Denmark

“Livet må forstås baglæns, men må leves forlæns.”

Life must be understood backwards, but must be lived forward

 

In the month of August 2017, I began my journey abroad in Europe as a student. With a big red suitcase and an even bigger smile, I’ve taken with me an emotional baggage that has given me a unique experience. Despite the grief that has followed me to these unknown lands, I have learned, I have laughed, I have cried, I have discovered, I have spent (sorry mom), but I have never regretted.

In Denmark, culture is a little different from American culture. I’ve compiled these points into a concise list:

• Couples always exhibit PDA – but the wholesome kind, especially hand-holding
• Literally everybody has babies, and all the babies smile
• Danes do not use sauce in pizza pies (tragic)
• At the supermarket, it is important to set down the dividers on the conveyor belt…or else
• Bike lanes. Bike lanes. Bike lanes.
• Danes are humble about their success
• Danes possess an accent that resembles (as the Swedish say) a potato being lodged in your throat
• One similarity: Danes are just as crazy about Christmas as Americans are!

 

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By now, I know Copenhagen like the back of my hand. Shoutout to the 2A bus for always coming in clutch. Shoutout to Lagkaghuset for providing the best pastries ever. Shoutout to Netto for satisfying my munchies. Shoutout to the Metro for only going two directions. Shoutout to the architects for building such beautifully modern buildings. Shoutout to Paper Island for having the best food. Shoutout to Christiansvahn just because it’s my favorite stop on the way to my apartment. Shoutout to Tivoli for always ringing in the seasons with fun and festivities. Shoutout to Amagerbro for being my home for the past three months.

With that said, let’s get into the highlights so that those who want to visit this magical country can have some guidance –

Activities –

• Tivoli Gardens
• University of Copenhagen Botanical Garden

Nightlife –

• Pumpehuset
• Meatpacking District

Museums –

• Nationalmuseet
• University of Copenhagen Geological Museum
• Louisiana Museum of Modern Art
• Frilandsmuseet

Food –

• Nyhavn
• Paper Island (Permanently Closed)
• Torvehallerne Copenhagen
• Noma