Classes and Nature

It's been a busy week of classes in the happiest place on earth! I haven't really been doing much besides going to class, biking to and from school, and drinking coffee at Studenterhuset. But, on Wednesday, my Communicating Science course did a field trip to the botanical gardens. It was more of a social outing, but it was a gorgeous day out and it was really beautiful to walk around! Pictures below.

After that, I went out to Ballerup to meet with my visiting family. I was paired with this family by DIS since I am not living at a host family's house, and they serve to be that familial influence on students during their stay in Copenhagen. They had me over for dinner, and it was a really nice night! The parents are really interesting people, both engineers who grew up in Denmark, but they have both done a ton of traveling for work and have actually been to Phoenix. They have 3 kids, an 11 year old girl, and 15 and 17 year old boys. The boys were totally antisocial, but the girl was really sweet! They were telling me about their backpacking trips - they go at least twice a year - all over the world, from Argentina to Thailand. A few years ago, they bought round-the-world plane tickets and saw a ton of countries. They said while it is less common for families to travel with young kids, the Danes are really worldly and well traveled people. When I asked the girl what her favorite place she'd been was, she answered Oman! The boys responded that their beds were their favorite place in the world. Typical boys!

A class got cancelled today, so I've just been relaxing at my kollegium until I have to go to the hospital for my medical class in about half an hour. The doctors who teach my class are all recent medical school graduates, and are really interesting people. Last class, they taught us about the process of going through medical school in Denmark. There is no "undergradute" period, so students must decide if they are going to go to medical school when they are 18. They have 6 years of courses/clinicals, then a 1-year internship followed by a period in which most doctors get a PhD and then go onto their specialization. If they choose not to specialize, they still have to train with a general practitioner for 4 years before they can own their own practice.

This weekend a bunch of my friends are leaving town, but I plan to explore Amager (my island) and Copenhagen much more on bike while the weather is still decent! Pics to follow :)

I am almost officially a resident of Denmark! We went to the consulate yesterday and processed our papers to become temporary citizens of Denmark, entitled to the basic benefits such as free healthcare and public library access. I’ll be getting my CPR card in the mail, a card that I can show to any doctor to take advantage of the country’s socialized medicine. Awesome!

I had a really fun weekend socializing with new friends. I met some other international students in my kollegium and went out with them on Friday night. I joked that we were the most diverse group of native English speakers! A girl from London, a girl from New Zealand, a girl from Denmark (who had always gone to American schools, so we’ll count her), a guy from Canada and myself. We danced and listened to an apparently famous DJ at a venue called Culture Box. It was a really fun night!

Saturday I spent the day exploring Nyhavn and shopping with Nicki. I was so excited to finally get to visit the place I had seen in so many pictures!! It was even more beautiful in person, and made me really happy about being in Copenhagen. Our snacked turned out to be the most delicious dessert I had ever tasted in my life – a box of churros covered in delicious warm chocolate! We then went into a few clothing stores, and then went back to the Kollegium where I made us a delicious dinner. At night, we went to a few bars with our American kollegium friends, which ended up being a fun (but late) night.

Sunday morning, I woke up and went for a little bike ride around Amager. I saw some new beautiful places that are in need of exploring! After that, it was into the downtown for the visa process. It was fairly easy, which was a relief because I’ve heard about students who don’t do it through DIS having a really hard time getting into the consulate office. In the evening, my friends and I went into Christiania, the “free town” in Copenhagen that is home to a hippie community. Although it is still technically illegal to smoke pot in Denmark, the culture of Christiania is centered around “Pusher Street,” the city’s self-proclaimed “Green light district.” There was a free concert there last night, so the streets were packed with people both purely witnessing and also enjoying the local culture. I ate a “Danish Hamburger,” which is slightly different from the ones in the US. Besides the typical burger-bun-cheese combination, they put pickled cucumbers (much more strong than the typical pickles) and remoulade, a condiment that is almost like mayo but also has ketchup and mustard in it. It was really good and sweet, almost like honey mustard. It was delicious. After the concert, we went back home and I slept a very long and much needed night.

This morning I woke up and went across the street to the gym and became a member. After not having worked out in a week, it was so great to be back in the gym. It was hard getting used to the machines though, which measure everything in km/hour! After running 2km (and learning that meant 1.25 miles) I was proud of myself to say the least J

I had a class this morning (Communicating Science) and am now sitting at Studenterhuset (my favorite coffee shop) waiting for my next class to start just after 4pm. I absolutely love Denmark so far and can’t wait for more adventures to come. Oh, one last thing! I booked my first trip to Amsterdam and will be visiting Lily the weekend of Sept 22! I am taking an overnight train (luckily I got a sleeping cabin!) on the way there, and flying back. I can’t wait!! On a parting note, I am obsessed with schwarma and not a day goes by where I don’t frequent one of their stands on the street. This is a problem (but it is tooo damnnn good!!! I hate to say it, but better than in Israel!) but luckily, not on my wallet because the average schwarma runs around 40 kroner (6 dollars)

