Scandinavian Sights

Six days in Finland and Estonia.

The beginning of this week marked my seventh (!!) week in Denmark, and time for one of the most exciting points in the semester: Long Study Tour! Long Study Tour is a week where your core course travels to two different locations in Europe to explore certain academic and cultural themes. In my case, my core course, Health Delivery and Prioritization, traveled to Helsinki, Finland, and Tallinn, Estonia, to explore and compare health care systems across Finland, Estonia, and Denmark.

Green Window Helsinki

After an early morning flight to Finland, we made our way to Nuukisio National Park for an afternoon and evening of activities with Green Window, an event space and sauna just 30 minutes outside of Helsinki. After being greeted with homemade coffee and cinnamon buns, we set out to kayak. Crossing a beautiful lake surrounded by trees with changing leaves, breathing in the cleanest air on earth (!!) I couldn’t help but feel a sense of awe. It felt surreal to be in Finland, a country I had heard about but never imagined being in. The weather was cold for kayaking (in the 40s) but it was a wonderful grounding moment to be able to be in nature after so many weeks of living in busy, urban Copenhagen.

After a game of Mölky, and a delicious dinner of rye bread, salmon, potatoes, and mushroom soup, we headed to the sauna. Saunas are a traditional part of both Danish and Finnish culture and are used to improve health. Danes, especially, love the temperature extremes (I found that out from jumping in the harbour my first week in Copenhagen). Finnish tradition is to submerge in cold water and then heat up in the sauna–and to go back and forth between the two. I’m not a huge fan of extreme cold or heat (who is?) but I figured I would follow along the tradition as best as I could.

It was already cold outside, since the temperature had dropped down into the low 40s, but we all changed into swimsuits and went down into the water. I refused to jump in and instead stood, teeth chattering, on the deck, waiting for people to submerge themselves until I could stick my feet in up to my calves. That was as far as I went before I jumped up and ran inside. There were two types of saunas: smoke and electric. The smoke sauna was pitch black inside. Imagine sitting in a small, dark room, crowded with people. It’s pitch black and there’s almost a suffocating amount of hot smoke around you. You’re right next to a burning hot stove. You’re blind because you don’t have your glasses. Now just sit and just relax. Breathe. Yep, safe to say my claustrophobia, fear of the dark, and anxiety did not let me appreciate the smoke sauna. I appreciated the electric sauna more, but if anyone came in and poured too much water over the coals I felt suffocated and had to leave. Are saunas for me? I’m not sure. Did I enjoy going from being extremely hot to extremely cold? Not particularly, but when in Finland, do as the Finns do. I slept like a baby that night.

Helsinki Fish Market

The Moomin Store

I couldn’t leave Helsinki without getting some swag from the Moomin Store. Moomins are the central characters of a set of comics by Finnish illustrator Tove Jannson. I was introduced to them by my mom, who read them as a child. Moomin is huge in Finland, and you can see them nearly everywhere you go! I spent way too much time in the store but I came away with some souvenirs for my family (who are fellow Moomin lovers), even if we can’t all agree on what animal the Moomins most represent.

Old Town Square in Tallinn

Old Town Square is the largest preserved medieval square in Estonia, and there are echoes of both medieval times and the Soviet occupation. Estonia has a complicated, and mostly bitter, relationship with Russia because of the former Soviet occupation, and the current Russian-speaking minority is often discriminated against. Cathedrals like the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral are symbols of past Russian influence.

One of the specialties of Estonia is marzipan, so my group visited the Marzipan House for all kinds of marzipan delicacies including marzipan pralines and marzipan cake.

Curling!

