Hello, everyone! We’re fully into the swing of things here in Odense. Here’s the latest.

Yesterday, students spent a relaxing evening with their Danes. Some stayed in to relax after dinner, while others went to a board game cafe. At this cafe, patrons can play various games while drinking tea and eating snacks. Many said that they had a great time there.

This morning, students reported to school at 8:00 AM for their second day at Sct. Knuds Gymnasium. And guess what? It was Climate Change Day! Students began by examining their carbon footprints through analysis of their transportation habits and meat consumption. Bay Shore students then compared their carbon footprints to those of their Danish hosts. This fostered interesting conversations about the practical ways students can adjust their behaviors to help the environment- both groups agreed that they have much room for improvement.

Climate Change Day continued with presentations by IB students on various NGOs that they researched as part of the Creativity Activity Service (CAS) component of the IB Diploma Program. Once again, Bay Shore students impressed their Danish hosts with eloquent descriptions of the history and focus of each NGO in battling climate change. All teachers, both Danish and American, were also impressed.

Presentations were followed by an interactive role playing activity in the style of Model UN. American students mixed with Danish students to simulate the diplomatic negotiations among countries with competing interests pertaining to climate-related issues. NGOs (Bay Shore students) had to lobby different countries to adopt climate policies that reflected their positions. At the end of the activity, our UN representatives (Jordan Morales, Jack Gartland, Marc Domonkos, Kaitlyn Elmendorf, and Jacob Hood) helped to draft a resolution articulating the UN’s goals for reducing plastic usage and Carbon Dioxide emissions, and countries either accepted or rejected the panel’s resolutions. Oh, and many students wore wigs and funny hats. This was a fun way to get students thinking about the obstacles that need to be addressed in order to combat climate change on a global scale.

To end the school day, students were broken into groups to creatively express their dedication to addressing climate change through everyday, practical means. Groups wrote songs, choreographed dances, created art, produced short films, and even cooked vegan meals all for the purpose of thinking more deeply about their personal and collective environmental impact. You guessed it- this was really fun, too.

After school, we headed down to a local public space so students could play round ball- it’s kind of like a low-stress version of baseball that seems more inclusive. As I type this post while sitting on the grass, Danish and American students are cheering each other on.

That’s all for now. We’re back at school tomorrow to continue our adventure. More updates to come!