Hello from Copenhagen!

Well well well, another week has past and I am here to say “Hello from Copenhagen!” This past week has been a crazy one, but definitely a good one. My flight from London to Copenhagen on Monday was uneventful, but pleasant. I did my sudoku while the sun shined through my window, excited to be continuing my study abroad journey. We moved into our apartment (which is huge, by the way, and is probably the nicest apartment I will live ever live in) and toured the institute where we have class.

Tuesday and Wednesday was all about getting to know the city a bit more. We went on a walking tour of downtown Copenhagen, explored the city streets, and ate some local cuisine (most notably, I ate the best hot dog I’ve ever had from a local sausage cart!)

On Thursday, I had my first classes. This block I am taking Free Speech in Denmark and International Journalism for credit. These happen to be my only Communication classes I am taking this whole semester, so I am excited to learn more things applicable to my major. I am also taking two class for zero credit: Survival Danish (to learn common phrases, how to buy groceries, reading bus/train schedules, etc.) and Applied Intercultural Understanding (a class aimed at getting us out into town, interacting directly with local students, and understanding more of Danish culture).

We went to Tivoli Gardens, a popular amusement park, in central Copenhagen after class on Thursday. There were rides, food, and we watched a light show on the water while we indulged in a mug of traditional Danish mulled wine. It was quite a night.

Friday we went on a bike tour of the city, which included a quick lesson on “How to Ride a Bike in Copenhagen”. This is one thing to note: There are more bikes in this city than cars. Public transport is fairly expensive, so biking is the most common form of transportation. So, in an attempt to immerse myself as much as possible in Danish culture (and not break the bank), I rented a bike this week... and have ridden it once so far. It was very intense experience. Picture this: Cars rush by you along with bikers ringing their bells as the pass on the left and you can't really understand street names and you are trying to listen to your google maps tell you when to turn left but you can't because of the other bikers and you can't use the proper hand signals because if you take your hands off the handle bar you will swerve and almost hit another biker. So yes, biking is a bit stressful at this point that is what I plan to tackle next week.

We went to the Danish Design Museum on Saturday and took a ride on the harbor. And, to celebrate my birthday on Sunday, a small group of us had a potluck dinner and stayed in for a game night. It was very relaxing to celebrate with card games and new friends here in this beautiful city. I will admit, it has been an unconventional 21st birthday, but it was pretty perfect to me.

To wrap up this week’s blog post, I would like to share some things that I have spent time reflecting on this week.

1. I thrive in a smaller environment - In London, we had around 100 students in the program, but here in Copenhagen we have less than 50. This is the first year the global institute in Denmark is open and seems to be the less popular option (in comparison to cities like Paris, Rome, London). Right off the bat, it has been easier to meet and get to know more people. The more I think about it the more it makes sense: I went to middle school with 20 kids, graduated high school with 275, and attend a college of 2,200 students. So, it is understandable that I would gravitate to a city of 600,000 people more than a city of 8 million.

2. Danish culture is very intriguing - The Danes are said to the happiest people in the world. Just from my first week, I can see that. They have a culture based on trust and equality, and it is really nice. Not to say they are problem free - every culture has its own problems - but it is a refreshing change from a high speed culture of my own. The language is interesting: there are letters you do not pronounce and you often don’t say the ends of word, instead you just trail off. There are similarities from Danish to English, I can kind of understand what some things are (but then again, I bought yogurt in a carton because I thought it was milk… so I’m clearly still adjusting to the language). However, everyone speaks English so I haven’t had too many difficult interactions. I’ve been warned that “the Danes can drink, so do not go drinking with the locals”. And Denmark is also one of the most environmentally friendly and sustainable countries in the world. So I have lots to learn.

3. Heritage is important - Traveling through Europe has already shown me a lot about who I am as person, but it is also teaching me about my own heritage. I am mostly German, with some Scandinavian genes, particularly Danish. A student in my program actually thought I was a true Dane on public transit this week. It made me smile because it is exciting to be able to blend in to a new environment. And everyone here pronounces my surname correct…. that does not happen often back home.

4. I am getting better at this whole traveling thing - With another flight under my belt, I am getting better at adjusting to new places faster. My acclamation to London was slow going: it took me a few weeks to adjust to public transit, knowing where I was and where I lived, and just the city itself. In comparison, my transition to Copenhagen has been easier and faster.

5. I’m really excited to be in Copenhagen - Even though my week went by super fast, I have noticed some intriguing characteristics about Copenhagen. The city is beautiful, the people are beautiful. I’m excited to be able to get to know this city, the culture, my major, my heritage, and myself better.

Until next week,

Your Newfound Traveller

Pictures: Nyhaven (New Harbor), The Royal Guard marching through the square outside the institute, The Royal Palace, Tivoli Gardens, my huge apartment, The Little Mermaid (a famous sculpture and tourist attraction), pictures from our bike tour on Friday, the Design Museum featuring "the chair", a boat ride on the harbor.