June – Danny in Denmark

I’ve been back home in the states for nearly a month now. There was definitely a little bit of reverse culture shock returning to the US after a semester in Denmark. Case in point, I nearly said “Ja, tak” to the US customs agent at the airport instead of “yes, thank you.” Anyway, know that just like it’ll take some time to adjust to Copenhagen, you’ll need some time to adjust back to your life in the states. The reverse culture shock isn’t nearly as strong or long-lasting as the initial culture shock I experienced upon arriving in Denmark. That might just be because I have never been abroad before. The point is, recognize that you’ll need to give yourself some time to fully integrate back into US culture.
Admittedly, my life now seems much less adventurous and less exciting. Clocking in and out of work at my college from 7:30 am to 4:00 pm for my summer job just doesn’t have quite the same appeal as wandering around old castles and the Danish countryside. I expected to feel this way though. How can everyday life compare to exploring Europe for the first time? I guess you could say that after a semester of euphoria-provoking experiences, I’m now suffering from minor depression upon my return. Fortunately, there’s always the possibility of returning to Copenhagen some day. There are actually many stories of DIS students who obtained a job or internship in Denmark or even decided to move to and live in Denmark for the rest of their lives.
In my minimal free time, I’ve been thinking about what I miss most about Copenhagen. It would be too easy to point out something specific like the hygge, the architecture, the food, etc. I think there’s a better way to describe what I miss most about Copenhagen. Every single day in Copenhagen (even when I was busy or had a lot of homework) I encountered something new and unexpected. It wasn’t always something “big.” Some days I picked up on fragments of conversations among native Danes. Other days I simply noticed minor details, such as what types of stories were on the front page of the Danish newspapers at the train stations. This is what I miss most about Copenhagen—I miss being able to wake up each day and know with 100% certainty that I am going to encounter something completely new and unexpected. Life back in the US, where I have lived all my life, simply isn’t the same.
I cannot emphasize enough how fortunate I am to have had such wonderful cultural immersion experiences while in Copenhagen. I highly recommend the homestay housing option. Yes, there will be times you’ll feel like you’re missing out on many of your friends’ activities. However, I would never have been able to experience Danish birthday celebrations or travel to the Danish island of Bornholm on several weekends without my host family. I know the homestay housing option isn’t the right fit for everyone, but at least try to give it serious consideration. I remember when I was selecting my housing option, I was nervous about the fact that we didn’t get to know our exact housing situation until very close to when we departed for Copenhagen. Try not to worry. If you spend too much time worrying or being anxious to make sure every aspect of your study abroad experience goes perfectly, you’ll miss out on so much. Yes, make plans—but don’t be so rigid in your planned activities that you neglect to take advantage of opportunities as they arise. Don’t be afraid to take a longer transportation route now and then just to walk down some different streets, see a different perspective.
At the end of the day, your study abroad experience is what you make of it. DIS will help you along the way, but how you choose to spend your time is ultimately your decision. Maybe you’ll chill at Studenterhuset, the local student hang out place and café, for hours on end. Perhaps you’re more of a film buff and would rather go to the occasional film screenings. No matter how you spend your time, I’m sure you’ll find what’s just right for you.
My only regret is not doing even more than I did while in Copenhagen. I won’t lie—there were times when I was extremely homesick. It was a little harder to make friends early on in the DIS program since I was in a homestay, and I rarely communicated with my friends back home. This caused me to be a little sad and glum some days, and in hindsight I wish I could have gotten past those feelings. You only get to have so many days abroad, and it’s important that you maximize what you get to see and experience during them. It’s ok if you don’t always have something to do or someone to meet. Just get out of the house every now and then, and travel somewhere new (or somewhere you’ve been before but at a different time of day).
I had a truly fantastic study abroad experience, and I formed memories that will last me my lifetime. I’m sure you will too :). Please don’t hesitate to reach out to me if you have any specific questions about studying abroad, the DIS Copenhagen program, or the Glaciers and Human Impact core course. I don’t know everything (and I can’t attest to other students’ experiences), but I can do my best to answer any burning questions you might have. Thanks for reading (and maybe even subscribing to) my study abroad blog!