Submitted by Brooke Levinson on the 2018 fall semester DIS program in Copenhagen, Denmark…
My first week in Copenhagen has come with a range of emotions and feelings. Straight off the plane, I found myself confused by the language. The words on the signs throughout the airport were long with some new letters added. Immediately, I worried about not being able to understand anything in this new foreign place. As these thoughts rushed through my head I saw the local Danes outside of customs waving the Danish flag eager for their loved ones to arrive. The joy and pride on their faces quickly soothed my fears.
As for the language, I kept finding myself starting conversations with “Excuse me, but do you speak English?” To my surprise, every person replied in English. The language situation was the opposite of a barrier as almost all Danes speak English. Realizing this was a relief since I would be living not only amongst Danes, but in the same apartment as them. My housing assignment is called a Kollegium. The Kollegium is a housing option for DIS students where they have the opportunity to live with Danes as well as other DIS students. I assumed the students attending DIS would all be from America. Thus, I thought my flat-mates would be either American or Danish. To my surprise, my living situation was much more diverse then only two nationalities.
The apartment consists of a common kitchen, living room area, two bathrooms and four bedrooms. One room contains a Danish couple, Laura and Frederik, who live together and attend Copenhagen Business School. The second room belongs to a DIS student, Shereen, who is Egyptian, but lives in Kuwait and attends Georgetown University in Qatar. The third bedroom is Lærke’s, a Danish student studying medicine at Copenhagen University. I share my room with a DIS student named Indira from India who studies at Grinnell College in Iowa. So overall, one could say our apartment is as culturally diverse as DIS housing gets.
Our home for the semester is located in Frederiksberg which is only a 15 to 20 minute commute to the center of the DIS campus. I simply take the metro to campus. The metro is the cleanest, safest and quietest form of public transportation that I have ever encountered. There are only two metro lines so after a few days you are sure to be an expert. A very important tip about riding the metro is to not excessively talk. Danes do not speak much or at all on the metro. This feeling of not needing to fill the conversation is a part of the Danish culture.
I have realized that Danes are very independent people. It is normal here to go out and have a meal by yourself. Danes do not speak to strangers; it is often considered strange to strike up a conversation with someone you do not know. This independent nature is not in a standoffish manner, instead it is interpreted that Danish people are just content with what they are doing. I think this content nature explains why Danish people are the so called “happiest people.”
Between the jet lag and time difference, I have found myself napping a lot. This necessary inconvenience has limited my sight-seeing in the first week. Despite my tired feelings, I have made my way to one of the most beautiful areas in Copenhagen. Nyhavn is a channel of water surrounded by colorful houses, trendy restaurants, cute cafes and numerous bicycles. The populated space is full of life and can be considered the epicenter of culture in Copenhagen.
Week one has treated me well. My homesickness has been at an all-time low due to my experiences and new friendships being at an all-time high! So far, Copenhagen has surprised and enticed me and I’m eager to learn more about my new home away from home.
