Here we go!
It’s been a week since I landed in Copenhagen, Denmark and I’m already in love with this city.
After landing at the airport on a Saturday afternoon, I went to a waiting room set up by my study abroad program to wait for my host family to pick me up. I was so nervous as I waited, it just hit me that I will be living with a whole Danish family for four months (father, mother, sister, brother, and dog). But what if I don’t like them or what if they don’t like me? This thought kept running through my head until I finally met my host family.
Luckily, things didn’t feel awkward, we were both just happy that we finally got to meet after weeks of virtual chatting. Everyone was so nice and I tried my best to socialize even though I would consider myself an awkward person ~
The rest of the weekend, my host parents took me around Copenhagen. I knew the city was small compared to the big city of Chicago, but I didn’t realize how walkable everything was from one to another (or rather more bike-able). I had a list of the touristy places that I wanted to visit and after a whole day of walking, I crossed out a good 3/4 of my list.
I had program orientation days from Monday-Wednesday. I didn’t have many sessions, so I walked around Copenhagen even more in my free time. I wasn’t interested in architecture until I came here. The designs of the buildings, houses, and churches were phenomenal. I also love that there is a historic feel and look to the city. There is a story behind most of the buildings and designs in Copenhagen, but you can just look at them and know that there is some kind of history to it.
I already found my favorite go-to spot in Copenhagen which is the harbour next to the Black Diamond, which is the national library of Denmark. The view of the water is immaculate and I could sit there all day (until the cold winter comes). I’ve visited that area almost every day, and I plan to continue going there in the future (especially since it’s only a 20-minute walk from classes)!
I finally had my first day of classes on Thursday. Although I only had ⅖ classes that day, I was already tired by the end of the day. I recommend making friends with people who live on/near campus especially if you’re like me who lives in a homestay that’s a 30-minute train ride away from campus. Fortunately, my friends let me stay in their room, so I was able to relax until my next class.
On Friday, I didn’t have any classes (the beauty of picking your own classes and schedule), but I was still very productive. I did some of my homework (yes, I am the type to do homework early), walked the family’s dog, did laundry, and watched an episode of a kdrama.
Overall, it’s been a great start to the semester, and I can’t wait to have more adventures in Copenhagen. Next week, I’ll share more about how I made friends while studying abroad :)
