Student job with DFDS
My agreement with Jamie the day before that year’s Great Wall run turned into more than just empty talk. Jamie arrived in Denmark at the end of May to begin her study job at DFDS on the MS Crown of Scandinavia. The ferry company had paid her fare and gave her board and lodging as well as a little pocket money. There was no talk of employment as such with an actual salary.
The Crown of Scandinavia sails from Copenhagen late in the afternoon, and the crossing lasts until the following morning. On board, there are various restaurants, cinemas, bars, a casino, nightclub and other activities. So the ferry isn’t simply a means of transport but is also used for entertainment and relaxation. The boat anchors in Oslo the following morning and returns to Copenhagen later in the day. This gives passengers the opportunity to spend seven hours in the Norwegian capital.
DFDS has another ship, the Queen of Scandinavia, which sales the same route as the Crown, but always in the opposite direction, so that the two huge ships pass each other in the middle of the night halfway between the two capitals.
Large family
Jamie’s job was to take care of the many Chinese passengers, who chose to take the Copenhagen-Oslo cruise. Born in 1984, Jamie was 25 when she arrived in Scandinavia. She comes from a large Chinese family, and despite the country’s single child policy, she has both a younger sister and a younger brother. In rural areas, various exceptions exist to the general rule, and if the firstborn child is a girl, permission is given for the parents to have another child. Jamie’s parents had been permitted to have three children, the first two of whom were girls.
Education
In 2003, Jamie began a part-time job as a tour guide and completed her training at Beijing International Studies University with a major in tourism economics. Her master’s degree paved the way to DFDS, where she worked as a Management Trainee, after which she was employed for two years by the Italian Costa Cruise company. On her return to China in August 2012, Jamie got a job as a lecturer at Xiamen University. Jamie is now studying for a Ph.D. in tourism economics. She hopes to be able to get a state grant and study in Europe.
Round-trip of Europe
During her almost five-month stay, Jamie had several periods of holiday, which gave her the opportunity to take a closer look at Denmark and Norway, as well as visiting some other countries in Europe. Towards the end of July, she phoned me, and we agreed that she would visit us on Tuesday 27th July.
Roskilde guide
I picked Jamie up at Roskilde station at around 1 p.m. I had anticipated that she would be going back the same day, but as it turned out she was prepared to stay for a few days, which made us very happy.
I started by telling her about the station building and Denmark’s first railway between Copenhagen and Roskilde, inaugurated in 1847. After this, we walked around town visiting sites such as museums, the Cathedral, the church ruin, old shops and much more.
Jamie is a competent photographer and took a lot of pictures. She was very keen to learn and interested in hearing about a lot of things such as our religion and our deceased royals in the Cathedral. She also asked me about things, which for Danes were common knowledge. That was fun. Actually, I expect she comes across exactly the same thing when she’s showing tourists round in her home country. At the entrance to the Restaurant Rådhuskælderen (City Hall Cellars), were lighted torches, and Jamie asked me what possible reason there could be for that. I explained to her that they were for decoration and also told her about the Danish expression “hygge” (cosiness, among many other things). She found candles, garden lamps, open fireplaces and barbecues particularly interesting. She was not accustomed to lighted candles. Chinese restaurants often have fluorescent lights in the ceiling, so that you can see what you’re doing. Over the next couple of days, she fully understood the concepts behind “hygge” and “hyggeligt”, and I’m sure the Jamie can still pronounce both words.
Photo models
At the tourist office, we got the key to the ruin of the Sankt Laurentii Church, and a visit beneath the square, Stændertorvet, was a tremendous experience for Jamie. A photographer was busy taking pictures for the municipality and wanted a bit of life in what otherwise would have been dead shots, so we became photo models, later appearing on the front page of the museum folder for the ancient church ruins.
We enjoyed soft ice as we continued our tour, which included all the city’s many springs. I also included places important to me, such as my childhood home, my first home as a youth and the family grave.
