Vi Ses Denmark!!!

My study abroad experience is coming to a close as I'm leaving Denmark tomorrow and heading back to the USA. My departure comes with lots of mixed feelings- I'm looking forward to being back home with family and friends, but at the same time I don't want this amazing chapter of my life in Denmark to end. Here's a list of what I'll miss most about Denmark:

- my host family!!! (I could never have imagined being so close to another family. I'm so fortunate to have had this close bond/relationship and I'm looking forward to staying in touch with them 

- Everything DIS = classes, staff, study tours, SAC events...

- walking around the streets in Copenhagen

- hygge weekends with morning breakfast spreads and tasty cakes with coffee/tea

- my yellow bike 

- movie nights with Danish subtitles

- The Black Diamond Library

- seeing the Danish flag everywhere

- casually spotting the royal family on a monthly basis

- talking about the "States" 

- Birthday family dinners

- modern, Ikea-like Danish homes

- Danish laid-back lifestyle in general

The list really could go on because these past four months have been absolutely amazing! I'm so happy and lucky to have had this opportunity and I've definitely learned something about another part of the world and myself as well- I hope you enjoyed reading my blog just as much as I enjoyed writing it :)

This is not "Farvel" (goodbye) Denmark, but "Vi Ses!" 

Little Mermaid

So here it is... my Copenhagen tourist photo! Since I'm in a course on Hans Christian Andersen, taking a photo with this iconic statue was definitely on my "to-do" list. Hopefully, this little visit will provide me with some inspiration for my final paper...

Vis Ses Snart

Labor Day = Field Day

May 1st marks Labor Day, which for Danes is a cause for a huge celebration. Every year, more than 50,000 people flock to Faelledparken in Copenhagen-- a large, open field just outside of the center city. While politicians make speeches, the gathering has been overrun with vendors and live music.  The weather today really could not have been better and I certainly enjoyed soaking up the sun with my friends on our picnic blanket. Why can't Labor Day in the States be this much fun!

Vi Ses Snart 

Fun Fact: Royal Cakes

Founded in 1870, La Glace is known for their elegant, delicious cakes. The confectionary shop was recently honored with the responsibility of creating the Crown Prince's and Crown Princess' engagement cake. In honor of my friend Megan's birthday, I visited La Glace with her and a few friends yesterday. Since each slice of cake costs 52 DKK, we decided to split a piece amongst the three of us.  The hardest part, of course, was deciding which cake to choose! After staring at the cakes in the window, we went with 'Lucky You'-- a chocolate mousse style cake with raspberry, chocolate ganache, and garnished with salted pumpkin-seeds.... it was heavenly!

Vi Ses Snart

Happy Birthday Queen Margrethe II!

Today the Queen of Denmark, Margrethe II, celebrated her 72nd birthday. As part of the annual festivities, the Queen and the entire royal family stepped onto the balcony of Amalienborg at noon and waved to the cheering Danish crowd below. As you can imagine, it was a pretty exciting day for both the Queen and Denmark.

Here are just a few photos that I was able to take of the event- I was really surprised by how close my friends and I were able to get to the balcony!

Entire Royal Family

Queen with her Grandchildren

Crown Prince and Princess with their children

Danish Crowd

   

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Spring Break: London, Edinburgh, Dublin

Hello Again! I'm back in Copenhagen from my travel break and as promised, here's a brief synopsis of my wonderful adventures...

Myself and two of my best SLU friends, Bailey and Josh, arrived in London late Monday (April 2) night only to discover that our hostel was not very luxurious to say the least; the hostel was currently undergoing construction which meant that besides waking up to workers in our hallway, the bathroom facilities were pretty sparse and grungy (I mean there's no need for a toilet paper holder right??).  Oh well it is definitely an experience that we can all laugh about now and luckily, we weren't in the hostel for very long as we busily spent our three full days in London sightseeing. We took advantage of a free walking tour that was offered in each of our travel destinations. This was a great way of seeing the sights, getting a brief history of the city, and learning our way around. In London, we signed up for a traveling card called the London Pass which allowed us to visit multiple attractions at a cheaper rate. With this card we visited the London Bridge, Tower of London (including Britain's crown jewels), Shakespeare's Globe Theater, Westminster Abby, and Kensington Palace.

Bailey and me in front of London Bridge

My favorite part of London, however, was seeing Les Miserables on Broadway; I've seen a few Broadway plays before in the USA including Mary Poppins and Wicked, but I've never seen a show where the entire show was singing! We also were able to take a group bus tour to Stonehenge and Bath through a Groupon offer that I had found before our departure. While the three of us were the youngest of the mostly middle-aged tourists, it was great to get outside of the bustling city for the day and see two of England's historic sites.

