Submitted by Katarina Rodriguez Thomas on the 2024 Spring program in Copenhagen, Denmark…
In Denmark, the concept of “hygge” (pronounced hyu-guh) is about bringing coziness and contentment into your everyday life, especially when it’s cold, dark, and rainy for most of the winter. Moving into Denmark right in the middle of their most depressing season weather wise is certainly an adjustment for people used to the regular sunshine and mild winters we have in Delaware. When I first moved here, I had heard of hygge and thought that it was something that was built into the culture and the city around me. But, after settling in and finding that hygge wasn’t handed to me with my keys, I realized that it was really something that lived among the people and I was going to have to go out and find it for myself. Since deciding to join the hygge culture and pulling some of the members of my LLC along with me, we’ve built a nice little community filled with recommendations on where to find the best fuzzy blankets, game nights, group bakery trips, and community dinner nights. Together, we were all able to come together and create a little cozy community that has really allowed us to join in on one of the best parts of Danish culture and create our own family abroad. (Submitted on February 2, 2024)