Hej fra København! My name is Enzo Romano, and I have been in Copenhagen for a little over a week now. I have already noticed some things that are different here than what I’m used to back in Texas. Firstly, how people get around. In Copenhagen, especially the city centers, it is much more common for people to get around using the underground metro or by riding bikes. I have already rented a bike myself and it is my new preferred method to get around the city. Many times it’s actually quicker to bike or take the metro than it is to drive and find parking. The infrastructure of the city was built with bikes and walkers in mind, especially when you compare the bike lanes to those back in Texas. The bike lanes are on the other side of the parked cars, and are on their own section of the road, about 6 inches higher than the rest of the road. The bike lanes are also much wider, which allows for people to pass without having to risk being hit by a car. There’s even specific stoplights just for bikers which makes the traffic flow much better.
Another thing that I have noticed is how much more community focused people have been here. There is much less the sense of people trying to take advantage of others or trying to “get ahead”. This leads to higher trust communities with less crime, and people being more likely to be in favor of laws or actions that may not be particularly beneficial for the individual, but would be better for the greater community. This higher sense of community and larger amounts of trust allows for more lax laws when it comes to certain activities. For example, it is perfectly legal, and almost encouraged for people to drink outside. You can simply buy a beer for about $1.50, and drink it while walking around one of the many public parks and greenspace that the city has to offer.
The greenspace and public parks are another large difference that I have noticed while in Copenhagen. Whenever I walk or bike around the city, there is always a public park with people enjoying themselves no more than a mile away from the last one. Despite how densely populated the city is, the urban planners made sure to leave space for relaxation and a connection with nature.
Overall, I have been very impressed with Copenhagen and its no longer a surprise to me that between the city’s infrastructure, and the high trust society, paired with high wages and workers rights, that Denmark is one of the happiest countries in the world. I’m excited to start my classes here, and enjoy this beautiful city.