Listening to the Audio Guide at Stonehenge

From London we traveled to Edinburgh, Scotland via a train from King's Cross Station-- yes, don't worry I managed to visit 9 3/4 platform at King's Cross before our departure :) When we arrived in Edinburgh, we were immediately charmed by the quaint town and it's impressive castle. From the Hogwarts-like castle to the graveyard containing several of the characters names (i.e. Professor McGonagall and Tom Riddle) to the nearby stone school originally used for orphans and now educating the wealthy elite, it was erie how Edinburgh related to the fantastical world created by J.K. Rowling.

Edinburgh Castle

JK Rowling's Cafe: The Birthplace of Harry Potter

I had no idea that Rowling wrote the first Harry Potter book in one of Edinburgh's coffee shops until one of my friends in the DIS Positive Psychology core program traveled to Edinburgh on her long study tour and told me about her trip. Apparently, it was cheaper for Rowling to buy a cup of coffee at this cafe and write the whole day than it was to heat her small apartment.  (If you can't tell already, I'm a Harry Potter fan and being able to spend time in the city that inspired Rowling was truly a unique experience). Besides walking in the steps of Rowling, we tasted our way through traditional Scottish cuisine, which meant buying porridge at the Saturday farmer's market, treating ourselves to sticky toffee pudding, having lunch at a restaurant devoted to loaded jacket potatoes, and eating meat pies for dinner.  Edinburgh was definitely a great weekend destination between the bustling streets of London and the of Dublin.

While Josh had to return to his study abroad program in Austria, Bailey and I started the second week of travel break by continuing to Dublin.  I visited Dublin this past summer for a few days through SLU's summer study abroad program in Ireland, but it was wonderful to return to the city and visit some of the attractions that I wasn't able to visit during my last visit.  Dublin's most popular attraction is of course the Guinness Factory with the top floor showcasing a 360 degree view of the city and the opportunity to pour your own pint.  And while Bailey and I are now "certified" to pour a Guinness, we both realized that we don't particularly like the beer's bitter taste! 

Pouring the perfect pint at the Guinness Factory

My parents were also on a traveling break to Ireland during this same week and we were able to stay at the same hotel as them during our time in Dublin. It was great to spend time with them and for Bailey and I to share some of our abroad experiences with them. Together, we were able to see the Book of Kells at Trinity College, eat lunch at the famous Bewley's Cafe on Grafton Street, and visit Trim Castle and the Hill of Tara.  

This spring break was by far one of the best vacations ever! Not only was I able to take in the sights with some of my closest friends, but I made memories that will definitely last a lifetime. At the same time, it's great to be back in Copenhagen and I'm looking forward to my last weeks here in Denmark.  

Vi Ses Snart

A Brief Hiatus...

So today is the official start to our 2 WEEK spring break!! I'll be traveling to London, Edinburgh, and Dublin with my good friend from SLU who is also studying at DIS and another close friend studying abroad in Austria.  This means that I won't be able to post anything until I return to Copenhagen... but don't worry it will definitely be worth the wait :)

Vi Ses Snart

Walking in the Footsteps of HCA

Me and HCA

This morning I had a walking tour field study for my Hans Christian Andersen Class. We saw many of the places he stayed and frequented while in Copenhagen, including four of residences.  On our tour, our professor also took us to the Royal Theater where Andersen attended its opening night in October 1874,  just 10 months before the fairy tale writer's death. In total, we made ten stops and while I've passed many of these places during my time in Copenhagen thus far, I had no idea they hold a sentimental value to one of Denmark's most beloved authors.

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Hiking in Denmark!?!

Going to a university neighboring the Adirondack Mountains, I have seen and climbed some pretty daunting peaks. Denmark, in comparison, is quite the opposite with its flat landscape (before leaving, my  host dad sarcastically told me not to fall off any cliffs!). When I saw that DIS was sponsoring a hiking trip, however, I decided to give it a go and explore the country's countryside. After meeting at Norreport station and taking the S-tog train north-east for about an hour, the twelve of us arrived in Frederikssund. 

View from bridge

While it was a tad breezy, the weather could not have been more beautiful as there was not a cloud in the sky.  We had to walk through a small shopping square and across a main bridge before crossing into the backyard area of a local Viking Museum which allowed us to access the woods. Since there was not a single trail path (a pretty unheard of concept for the Adirondacks), the group divided and went on separate paths after having a group picnic lunch overlooking a farm.  

