Study Abroad in Denmark

To summarize: Studying Abroad has been one of the highlights of my school years. I was able to blogging/vlogging my study abroad experience that took place from May-June 2022!

Week 1

The first time I ever travelled to Europe and all by myself on a flight. I packed the night before and didn't have any jet lag. I said a bitter sweet goodbye to my parents who woke up at 3am to drive me to airport. I was a little nervous but very excited to be achieving one of my dreams before I knew what college I wanted to go to. My flight was at 7:15am and had a connecting flight at to Miami that flew at 3:40pm.

I remember the flight clearly because I was missing my brother's high school graduation. I am so incredibly proud of him. I remember seeing the international flights for the first time. I was so estatic by the TV screens, blankets, pillows, and food they give you. It was just like in the movies!

The moment I touched Denmark on Wed, May 25 there was a group from DIS (the program hosting UT students in Denmark) to drive us in a VIP van to our housing. The group of students I was with had orientation and greeted so nicely by the host. We got our own apartment space and there was a school across the apartment. I quickly left my stuff and went to explore. The group I went with went to explore and find food. There was so much beautiful sights around that I took to explore around every second.

Fri, May 27 there was an excursion planned for a boat on Denmark's canel. It was a great introduction to the history of Denmark. After, the boat ride, a group and I went to explore and ate at a great restaurant in the city center of Denmark and explored around Tivoli and downtown. We took pictures of downtown and the Queen's estate. It came night and explored the night of Denmark as peaceful. I would compare Denmark as Seattle's weather: rainy and cold. I remember seeing the Denmark flag waving in the air as the boat and guide told us about the history that I thought to myself...I did it. I achieved my dream to study abroad during college. :D

The weekend a group and I explored the city like downtown. Little did I know that I am going to enjoy downtown and the very heart of Denmark the rest of my study abroad because the school was located there. We travelled by subway and bus and went to different tourist landmarks. The Sunday before our school started we went to a little beach near our place to watch the sunset. I remember hear a party happening in the city and I was thinking "wow I want to be there. I want to be a local Danish." That was my goal -- to be as much of a local as possible. At the beach, we saw a couple swimming without clothes and so many jelly fish (in Denmark it is pretty normal for people to swim without clothes). As we walked back, we wanted to go to a local pub to watch the footbal (i.e. soccer) game. It was crazy. The energy in the pub was unlike any other place with how energetic everyone was -- I felt no one in American football acted like this...everyone was involved in the game. The next day, we went to Tivoli...as I walked it. It felt like a new world. It was a amusement part with so many theme like Epcot in Disney World. It was at Tivoli that my first famous Smorrebrod that Denmark is known for and boy was it deli-icious!! There was an event at Tivoli that they passed out candy. My favorite was the stripped ones if I remember correctly -- it was cholcate and super creamy. There was also live music and I would kill for live music! I was there listening that I lost track of time. It was my favorite. Next by, another performance happened with the local band played and dress up like Danish soliders. I went to explore some more and noticed that I lost my group. I was so immersed in everywhere around me that I even found myself watching a ballet show of one of Denmark's famous plays. I didn't understand what was happening because it was spoken in Danish. However, I notice myself understand from gestures of the ballet dancers and movement that I knew the plot of the play. It was interesting to see how much the arts can connect people together. I reunited with my friends, but they were ready to leave. I wanted to stay though, because one of the locals I met at the pub said that Tivoli is the best at night and I wanted to see it. I realized that I kind of like exploring myself. I didn't have to worry "wasting" other people's time. I went back to the performance arena and found myself playing Bingo in Denmark haha. I sat next by a couple and noticed they were watching F1. Funny enough, I was watching F1 on YouTube and asked if I can join them. After playing bingo, I explored the flower gardens and ate the BEST falafel that I ever had...in the US the falafel was always dry, but in Denmark -- it was so nice and soft. THE BEST! My mouth is watering thinking about it right now. After, I explored Tivoli more -- I wanted to figure out the hidden places and navigate Tivoli to get the whole picture without using a map. I took in the sight until the sun went down. I found these Little Sun Light Swarm above the Tivoli Lake that change appearance according to the weather and light conditions/positions from dichromatic glass/mirrors and bronze. I would say that the person was right Tivoli is best at night. It is beautiful. Did I mention...that Checo (my favorite F1 driver won the Monoco GP Race) I stayed at Tivoli until the place closed and I was one of the last people out. I was about to leave and my phone battery was 3% that I paid for a bus ticket and it died the moment I walked out of the Tivoli gate. I was lucky that I was observant of the bus stop and number to go back home. I had no phone or GPS my first week. I was thinking that I would be lucky if I got home at 2am as a reasonable time. I got home at 12:34am.

Week 2

Mon: May 30, 2022 -- First Day of School.

I went to pick up my bike and rode the subway to go to it with one of my friend, Laura. We had to pick it up at Rosenborg Cykler at 9:30am. Our class had bikes from different locations some at Rosenborg or another place. 10:30-12:15pm: our class had a sustainable growth and development lecture with Charlotte Algreen. It was interesting because I learned a lot of the politics of Denmark compared to the US. In the US, we always called out teachers/professors as Mrs./Ms./Dr./Professors, but in Denmark they highly encouraged to be called by their first name. Everyone as equal no matter what educational degree you got in school. It was also voting in Denmark so Charlotte talked about how everyone votes and is very easy with parents who work as voting it highly encouraged and can be mailed. After the lecture, Charlottee took us on a bike tour and got to lunch at GroSpiseri a sustainable resturant that needs reservation with all the food some ingrediants from the garden. I found out that F1 drivers used to eat and took the elevator here and of course I freaked out!

To Be Continued...