six wonderful young people to Ribe, Denmark, the birthplace of Jacob A. Riis and Copenhagen as part of its 8th Annual Riis Denmark Cultural Exchange Program.
The 2013 trip took place from Saturday June 29, 2013- Sunday July 7, 2013. Participants included Ny-Treasure Bartee (17), Tatiana Burgess (18), Desean Franklin (16), Diamonique Franklin (16), Roman Anthony Jennings III (17) and Diego Radlein (19). During their stay in Ribe, the students were hosted by the six Danish youth who visited New York last year as part of the Exchange, as well as their families.
Prior to this year’s exchange, the Riis Academy and Danish teens kept in contact via Facebook throughout the year. It was a warm reunion for the teens as they quickly picked up where their friendships left off the previous summer.
While in Ribe, the participants were exposed to recreational hobbies and local attractions such as canoeing in the river at Ribe Katedralskole Sports Centre and the original Legoland Theme park located in Billund, Denmark. They also visited The Museum of the Ribe Vikings where they went on a walking tour to see the neighborhood of Jacob A. Riis’ childhood. The group climbed the Ribe Domkirke, a historical church from where the view of the authentic town of Ribe can be appreciated. They also had the opportunity to visit Fiskeri, a Museum of Fishing and Navigation and a Saltwater Aquarium. In Copenhagen, participants stayed with another set of hosts where they met with the Technical and Environmental Mayor, Ms. Ayfer Baykal who showed them around via canal tours. To see more photos of their adventures, check out our Facebook page.
New Culture – New Language – New Foods!
When comparing the intricacies and customs between the Danish and American culture, Desean Franklin and Ny-Treasure Bartee both agreed that the food tasted better in Denmark compared to back home in New York City. “The food was different. It tasted better because it was not processed,” Desean said. Beyond food preferences, the participants had the opportunity to enjoy nature’s simplicities. While the teens were at the Museum of Fishing and Navigation, they visited a nearby beach where they put rain boots on to pick up crabs, fish, snails and mussels and then threw them back into the water- for experience’s sake. “Memories like these are going to be hard to forget,” said Desean.
Upon returning back home, Ny-Treasure shared some of her newly acquired Danish knowledge with her family and friends. “I learned some of the words from the Danish language. ‘Tak’ means ‘thank you’ and ‘Jeg er fint’ means ‘I am fine.’ Desean reflected on his own experiences. “It was exciting learning about an entirely new culture. For example, teenagers in Denmark have more independence. They are basically considered an adult at 15 years old and they get paid to go to school. I found that really interesting.”
Chaperone and Riis Settlement’s Director of Adolescent Services Pleshette McKnight said it was incredible to observe the teens develop invaluable cultural experiences. “For me, the best part was witnessing the Riis Academy teens immerse themselves in a different environment. Their willingness to embrace and interact with the Danish people, culture and lifestyle was effortless. I hope the friendships they developed in Denmark grow deeper throughout their lifetime.
“I’ve caught the travel bug from this exchange program experience,” Ny-Treasure said. “My next dream destination is Spain. This was a life changing experience- what other kid can say they traveled the world? I met some really cool people and I hope the next group of kids to go to Denmark have an awesome time like I did.”
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