After meeting back up at the local museum, the director invited us in to see the exhibits free of charge; apparently, the museum had a grand opening of a new interactive display the day before and he was quite excited that Americans were interested in seeing the ancient archives of the Frederikssund area. Although the museum signs were only in Danish, he explained to us that some of the various artifacts displayed were from 600BC. Laughing, he told us that we would never find these sorts of native artifacts in New York!

Although hiking in Denmark was nothing in comparison to the Adirondacks, it was a nice way to spend the afternoon and to see another area of Denmark.  

Vi Ses Snart

    

  

AG København Handball Match!

AG Kobenhavn Players Entering the Court

Last night, my buddy network and two other networks joined together to attend one of the last handball matches-- AG København versus Lemvig- Thyborøn Håndbold. Having Mikkel Hansen, the best player in the world on their team AG København unsurprisingly won pretty easily with a final score of 39-25. Nevertheless, it was still an exciting game to watch and the Danish crowd cheered every time AG København scored a point. Handball is a fast-paced game, with only two 30-minute halves and a 15-minute halftime break. 

One of my favorite parts of the game was having the “Sweet Caroline” song come on during and the crowd cheering “So Good, So Good”; this song is one of SLU’s favorite crowd songs at our hockey games so it immediately reminded me of my home university. I also really enjoyed the paper clappers that were provided to all the fans and how everyone would yell the last name of the player who had just scored a goal.

In some ways, attending a handball match was no different from attending a hockey game or similar sporting event in the USA. Members of the crowd still wear their team’s jerseys and jump up from their seats when a point is scored. Concession stands sell fan favorites, including Denmark’s famous hotdogs (and after last night, I can attest that they better than any American hot dog I’ve had). Children still run around the stadium, chasing the home team’s mascot, which happened to be a rooster. I think the main difference was the overall excitement of the crowd-- there was never a dull moment in the game and the crowd continued to cheer and make noise throughout the game.    

Vi Ses Snart 

Fun Fact: A Foodie's Paradise

Being the foodie that I am, I was excited to hear that Copenhagen's top restaurants have recently been awarded a total of 14 Michelin Stars. This certainly is a major accomplishment for such a small country. Noma, the world's best restaurant which holds two Michelin stars, focuses on Scandinavian cuisine... now if only I could get pass the exceptionally long waiting list and the expense to eat there!    

Check out this website for a listing of some of Copenhagen's most : http://www.visitcopenhagen.com/eat-and-drink/michelin-starred-restaurants

A Ballet & A Film

On Thursday evening, I had the opportunity to go to a Danish ballet at the Royal Theater in Copenhagen called "Dans2Go." One of the Danish Language and Culture classes purchased group tickets to see the performance, and although I am not in this instructor's particular section, I jumped at the chance when my friend offered me an extra ticket. The ballet was composed of three mini performances, with the first and the last following a story line and the second consisting of a traditional ballet routine. I am by no means an expert when it comes to ballet, but I thoroughly enjoyed watching it and seeing the theater.

Last night, my host family took me to see "The Descendants" at the nearby movie theater. The movie theaters in Denmark sell their tickets online, and purchasers can choose which seats they want to have ahead of time. I've discovered that Danes take their movies pretty seriously, and frequent the theaters quite often so this online system is useful and effective. I was most surprised, however, by the concession stand-- if you thought the concession stands in America had everything, think again. Instead of a stand, there is essentially a concession store where moviegoers can individually choose their snacks.  With such an extensive selection one would think I had a tough time deciding, but I actually made my decision quite quickly as my host sister recommended to me a Danish treat called "Penguin Sticks-- flavored, filled chewy licorice sticks.  Very Danish and very good!   

  

The Royal Theater

Belgium & the Netherlands

Now that I’m back into the swing of things with classes, I thought it would be the perfect time to fill everyone in on my travels to Belgium and the Netherlands.  My short study tour a few weeks ago was really just a precursor to the unforgettable week of my long study tour. We flew into Brussels last Sunday morning and took a guided bike tour after having lunch at the Grand-Place… what a way to start, right?? Despite the somewhat lousy, typical Belgium weather, the bike tour was one of my favorite activities; we were able to get an overview of the capital city and saw the exteriors of many of the government buildings that we visited later in the week. I traveled to Brussels about seven years ago with my parents, and I was stunned by how much of the city I still remembered! The four-hour bike tour included a pit stop at one of the more famous French fry stands in the city and we were each given an extremely large portion of fries and a choice of dipping sauces, which allowed our group to bond over trying each others selected condiment.

Biking Tour!! 

