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Tag: denmark

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By Ashlyn

I'm a bit more than halfway through my semester here in Denmark, and I feel as though I have adjusted fairly well to my home here in the city. Though I do miss my friends, family and boyfriend back in the United States, I am not hit with frequent pangs of full-on homesickness like I was at the beginning of my time abroad. There are some big differences between missing home and being homesick -- the homesick feeling is definitely much more intense and depressing. Sometimes it becomes all you can think about.

I experienced the brunt of my homesick feelings in the first quarter of my time in Copenhagen, but as time passed and I began to experience new and exciting things, those feelings faded into the background. For anyone interested in studying abroad in the future, or just being away from home for a long time, there are a few things that you can do to help cope with your homesickness.

Get out of the house. Any time you're feeling down, the urge to stay indoors and cuddle up with Netflix is usually strong. Resist the urge. The more you force yourself to go out, the more you set yourself up to have positive experiences in your new environment -- whether that means seeing a neat exhibit at a local museum, meeting a new friend in your host country, or just getting to take in some sunshine. The more positive experiences you have abroad, the better you'll begin to feel, and the less time you'll have to dwell on your homesickness.

Find some pals. Going abroad can be a very alienating experience. It moves you away from your friends and family -- and from the familiarity of your home university or hometown. But, luckily, going abroad sets up a good opportunity to make some new friends. All abroad students already have something in common with one another -- talk to people, learn more about them and where they're from, and try to form some connections. Building a good support group abroad is important.

Don't hang on your phone. Or your tablet, or your laptop, or any other electronic device. Step away. Put it down. The more you make yourself completely available at all times to your friends and family back home, the less you make yourself available to the opportunities and people who surround you while abroad. If you talk constantly to your parents, friends, or boyfriend, you won't be paying attention as well to the world around you. Also, the more you keep in frequent touch with people, the more you will miss them. It may seem counter-intutitve to what your homesick heart is telling you, but the best thing that you can do for homesickness is to spend some time away from your electronics and from the influence of the folks back home.

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By Ashlyn

It's difficult to believe that I've already spent two months in Copenhagen. It seems like only a few weeks ago that I was saying goodbye to my parents at the airport. "The time is going to go by so fast," my mother told me before I left her at the security checkpoint. "Make the most of every moment." I promised I would.

Two months later, I wonder if I have truly done what I promised that I would do. Lately, I have found myself falling victim to the tyranny of routine. I don't explore as much as I used to. I prefer to run from class to class, then curl up indoors with a cup of tea instead of walking around in the cold Copenhagen air. It has been weeks since I've visited the palaces, or walked along Nyhavn harbor, or had a pastry in a cafe and people-watched out the window.

Am I becoming bored? I began to wonder. Many of my friends from back home have told me, "You can't be bored in Europe! You're abroad!" But that, of course, is not true. You can be bored anywhere. You could probably be bored at the top of Mount Everest.

But boredom is more often a side-effect of comfort. I have been guilty of staying in my comfort zone lately -- of staying in when others are going out, of going to the same tried and true places and seeing the same tried and true sights. I have slept in instead of waking up early to see the sunrise; I have stayed in to watch Netflix when I could be exploring Copenhagen's nightlife.

Now, with only two months left to go before I return home to the United States, I am realizing once more that there is too much to accomplish here to sit on my laurels and let time slip by. I need to push myself. It can be difficult, especially in a school setting, to find the energy and time to force yourself to leave the house or library and search for adventure. But with time so short, and the days going by so quickly, it is important to remember that every moment is precious. (That sounds pretty cheesy. It's true though. A lot of cheesy things are true when you're studying abroad.)

So I'm going to try to regain my sense of adventure now, halfway through my time in Copenhagen. I want to explore, to see things that I've never seen before, and to meet new people. This week I will be touring a local brewery and going to a Danish family's birthday party -- two exciting events that I am hoping will jump-start my plan of action!

For those of you planning on studying abroad in the future, don't feel guilty if you begin to get "bored" in the city that you choose. If you don't want to go out every weekend, don't. If you feel tired some nights, stay in. Just make sure you keep track of time -- the months go by quickly when you're away from home, and one morning you might wake up next to your packed suitcase and wonder why you didn't accomplish more while you had the chance!

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By Ashlyn

I celebrated my first Danish holiday last week! Fastelavn, celebrated the Sunday before Ash Wednesday, is the Danish version of Carnival - or Fat Tuesday, or Pancake Day, or whatever else you're used to calling the holiday before the Lenten season begins.

Danish Fastelavn is similar in some ways to Halloween in America. Children (and adults) dress up in costumes to celebrate. One of the day's events is to hit a big barrel that is tied up in a tree. The barrel is very sturdy and wooden rods are used to hit it. Inside the barrel is a huge amount of Danish candy. Children take turns whacking it until the barrel is smashed open and all the candy flies out. Toffee, caramels, gummies, and black licorice are usually among the candies inside. (Chocolate candy is not as popular here as it is in America!)