Inquisitive
Jamie’s was inquisitive throughout the tour, and we had a really good talk. She wanted to know more about our school system and housing, and for her it was odd that some houses had both a basement and a first floor. Subjects like Facebook, freedom of expression and extra-marital sex, gay marriages and human rights came under discussion. All of this is a bit hush-hush in her homeland.
Peaceful town
Jamie was fascinated by the model of the city in the town park, Byparken, and the amphitheatre in Folkeparken, and she was enthralled by the silence she experienced in several places. The streets around St. Jørgensberg, Byparken, Folkeparken and Tuttesti were very peaceful, something she was not accustomed to in Beijing.
Back at home, Karin had lit the barbecue and put the food on the garden table. Jamie was very glad and receptive of all the new acquaintances she was making. This applied to people as well as our two dogs.
Concert in Byparken
After supper, we went to Byparken, where Jamie enjoyed another unusual experience. The Danish singer-songwriter Sys Bjerre gave a performance to the great pleasure of Jamie, who took loads of pictures and videoed the performers.
Back home again, Jamie joined me to walk the dogs after which it was time for some “hygge”. Under the awning we lit our patio heater, a variety of candles and oil lamps, and there was also firewood in the Mexican fireplace. We taught Jamie how to play Yatzy, and blow me down if she didn’t beat us.
Flying visit to Odense
We had breakfast in the garden on the Wednesday. Once again, Jamie was amazed by several things. She had never seen a pepper mill or salt mill before, and watercress was entirely new to her. After this, I drove Jamie to the train station because she wanted to visit Hans Christian Andersen’s house in Odense.
When I picked her up again in the afternoon, she had brought with her some brochures about the Hans Christian Andersen Marathon in Odense on 19th September. She had never run further than three kilometres, but now brightly announced that she intended to run the marathon with me in Odense. So we agreed that I would sign both of us up and that she would train in the streets of Copenhagen and Oslo, and in the gym on board the Crown of Scandinavia.
More of Roskilde
In the afternoon, we visited the Viking Ship Museum and Museum Island, and at the ticket office, Jamie presented a Chinese guide card. The ticket lady said that this was only valid when she had a group with her, but that didn’t put Jamie off. “He’s my group,” she said. The woman looked a bit confused but allowed Jamie in free of charge all the same.
After that, we visited Roskilde University, which Jamie had wanted to see, and we also visited the showground, where they were getting ready for a farmers’ market. I told her about the annual agricultural show, about Roskilde Festival and the planned Museum of Rock.
Sagafjord
We spent the evening on board the city’s beautiful restaurant ship, the “Sagafjord”, which was yet another great experience for Jamie. The weather was beautiful, and the view over Roskilde Fjord was fantastic. The food was also good, so everything was just fine. We visited the captain, and Jamie earned a well-deserved “Fjord Skipper Certificate”, and we also saw the engine room. Jamie showed off her skills as a photographer time and time again.
At sunset, the sun was to be “shot down” in accordance with tradition, and Jamie was given the job of firing the cannon – another great thrill for her. Just as the sun was about to sink below the horizon, she was given the order to strike the cannon with a rubber hammer. When it went off with a huge bang, bystanders made all sorts of funny remarks.
Newspaper article
I fell into conversation with an acquaintance on the ship and told him about Jamie’s visit and how I knew her. He thought it would be a good idea for us to get the story in the newspaper. I was a bit reticent about this, but after a few days I wrote an article for the local newspaper, Roskilde Avis, with the titled “Running friendship across borders”.
Return visit
On the Thursday morning, it was time for Jamie to return to the Crown of Scandinavia, and I had to visit a client in Copenhagen. So we drove together to the capital, and I dropped her off at the boat. On her visit, she had invited us on a guided tour of the boat, and a week later we were shown round the Crown of Scandinavia and given a delicious lunch in the staff canteen.
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