Biking Group Photo

Chocolate Factory Workshop- Dressed to Impress :)

The academic portion of the tour began Monday morning with a group visit to NATO headquarters.  I was particularly excited for this visit as my dad worked as a logistical Naval officer for NATO a few years ago and, travelled to NATO headquarters a few times each month.  We had two separate lectures at NATO where we learned about the organization’s responsibilities and connections to the EU. On Monday afternoon, we all partook in a Chocolate Factory Workshop. Practically every other store in the city’s downtown is a chocolate shop… many of which offer free samples! Before entering the actual chocolate making area, we were each outfitted in plastic aprons, hats, shoe covers, and gloves. Very classy! The woman instructor guiding our class was extremely French, and she had really high expectations in regards to our mold-filling and dipping duties. After making many different types of dark chocolates, we were treated with a presentation on the making of chocolate, which included tasting several samples, of course. 




After dinner, some of my friends and I made our way back into town to see the famous Manican-Pis statue and try the famous Belgium waffles at a nearby stand. Ironically, the waffles were almost as big as the particularly small statue!!!

So many choices... how is one ever supposed to choose?!?

Representing SLU!
Me and two of my St. Lawrence & EU classmates
at the European Commission

On Tuesday morning, we went to the European Commission where we met with a member of the Danish Commissioners’ Cabinet.  Before leaving Copenhagen, our class was divided into small groups and assigned two different government officials to interview—one being a lobbyist and the other a permanent delegate. My group’s interview was later in the afternoon so a few of us managed to find our way to another section of Brussels via the metro system and had lunch at the original Le Pain de Quotidien—a Belgian sandwich semi-chain restaurant that is popular in the Northern Virginia area.  I have been to Le Pain de Quotidien several times in the States with my parents and friends, and it was neat to eat at the original one in Belgium.  Our interview was with an advisor for a rather large lobbying firm called Business Europe; I quickly realized that it was experiences such as this that truly separate a study tour from a typical trip to Belgium, as I would have never had the opportunity/access to meet such high political officials and government workers.  Later in the afternoon, we had a group lecture at Parliament and a visit to a new museum called the Parliamentarian.  These visits were followed by a group dinner to Chez Leon where we were able to experience a real Belgian favorite– “Mussels in Brussels!” 

After several early mornings, it was nice to be able to sleep in a little on Wednesday before meeting in our hotel’s conference room for a presentation by a Political Officer at the U.S. Mission to the EU.  This informal discussion allowed each of us to get a glimpse into the life of a foreign service officer and hear from two interns about their work in the Brussels office.  We had our second round of interviews on Wednesday afternoon; my group was fortunate to meet with an extremely interesting permanent delegate from Turkey.  Our class has been discussing Turkey’s role and its position/stance with entering the EU since the first day of class in January.  It was fascinating to be able to hear a firsthand perspective of some of the struggles and frustrations that the country has been facing for the past sixty years as they have continually tried to be accepted into the union.  We were greeted with a pretty significant rainstorm as we left the Turkey embassy, and we had to walk across town to meet up with the rest of our class at the Magritte Museum.  Despite our drenched selves, the guided tour of the Belgian artist’s surrealist works was quite interesting. 

Before leaving for the Netherlands on Thursday afternoon, we had a lecture at The European Union Council and the Council of Ministers.  We were seated in a conference room with a large circular table and were able to mimic some of the logistical procedural routines of the actual ministers during our question and answer session.  

Our EU Class and Professor Jacob Buksti at the Council of Ministers

After our final free hours in Brussels, which included one last stop at a chocolate shop appropriately called “Mary’s,” we departed for the Hague by bus.  We made a planned pit stop at La Trappe brewery where we learned about the process of making beer and were served a delicious family-style meal in their beautiful tasting room. There are only 7 Trappist beers, each made under the control of Trappist monks.  

Me and some classmates at the La Trappe Brewery

On our final day, we had a PowerPoint presentation of the Netherlands’ position in the EU at the Danish Embassy, followed by a visit to the ICTY (International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia).  Having never learned the details of the wars in Yugoslavia, it was both fascinating and disconcerting to hear about the conflict and the court’s proceeding measures to establish justice.   

We then made our way to Amsterdam and had a final group lunch before we were given the choice to have a guided tour/lecture at a Prostitute center or free time.  Because this was my first time in the Netherlands, I wanted to see some of the city and decided to go to the Anne Frank House instead—one of the most somber, yet inspiring museums that I have ever visited.

Anne Frank House & Museum  

As you can probably tell by my long, detailed account the long study tour was a week filled with amazing experiences, opportunities, and plenty of Belgium culture.  Being a government major, it was incredible to meet with the formal EU institutions and gain private access to their office buildings.  And overall, there was a nice balance between educational experiences, cultural activities, and free time.  At the same time, with my luggage filled with various free programs/portfolios that we received from our visits and some chocolate as well, it was definitely nice to return to Copenhagen and spend a relaxing weekend with my host family.       