On our last day in Estonia we headed to Tondiraba Jäähall to learn some curling! It is much, much harder than it looks. Especially for me. I lack general balance and grace. I have never been good at ice sports (I can’t even ice skate). Curling is interesting in that one of your shoes has a gripper that helps you stay stable and balanced and the other shoe is slippery and helps you slide along the ice. So if you’re like me and absolutely terrified of falling on the ice, you’re essentially walking on one leg and dragging the other leg behind you, holding yourself up with a broom. If you’re reading this, please look up how curling shots are done–it is one of the most ridiculous thing I have ever seen. I decided that I did best when the grippers were on both my feet and I could stay firmly planted on the ice, so I mostly worked as a sweeper for my team. However, I did score one point, so I’m basically professional.

At first I was disappointed that my travel locations for study tour were Finland and Estonia. Tallinn and Helsinki just didn’t seem as exciting as Berlin, Rome, and many of the other study locations where students were headed. But after my week in both countries, I recognize my entitlement and misconceptions. Only a small number of people travel to Finland and Estonia each year, true, but that meant that I was part of only a small number of people who got to experience both countries and cultures for what they have to offer. How many people can say they’ve gotten to kayak through a national park in Finland? Or played rounds of curling in Estonia? My experiences were unique and special on their own, without the glitz and glam of other European locations.

As I enter my ninth week, I’m leaning more into gratitude, because a grateful attitude has never failed me! Tusind tak for reading and until next week.

Two weeks ago, one of my favorite people, my grandfather, came to visit me in Copenhagen! After six weeks of adjusting to a new style of living and a new city, it was comforting to see a familiar and friendly place. We had a wonderful time together over 4 days, and below are some snapshots of our time together.

Trying traditional Danish pastries!

I don’t think you can come to Denmark without trying the pastries here. They are absolutely delicious and addictive. I feel myself being physically pulled toward Lakagehuset (translation: The Cake House; a bakery in Denmark) every time I walk by, and I know my favorites: direktorsnegl, pain au chocolat, and a delicious carrot cake topped with cream cheese frosting and pistachios I ate for my birthday. Pain au chocolat isn’t exactly native to Denmark, but there are some pastries that Denmark can claim: tebirkes (a buttery pastry filled with a poppy seed paste and kanelsnegls (a specific type of Danish cinnamon roll)

Walking around the city!

I am so grateful to be living in the center of the city where I am less than a 30 minute walk to some of the major tourist attractions in Copenhagen. Being in the center of the city also means that I get to walk by some of the nicest parts of the Copenhagen, including the courtyard (pictured below) that’s right across the street from me and actually looks like a movie set. But while Copenhagen is a very walkable city, it’s not very accessible. Though I occasionally take public transportation, I live on the fourth floor of my apartment and walk pretty much anywhere I go. That’s great for a relatively health person in their 20s, but a bit more difficult for someone who is 83. On active days, I walk close to about 3 miles, or 10,000 steps, on my own. On our two busiest days in Copenhagen, Opa and I walked about 16,000 steps per day, which is close to 7 miles! With that much walking, anyone would need a nap in the afternoon!

Visiting the Louisiana Museum of Art!

From my first week here, everyone has been encouraging me to visit the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art. The museum is located about 25 miles outside of Copenhagen, just a quick train ride away. It was wonderful to eat lunch outside and see the coast of Sweden across the water. We also explored all the exhibits and then had coffee afterward, because art museums can be exhausting. The museum was a good mix of art types, from the outdoor statue garden to a photography exhibit featuring the work of Lauren Greenfield.

Visiting the Black Diamond!

The Black Diamond, the newest extension of the Danish Royal Library, is one of Copenhagen’s architectural masterpieces. It is one of the coolest buildings I have ever been in, and, if I ever work up the motivation, a fantastic study spot for the future. The building is surrounded by glass windows which allows natural light to light up the building (since this is Denmark, and there isn’t always an abundance of sunlight, fluorescent lights are used too).

Taking a canal tour!

