Day One

The flight to Copenhagen (or Køpenhagen as the Danes spell it) was better than expected. After nearly 24 hours of traveling, I finally found my feet in the land of the Danes. My first adventure...trying to find baggage claim and the exit using signs in another language. Luckily, I am not afraid to approach people to ask for help and therefore I was able to find my way. After meeting with my contact person with the Danish Institute for Study Abroad (DIS), our group was off to the first day of orientation and welcome ceremonies. At this point in the day I was so hungry that I could literally eat my own hand after sleeping through both dinner and the snack on the air plane. This was not a good scenario after feeling nauseous before leaving for my trip and not being able to eat anything past 4 pm. This meant no food for 10 hours or so...my body doesn't like that. However, once I was able to eat I felt much better and could soak in all of my new and beautiful surroundings. I was so happy to finally find my other classmates once I landed and knew that this experience was going to be life changing.

My first full day in CPH was filled with speeches from DIS staff as well as a performance from the CPH quartet, which is a smaller portion of the famous Copenhagen Orchestra. At 5:30 pm my time (11:30 am USA) I got to see my room for the first time. To be honest...I did cheat a bit and I google imaged my room before arriving, so I was not surprised to see the VERY European bathroom as well as the outdated architecture. Nonetheless, this is my home for the next six weeks and I must say it has become my cozy save haven. I have a huge window (the Danish residents call it the suicide building because the windows can open like a door and they go all of the way down to knee height where you could simply lean over if you weren't careful) that lets in sunlight when the skies decide to not resemble Cleveland's cloud coverage. My bed is small and came with...count them, one fitted sheet and no top sheet (better than Emily who only got a mattress pad) and a pillow case and comforter cover that sounded like Velcro when I pulled them out of the case. Sadly, they feel like Velcro too:) I have still not been give Internet access, so I am kindly being allowed to use Emily's computer to write this. We are the only two Americans on our floor, which is so great because we are completely immersed into the Danish culture. While Emily and I do live on the same floor, we are at opposite ends and therefore have different "communal kitchens." It's like living in my sorority house all over again, but much MUCH cleaner (sorry girls:).

Speaking of the kitchens...one the first day in our housing, Em and I were so scared to go into the kitchens because so many people were occupying them and we had to go into our separate spaces. Haha, but we didn't and I went in with her first and vice versa. Both trips were a success and we have met a ton of great people in our kitchens...And we now go into them without one another:)

I am so intrigued by the Danish people and their culture I cannot wait to fall completely in love with this place.

Continue reading for more of my journey in Europe in the next coming weeks!