My Job...What Is It?

I think I'll take this time to tell the world what exactly it is that I do over here in Denmark.  I'm a student dean! Ok, Jeff, what exactly does that mean.  Honestly I was a little worried when I got the letter from Flemming (my boss) saying that my job was a little bit like a Resident Assistant in the US. Which is exactly what I did last year at WWU.  But after having 2 shifts on duty here at Vejlefjord I realize it involves a little more than your average RA.  "You've only had 2 shifts in 2 weeks!?!," you ask.  There are two types of shifts here at Vejlefjord. You can either be on duty, or you can be the Dean on Duty.  The Dean on Duty has charge of the school for 9 hours between 6:30 and 2:30pm. Each Student Missionary has one of these shifts per week.  Then throughout the week you can just be on duty at various times during the day.
Let me run through a day as Dean on Duty:
6:30 Wake up the 8th & 9th grade students and make sure they are not sick.
7-7:40 Sit in the cafeteria and check that the 8/9 graders come to breakfast.
(Until this point there is one dean in charge of the girls buildings and one in charge of the boys buildings, just to make managing the students a little easier.)
7:45 Go around to the 8-9 grade classes and make sure everyone is in class. If not, we have to go find them, see why they aren't in class. If they say they are 'sick' we send to the wonderful Lise who determine whether to call their bluff or allow them to stay in for the day.
8-2:30 Be at the mercy of the staff....

Usually during that last time slot we are sitting in an office, running errands for the secretary or running kids to doctor/ dentist appointments.

2:30 nap :)

So ya, that is the beef of my job here in Denmark.

We have also started Danish classes this week. So...
Farvel, indtil næste gang

First Trip to the ER *WARNING* A tiny bit graphic

Well, when I first arrived here in Denmark I was told that I would become very familiar with the Danish medical system and the Emergency Room in Vejle.  I was told that students here want to go to the hospital if they sneeze.  So I was ready for kids cryin' wolf trying to get out of class, I was ready for students who felt a little warm to the forehead and wanted ER attention. I wasn't however prepared for the kayaking instructor to smash his finger in the van door.  I had to help him get the door open since he was about to faint.  Once we got his finger out in the open we both looked at the gaping hole that had yet to start bleeding and said, "Oh, that's gonna need a doctor."  But of course since we had just gotten back from kayaking, no one had a phone.  So I ran up to the school and got the mid-80's Volvo and took the poor man to the hospital.  All medical services in Denmark are covered by their insane taxes, so he didn't have to pay a thing (up front anyway) for his 2 hour stay at the hospital.  He was really hoping his finger wasn't broken because he is an avid guitar player and likes his fingers intact.  And the X-ray didn't show any fractures, at least not where he slammed his finger in the door. Turns out, sometime in the past, he doesn't know when, he fractured two of his other fingers.  They have healed fine now, and will cause him no trouble. But how do you fracture, not one but two fingers probably at the same time and not know it?!?

Pictures!

The issue with the filter has finally been resolved.  So here are some pictures of the School, surrounding area, and our first big event. (For those of you from WWU, it is their equivalent of Welcome Back Bash.)

Clothes Rope

So from the emails and comments I've gotten I'm gonna take a minute or two and explain it. A lot of people have asked if I as a dean am asked to participate, and what the full-time staff think of it.  I'll start by saying that it is rare for students to wind up completely naked.  Only occasionally will one boy be brave, duck behind a tree and relinquish his skivvies to win the game.  As a dean I'm allowed to play this game if I want to.  Though I don't think whats left of my shattered cultural views will allow me to become that brave soul behind a tree, I think playing their games will only increase my reputation and hopefully come across as wanting to be on their level, which is part of my job.

Hope that clears a few things up :)

1 Week Down... Many to Go!

Well, As I was typing just a few minutes ago, the web filtering went online and I lost everything, so here we go again....

I don't want the title to sound like I'm not looking forward to the next ten months. I'm very excited for the year ahead of me.  This first week has been mostly orientation. We have been in meetings learning about how the school runs, what to expect, how to react, etc.  The teachers here are really fun, they seem to have a real sense of what students at the school need.  Let me explain to you a little about what I've been told the last few days.  

I'll start with how different an Adventist school is in Denmark compared to the US. Completely different.  Keep in mind this is a school with boarders from 8th-13th grade, yes 13th.  Students are allowed to visit each other during certain visiting hours.  Guys and girls are allowed to go into each others rooms and shut the door behind them.  As long as its not locked, they are playing by the rules.  There is a game here which translated into English is "Clothes Rope."  I'll let you just imagine how this game is played……………ok now I'll explain it. Students are in two teams and the team that can make the longest rope out of their clothes wins.  Average for an Adventist campus right?  Occasionally if the competition is at a high, students will take it all off to win, and this is completely acceptable. As are more tame activities such as skinny dipping in the fjord.  Scandinavia just slapped my culture in the face.

However, none of these things trouble me.  I can't come here as a missionary and impose my culture's idea of modesty on them, I'm here to witness and show the students that God is not some lame, ancient excuse for not having fun.  I believe my mission here is to the younger boarders, also called Efterskole.  The majority of the 8th grade students here at Vejlefjord are from extremely broken homes.  In fact, it is  very rare to have 8th grade boarders in Denmark.  It has been described to us as their last chance.  They have been given numerous opportunities in other schools, and have failed.  Vejlefjordskolen is their last hope.  If they can't make it here, they won't make it. 

So the next 10 months will certainly have it challenges, but I'm ready.

Here we go…

I Would Just Like to Say...

When it rains in Denmark, it really RAINS in Denmark.

The End

First Three Days

Well I don't have too much time this morning, so this will be short.  So far I have been in Denmark for three days.  And what I can say is, I love it!  Everyone is so friendly and hospitable.  On Sabbath we went to a pathfinder camp out so that we could meet some of the students and teachers.  This week is orientation.  We have a bunch of meetings and practical stuff to get out of the way.  And some of the older students are coming to help clean up the school before everyone arrives on Sunday.

A quick explanation of school systems in Denmark.  K-8 is the same, but for high school there is G1, G2, and G3.  G1 is like 9th grade, G2 is like tenth grade and G3 is like 11th grade.  11th Grade is their last year of high school.  G2 is optional, if they want to quit school after G1 and peruse a trade they can, if they aren't sure what they want to do there is G2-A and G2-G (i think) the G section is for those who aren't sure what they want to do, so basically just like taking generals in college.

Happy Monday!

Come Fly With Me...

It's hard to believe how fast the last couple of weeks have passed. Especially since I did very little that was beneficial or productive.  But I'm glad I had the time off to see friends and family before heading to the land of Denmark for the next 10 months. I have never had the check-in agent weigh my carry-on bag. "Sir, your carry on baggage is limited to 6 Kg." She said as I stared at the scale that said 13Kg. So I proceeded to unload pretty much my entire camera arsenal around my neck. Because its ok to have it around my neck, but not in its soft bag.  But everything went fine at security and now I'm sitting ate Gate S16 waiting for my gate. I think its time for Starbucks...

See you in Denmark :)