Worldly Wednesday

Each week, students at DIS have Wednesdays off to travel, catch up on school work, or relax. Yesterday being my first Wednesday off, I decided to really maximize my day and woke up early to arrive at the National Museum right when it opened.  As I was exploring the Asian art displays (some of my favorite), I got a message from Sam inviting me to join him and some of his friends on an excursion to Malmo, Sweden! How could I say no??

After meeting up with the gang at Copenhagen Central Station, we purchased our round trip tickets (incorrectly, I might add) and hopped on a bus with visions of Swedish meatballs in our heads (or veggie meatballs for me).  Our itinerary for the day trip was packed in the best possible way!  We started our day with a visit to St. Peter's Church, then walked around the city in search of lunch.  We ended up finding a funky cafe and ordered delicious salads and sandwiches (and they even gave us free chocolate and coconut truffles for dessert!).  After refueling, we ventured into a beautiful park ornamented with tree-lined paths, a large pond, and artfully placed fountains, not to mention a beautiful dark wood windmill that provided the perfect backdrop for pictures! Near the back of the park was the Malmo Museum located in a refurbished castle.  Following a quick tour of the museum we made the trek to the Turning Torso, the highest building in Scandinavia.  Although we were not able to enter the building, the Turning Torso is located right along the coast, a truly priceless view! We stopped at a cafe on the water and celebrated the day with wine and gelato!  Once our bellies were full, we returned to the heart of the town for our final stop of the day, dinner at a traditional Swedish pub!

The adventure to Sweden went so swimmingly that something was bound to put a snafu in the plans at some point.  That moment occurred on the train ride home.  Turns out, contrary to what we were told, a child's ticket to Malmo applies only if you're under 16, not 25-oops! A not-so-friendly train officer pointed this out to us as we were three stops away from Copenhagen.  So, with the threat of being arrested (a bit dramatic) we disembarked from the train and purchased the correct tickets to finally make it back to our home-away-from-home.  All in all, a funny anecdote to add to the end of a marvelous day!

Weekend Recap!

Yesterday marked one week since arriving in my new home-away-from-home.  Even though I am adjusting to new aspects of Danish living everyday, I already feel a sense of belonging in Copenhagen. 

This weekend was filled with food, fun, and friendship.  On Friday after classes, I made my way to the public library, accurately known as the Black Diamond.  The modern half of the structure looks out over the harbor until it meets the Harry Potter-like older section that opens out onto picturesque gardens.  To say that I will be a regular is an understatement! Following the visit to the library (where I also planned an extended weekend stay in Amsterdam with my two favorite guys!) a few friends and I made the trek out to Sam's kollegium where we observed an intense beer pong tournament (let's just say there was tackling involved) followed by some rapid bar hopping into the wee hours of the morning! 

Saturday began bright and early with an amazing brunch in the hipster district of Norrebro at Cafe N, a place to which I definitely plan on returning! After chatting and bonding with my fellow tree huggers, I continued to explore the trendy area.  The Travel thrift shop, all natural grocery store, and the cemetery that houses H.C. Andersen were the highlights.  

On Sunday I paid a visit to the citizenship office to submit my application for a temporary Danish Residence Card! Although the process took only mere minutes, the moment felt significant in my assimilation to the Danish lifestyle. After the citizenship office, Jess and I decided to take the long walk home where we passed the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek, a museum displaying mostly sculptures and paintings. With works by Degas and Monet, I thoroughly enjoyed the pitstop! A quiet afternoon was spent at Sam's kollegium working ahead on the never-ending readings. In the evening, after a bought of typical rain, Sam and I travelled to Christiania, a commune-like community in Copenhagen, to watch a free outdoor reggae-style concert.  Not my typical scene, but it was truly a fun time and an experience I am so glad I had! 

Nyhavn

New Beginnings

I am five days into my Copenhagen abroad experience and so far I am in love! After two flights with inevitable delays, I arrived in Copenhagen on Sunday.  I saw my house for the first time, met my three marvelous roommates and went grocery shopping at the local Netto.  Being so centrally located in the city has an endless amount of perks; I can walk to all of my classes, be in the hustle and bustle of the nightlife and meander in and out of countless boutiques (although there are still the omnipresent chains like H&M and Abercrombie and Fitch).

Today marks the first day of classes! After reading over 100 pages on the EU and the origins of Danish politics, I am ready to meet my professors and fellow political junkies!  As I type this, I am sitting in a local cafe, sipping on black coffee, people watching, and relaxing before my first class later this morning. Sounds like heaven to me :) 

The fashion in Copenhagen is nothing short of amazing.  Although the color palette is limited (essentially nonexistent), I am so impressed by the innate sense of style that native Copenhagen-ers possess! Black, gray, and white with lots of accents of leather and a plethora of layers for the wind chill seem to be staples in the wardrobe.  Although I have only been immersed in the culture for a hand full of days, I feel a real connection to the minimalist approach that Danes have toward fashion, so chic!