Hej alle!
After our first week in Copenhagen, I have finally found the time to write my first official blog post, and there is definitely a lot to cover. First of all, this is the only blog I have ever made so bear with me while I get the hang of it. After many amazing trips and experiences in my life, I have come to realize that memories don’t last forever and I need some sort of official way to remember my 4 months in Denmark.
I wish I could say that I made the most out of my first day in Copenhagen, but after a quick move in I pretty much napped the day away. Carlyn and I chose to live in a DIS Residential Community and were placed in Gammeltoftsgade (this is probably the only word I can pronounce in Danish). Although it’s about a thirty-minute walk from campus, I definitely cannot complain about the accommodations. Our room is HUGE, and this is our view….not too shabby, right?
So anyways, the first week was a whirlwind of orientation, classes, and nights at bars meeting other DIS students. On Wednesday, DIS held an “Urban Awareness Tour” which was basically a scavenger hunt around the city center that hit many of the highlights including the palace, parliament, the Black Diamond Library, and the infamous Nyhavn, which is the waterfront pictured on the front of every Copenhagen travel guide. At each station, a DIS professor was there to tell us about the sight. Hey, I’ll take a free guided tour.
Thursday was the first day of classes, and actually, my only classes of last week. I slyly positioned my schedule so that I have no class on Fridays. My first classes were Economic Theories of Globalization and International Advertising from a European Perspective. Although I sometimes have trouble paying attention in class, I can honestly say I was intrigued. Both professors were extremely interesting. My advertising professor was, for a lack of a better word, a total badass. On top of our two-week travel break, DIS allows us to take two study tours throughout the semester. For my economics class, I will be traveling to western Denmark in a few weeks and Brussels in October.
On Friday, 8 of us spent the afternoon exploring the city. We once again visited Nyhavn and ventured over to the fortress and the Little Mermaid statue on the eastern side of Copenhagen. One of our friends pointed out that the Little Mermaid has kind of a “Mona Lisa effect.” We were left standing there wondering, “that’s it?” This statue is also mentioned in guidebooks as one of the top things to see in Copenhagen. It is based on the fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen, and it actually does not have a happy ending (Disney lied).
Yesterday, Carlyn and I woke up at 6 a.m. to a very severe thunderstorm. Due to the rain, we all decided it was the perfect day to check out the Carlsberg brewery. However, because we decided to walk, it turned into an hour and a half trip of getting lost and wandering around. Although we didn’t get to see the brewery, we did stumble across a weight lifting competition that included some of the strongest women I have ever seen. Overall, successful day in my book.
This city shuts down on Sundays. Every retail store closes, and it’s even difficult to find places to eat. Carlyn and I took this opportunity to buy some bikes and take a leisurely bike ride around the city. About 1/3 of Copenhagen citizens use bikes as their main form of transportation. It is an extremely sustainable culture and lifestyle. There are designated bike lanes and stoplights on every important street. However, these Danes have been riding bikes since they were young, so it’s kind of hard to keep up. I can honestly say that Carlyn and I saw more of the city on our hour long adventure than we have in a week. It’s a quick and efficient way to get around.
About to head over to Lexi, Liza, and Becca’s apartment to cook some dinner. Farvel!
