Looking back on my recently finished study abroad experience in Copenhagen, I can confidently say that it was one of the most impactful things I have done in university. Being able to live in a different country, that speaks a different language and has a different culture to what I am familiar with was a huge deal for me and helped me grow a lot. I got to see how goals in society were accomplished in different ways, whether it was the education system, the social safety nets, or the robust public transport system. I also got to see how different cultural norms affected the ways people interact. The biggest thing I got out of this experience is something I didn’t even think about going into it, my new, global friendships. During my study abroad, I didn’t just meet and befriend Danish students, but people from all over the world. I now have friends stretching from Singapore and Japan to Ireland and Canada. This helped further my understandings of different cultures in ways I wasn’t expecting. Outside of my new friendships, there will be other things that I miss now that I am back in the United States; The public transportation and biking infrastructure in Copenhagen was fantastic, and I will miss being able to walk, bike, or metro to the places I want to go, instead of having to drive there. One thing I am excited about upon returning to the US, outside of my American friends, is the lower cost of living. The prices of everything in Copenhagen, other than beer, is higher in Copenhagen than in Texas, and I am excited to be able to go out for lunch without wincing at the prices again. Being in Copenhagen also allowed me cheap access to much of the rest of Europe, which I took advantage of. I was able to travel to Italy, Spain, Germany, Sweden, Slovakia, and Hungary during this exchange. I may end up missing the $50 round trip Ryanair flights the most. Overall, I am confident that this exchange has been a fantastic experience that has left me a more culturally knowledgeable, and adaptable person, and I strongly recommend everyone who can, to do this experience as well.