Long Study Tour: Brussels & The Hague

I'm leaving early Sunday morning for my long study tour with my European Politics Program and won't be able to write about my travels until after I return. Here are just some of the scheduled group visits/activities for our week trip: visit to NATO, European Commission, European Parliament, European Union Council and Council of Ministers.

But don't worry, it's not all educational; there are also lots of fun activities planned including a chocolate workshop, biking tour of Brussels, tour of Magritte Museum, and visit to La Trappe Beer Monastery.

Should be a fun and exciting week!

Vi Ses Snart

Fastelavn... Nordic Halloween

Yes, I know two posts within the last 24 hours but what can I say this was a great weekend! On Sunday, DIS sponsored a Fastelavn Festival for students and their host families. Fastelvan is a traditional Danish holiday held on the Sunday before Ash Wednesday and involves many events including sla katten af tonden ("hit the cat out of the barrel")-- an activity in which individuals hit a wooden barrel containing a  "black cat," symbolizing evil, is opened.  This pinata-like game has of course evolved and now candy is filled in the barrel instead of a cat (thank goodness!).


Children and adults dress up in costumes and traditional Danish cream filled pastries called Fastelavnsboller are eaten. I dressed up as Pippi Longstocking and Camilla was a pirate, which ironically also happens to be the profession of Pippi's Father. Although neither of us were crowned the Queen or King of the Barrel, we had fun during the bun-eating contest  in which Danish pastries were placed on a string and we raced against four other competitors to see who could eat one the fastest ... Camilla got second place and I got a lot of jelly on my shoe :)   

Vi Ses Snart   

Camilla's Fødselsdag!

Friday was my host sister Camilla's 15th birthday! To ring in the festivities, we woke her up that morning singing "Happy Birthday" and waving Danish flags. Her Dad wheeled her big birthday present-- a black Mustang bike with a leather seat and handlebars. In the bike's basket were tickets for "Singin' in the Rain" the musical that night - I was probably just as excited as she was to receive these tickets as I love musicals.

After classes on Friday, I came home early in the afternoon with tulips for Camilla and to give her my present-- a Pandora heart charm. When I purchased the charm earlier in the week from a Pandora store on Strøget, the saleswoman told me that Pandora was actually a Danish brand. Who knew that something so popular in the USA came from such a small country?? We then celebrated together by singing the Danish birthday song and with traditional Danish birthday layered cake filled with bananas and raspberries... delicious!

Singing to Camilla

Danish Birthday Cake!

Before the performance, my host family and I went to an excellent Italian restaurant in the Fredericksburg area of Copenhagen.  It was fun for me to translate the menu since it was in Italian and Danish; I found myself reading the Italian and then looking to the Danish description to see if I could understand it with the little that I have learned so far. We ordered two antipasto platters complete with an assortment of grilled vegetables, thinly shaved meats, cheeses and bread.  For my main meal, I had a spinach and ricotto stuffed homemade cannelloni. To say that this food was excellent would be an understatement :) "Singin' in the Rain" was terrific as well, and since I've seen the American film before, I was able to follow along pretty easily. My favorite part was hearing the English songs in Danish and watching the leading actor perform with buckets full of water coming during the memorable, iconic song.

And it gets even better! Saturday was a chance for the extended family to celebrate Camilla's birthday. Her grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins met at a bowling center and we bowled for an hour before coming back to our house for presents and a feast (I'm not going to say how I did at bowling, but let's just say that the Danes definitely bowl better than me!!).

There was a total of 17 people at our house, and we had to divide the tables into the "Adults" and "Children." Camilla had decided on the menu-- beef stroganoff with mushrooms, mashed potatoes, cabbage and apple slaw--and my host mom had been preparing the meal all morning so we could all definitely taste the love. Sitting at the "Adult" table, it was really interesting to hear/follow the conversation and I think they all enjoyed having me chime in whenever I understood something. And of course, a birthday dinner would be incomplete without the dessert! Not one dessert though, TWO! Camilla and I first assembled dishes of vanilla ice cream with mangoes, blueberries, and raspberries and a Holland caramel wafer cookie they had recently purchased in Amsterdam. Later, we sang to Camilla and had chocolate muffins with vanilla icing and sprinkles. We all questioned the difference between muffins and cupcakes and it was finally decided that Camilla had "broken the rules" and put icing on muffins; they were all pretty shocked when I said that in the USA, muffins are traditionally eaten for breakfast because that would be too sweet for their palates in the morning.