After visiting the Black Diamond, we hopped on the nearest canal tour. The temperature had dropped and it was windy, but the boat was covered and the sun was shining enough for some relief. I finally got to see the famous Little Mermaid statue, which our tour guide deemed “one of the most disappointing tourist attractions in the world”. From the boat we saw the Danish Opera House, which people dive off in the summer, and CopenHill, ski slope built into the side of a building.

Overall, I had a wonderful time exploring the city together. I’m grateful for some great meals, new sights of the city, and some interesting discussions on Danish language and culture. Our time together left me with a greater appreciation for Copenhagen and all it has to offer. Thank you for everything and love you Opa!

Fun with my visiting host family!

Time has been moving faster and faster, and as the weeks get busier I’ve found it harder to keep up with this blog. But I’m dedicating myself to writing at least one post for every week that I’m here and to make reflecting on my experiences a priority. I just know that this semester will be over before I know it.

Three weeks ago I went with my visiting host and her two grandchildren to visit the Copenhagen Zoo. It was a beautiful, sunny day and the weather was just cool enough to be comfortable. My visiting host’s grandchildren, who are 15 months and 10 years old, had varying levels of excitement. Vera, the 10 year old, was excited to be back, while Caylee was…Caylee. She’s not quite old enough yet to speak, so the only way she expresses emotion is through babbling or crying, which she likes to do as frequently as possible (luckily she’s adorable so no one minds too much). As we waited in line for tickets, we gave her an animal book to look at to calm her down. What exactly was she upset about? The sun, the noise, the distant cries of animals? Nothing is certain.

The Copenhagen Zoo is great because it is 1) incredibly large and 2) has a huge range of animals from capybara to tapirs to polar bears to monkeys. As we turned the corner to the very first section of the zoo, I saw a dead horse head lying in the center of the enclosure. As you can imagine, I was a bit shocked, but the kids around me were completely unfazed. Perhaps this is because honesty is one of the foundations of Danish culture. Danish children are taught the harsh realities of life from an early age. While in the US we tend to avoid subjects of death (and understanding things such as where meat comes from or how animals eat), in the Copenhagen Zoo it was all out in the open.

As we wandered the zoo, the kids especially enjoyed the penguin enclosure and a demonstration with a seal lion who was trained to do several tricks. I have complicated feelings toward zoos. On the one hand I think they can be a great source of knowledge and information to allow kids to learn about animals and the world around them. On the other hand, I think they can send the message that animals are here as a source of entertainment. Having a seal in a tank, while sometimes sad, at least allows people to see an animal and to engage with the natural world. Having a seal splash water on a crowd, catch a ball, or wave its flippers teaches kids (and sometimes adults, too) that animals are here to entertain us. If we can’t enjoy animals as they actually exist, how are we supposed to care about the planet around us? But I’ll get off my soapbox.

After two hours at the zoo we were ready for lunch. I made my way to a hot dog stand where I had my first Danish hot dog. American and Danish hot dogs are very different, and I hate to say it but Danish hot dogs are just way better. My hot dog was piled with fried onions, pickles, mustard, mayo, raw onions, and some mysterious sauce, and it was absolutely delicious!

After several hours of walking around the zoo we headed to the “kid’s” section of the zoo just before closing. I say “kid’s” section because I refuse to believe that just kids enjoy meeting and petting goats! Caylee met her first goat and learned that it’s not a good idea to approach an animal and pull on its horns.

Overall I had a lovely time at the zoo. It was great to go to somewhere in Copenhagen that attracts both locals and tourists. As always, I loved spending time with my visiting host and can’t wait for our next outing together.

Until my next spontaneous burst of energy…hej hej!

Staying afloat in one of the world’s most expensive cities.

This post is partially to reassure my mom that, yes, I am eating well, my bank account is (relatively) full, and I’m having a good time without too much spending. When I was planning to study abroad, I didn’t really think about how expensive the city I would be living in would be. So I arrived to Copenhagen, naive, completely unaware that it has been ranked as one of the top ten most expensive cities in the world. My first meal in Copenhagen was at Espresso House, which is essentially Denmark’s version of Starbucks, but if Starbuck’s sold $7 coffee. My first weeks involved a lot of poor estimations (100 kroner is basically $10, right?) and mistakes were definitely made. But as I’ve spent more time in this city I’ve learned to both adjust to the level of expensiveness (word?) in this city and how to prioritize when I spend my money.