Another tradition is fastelavnsboller - pastries that are specifically eaten on this holiday. The buns are filled with cream or custard, baked, and then drizzled with a warm chocolate topping. They can be found at bakeries around the city, but the home-baked fastelavnsboller are definitely more delicious!

The history of Fastelavn isn't quite as sweet and sugary as what's celebrated today, though. The origins of the barrel-hitting game come from an event called "hit the cat out of the barrel." A live black cat was sealed into the barrel and the barrel was struck until the cat leapt out -- then the cat was chased through town and beaten to death. Gruesome, yes, but the whole ordeal was meant to ward off bad luck and evil spirits.

Another interesting tradition is the "fastelavnsris," which is a bundle of sticks given to children before the Fastelavn celebration. The children use the sticks to "flog" their parents (gently) on the morning of Fastelavn, and are then rewarded with fastelavnsboller. This tradition is said to originate from the practice of flogging children on Good Friday to remind them of Jesus' trials before death. Today fastelavnsris are sold in grocery stores and are usually strung with candy and jingle bells and other fun treats.

Want to celebrate Fastelavn at home? The following is the recipe for fastelavnsboller. These sweet treats take a bit of time to prepare, but the results are worth it!

Fastelavnsboller

For the Dough:

  • 25 g yeast
  • 1.25 dl whole milk
  • 1 egg
  • 50 g sugar
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 175 g soft butter
  • 450 g flour
  • A pinch of cardamom

 For the Custard:

  • 3 egg yolks
  • 2 tbsp. sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla sugar (or 1/2 tsp vanilla extract)
  • 2 tsp corn starch
  • 2 dl whole milk

Directions:

Whip the yolks, sugar, vanilla or vanilla sugar, and corn starch in a bowl to begin the custard. Heat the milk in a saucepan until it boils and then pour the heated milk into the bowl, whipping all the while. Pour the entire mixture back into the saucepan and allow it to boil for one to two minutes, beating continuously. Allow the custard to cool completely.

To begin the dough, warm the milk until room temperature. Dissolve the yeast into the milk. Add the egg, sugar, salt, butter, flower, and cardamom. Mix the ingredients and allow the dough to rise until it has doubled in size.

Roll the dough out on a floured surface until it is 1 centimeter thick. Slice the dough into squares 3 by 3 inches large, then put a small spoonful of cooled custard in the center of each. Fold the corners in like a dumpling and press the dough together with your fingers to seal it. Flip the buns over and place them on a lined baking sheet, giving enough room for them to expand.

Bake the buns in the oven at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the oven, glaze with melted chocolate and then enjoy.

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By Ashlyn

DIS (my study abroad program) offers several different types of housing, including "Living-Learning Communities." These communities place students who are interested in learning a particular skill in the same housing facility. I was placed in the "Culinary House," an LLC dedicated to teaching its inhabitants about Danish food culture through hands-on lessons, visits, and tastings.

As a member of the Culinary House for the past month and a half, I have cooked (and eaten) quite a lot of Danish food. Though I feel like I have only scratched the surface of Danish cuisine, I already have picked out a few favorites among those dishes that I have eaten. The following is a list of my five favorite Danish foods… at the moment. (Subject to change.)

  1. Smørrebrød

These open-faced sandwiches are possibly the most popular food in Denmark and are typically eaten for lunch. Start with a piece of nutty, grainy rugbrød, which is a special dark rye bread. Next, and a slew of ingredients and condiments. Each type of smørrebrød has a particular list of ingredients that it must include. My favorite smørrebrød types are prawn - made with mayonnaise, small prawns, hard-boiled eggs, and lemon - and tartare - seasoned with salt and pepper and topped with raw onion, egg, and horseradish.

  1. Wienerbrød

Wienerbrød is what Americans would typically call a Danish pastry, but in Denmark the name literally translates to "Viennese bread." This is because the recipe for a Danish pastry comes from an adaptation of the Viennese treat Plundergebäck. The Danish version of this pastry comes in many different shapes, sizes, and flavors. My favorite version is known as overskåret and is flat with stripes of white frosting, warm yellow custard, and melted chocolate.

  1. Fransk Hotdog

Hot dog carts are as common on the streets of Copenhagen as they are on the streets of New York. However, instead of your average frankfurters, the hot dog carts here in Denmark sell long, meaty sausages called pølse. One of the more popular ways to eat pølse on the go is in the form of a Fransk Hotdog ("French hot dog"). A hollowed-out baguette (closed on one side) is filled with creamy French dressing and then a sausage is inserted from the top. The salty, grilled hot dog goes very well with the crisp baguette and the rich dressing.  The Danes call it hangover food - whatever it is, it's definitely a guilty pleasure.