Danish birthdays are all about gathering with the family, eating great food, and honoring the special person... so who's birthday is next??

Vi Ses Snart

The Most "Royal" Excursions

Over the past week, my Royalty in the Land of Equality class has gone on three field trips! Our professor is an Assistant Curator at the Danish royal Collection at Rosenborg and Christian VII's Palace at Amalienborg, so he really knows his royal history. Although learning about ancient monarchs by reading texts and history analyses can be boring, being able to see firsthand the places where Christian IV and his predecessors lived has been both interesting and helpful in regards to learning the information.

During one of our class periods last week we took a city walk through Copenhagen, visiting some of the city's major architectural  Many of these magnificent buildings were created by King Christian IV during the early 1600s as a means of demonstrating his royal power. It is pretty easy to spot out his architectural feats as they are labeled with a prominent mark of C4, including the stock exchange.

Stock Exchange 

We also visited Rosenborg Castle, a summerhouse located in the center of Copenhagen designed by Christian IV himself.  Today, the castle is a museum and holds the royal crown jewels.  I had previously assumed that the crown jewels were just merely for display, and I was surprised to learn that the Queen still wears some of the most lavish jewels to events held in Denmark today.

Crown Jewels

Yesterday, we visited Frederiksborg Palace during our field study tour-- the largest Renaissance palace in Scandinavia.  Unsurprisingly, Christian IV is also responsible for the majority of the castle's construction and his ornate style is evident throughout all the rooms. The palace normally closes at 3pm, but our class had special access until 4pm so we literally had the whole place to ourselves.

Frederiksborg Palace 

Although it didn't really relate to our class, our professor also showed us the table setting that is used by the Queen today for her formal dinner parties. What a dinner that would be - I'm still waiting for my invitation in the mail to her next dinner party :)

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Fun Fact: Biking in Denmark

Although Danes are the first to complain about the cold/bitter/windy/wintry weather, unlike Americans, who typically store their bikes in the winter, Danes do not. Instead, they continue to bike throughout the winter months, which oftentimes means biking in the snow and rain. How they do it with a smile on their face is still a mystery to me. But I'm happy to report that I haven't fallen off my bike yet...

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Short Study Tour- Western Denmark & Germany!

So I got back from my European Politics short study tour Saturday night and all I can say is WOW... We met at Frue Plads early Thursday morning, and after some minor delays (yes, some people were late) we were on the road in our charter bus by 8:30a.m. Our first stop was the Storebaelt Bridge, the third largest bridge in the world which connects Zealand with Funen-- the two largest islands of Denmark. I discovered that it is not only a bridge, but really a bridge-tunnel link as the first section is is 6,790 meters long which connects Zealand with a small, semi-manmade island called Sprogo and the second section is a 8,000 meter tunnel which connects Sprogo and Funen. After crossing the first section, we stopped at Sprogo island where we were able to go inside the bridge and witness the temperature-controlled space. We then had a presentation of the Storebaelt Bridge along with information about Oresund Bridge and the Femert Belt Bridge Project, which is to connect Denmark with Germany.  My European Union professor, Jacob Buksti was the Minister of Transport, so one could say that we were treated especially well, as was evident with the delectable, catered lunch on the island of Sprogo which featured a variety of meats, cheeses, fresh salmon, breads, fruits, and salads! 

Storebaelt Bridge

Our next stop was at the Dybbol Battlefield located in the Schleswig-Holstein, one of the 16 federal states of Germany. The Battle of Dybbol was the key battle of the Second War of Schleswig in 1864. Denmark suffered a defeat against the Prussians during this battle, which our Danish (and biased, of course) tour guide assured us was due to extremely harsh weather conditions. After our tour, we made our way back north to Haderslev, checked into our hostel and had a group dinner at a "Bar BQ"-- we are still unsure if the deliberate pun was intended...

Windmill of Dybbol Bank-- The Symbol of Denmark 

The next morning we left for Kiel, Germany and after a gourmet group lunch, met with head of department of Schleswig-Holstein government Markus Stiegler. This presentation/discussion was extremely interesting as we learned about Germany's significant role of the EU and the importance of lobbying in Brussels.  This presentation was followed by a lecture from Dr. Wilhelm Knelangen at the Christian-Albrechts University on "Germany in the EU and the Development in German EU Policies." Both of these presentations directly correlated to our class discussions, and it was interesting to hear their first-hand opinions on the EU and its enlargement strategy.

We then made our way to Lubeck, Germany which was by far my favorite stop on the tour.  Unlike Kiel, Lubeck is a medieval-looking town that resembles the "typical" European city.  A lot of the old structures are still there because it was only bombed once during World War II. A few of us were able to take in the charm of the old city while ice skating in the town square on Friday night.  The next day, we had a walking/bus tour of the city with a exuberant tour guide, properly nicknamed "Mr. Mustache."

