We have arrived in Copenhagen!
Since arriving a few weeks ago, I have been welcomed by so many people and immediately encapsulated into the Danish lifestyle. My strategic plan to avoid jet lag by traveling before arriving in Copenhagen was very successful. But that didn’t stop me from spending my first full day in Copenhagen cooking a home-cooked meal, watching movies, and unpacking my suitcase (which after living out of my suitcase for three weeks, was probably one of the best sensations of the weekend). Finally, being in Copenhagen has been a whirlwind, and I’ve done so much since that I’m thrilled to share.
My weekly feed.
Despite being in a completely new environment and having a somewhat unusual weekly schedule, I think I adapted well to the daily routine. For the semester, I live in Mønten Kollegium, which is about 15 minutes by bus (or 30 minutes on foot) from the DIS campus buildings in the city center. So far I have enjoyed the time to decompress before morning classes and the flexibility of not having to worry about a vehicle. Most of my classes are full on Mondays and Thursdays, leaving the rest of the week free for field study, time with friends, and time to explore.
I like to regularly take the time to cook delicious meals, either for myself or for others, so I often cook lunch and dinner in my apartment. And grocery stores are steps away, giving constant access to fresh food. But when I don’t feel like cooking (and can plan ahead), I’ll book lunch or dinner on Too Good To Go, a show that offers surprise meals from the day’s leftovers. These meals are very cheap and often contain more food than I can eat (and I love mystery).
Most of the week takes place on a day-to-day basis around the general course structure. But that leaves room for exploring the city, spending time with friends, attending group events, long (long) walks, volunteering in the community, and the occasional thing.
Explore around Copenhagen.
One of the best parts of studying abroad, in my opinion, is taking the time to explore the city you call home for a few months. Most of the time when we travel, we try to cram in the most “sights to see” and try to get a sense of the local culture in too little time. But with this semester, I appreciate the opportunity to explore Copenhagen slowly and thoughtfully.
So, since I arrived here almost three weeks ago now, I’ve done some interesting things. Walking around Copenhagen, especially when the weather is nice, was the best way to get a sense of the city and learn about the different neighborhoods. Some of my favorite things so far have been walking around Amager Strand (even on a rainy day), kayaking Christianshavns Kanal, swing dancing at Studenterhuset and swimming in Islands Harbor Bridge. Apart from my own adventures around Copenhagen, I’ve been to a few of DIS’s “New In Town Meetups” and some of the Mønten Kollegium hangouts. These are great ways to meet other DIS students and Danish students who also live in Mønten.
Spend time with a friends.
When I haven’t been doing things around Copenhagen, I’ve enjoyed spending time with the friends I’ve already made here. The atmosphere is very warm, so often spending an evening with friends means cooking together and chatting. And other nights that means having wine in the park to chat and watch the sunset or relax in the common room with board games and movies.
I know, it sounds very aesthetic. Perhaps a fictionalized version of study abroad? I’m not sure, but frankly, it was a lot of work to make this semester happen, so I’m fine with letting my life be fictionalized (at least for a little while). But also, these are just some of the relaxing ways to unwind while you’re here in Copenhagen, so I plan to take advantage of them while I can.
The start of this semester abroad has already been so breathtaking and amazing; even if sometimes, when I look at the calendar, I already have the impression that it’s over before it even started. But before it’s over, I have a lot planned for the semester that I can’t wait to share with you!
Pa gensyn!
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