The cheapest coffee I’ve found here, with a student discount, is 27 kroner. That’s $3.98, which is on the steep side for the U.S. I’m so grateful to not be a frequent coffee drinker, but if you are, make your coffee (or tea) at home! Just one drink a week from a local cafe will probably add up to about $25 (at least). The same goes for food. As tempting as eating out can be, I try to save it for the most special occasions, and as I’ve gotten more experienced cooking, I’ve found that my food is (about) as good as what I could find going out, and for so much less money.

For me it can be really tempting to go get a croissant from a bakery, or fresh strawberries from the small farmer’s market near the Round Tower, but my philosophy is Netto first. Put your grocery card to good use! If I want pastries and don’t want to pay even Netto’s cheap prices, I go (usually with my LLC) after 8 pm when prices are half off to reduce food waste. Not to mention Netto has really great produce for much cheaper than in the U.S. And if you’re looking to drink in Copenhagen (as many study abroad students do) save money and buy alcohol at Netto instead of at bars or clubs where the prices are ten times higher.

I learned this very quickly having to cook for myself 24/7, but a free meal is a good meal. I had one of the best meals of my life at one of the Absalon community dinners. Absalon is a community center that hosts community dinners and social events throughout the year. The whole point of the dinner is to meet new people over a meal. DIS paid for us to have free tickets, and we had a delicious dinner of fresh baked rye bread, meat and potato stew, and beets (classic Danish food). We shared our table with four French professionals who had traveled to Copenhagen for a conference, and even though we only spent an hour together, it was still a special experience. DIS hosts many events throughout the semester that are free to sign up for, and sometimes Kobenhavn University (KU) hosts events that are free to the public and catered.

While I’m on the topic of DIS, I’ve found that there are so many opportunities to participate in free or reduced fee events through DIS. My first week here I went to a New In Town bonfire where we drank rhubarb juice and sang songs around a campfire. That was cute and fun and reminded me of summer camp. There are a wide variety of events and activities, including arts and crafts, board game nights, and even outdoor fitness training.

One of the biggest hurdles for me in my first month in Copenhagen was setting up an actual budget. I knew that I had big expenses coming up, like travel and plane tickets, but it felt like such an overwhelming task. But, as I’ve learned for most things, just sitting down and getting my budget done made me feel so much better. I don’t have specific numbers that I use to limit entertainment or necessities spending, but instead a general goal for money spent each month that I try to stay under. I do have a tighter budget during my time at DIS than most, but I don’t feel like I’m having any less of a great experience because of it.

When I do feel like treating myself (or at least buying a dreadfully expensive coffee at a cafe I know I’ll be at for a while), I always ask for a student discount. One of the best things about living in the center of the city is that nearly everywhere you go will offer a student discount. This can definitely be helpful for saving money. Student discounts can be everywhere from restaurants to airlines. I booked a ticket with SAS, which offers reduced price tickets to youth from age 16-25. I think part of this is because you’re not technically considered an adult in Denmark until you’re 25.

This is only a short list of things that I’ve learned so far this semester, and I’m hoping to make a longer one with everything I’ve learned about budgeting in Copenhagen during my last few weeks here. For now, cheers to student discounts and cheap fun!

Three Days in Western Denmark

This week marked the beginning of my fourth (!!) week in Denmark and the first big milestone in my DIS semester: Short Study Tour. Short Study Tour is three days of travel in Denmark or a neighboring country during which you have the opportunity to further explore the themes of your Core Course. One great thing about Short Study Tour is that your time is balanced between academic visits and cultural activities, meaning that we got to further explore Danish culture. My Core Course, Health Delivery and Prioritization, traveled to Odense and Horsens in Western Denmark.

