Hej (Hi) Badgers! My name is Kate. I am studying in København (Copenhagen) for an entire year! I am already having withdrawals from Wisconsin football, Madison’s Farmer’s Market, and Madison in general. Here is just a little about myself: I am studying mathematics and political science. I am taking courses on Security Studies, Nordic Mythology (Thor/Lord of the Rings anyone?), and a Danish language class. Throughout the semester, I will be writing about my adventures in Copenhagen and Europe.
I have been in Copenhagen for almost two months now. It seems just like yesterday I was in Madison packing up my room, moving everything home for storage and saying goodbye to all my friends. Here are a few highlights of my first few weeks here:
The Pre-Language Danish Course: Here I met so many good people and now friends.
Look at us “studying.”
Going out: Just like Madison, going out is a huge factor. There are a few places that internationals tend to flock to for a few weeks. Studenthuset on Wednesdays for International Night and LA Tequila Bar for 10 tequila shots for 100 kroner and some dancing, are among my favorites. However, the start of the semester means the start of Friday bars for each faculty. This is where students (and professors!) get cheap alcohol and enjoy each other’s companies. (This is something Madison should start.) I am going to my campus’s Friday bar tomorrow for the first time. I cannot wait! My advice for anyone coming here or going abroad is to be social whenever possible. The first few weeks you make some of your best friends for the semester.
Being a tourist: A must for the first few weeks is acting like a complete tourist: taking millions of photos, going to all the attractions, constantly asking for directions, and whipping out the large city map. I decided to go on a free walking tour of Copenhagen with Erin, a fellow Badger in Copenhagen, it was a great decision we got to see some major key parts: the Palace; the Opera House; Nyhavn look below, and hit of these places in one afternoon. One of my favorite attractions that I visited is the Church of Our Savior. The view of the city is incredible. (This is looking into Christiana and into Amager, more to come on these places.)
My last favorite part has been trying to learn the Danish language, which is spoken and written completely differently majority of the time. However, I am, slowly, learning a few words and can fake short, extremely short interactions, mainly hej (hi) and tak( thanks).
More to come! If there is any specific things you want me to address/discover e-mail me at kballen@wisc.edu.