Danish...the Tie That Binds

SK has taken on somewhat of a mentor status in our Danish class.  Before class starts and during the break other class members approach him for explanations and help.  We have now reached the dreaded infinitive.  To read, to learn, to study, to eat, to sleep....you get the idea.  This is not something a lot of native English speakers have mastered, and it is trying indeed for the Greek lady in our class.

She approaches SK with frustration and he seems always to be able to help.  But I feel sorry for her and others in the class.  They are struggling with the concept AND the explanations of usage.  SK is at least able to make it a little easier for them to understand.  For that we thank his sweet father who would not stand for improper grammar!  SK diagrammed sentences for fun as a teen!!!!

Nevertheless, the class is progressing and becoming more difficult as we wade into the joys of sentence structure and grammar.  I am surprised that there have been so few drop out.  Daniel returned to Australia and a couple of others seem to miss more and more classes, but otherwise we are staying constant at about 16 members.

I have come to enjoy each one in class and their own unique personalities.  Miho is from Japan and soft-spoken.  Newly married to a Dane, she wants to get a job and is motivated to study and work at the acquisition of this language.  Sung Moon is from Korea.  Her husband transferred to the university here and they have a small child.  She works hard also to learn.

Monia is Italian and quite delightful.  She has been here many years with her church..Scientology, and (believe it or not!) stays because she loves it here.  I do too....but from descriptions of Italy from Lia, I think I would be in Italy in the winter if my family were all there.  She is beautiful.  She is about 40 and never married because she never found anyone in the small group of Scientology members that she wanted to marry.  So ... according to her, a lot of life has passed her by.

Luis from Peru is outgoing and personable and flirts with all the ladies despite the fact that he just got married to a Dane in June.  He and Nicole (a tall striking blond from Australia engaged to a Dane) often organize after-class drinking parties.  They are very funny.  Tracy, a forty something from England loves to be a part of that as well.

Jystina from Poland is a lovely young woman is very intent on getting Danish down and often speaks out in frustration, but barrels ahead no matter how disheartened she gets.

Two beautiful young married women are here from India with their husbands, 4 au pairs from the Phillipines, Ruby from Ghana and Melba from Liberia pretty much complete the group.  I enjoy it immensely.  Oh, and the lady from Greece.  She has the most delightful accent in English and a beautiful husky voice.  She is about 40 and does not keep it quiet that she would far rather be in Greece right now than Denmark.

We also have another class member from the U.S.  His name is Tony and I like him.  He has been here for 8 years and never returned in all that time to the States.  He doesn't come very often because of work and other things, but he is a kind gentle man and I would think a good ambassador for the U.S.  ....and I think we need all of those we can get!

We are getting to know each better and finding so much to love about each one.  What a great experience!  Who would have ever thought I could meet so many nice people from all over the world in one place?