The Sounds of Oksboel

Last week, I moved away from beautiful Hammel to a new, smaller town called Oksboel. It is located near the west coast of Denmark, just north of Esbjerg. One thing that I am usually first aware of in my new surroundings are the sounds of the environment...

1. Behind the house where I now live, there is a green belt of trees that when the wind blows, sounds like the break of the waves on the beach.

2. Right up the street, is the local church, built in the late 1700's. Several times during the day, and especially on Sunday, the church bells ring. It sounds like the meal bell at Danish Camp! It makes me hungry! hehe...

3. There is a little train that comes through town. Every so often, I hear the peep of the whistle as it arrives or leaves the station.

4. Oksboel is the home of a military training camp. In fact, my "host dad" is an Army captain who works there. Every so often, the house shakes from the firing of a missile from a tank or training weapon. The first time I heard and felt the shake, I thought it was Christian and his friend being rowdy in his room. I wondered why Irene didn't say anything, and then she explained that it was the firing of a missile from the camp. I was half shocked to realize what it was, although not surprised, because I knew the training camp was there. But with the Iraq war going on, it puts a notch of reality in the noggin realizing what it must sound like to be a soldier in the war.

It's great being here. Another adventure for Annelise!