  1. Brunsviger

This Danish cake is sometimes served for birthdays, though it can also be served as a coffee cake. It tastes like a cinnamon bun, and is made of delicious, fluffy dough topped with a thick layer of caramelized butter and brown sugar. It should be eaten warm, but in my opinion, it can be eaten cold, or lukewarm, or half warm and half cold, or upside down, or with sunglasses on. This cake is dangerous, dangerous stuff.

  1. Flødebøller

Ah, flødebøller. In the past few weeks I’ve gotten to know this little Danish treat very well. The average flødebøller is a simple mixture of marshmallowy meringue, piped onto a wafer and dipped in tempered chocolate. But it is so much more than that. I have eaten approximately 200 flødebøller (give or take a hundred and fifty) since I’ve been in Copenhagen and I expect to eat at least 200 more before I leave to return home. It doesn’t matter whether they are simple or fancy – some chocolate shops make them with marzipan, or put dried raspberries in the meringue, or use white chocolate on the exterior – they are all delicious. They are also not too rich or too filling. They are the perfect after-dinner treat!

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By Ashlyn

When you study abroad, you're asked to register your trip through the State Department. After registering, you begin to get emails regarding travel safety and security in your host country. These emails mostly end up in my trash folder, forgotten. Shortly after I arrived in Denmark I began to realize that it is a very safe and secure country. Crime is low here. The Danes are, for the most part, kind and friendly and trustworthy. Though I am living in the large city of Copenhagen, the streets are quiet and there is no constant sound of sirens and cars like there is in D.C. Copenhagen, and Denmark as a whole, is very peaceful.

That doesn't mean, though, that there is always peace here. Yesterday, shortly after I returned from my study tour in Sweden, news broke that there had been a shooting at a cafe in Østerbro, one of Copenhagen's neighborhoods. One man died and two were injured. The cafe was hosting a free speech debate and Lars Vilks, a Swedish man who has created cartoons of the prophet Mohammed, was in attendance.

Later in the night, at a synagogue in the center of town, another man was shot and killed. The man was working as a guard for a bar mitzvah. The suspect for both shootings was killed a few hours later by the police in a shootout.

We, as students, are being encouraged to stay safe but also to not allow these incidents to frighten us. "We encourage you to continue your lives in Copenhagen in the same way that you did before these events," reads an email from my program's director. But it is difficult to return to normal so quickly after something so terrible and unexpected happens. I don't feel scared -- I know that the attacks were targeted and that security is now high in the city. But I do feel sad. That acts of terror are possible even in a country as small and peaceful as Denmark is unsettling. Especially when those attacks are in response to the freedoms of speech and expression.

As a journalism student, I believe in the supreme power of freedom of speech. Over my travel break I had the pleasure of meeting with an editor of a newspaper in Malmø, whose name I will not reveal as a safety precaution. Her response to a student's question about freedom of speech was poignant. "We are a newspaper," she said. "To us, religions don't have rights. People have rights." She went on to say that she would not hesitate to print an "offensive" cartoon or article on the grounds that it might offend the wrong person.

We don't often think of these people - journalists, editors, cartoonists, etc. - as having dangerous jobs. To most, a journalist or cartoonist is just a person who sits at a desk and turns out content for others to read. But there are times when decisions must be made. Difficult decisions about whether writing, drawing, or publishing something is important enough to put lives and safety on the line. What price are you willing to pay for the freedom of speech? Or the freedom to worship the religion of your choice?

I still feel safe in Denmark. I still feel confident about my decision to study here. The Danes are so welcoming and kind - one month into my stay here, I already feel a part of the Danish community. I may be just an American student studying in Copenhagen for a short time, but for the next three months Denmark is my country as well. I still believe in the safety and peace that has comforted me since I landed here four weeks ago today.

My thoughts go out to the families of the victims. We are all thinking of you.

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By Ashlyn

The Danish word of the day is mister.

The definition of the word is to lose.

On Sunday the sun managed to struggle out from behind the clouds for longer than a 20 minute clip. My friends and I felt optimistic about the weather, so we left the house in search of the magical land of Christiania.

Christiania is a not-so-secret secret “alternative living community” nestled in the heart of Copenhagen. A relic from the early 70s, the town has been built up almost by hand by its inhabitants, who live free (almost) from the rules and laws that govern the rest of Denmark. Imagine, if you will, walking into a huge abandoned theme park that is full of trash, graffiti, and weird-looking structures that are partially covered in uncut grass and moss. Now picture huge, psychedelic murals wrapping around almost everything in sight. Now add the persistent scent of smoke and garbage that hasn’t been taking out. That’s Christiania, in a nutshell.