Language Woes

Today I had my first Danish Language and Culture course. Even though I could barely wake up this morning (thanks Kulørbar....) I made it to class and really loved it! My teacher was really sweet and cool, and she was genuinely interested in getting to know each student, where we are from, where we had traveled to internationally before and why we were taking the course. We then started learning some phrases in Danish to get us started. Just to give you a little taste of how hard it is, I've compiled a list of words:

Hej (pronounced "hi"): Hi
Hvad hedder due? (pronounced "ve hedduh do"): What is your name?
Hvad studerer du? (pronounced "ve stu-de-uh do"): What do you study?
Østerbro - pronounced "oo-ster-brrah" (a burrough of Copenhagen)
Amager - pronounced "ama" (where I live)

It is going to be a tough feat to learn how to speak here, but I'm excited that I've taken on the challenge. I don't want to be seen as an extended tourist, but really as a student with the purpose of learning the local ways.

In other news, I biked home from school yesterday and took the "scenic route" which was longer than normal, but I had gotten lost and it was basically my only choice. I rode along the main roads and highways for a while, but there was a point where I had to go on a detour because one road was closed. My detour (thankfully, clearly marked with signs) took me into a tunnel and when I got out on the other side, I was at this extremely rural place with a huge lake with boats and a gorgeous view...I biked around the lake and ended up biking along a meadow with sheep! It was an amazing contrast to being in the bustling city just 5 minutes earlier. I wish I had my camera on me because I'm not even sure how I'd get back there if I tried. I'm sure there are many more  of those little pieces of rural scenery around the city just waiting to be discovered...

Learning the way

I've spent about 4 days in København so far, and am (almost) learning the lay of the land! We had a few days of orientation workshops, learning about things from navigating the city, interacting with Danes and their very liberal attitude towards partying, my medical practice and policy class, and even a student fair where I met representatives from volleyball orgs and the local Chabad. The city is small, but very confusing at times to navigate because streets are always changing names (if you can even pronounce them!) But I've been getting the hang of it, and know the area around my kollegium as well as DIS pretty well.

I've become good friends with the group of Americans living at my kollegium, and last night a few of us went to an event in our apartment building that was a social for all the students. I met a few girls from Germany, a guy from Australia and a few other Americans. I might go out with them tonight to a rooftop party in another town! We've also found a really cool spot called Studenterhuset, a "student house" which is a coffee shop/lounge where students can get really cheap coffee and snacks and sit and do homework, hangout with friends, etc. At night it also turns into a bar with different events for international and local students and often has live music performances. I'm actually here right now writing this blog :)

Today I decided to bike into city for my first day of classes. I was told it would be about a 25-30 minute bike ride... and I must have done something TERRIBLY wrong because even though I stopped every mile or so to ask for directions, it took me over an hour to get to DIS. Oops! Maybe I'll have better luck next time. At least it was some decent exercise. I have two classes later on today, so I'm just hanging out in the student house catching up on emails until then. It's been hard to find time to blog with all the exciting things I've been doing! This weekend, we are planning on visiting Nyhavn, the famous colored houses that line the canals of Copenhagen. I'm also hoping to go to Tivoli and buy my seasons pass (which is apparently the same price as going twice!) I also want to continue to explore the area on my bike and try to find new neighborhoods to go to. Bye for now!

Nyhavn

Tivoli Gardens

I'm HERE!

After 2 days of travel, I have finally made it to Copenhagen!!! I just finished unpacking into my new place and I am already in love.

I met up with a group of about 20 students at the Sweden airport to get onto our connection to Copenhagen. When we got there, the DIS representatives picked us up in buses and drove us to our housing. My apartment is on the same island as the airport, so it was only about a 10 minute drive! Me and one other girl who is in my building met with our RA, who took us to our rooms. My roommates are Linda from the Netherlands, Vincent from Singapore and Mathias from Denmark. It is such an awesome apartment and a very multicultural room. And, though I've only been here a few hours, it's actually feeling like home :)

We're meeting up with everyone from DIS who lives in our apartment complex for an orientation, tour of our suburb and dinner. Tomorrow starts the real orientation. I'll post some pictures soon!

In a little over 24 hours, I'll be trading in this:

Beautiful Scottsdale, Arizona


FOR

Strøget, a shopping street in Copenhagen

I am just starting to pack and am overwhelmed because of the weather - how do I pack for a high of 60 degrees this month when I've been in 115 degree weather for the past 3 months!? But, I am so ready to leave and so excited to begin this journey nonetheless. Here's the start:

LOVE my new traveler's backpack!

