For 16-year-old Sofie Sunesen (11), moving from Denmark to the United States has been a whirlwind of new experiences, challenges and small discoveries about everyday life. After 40 days in Nebraska, she said she is still adjusting but beginning to feel more comfortable with her host family and American culture.
In Denmark, she grew up with her parents and one younger sister. In Lincoln, she lives with two girls her own age, a change she described as both exciting and strange.
“Back home it’s just me and my little sister,” Sunesen said. “Here, it’s different because I’m living with people closer to my age instead.”
Sunesen said the differences extend far beyond family norms and lifestyle. The school system in Denmark looks nothing like the one she has encountered in the U.S. Danish students typically remain with the same class of about 24 peers from the age of 6, taught by only four teachers. In the U.S., students move through multiple classes and meet new groups of classmates throughout the day every day.
“It’s a lot of moving around,” she said. “At home, you’re always with the same people.”
Still, Sunesen said she has come to appreciate the small, “normal” routines of her American host family. She enjoys eating dinner together and talking about their day, as well as going on evening walks with her host mother for good closure about the day.
Another exchange student from France is also living with the family. Sunesen said having someone else who understands the feeling of being new has made the difference in culture a little bit easier.
She admits she still feels “pretty new” after more than a month in the U.S. and continues to work on feeling settled and one with American life. One cultural difference that has surprised her most is how comfortable Americans are with small talk.
“People talk to me in public even if they don’t know me,” Sunesen said. “At home, that doesn’t really happen.”
Despite the challenges, Sunesen said the experience has already helped her grow more independent and aware of cultural differences. She said she hopes to use her time in the U.S. to make lasting friendships, strengthen her English and bring home a broader perspective on life.
“I’m still getting used to it all,” she said, “but I know this will be an experience I’ll never forget.”
