Studying abroad in Copenhagen has been a blast so far! And although the unit operations lab course I am taking here is fairly difficult and very fast paced, I have still been able to explore Copenhagen. The Technical University of Denmark (DTU) is actually located in a suburb north of Copenhagen called Lyngby. During my time here, I have gotten to know the town and the campus well. While some aspects are the same, a lot of DTU is very different from UA and Tuscaloosa.
First, there are almost no cars here; a lot of people bike or use public transit. Lyngby, and Copenhagen in general, is very quiet. The days are long and the sun sets around 10:30 pm. It rains a lot. The dining hall here, called the Canteen, is amazing. There is a huge assortment of Danish foods ranging from cold cuts and cheese to meat and potatoes. I always pay for my food using coins. I have learned many Danish words, particularly those used on menus. The burgers here are amazing and they all have salad and cucumbers on them.
My studies here have definitely allowed me to become immersed in Danish culture. What I have mentioned is only a fraction of all that is realized when you are actually here. I definitely experienced a big culture shock. I am still getting used to it, but it gets easier every day.
My two favorite experiences in Lyngby have involved doing things that the locals would do. The first was going to a movie. A group of students and I went to see the new Spiderman movie in theaters. It was shown in English with Danish subtitles and it was really nice to be immersed in English again for a few hours. The second experience was a local Lyngby BK soccer match. It was a Europa League qualifier and the crowd was super excited.
While I am not sure that I could live here for an extended time, I was able to appreciate the culture of the locals and feel that this experience really allowed me and my fellow classmates to immerse ourselves in Danish culture.
