Update from the Field: Taylor P.

Taylor P. is on a year-long Quest in Copenhagen, Denmark working as an English teacher in a small school. We caught up with Taylor, who was kind enough to share some of her amazing experiences with us!

United Planet: Tell me about your Quest and overall experience.

Taylor: It’s no exaggeration to say that the past seven months have been the best seven months of my adult life. I feel at home here in Denmark and at my project; it was meant to be. I have been welcomed and accepted so warmly by everyone that I’ve met that I feel like I’ve always lived here and been a part of the school. I haven’t really experienced the homesickness that I was prepared for. I think I’m getting more homesick knowing that I’ll have to leave my project and Denmark in three months when my Quest is over.

UP: What is your host family like?

Taylor: Warm, welcoming, and full of life – these are the words that best describe my host family. From the moment I arrived they made a huge effort to include me and make me part of the family. It’s very cozy living with my host family; we always make an effort to eat together when we can (dinners during the week, plus breakfast and dinners on the weekend), and we’re always laughing and having a good time with each other. They’ve also made a huge effort to show me Copenhagen and Denmark through their eyes, taking me to their favorite places and showing me parts of the country that no tourist would ever have the chance to see. It has helped me not only fall in love with Denmark, but it has also made me feel like Denmark has become my home.

UP: Was there something in your trip that you did not expect?

Taylor: I did not expect everyone to be as welcoming as they were; at my welcome camp in Denmark we were told that Danes could appear cold and that it took some time for them to warm up to someone new. However, that has been far from what I’ve actually experienced. Teachers, students, parents, and Danish volunteers have been incredibly inviting and invested in making me a part of their environment. They’ve all included me so much (through dinners, coffee dates, and great conversations etc.) that I feel like I’ve always known them and been a part of their close communities.

UP: What was your favorite free time activity?

Taylor: My favorite free time activity is walking around Copenhagen with my host family or friends and getting coffee with friends. All of the individual neighborhoods in Copenhagen are quite close together, and it’s very easy to walk through multiple in one outing. I enjoy spending a Friday or Saturday evening with friends walking around, chatting about our weeks and catching up. It’s also a really great way to explore and really get to know the city that you’re living in. There is also a student café located in Copenhagen that holds free weekly events such as language tutoring, lectures, book signings, game nights, and open markets; it’s a great opportunity for me to get out of the house and mingle with other internationals and Danish university students.

UP: What does volunteering mean for you?

Taylor: Volunteering is a means of paying it forward, a chance for me to give back to a world that has offered me so many amazing experiences. It’s also a chance for me to immerse myself into a new culture, experiencing the world through a new set of eyes. You learn to put yourself second and you realize there are different and better ways of achieving the same goal. Volunteering makes you aware that while you may be only one person, it’s only by coming together and working and learning with others that you can effect change and make a positive impact for future generations.

UP: Has the volunteer experience changed your outlook on life?

Taylor: In the best possible way it’s shown me how small my spot in the world is and how little I actually knew about myself. Being in Denmark I have immersed myself in a completely new culture, absorbing a completely new outlook on life. I’ve learned that by stepping out of my comfort zone and opening myself up to new experiences I will learn what my limits are and that I can push myself further than I ever thought. The outlook I have on my future has been validated in the sense that because of my Quest I now feel that I have picked the right career path and it has given me the tools I’ll need to be a successful teacher and positively give back to future students.

UP: What recommendations would you give to other volunteers who go on the same Quest?

Taylor: Be here now. Always remember to be in the present moment, allowing yourself to feel and experience everything that is being offered to you. You have the opportunity to experience all of these amazing firsts abroad and you might never be in this country, with this group of people, at this project again once your Quest is up. Don’t shut yourself away and try not to say no to an event or outing. You’re in a new and rich cultural environment so different from home for an extended period of time, and you’re going to be given the chance to immerse yourself and see the country like no tourist ever will. Have expectations but don’t let yourself be bound by them. So many of your hopes and desires will be met on your Quest, but there will also be those that aren’t. Don’t stop yourself from experiencing something or become discouraged just because it doesn’t go as planned or turns out different than expected – be spontaneous. Finally, have the time of your life.

Are you interested in an experience like Taylor’s? Start here to check out gap year options with United Planet!