Part 2: Block One (Adjusting to a New Normal)

As I mentioned in my first blog post, I was in Copenhagen for all three blocks. With every block that passed, I found myself falling more in love with the city and country as a whole. Although, it did not start out that way. 

The odds of having a “love at first sight” experience with study abroad is possible, but, in my own experience and from those I have talked to, it is rare. Don’t let this deter you! 

Think about it: you just moved to a brand new country and, if you are anything like me, you don’t know anybody. There’s a brand new language, brand new culture, and you, a young college student, is thrown into it. I mentally prepared myself for months leading up to departure, but trust me when I say no amount of preparation is enough for the rollercoaster that is moving abroad.

Really, this is just the hard truth. But I wouldn’t have it any other way. 

I arrived at Copenhagen Airport (Københavns Lufthavn) bright and early at 6am on January 3rd, 2022. Scratch that- definitely not bright because the sun doesn’t rise in Denmark until 9am in the winter so…just early. 

I had opted to wait at the airport for the CIEE pickup which would not be until 3pm. Yes, I waited for hours in front of 7/11 on a bench that felt like my new home. There was the option to figure out the public transportation and wait at our study center instead but a large group of us planted ourselves on that bench and did not budge for many hours.

Looking back at it now, we definitely could have figured out the metro (it’s very easy to navigate!) but sitting at Kastrup with a bunch of strangers- that would ultimately become very dear friends- is a memory I cherish. 

I don’t remember much from those three days of orientation. I was sleep deprived and running on pure adrenaline. But, the one thing I will never forget is the first bus ride to the study center from the airport and our very first walking tour on the day we flew in.  

One of the movies that I watched on the flight was Wes Anderson’s “The Grand Budapest Hotel”. If you know anything about Anderson’s work, colorful architecture and settings is his signature. That bus ride and walking tour felt like stepping into the very movie that I had just watched. 

Just like Anderson (a name of Scandinavian descent may I add), Copenhagen is known for its bright colors and innovative architecture. As a New Yorker, I am no stranger to odd looking buildings. But, in a way, I was struck by how different Copenhagen’s buildings were. 

Looking at photos is one thing, but seeing Nyhavn, the Royal Danish Theater, Amalienborg, the Opera House, and all the other historic landmarks for the first time is an indescribable feeling. 

In those moments you feel that all the hard work it took to get that moment, has finally paid off. 

But, as I said before, it is not all sunshine and rainbows.

Once the sleep deprivation and adrenaline of the first couple days wore off, I was suddenly hit with the reality of the situation.

Oh my goodness, I am living in a foreign country for five months… and I do not know anyone. 

Loneliness is inevitable and the number one way to cope with it is knowing that you are not the only one having those feelings. To be honest, it felt like the first couple weeks of freshman year of college again where you really just cling to the first friend you make. 

What helped me the most was journaling every day. Prior to Denmark, I never stuck with it and was really bad at accepting and understanding my emotions in high stress scenarios. Not only is journaling a great way to create a safe space for yourself, but I love going back now and seeing what I wrote on certain days. Seven months later, it’s a habit I still do now and will continue to do. 

To really emphasize this point, I will say again that it is okay to feel homesick and it is okay to feel upset and confused. 

You’ve probably gathered by now that it took me a bit to get myself comfortable and on my feet. But, once I did, Copenhagen became an absolute dream.

I lived in a dorm called "Basecamp South" which was located in Amager. Housing was selected by the CIEE staff so you will either be at South, Basecamp City, or an apartment!

I can only speak on Basecamp South but I had a room all to myself which included a kitchnette, personal bathroom, a desk, and closet. 

It was a bit out of the way but just a short 10 minute metro ride brought you right back to the city center. 

The first day trip we took was to Sweden during our second week. We visited Lund, home of Lund University which traces all the way back to 1425. While there, we visited sites such Lund Cathedral, a church built in 1145.

On our bus ride back to Copenhagen, we made another stop in Malmö, a coastal city in southern Sweden that you can actually see from the coasts of Copenhagen! We were given a couple hours to explore on our own.

I had the opportunity to celebrate my birthday while abroad! I turned 20 on the 18th of January and what an experience. Denmark has many birthday traditions that are quite different to the States that I don’t quite want to spoil. CIEE made that day very special and I will forever be grateful.

Every Wednesday was called “Hygge Wednesdays” where we would all get together at the study center and either watch sports games, movies, or play traditional Danish games. It quickly became part of all of our routines and it was a great way to catch up with those we haven’t seen in awhile. 

One of my fondest memories from one of those Wednesdays was when we rooted for the Danish National Handball team as they went up against France in a very heated match. I’m not very familiar with the rules of handball but could definitely feel the competitiveness radiating around the room. 

And, of course, the Mads Mikkelsen fan club that somehow formed from Hygge Wednesdays. Denmark’s golden child. 

Our second day trip was towards the end of the month when we went up north to Helsingør, also known as Elsinore, which is the English translation. Kronborg Castle, built in 1574, is known for being the inspiration behind Shakespeare’s Hamlet as the characters' stories are nearly identical to that of King Frederick ll.

Frederick fell in love with a lower class woman but wasn’t able to marry her due to her social status. Sound familiar? It is theorized that Shakespeare himself attended one of the many parties thrown by the King of Denmark at Kronborg, to which he returned back to the UK to write the now famous play inspired by his acquaintances and their home. Of course the betrayal from Claudius and the ghost are all fictional add-ons but hey who really knows.

Although the weather was bad, it really was magical to step foot into the place I’ve read and learned about for years.

After Elsinore, we visited the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art which was incredibly odd but also very cool. I remember saying: “if Urban Outfitters was a museum, it would look like Louisiana” and I think that’s a pretty accurate description. 

Of course, one of the great privileges of studying abroad is being able to do weekend trips to other countries on your own time. In total, I am incredibly grateful to say I visited nine separate countries during my stay in Copenhagen. 

The very first weekend trip I took was to Edinburgh, Scotland towards the end of block one. For just 18 USD, I took an early morning flight to Edinburgh and spent two days experiencing a new city and landscape. My friends and I took a tour of the Scottish Highlands and that journey has become one of my go-to abroad stories to tell. 

Just two days after returning from Scotland, our blocks changed which meant we had a couple days off to allow all the new students to transfer locations. During that week period, a group of us traveled to Spain where we spent a couple nights in Madrid and another couple in Alicante. 

This was also the very first time I experienced culture shock.

Surprisingly, I didn’t have much culture shock upon arriving in Denmark. Yes, it was overwhelming to be surrounded by a new language but that was about it.

I encourage everyone to take as many travel opportunities as you can while also living life in Copenhagen to the fullest.

Before I left to study abroad, many alumni had told me “travel every weekend or you will regret it!” when I have found that definitely isn’t the case. In the beginning, you may feel like you have to travel frequently or feel like you are missing out. Don’t feel that way! 

Enjoy the minimal amount of time you have in your home country! You don’t want to come home with all these travel stories then realize you barely have any about the country you actually lived in. 

You will quickly realize that, although Denmark is small, there is so much that the country has to offer. 

By the time block two rolled around, I was pretty well adjusted. February was when the weather slowly began to lighten up and many things were opening. But, hey, that’s for part three.