Me with "Mr. Mustache" as he tries to demonstrate the constricting pipes of the city 

(I think thats what he was trying to get across at least...) 

 My favorite stop was at the Niederegger Marzipan Shop-- a Lubeck nstitution founded in 1806 filled with aisles upon aisles of packaged marzipan! After a group lunch, we departed for Copenhagen, which meant taking a ride on the ferry between Germany and Denmark. So while it is nice to be back in the familiar Copenhagen, it was definitely great to get away for a few days and explore some other European towns.

Vi ses snart

Two Fødselsdags, Ikea, and Snow??

After completing my first full week of classes, it was so nice to spend the weekend with friends and experience typical Danish culture. Friday was my friend Claire's birthday (Fødselsdag), and I was invited over to her host family's house to celebrate with a birthday dinner. Her host parents live south of Copenhagen right outside of Roskilde, which is about a 90 minute commute to Copenhagen.  They live in a quaint farmhouse, which is a huge contrast to my host family's modern, one-story house; it was really neat to compare their lifestyles and I'm hoping that I'll be able to visit more of my friend's host family's homes over the course of the semester. Claire's host dad takes a lot of pride in cooking, and although the main course was quite american--hamburgers--he spiced up the traditional by adding onions and capers to the hamburger patties. The dessert, however, was definitely a show stopper! After singing (or rather attempting to sing) the Danish birthday song, we had a traditional vanilla layer cake along with rich hot chocolate. So even though it took me a little over two hours until I got home, it was definitely worth celebrating with Claire and her host family! 

On Saturday morning, my host sister and I biked to the sporting facility in Horsholm and played tennis. While I have been playing tennis since I was six years old, with college classes and activities, I hadn't played in a really long time. It felt really great to get back on the court, and Camilla and I couldn't believe how compatible we were playing together.  We had so much fun that we are scheduled to play again on Tuesday evening. After lunch, my host mom and I went to run some errands at the local shopping area. I was most surprised at how conveniently located everything was-- from buying a few groceries, to an orchid plant (the Danes absolutely love their orchids), to tennis shoes for my host brother, to moisturizing cream, to dinner plates, to bakery treats for the afternoon, everything was located within a two-floor indoor shopping mall. On Saturday evening, we went over to my host-grandmother's house to celebrate her 71st birthday with the rest of her family. There was a total of 17 people invited to the dinner, including my host sibling's aunt and their three younger cousins. By far, this was one of the best birthday dinners I have ever experienced-- it was partially catered and it started with smoked salmon pinwheels served with fresh bread, followed by venison accompanied with a potatoes and an apple-chestnut salad. And just like the previous night, the dessert course was AMAZING; there were so many options: Danish dream cake, yogurt parfait, grilled pineapple, sauteed pears, wine-soaked apricots, vanilla ice cream, and a fruit sorbet. While I may not have understood the full conversation at the dinner table, I was able to pick up on some things and the guests enjoyed talking with me about American culture and our birthday traditions.  
I woke up Sunday morning to about two inches of snow on the ground... Going to school in upstate NY, I was really hoping that this winter I wouldn't see snow, but I must admit that it was quite beautiful and picturesque. As part of one of the DIS excursion trips, I went to Ikea on Sunday afternoon. Living with a host family, I didn't really need anything in particular, but I've only been to Ikea once when I was younger so I thought it was the perfect opportunity to experience the Sweedish designed store... and Sweedish meatballs, of course. I arrived home to my host brother cooking Danish pancakes, which we ate with our afternoon tea and coffee-- could anything be better than this??? 


Vi ses snart

We Won!

If you asked me two weeks ago what handball was I would have replied with a blank stare and a shrug. Being in Denmark, however, I've been exposed to many different things-- one of which is of course the great game of handball. I arrived right in the midst of the European Handball Championship, and I'm proud to say that we (yes, that's right I've caught myself several times identifying myself as a Dane) beat Serbia last night and won the title as European Champions.  To celebrate, the Denmark handball team made an appearance in Copenhagen's main town square this afternoon.  Instead of discussing the homework readings for my International Reporting class, our professor thought it would be more appropriate to "throw us" into the world of reporting and allowed us to take part in the celebration. We were instructed to take in the sights, sounds, and even smells of the area and interview a few Danes. The massive amount of people proudly waving Denmark's flag, illustrated just how delighted the country was in this monumental victory.  

