It's been just over a month since I left Copenhagen, and just over two weeks since returning back to the states. Everyone has been asking what it's like being home after a semester away; the answer surprised me - it's abnormally normal. I'm back in the town I've lived in my entire life - every street, every lamppost, every blade of grass is familiar to me. What's stranger to me is going back to the city guides I read before departure - outlining the must-see historical sites, most popular restaurants, the best museums - and realizing that those, too became familiar to me. Not in a bad way...in a "wow, this city really did become my home," sort of way. It's surreal to think that just over a month ago, my daily routine began with me waking up in an apartment in Copenhagen, strolling through the cobblestone streets to class, or past the Round Tower on my way to the grocery store, and ending the day with a too-early sunset and three added layers to my outfit (Copenhagen has my heart, but it never really did get warm). I know that when I go back to the city, It'll be surreal walking past my old apartment, knowing that for four months, I was lucky enough to call it home.
After spending some time scrolling through photos, reading old journal entries, and reviewing the same city guides that I so excitedly memorized before departure, I couldn't help but laugh at how adamant I was to see everything there was to see in the city. While I didn't come close to seeing everything Copenhagen has to offer, I decided to compile a list of my favorite places in Copenhagen that I was lucky enough to explore on weekends, after classes, or after my obligatory cinnamon roll on Wednesday mornings. Despite my statement in my last post that the Copenhagen experience is not one that can be condensed in a single to-do list....I gave it a shot anyway. By no means is this a comprehensive list of the DIS experience, but I hope it'll at least give you a few ideas.
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“Where are you studying abroad?”
The first question many students are asked when announcing plans spend a semester overseas. The short answer, for me, was Copenhagen. I wanted to immerse myself in the history of the Vikings, which I had never previously studied in classes back in the U.S. I wanted to navigate my way through the colorful buildings on cobblestone streets, which I would eventually learn to tackle without twisting an ankle; to find a favorite coffee shop for writing papers. I wanted to explore the castles in and around the city, to embrace my inner seven year old at Tivoli, the second oldest amusement park in the world, and to stroll along the canal at Nyhavn, past the apartment where Hans Christian Andersen once lived. My city of choice was Copenhagen, but the answer to their question is really much less concrete. While my home base was a big apartment in the city center, my semester was spent exploring and studying in cities all over Europe. For the last three and a half months, I have been living in Copenhagen, Denmark.
Sorry if I shocked anybody with that news. More specifically, I have been living in the Culinary Living and Learning Community. With only two more weeks to go before I leave Copenhagen (a fact which I am ignoring with all my might), I've decided to finally offer you all a look behind the scenes at what has been one of my favorite parts of studying abroad. For those of you that missed it, I wrote a post about this housing option at the beginning of the semester, which you can read here. In a nutshell, living in the Culinary LLC means I have been lucky enough to live in a gorgeous apartment right in the city center, along with 33 other DIS students, where we have weekly events to learn about/taste/cook/eat/appreciate the gastronomic delights offered by this wonderful world. In no particular order, here are the best things about the LLC life: Can my mom chaperone?!
I remember when I was younger, I loved Field Trips. Unfortunately, they got less and less common as I aged out of elementary school, and the days of permission slips, chaperones, and rowdy bus rides with 25 screaming 8 year olds were no more - UNTIL I came to DIS. No, I have not reverted back to age 8, nor do my classmates' parents follow us around everywhere, and I have not needed to get a permission slip signed. But I have gotten a chance to explore the city areas on class trips almost every Wednesday since arriving in Copenhagen. This weekend, I conquered the world of Danish public transportation.
By that I mean I successfully took the train exactly three times, but only after confirming with 6+ Danes each time that I was in the correct place. I may have stuck out as a confused American, but at least I made it to my destination! On Saturday, I went to the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art with my friend Amelia, who also lives in the Culinary LLC. This was my first time outside of the city since arriving here, and due to the fact that everything is within a five minute walk from our apartment, I hadn't needed to use the trains at all. Thanks to google maps, we made it to Copenhagen Central Station, and from there rode up to a town called Humlebaek. |
Hi Everyone!I'm Lydia, a 21 year old college student studying abroad in Copenhagen, Denmark for the spring 2017 semester. I'm excited to spend the next few months adventuring around Europe, and it'll all be documented here! Feel free to look around. Archives
June 2017
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