I have been in Copenhagen for two weeks now, and my first impression is how calm everything is here. Despite being the capital city, people do not live a fast-paced life. The locals remind me a lot of Texans in the sense that they are eager to assist you in any way you need. Their friendliness has made adjusting much more pleasant.
One of the biggest surprises is how smooth the transportation is. Trains arrive every few minutes and can take you anywhere you need to go within the city. Buses fill the gap where the metro cannot reach. With all the train options, such as the metro, S-train, regional, and local, it can be confusing at first. Now that I have it figured out, exploring the city is no longer a challenge.
School here is also completely different from school back home. The Danish education system is more relaxed, but it still challenges you in many ways. Instead of weekly homework or monthly tests, the focus is more on group projects where real-world business case studies are the assignments. Most of your grade depends on a final essay where you have to reflect and think deeply about your case studies. It is an exciting introduction to a new way of academics.
Through this exchange program opportunity, I have been able to meet many people from around the world through school and my accommodation. While learning about Danish life, I have also been able to see what life is like for other students back in their home countries. This experience will be able to give me a better understanding of people and how the Danish lifestyle will inevitably affect me.