Vi ses snart

Kronborg Castle and Elsinore Trip

Yesterday, I visited Kronborg Castle in Elsinore, Denmark with DIS.  Throughout the semester, DIS sponsors various group trips to historic sites, famous attractions, and fun activities such as cooking classes and hiking trips.  This being my first Saturday in Denmark, I thought it was the perfect opportunity to see one of the most important and most visited Renaissance castles in Northern Europe.

A group of about 60 DIS students left Copenhagen via bus early Saturday morning. Elsinore is located approximately 45 km (yes, now that I'm in Denmark I've had to adjust to using the metric system) north of Copenhagen, so we were able to take the scenic, coastal route to reach our destination.  We actually passed the stop for Horsholm (the location of my host family) on our way to Elsinore and I was able to show my friends the harbor I ate lunch at last Sunday.

                                                            The Streets of Elsinore

We had two hours to walk around Elsinore before our 1.5 hour guided castle tour. My friends and I, both SLU and new friends, explored the quaint town of Elsinore, stopping in shops and glaring at the displays of Danish pastries. Before stopping to buy a pastry and eat our packed lunches in a cafe, we wandered into a grocery store/home living store.  Since most of my friends also live with host families, we have been exchanging stories of what we have been eating and what kinds of foods our host families particularly enjoy throughout the past week.  While in the grocery store, we were able to show each other some of the food items we recognized from our host family's pantries, such as Digestive cookies (a mix between a cracker and a cookie, which sounds weird I know, but they are strangely addictive), muesli (a granola-like topping that is popular in Europe to put on yogurt for breakfast).

                    Walking across the moat to Kronborg

Our bus then drove us to the entrance of Kronborg-- the most visited castle in Denmark, partially because it is well known as the setting for William Shakespeare's "Hamlet." Being an English major and studying Shakespeare in both high school and college, I must admit I was also intrigued to visit the castle for its ties to the famous playwright.  Kronborg was built in 1425 by Eric of Pomerania, but the castle was transformed into its impressive state today in 1574 by King Frederik II.  The castle has been open to the public since 1938, after serving as military barracks for about 140 years.

Our tour guide showed us some of the most impressive rooms, including the ballroom, the chapel, the little hall, and the royal apartments.  Unlike other castles I have seen in Europe (like Neuschwanstein in Germany), the decor in Kronborg was very limited as parts of the castle were destroyed due to a fire that erupted in 1629.  The last part of the tour took us beneath the castle to see the casemates, soldiers' quarters during times of war and where prisoners' were tortured.  Also beneath the castle sits the famous statue of Holger Danske, a legendary Denmark hero who will awake from his slumber only when Denmark is in serious trouble.  As our tour guide said, however, it doesn't look like Holger Danske will awaken anytime soon, and I couldn't agree more!

                            Holger Danske

So after a long day of looking back into time and exploring the castle grounds, my host sister and I cooked spaghetti bolognese, watched Mr. and Mrs. Smith on television, and served ebelskiver for dessert.  I don't think there could have been a better way to end an excellent day!  


Vi ses snart!

Three Days of Orientation = Three Days of Learning How to be a Dane!

It's so hard to believe that this is only my fourth day in Denmark, because despite clinching a map in my right hand, I've already been mistaken as Danish TWICE. While this may seem like a small or insignificant feat for an outsider, as someone who worried about "looking American," I feel pretty proud of this accomplishment.
After arriving Sunday morning and being picked up by my host family, I immediately saw that these next four months were going to be life changing. Weekends for the Danes, I found out, are days of relaxation; instead of running around to do errands or completing chores, my host family explained to me that weekends are designed for family time. In order to get over the jet lag, we went on a walk around the Blixen Musesum garden in Horsholm and ate at a local cafe for lunch. Since the menu was in Danish, my younger host sister translated every single item for me. In the end, however, I decided to order what she ordered-- a risotto made with barley and pesto and sautéed mushrooms and sun-dried tomatoes.  Maybe it wasn't the most Danish-choice, but it was absolutely delicious :)

These last three days have been filled with Orientation workshops including "How Not to Meet the Danes" and a fun Amazing Race tour of the city center and waterfront. I really appreciated the busy orientation schedule because I was able to meet lots of new people and navigate the city. I also really enjoyed the opening ceremony held on Monday morning; the speeches by the DIS director and past DIS students allowed me to really understand just how important immersing myself into the Danish culture is going to be.  As of now, my bike ride to and from the train station from my host family's house has been a time to really appreciate the Danish lifestyle; riding my bright yellow bicycle down the bike/walking path in the cold morning and evening is not only refreshing, but also slightly invigorating.

I can't wait to see what other cultural experiences I will have and what else I can learn from the Danes.

Vi ses snart