Day 1 in Odense: Egeskov Castle, HIV Specialization Clinic, Storms Parkhus

After loading up the bus at 7:30 AM, we headed across the bridge to Jutland (fun fact: this was at one point the longest bridge in the world). The sun was slowly rising, the bus was peaceful and quiet, and as beautiful as the view across the bridge was, I found myself falling asleep. When I woke up we had arrived at Egeskov Castle, which is 460 years old and, interestingly enough, the best preserved moat castle in Europe. We did a scavenger hunt across the grounds, which included beautiful gardens, a suprisingly fun playground, tree climbing, and, of course, the castle. Although the weather was miserable (grey and rainy), there is something so undeniably special about visiting a castle.

After our visit to the castle (and a picnic lunch!) we drove into Odense, the third largest city in Denmark and the birthplace of Denmark’s most famous writer, Hans Christian Andersen. Our visit to the HIV Specialization Clinic taught me that while the presence of HIV is still relatively low in Denmark, rising populations of immigrants in Denmark have called for greater cultural competency in medical practice. There is still widespread stigma against HIV-positive individuals, and patients must navigate their status within communities where they cannot be open about their sexuality and sexual practices.

After a day of activities we checked into our hostel and then headed out to dinner. My group chose to visit Storms Pakhus, a large street food market. It was overwhelming to choose between so many options, but I ordered chicken tikka masala and was pleasantly surprised by how spicy it was (a rarity in Denmark). After a delicious dinner (and a wet walk through the relentless rain), we settled in for the night.

Day 2 in Horsens: Fængslet Prison Museum and Familielægerne Horsens

After an early breakfast at our hotel, we made the drive to Horsens. The Fængslet Prison Museum was built from a former prison and has the largest collection of prison items in the world. The museum raises questions on the morality of prison sentencing and allows visitors to explore prison rooms and facilties (including bathrooms that actually smell). At the beginning of the museum, visitors can choose a real life prisoner whose story they follow through the museum, and mine was Rickey, a man convicted for murder.

After an informational visit to the Prison Museum, we had lunch and then went to Familielægerne Horsens. If you can imagine a mall but with health clinics, that was Familielægerne Horsens. Although our conversation was primarily with a GP, Holger Kjær, we also had the opportunity to visit a dental clinic, a pharmacy, and a physical therapy practice. I learned, among many other things, that Denmark’s drug companies set their prices every two weeks, and that pharmacies are required to provide patients with the lowest cost drugs. After an informative visit, we made our way to the hostel where we enjoyed dinner and then settled in for the night.

Day 3 in Horsens: Sund by Horsens, Mast Restaurant, and (home sweet home) Copenhagen!

After a morning breakfast at the hostel (and some really great freshly-baked bread), the group headed to Sund by Horsens, a municipality-funded organization that focuses on public health issues within Horsens. The organization hosts support groups, public health measures, and has supported Horsen’s status as a WHO Healthy City for the past 32 years.

When we were finally back in Copenhagen and walking to our LLC, a feeling of content and happiness washed over me. We were back home! It was the first time I had used that word to describe Copenhagen, but it felt right.

As I write this, I’ve officially been in Copenhagen for a month, and 1/4 of the way through my study abroad experience. Time has been flying by, but documenting my time here in this blog has really helped me to slow down and appreciate the experiences that I’ve had.

How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Cooking

Okay, well that headline is a little bit misleading. I still do worry for pretty much the time the entire time that I’m cooking or baking. Mostly that something I make will taste atrocious or that I’ll burn down the LLC. But this week I’ve challenged myself to overcome some of my fears: using our LLC’s weird, European oven, baking with the metric system, and cooking a meal for a large group of people.