I've found out a few more details about my life in Copenhagen over the past few days. I found two of my future roommates on Facebook - both are guys! One is from Singapore, and he's doing an exchange at UCPH. The other is a Danish student. I have yet to speak with the Danish student, but the exchange student from Singapore seems really cool. We all have our own bedrooms, so I will get my own space, but it will be a unique experience living with guys. I think I am up for the challenge!

I also was put in contact with a family who lives in Ballerup, a suburb of Copenhagen, who I can visit with, almost like a host family (but just for dinner and other family events). I emailed back and forth with the mom, Richa, who seems really sweet! They have 3 teenage kids and are a very worldly family; Richa told me that they traveled around the world for 6 months with backpacks a few years ago. I'm excited to get to know them and see what family life is like in DK!


When I am abroad, I can be contacted through Facebook, email (caileyindech29@hotmail.com) and Skype: caileyindech29

One Week Away

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” -Mark Twain

I have a thirst for knowledge and a lust for travel that has so far been unquenchable. For the past three years, there hasn't been a time in which I wasn't planning my next adventure. My love for exploring the world began when I went to Europe with my senior class; we spent 21 days in 6 countries (8 cities) skimming the very surface of culture, history and adventure of Italy, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France and England. My next adventure took me to Quito, Ecuador, where I spent a month in the summer of 2011 shadowing both rural and urban doctors, trying new cuisines (guinea pig egg rolls?) and enjoying the sights and nightlife of a bustling up-and-coming Latin American capital. My next trip? A 10 day trip to Eretz Yisrael, the land of my ancestors, where I spent a whirlwind 10 days traversing the entire country, learning about my roots, about the future and present of the Jewish people and eating lots and lots of falafel. When I arrived back in DC, my home away from home, the question surfaced - where shall I go next?

My decision to spend a semester abroad came with many obstacles. As a pre-med student at a rigorous university, I was always told that studying abroad for a semester would be impossible due to the prerequisites required to apply to medical school. This fact was not about to deter me; I figured out that if I were to take a year off between undergraduate studies and medical school, I could afford to take the semester to study abroad. The search for a country began - I needed to take classes in English, which was my first struggle, because I so badly wanted to return to South America. I found the Danish Institute for Study Abroad, and at first, I barely gave it consideration. I didn't have a strong desire to go to Copenhagen, and felt that the program was too "American" due to the fact I'd be taking classes only with Americans at a study abroad center rather than at a University. My second option was University of New South Whales in Sydney. After lots of consideration and talking it out (thank you Jessica and Tim) I decided to go to Denmark to ultimately experience another chance in Europe - and I haven't looked back since! I have realized that going to Copenhagen will be much more outside of my comfort zone than I had originally suspected. While the locals do speak English, many of their customs and ways of life differ greatly from those I am used to at home. Also, I planned to immerse myself by applying for one of the more "integrated" housing options, as well as signing up for activities within the city. More on that later!

The program I will be participating in through DIS is called Medical Practice and Policy. After doing research, I found that this program is truly fit for me! The way DIS works is that students are enrolled in a "core program" (mine being the Medical track) where you take one class in that discipline that also includes a study tour for a week to other European destinations. With my course, I will be taking weekly lectures at a nearby hospital and also be traveling to Vienna and Bratislava to tour hospitals and see how the medical infrastructure differs in Europe (I can now contrast it to the American as well as Ecuadorian system!) In addition to my core course, I will be taking Introductory Danish Language and Culture, Biological Conservation/Biodiversity, Biology of Cancer and a history course about how plants have shaped history. I am really excited to embark on this educational journey!

In addition to my courses, my time in Denmark is going to be extremely recreational. I recently found out that I will be living in a Kollegium, the Danish equivalent to a college dorm, in the suburb of Amager, an island just south of Copenhagen. I will be living in a 4-bedroom apartment with 3 other students (most likely not Americans...also, the apartments are co-ed!) and we will share two bathrooms, a kitchen and living room. Our building, called Signalhuset, is a "dorm" for ~280 international and Danish students studying at a variety of different institutions. It is located across the street from the biggest shopping mall in Scandinavia, as well as a metro station to take into the city. I have also rented a bike, so I hope to also bike to class as often as possible! The Danish are known as some of the most environmentally-conscious people, and most do bike every day to work. I am excited for both the cultural immersion and exercise this practice will bring!

Signalhuset on Google Maps!

While I am abroad, I will also be participating in a volunteer program, a visiting family program, and Danish buddy network where I can socialize with Danish peers. I will also be joining a gym and a volleyball club and will hopefully meet other like-minded students through those social outlets! I am already planning several trips for my break weeks - in addition to the core course trip, I am planning to travel to Madrid, Barcelona, Berlin, Amsterdam and Prague. I look forward to sharing my pictures and experiences on this blog!

It was hard to find just one quote that I loved, so I will have to close with one as well:

“Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail”