Epilogue: The Reverse Culture Shock is Real

Just over a week ago, I packed my things and boarded a plane for the United States. I hadn't been there in four months. In some ways, that time seemed to have passed in the blink of an eye. In other ways, my memories of the fall semester in New York seemed like a distant …

One Week Left: Reflecting on a semester of living Danishly

When I landed in Copenhagen on January 12, the jet lag kicked in almost immediately, and soon after it, the homesickness. As I wove my way through the airport towards the Metro, I tried to decipher the language, which looked and sounded like gibberish. Everything felt disorienting. After travel delays, missing a connecting flight, and …

A Residential Community Crash Course

This semester, I've had the amazing experience of getting to live in a Residential Community, which was also my first choice of housing. Situated in the heart of Christianshavn, perhaps one of the most picturesque and quaint neighborhoods in the city, the location of my RC is ideal; it's right next to a pizzeria, and …

Long Break #2: Edinburgh, Scotland

When people have told me that there are bagpipers everywhere in Scotland, I always thought they were being hyperbolic. Upon arriving in Edinburgh, however, I realized that they were telling the truth. For a good stretch of the Royal Mile--the iconic street that winds through the city's Old Town--the bagpipers stand apart from one another …

This Week in Field Studies: Parliament, DR, and the Freemasons

I never thought I would walk through the Danish Parliament, step in a studio of an X-Factor production, and wander through the halls of the Freemasons (yes, those Freemasons) in the span of two days, but here we are. This week, I had field studies with three of my courses: The Politics and Ethics of Food; …

So you want to travel by yourself

Having made my travel plans closer to the study break than I would have liked, I found myself in a tough spot: should I cancel my plans since everyone else had made plans by this point, or should I just go by myself? The idea of traveling alone in Berlin for five days seemed at …

Suggested Pre-Departure Reading: “Endurance”

Throughout the time I've been in Copenhagen, I've been trying to determine tips that could be useful for other people. At the same time, I've been trying my best to enjoy my time abroad to the fullest and get the most out of it. Despite my best efforts, I struggled with homesickness for a while, …

Tips for A Smooth Trip Home: The Halfway Point

Just a little over halfway through your time abroad may seem a bit premature to start thinking about returning to the States and your home university, which for the most part is true. A good tip is counting up the days you're here, rather than counting down (that's something I learned from Scott Kelly's book Endurance …

Five Things I Wish I Knew Before Coming to Copenhagen

65 days have passed since I arrived in Copenhagen, meaning that this semester is a little over half way over. From going to Sweden, to traveling through Ireland, to learning how to make kanelsnurre, to going to a comedy show, it's been an amazing first two months. There have been some things, however, that I …

Exploring Ireland: My Core Course Study Tour Experience

The bus was stuck in sixth gear, we were sitting in the middle of an Irish highway en route to Dublin, and our professor was handing out boxes of Peppa Pig raisins. Luckily, that was the low point of my core course's trip to Ireland this past week, which proved to be the best thing …