Before I lived in my LCC, I was no top chef. I knew how to scramble eggs, but I often felt so harried during the process that I would forget to add salt or pepper. I technically knew how to make pasta, but I didn’t quite know the difference between boiling and simmering water. And it took me quiet a while to learn how important it is to salt pasta water before cooking it. I could assemble a mean sandwich and I was great at chopping vegetables. And…that was about it. It’s always been my desire to gain more experience cooking, but when I’m at home my mom tends to take over the kitchen (I don’t blame her) and at school every students eats all of their meals in the dining hall. So these four months of living in the LLC, where I’ll be cooking meals 24/7 for myself, is my chance to improve. Maybe I won’t turn into a top chef, but I’d love to be able to find more confidence and ease in the kitchen.

My first couple of weeks living in Copenhagen consisted of several cooking faux pas. My first time cooking dinner was pasta with pesto, an extremely easy dish considering that the pesto was store bought, but because I was so worried about overcooking my pasta, it turned out more chewy than the al dente I had hoped for. The second dish I tried to make, grilled cheese, tore up the bread and burned the pan. (In my defense, I think this was the type of bread I was using and not my cooking techniques). I spent two hours chopping up and sauteeing vegetables for ratatouille, feeling smug, before I realized that both my brain and Google Translate had failed me at the grocery store. The tomatoes I had bought, which had translated to “ripped tomatoes”, were actually full tomatoes in their juices. I had bought one can only when the recipe called for three large cans. In a moment of panic I ran to my cabinet and threw in the only thing I could think of: tomato basil pasta sauce. Luckily, all of my food for the last three weeks has been edible. My “ratatouille” turned into an extravagant pasta sauce, I’ve only burned one pan, and I now know how to make my pasta perfectly al dente. Even my scrambled eggs skills have improved.

But I’m someone who always enjoys a challenge. I could technically spend the next four months making some variations of pasta dishes, but I would go crazy from boredom. My first attempt at baking, banana bread, came from Internet inspiration and three blackening bananas. Some of my LLC members had bought baking supplies for chocolate chip cookies the night before and I had looked up the simplest recipe I could find. After I found myself unable to concentrate on homework, I made my way over to the kitchen and stumbled through baking banana bread. When it came time for other people to taste it, I was actually shaking I was so nervous that I had somehow added to much salt or not enough sugar or that the European oven had somehow ruined my precious banana bread. But my LCC members loved it and ate it all (so quickly that I don’t even have a picture of my banana bread). A girl on my floor even said that it was the best banana bread she’d ever had! (I’m a little worried about the quality of banana bread she’s been exposed to, but I’ll take the compliment).

Fueled by banana bread success, I cooked myself a dinner of sauteed vegetables (my go-to mix of bell peppers and onions) with scrambled eggs and roasted asparagus. I had fully conquered my fears of the oven.

This week my LLC decided to have a community dinner on Wednesday night, and Liana, another member of my LLC on my floor, and I took over cooking responsibilities. (Not sure who decided we were competent, but I appreciate their belief in us). Our menu for dinner was four large quiches, roasted potatoes and mushrooms, a large salad, and chocolate chip zucchini bread with ice cream for dessert. We are all about #healthyliving and vegetables in this LLC!

Liana and I decided to start early with cooking and prepped and baked the quiches Tuesday night. To give you an idea of how much work was involved in making the quiches I’ll let you know that each quiche had 15 (!!) eggs and 4 cups of sauteed vegetables and other fillings, including mushrooms, onions, spinach, and bacon. I had luckily convinced Liana not to make our own pie crusts because I am lazy. I slept for 12 hours Tuesday night, and I really think the quiches just took everything out of me.

When it came time for dinner everything was edible and tasted pretty great! People went back for seconds and it took less than a day for the rest of the quiche to be completely eaten. Overall this was a success, and I’m hoping to have another community dinner with our LLC soon! (Although maybe for the next one, someone else can cook).

