In May I volunteered my time (and designed a logo) with a new organization outside Copenhagen called I tråd med verden (Thread of the World). Its a social program to help foreign women get more integrated in their community and learn new crafts like sewing, knitting and crocheting.

I had just moved to Copenhagen a few months prior and contacted the Red Cross to find ways to get involved. My Danish at the time was pretty poor (though growing up my Dad mainly spoke in Danish). It was a good test for me as most of these women from Pakistan, Turkey and Iran also had similar levels of Danish and only a few knew English.

We’d communicate in bad pronunciations, hand gestures and a lot of giggles. Well, mainly they would giggle at my poor Danish. They didn’t understand why a girl who had lived in New York decided to come to little Copenhagen!

But I think my favorite was a woman who’d constantly come over and say “Kikke! Kikke!” (Look! Look!) to show her progress on things. The smiles on their faces when they completed projects like my reversible tote bag were beyond priceless.

LINK: I tråd med verden