Copenhagen, Denmark

Sunday, May 15

After a long flight from Minneapolis to Amsterdam, and a much shorter one from Amsterdam to Copenhagen, I found myself in a new culture. We arrived at Steel House, where we were to have 5 (yes, five) other roommates. Culture shock number one. Other than that, I did not feel much “culture shock.” Instead, I felt ready to explore Copenhagen and what it had to offer.

Looking back on how I got here, I sat with two grandparents traveling with one child, child’s spouse, and their kids. I also sat with a woman in the food industry traveling to Bologna, Italy; she and I were very talkative throughout the flight. While this was my second overseas adventure, it was my first large-group one; in fact, I had only flown with a school group once before (five of us plus two teachers) on a trip to California.

On the short flight, most of us were in rows together; this was a great opportunity to meet fellow travelers. Both in my row were in game design, and they both loved creative art.

Back to arriving in Copenhagen. As aforementioned, I really didn’t feel any “culture shock” when arriving. Instead, I was eager to explore the town square, historical areas, and we took a historic boat cruise to end the day.

Monday, May 16

I woke up bright and early, ready for breakfast. After walking with the guys to a restaurant that turned out to be a dentist office, we altered course to end up at an Espresso House nearby. I enjoyed a sandwich with a Chocolate Frappuccino; like usual, it took me at least two hours to finish this.

We started with Alf Rehn, a local professor, who gave us a more historical tour of Copenhagen. He took us around residential areas, into historic (non-touristy) areas, and into the city square. We then discussed education, employment, and culture in Copenhagen (with some assistance from kids out at recess). About half a dozen of them sat and listened to our conversation, giving us insight into their education and culture.

Alf dropped us off at the local market, full of at least 20 to 30 options for lunch. I opted for the Empanada, full of ham and cheese. After a satisfying lunch and tour of the market, the consensus was to tour Christiania, a historic yet poor part of Copenhagen. While there were bars and shops, there were also poor-looking houses and villages.

Copenhagen also had many bikes and city transit options. I noticed very wide bike lanes, making it very accommodating for bikers. The intersections were confusing, though, as one way was right on the corner, but another was not. (Imagine crossing straight on the corner, but to the left it is 30 to 50 feet away from the corner). Despite the confusing intersections (a recurring theme throughout Denmark and Sweden), the lanes for cars, transit, and bikes are well-defined.