Submitted by Christina Conte on the 2013 spring semester DIS (Denmark’s International Study Program) program in Copenhagen, Denmark…
As crazy as it sounds, this past week was the last full week of classes! With final projects, presentations, and exams beginning, the end of my time abroad is becoming more and more real. This past week, I delivered my final presentation for my Danish Language and Culture class on New Nordic Cuisine. New Nordic Cuisine is an interesting culinary technique that has gained much popularity in the gastronomy scene as it pushes to become the next Mediterranean cuisine. The idea of this diet reminds me in a way of the now popular “paleo diet”, as it is all about going back and eating simply, freshly, and purely as our ancestors did. A great example of New Nordic Cuisine is the restaurant Noma, which got its name by combining the words Nordic and “mad” the Danish word for food, which is a two-Michelin star establishment in Copenhagen. The dishes they serve are extremely seasonal and can include anything from hand-picked berries to live ants. It is not something I have personally experienced in Denmark, but I think I am okay with that! This weekend, I did a little sightseeing and climbed up The Church of Our Lady, known by many as the “spiral church”, and I am quite sure I got the best view of Copenhagen from the top! It was extremely windy and a little frightening, but so worth it! Some other highlights of the weekend included my host dad’s birthday party and the DIS end of year picnic. The DIS picnic was located on a beautiful beach north of my home here. It was a lovely, tasty afternoon, but as I looked out and saw all my friends and classmates it became crystal clear that this all was not going to last much longer. I have learned an incredible amount this semester, but one thing that really hit home to me is that you will find nice people wherever you go and there is always room for more friends in your life. I now see that it is going to be a lot more difficult to leave these people and my life behind here than I had originally imagined!