I’m excited to keep practicing and refining my cooking and baking skills throughout the semester. Fingers crossed that I won’t start any fires or forget to turn the oven off.

Happy Friday, and I’ll update you all next week after Short Study Tour and my adventures through Western Denmark!

Living in the Public Health LCC, it can sometimes be hard to interact with non-Americans. For this reason, I am grateful that I signed up for the Visiting Host Program, which is offered by DIS for all students who don’t live in a Homestay. For those unfamiliar with DIS, an LLC is a Living Learning Community, a chance to live with other DIS students and to have weekly meetings and activities centered around a theme, while a Homestay means staying in the home of a Danish family for the semester.

My visiting hosts, Elsebeth and Anders, live in Nivå, a small town about 22 miles outside of Copenhagen. Both are in their mid-60s and have three kids and four grandchildren. To get to their house, I took the train along with another DIS student, Allison, who they are also hosting. It was my first time taking a longer route, and although we somehow accidentally purchased 3 adult tickets instead of 2, everything worked out.

Elsebeth met us at the train station and gave us a driving tour of the town before we headed to her house. The most popular spot this time of year (and with such hot weather) is the beach, where there is a view of the coast of Sweden.

When we got to her house we were immediately greeted by Bilma, her daughter Louise’s dog and Lousie’s two daughters, Vega and Caylee. On the wall of Elsebeth’s garage I was completely surprised to spot a UT Longhorns sign, the football team of Austin, Texas. In a funny coincidence, one of the students that Elsebeth had hosted several years ago was also from Austin. Even though I’ve never been a UT Longhorns fan, it was a nice reminder of home from far away.

Elsebeth and Louise cooked us traditional Danish food for dinner, which we (sort of) helped prepare: frikadeller (Danish meatballs), a chopped cabbage salad, and potato salad.

It was an absolutely delicious dinner, but the most fun part of the evening was discussing Danish and American cultural differences, American politics, and traveling. Elsebeth of course wanted to hear our opinions on Trump’s interest in buying Greenland (a hot topic in Denmark right now), the upcoming presidential election, and what we thought about Danish people.

Sitting at the dinner table, listening to chatter in both English and Danish, eating traditional Danish food, I was struck with a sense of gratitude for being able to explore a country and culture that is so very different from mine. As hard as it is to leave my bubble of familiarity and live somewhere new, it is so, so worth it.

Elsebeth and Alison and I made plans to meet throughout the semester, including a Thanksgiving meal at their house (since her granddaughters are half American) and a traditional Christmas meal before we leave in December. We’re also hoping to go on outings in Copenhagen or close to Nivå, such as the Louisiana Museum of Modern of Art. I’m looking forward to getting to know Elsebeth and her family better this semester and I’m very grateful for her hospitality.

Today marks the end of my first week in Copenhagen, and what a long, long week it has been. There is something about moving to a completely new city and shifting forward many time zones that makes everything just feel so sluggish. Oh wait, that’s jetlag!

In honor of moving to Copenhagen and dealing with transition, homesickness, and a new community, I thought that I would document everything that I’ve accomplished this week.

1. Jumped into the harbour at Islands Brygge!

The very first event that our LLC did together was taking a GoBoat tour of the harbour, so I was familiar with Islands Brygge, a popular swimming spot in Copenhagen.

Everyone has been encouraging us to take advantage of the warm and sunny weather before it disappears in a few weeks. After a hot and sweaty afternoon, Liana and I took that advice and, after a lot of faltering, jumped in the harbour. My heart felt like it was going to explode out of my chest. I really thought for a second in the water I would black out, the cold was so intense. But the adrenaline rush was strong and not too long afterward, we took on the 3 meter jump off the wooden deck. It was scary and freezing cold, but we did it!

2. Explored my neighborhood (mostly) without Google Maps!

It is really wonderful to be in the center of the city. Along with being just a seven minute walk from all the DIS buildings, I’m surrounded by shops, restaurants, and tourist attractions. The streets are loud and rowdy some nights, but the busyness of the city can be energizing.

I have always been someone who has relied a bit too much on Google Maps, so I decided to challenge myself this week by navigating with just my sense of direction and familiar landmarks. I had a lot of fun just wandering the streets near my LLC, knowing that any point I could open up Google Maps if I was really lost.

3. Visited Copenhagen’s most iconic tourist spot: Nyhavn Harbour

This tourist spot has been my phone background for more than a month now, and so knowing that it was only a ten minute walk away from my LLC made my heart soar. Standing in front of the boats and canal-side restaurants solidified that I was really in Copenhagen.

4. Ate onsdagssnegle at the famous Sankt Peder’s Bageri!

I had read enough blogs by DIS students to know about Saint Peter’s Bakery and it’s Wednesday onsdagssnegle (Wednesday snails/cinnamon rolls), so when Wednesday morning came around, I dragged our LLC over to the bakery and WOW. It was absolutely worth the 20dkk and I will absolutely be making it a Wednesday morning tradition.

5. Took public transportation (for the first time!) to Amager Strandpark

One thing I really appreciate about my location in Copenhagen is how easy it is to walk everywhere that I need to go. And if where I need to go is too long of a walk, I can always take public transportation. A couple members of my LLC suggested that we head to Amager Beach, which is just a couple stops away from Nørreport Station, our nearest metro station. Today was the warmest it has been since I got here, so it was lovely to spend time swimming and hanging out on the beach.

Although parts of this week were confusing and challenging, I am slowly finding my place in this city. I feel optimistic for the future and what’s to come! And I’m excited to update you all after week two.

In exactly three days from now I will be en route to Copenhagen! It still feels unreal. I spent the last three months playing with the idea of going abroad, never really fully acknowledging what that would mean, and waiting for the moment when it would be all feel “real”. Well, I’m not quite at that moment yet, but my passport is ready and I’m furiously trying to stuff four months worth of my existence into 1.5 bags.

This past week I’ve really enjoyed savoring American/Texan experiences. I went to San Antonio and walked the Riverwalk and ate too much Tex-Mex food and was serenaded by a mariachi band. I ate at Whataburger (a Texas classic) and marveled at how strange American food can be (Spicy ketchup? Honey mustard sauce? Probably unheard of in Denmark). I’ve started making a list in my head of foods that probably won’t show up at the Copenhagen grocery stores: grits, good tortillas, avocados, pico de gallo. I’ve sweated through the last few weeks of 100+ temperatures, looking longingly at the Copenhagen weather forecast which shows highs in the 70s.

As soon as August started I was waiting anxiously for my housing assignment. It was hard for me to picture myself in Copenhagen without knowing where I would be living. I was so happy to learn that I would be living in the Public Health Living and Learning Community, my top choice. As part of the LLC I will be in apartment style housing in the center of Copenhagen, just a five minute walk from the DIS Campus, gyms, restaurants, and more! I’m grateful for the central location and the chance to live with 24 other students who share my same interests. Every week my LLC will get together for activities and educational discussions, including visiting the UN office in Copenhagen, discussing eating habits in Denmark, and cooking meals together. I’m excited for the educational opportunities and the greater independence I’ll have living in the LLC. I’ll have to prepare and cook my meals, contribute to cleaning, and figure out public transportation to get where I need to go, something that I have not yet had the opportunity to do at Bryn Mawr.

My academic program, Health Delivery and Prioritization will take me to Helsinki, Finland, and Tallinn, Estonia, two countries that I would never have imagined visiting. I have family and friends studying and living across Europe and I’m hoping to take advantage of my vacation time to visit them. My LLC will take a camping trip to northern Denmark in late August. Core course week will take me to western Denmark, and each Wednesday of the week to a different activity and event in the city of Copenhagen. There is so much to look forward to in my upcoming semester!