The walk we took was fascinating. We strolled down muddy sidewalks, viewing the homes of the inhabitants of the “free town.” Many were built up from scratch from scrap materials. Some were made from abandoned warehouses and buildings. We saw makeshift children’s playgrounds, organic food restaurants, and plenty of flowers growing everywhere. There was even a stable deep inside the neighborhood, filled with horses and one sweet looking donkey.

Just outside there was a bakery called Lagkagehuset (a chain popular in Denmark) so we popped in to get a quick dessert. I ordered a pastry with custard in the center. As we stood huddled around a table, munching, a family suddenly came in with a sick child. The child was coughing abnormally, and not wanting to get sick in a foreign country (even though Denmark’s healthcare system is excellent), we decided to eat the rest of our pastries on the go. It was a 20 minute walk back to our dorm.

Climbing up the steps to my room was when I realized – I had lost my wallet. Now, losing your wallet in a foreign country isn’t like losing it at home. It sucks either way, but losing your wallet abroad is like losing your lifeline. I immediately panicked. All of my ID cards, plus my debit card and some cash was in there. My first instinct was to contact my parents and ask them what to do. But… when you’re thousands of miles away from home, you have to figure things out on your own. You can’t rely on mom and dad to help you because they physically can’t. Luckily, my roommates are sweet girls and helped me figure out the phone number of the bakery we had visited (the last place the wallet had been seen.)

Luckily, and due in large part to the kindness and honesty of the Danes, my wallet was still at the bakery. I’ve never run a mile so quickly in all my life. As I approached the counter the women behind it laughed a bit and told me to be more careful next time. When they gave it over to me, not a single item had been touched or moved. Back home in D.C. I doubt I would have been as lucky. I might have gotten the wallet back, but the cash and card would likely have been lost.

So what I learned this week was this - keep your belongings close when you’re away from home. Remember that you have to rely on yourself (and your good friends) to tackle tough situations. This can seem like a bad thing, but it’s actually a good thing. It’s a chance to test yourself, to grow a little in terms of maturity and learn how to handle situations more calmly. You need to be flexible and independent to travel abroad – and, even if you’re neither of those things (like me), you’ll learn quickly on the job.

…And one last word: thank you to whomever found my wallet at Lagkagehuset and turned it in without stealing from it. You’re a life saver!

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By Ashlyn

The Danish word of the day is hygge.

The definition of the word is ???

If you haven’t been to Denmark then it’s likely that you have never encountered the fascinating concept of “hygge.” Pronounced HOO-geh, hygge is a word that defies description for many Danes. We Americans may approximate its meaning as “cozy,” but there is no real authentic English word that encapsulates all of the subtle nuances that hygge implies.

Hygge, unlike coziness, is not just a state of being but a mindset. It is an emotion of sorts. It is coming in from the cold and warming up next to the fire with a drink and a blanket wrapped around you. It’s a rich homemade dinner with your closest friends, with little candles decorating the table and your favorite mix tape playing in the background. It’s snuggling up on the couch watching Netflix with your boyfriend until you fall asleep.

But hygge does not only exist in wintertime. Eating ice cream in summer with your little sister could be hygge. Or building a sandcastle on the beach and then having a picnic. Or going berry-picking. Or baking a big pie and then sharing a slice with friends. The feeling comes over you and you’re hit with it suddenly (or it creeps up over you before you know what’s happening) and when it does, you know you’ve caught the hygge.

Interestingly, though, the Danes are just as ready to forcefully create a sense of hygge as to allow it to happen naturally. Many cafes, restaurants and bars have signs outside advertising a “hyggelig” (HOO-ga-lee) atmosphere. Whole shop sections are dedicated to objects meant to evoke hygge in the home. Danes string lights, light candles, burn incense, cover areas with plush blankets and cushions – anything to increase the hygge-osity of the space. Hygge is something to continually strive for.

Hygge came upon me for the first time in Denmark exactly one week from the day I touched down in Copenhagen. It had been a long, cold afternoon, with plenty of rain outside. I was buried under about six layers of blankets, slowly working my way through a mound of homework with a few other girls from our dorm. Eventually, someone brought up the idea to make a communal dinner. None of us were too invested in our work, so we put off our readings and papers in favor of raiding our cabinets in search of ingredients.

Eventually we had a pot of chicken stew going on the stove, with fresh biscuits baking away in the oven below. Stir, season, chop, mix – each of us seated with her own task to help the assembly of the meal go smoothly. A suggestion here, a sprinkle of salt there. The meal finished, we lit candles and dimmed the kitchen lights, folded our napkins fancily and laid out the “good” bowls and silverware. “To us!” we cheered, raising our glasses full of lemon water or milk. “Skål!” And then we tucked in to the food – maybe a bit under-seasoned, maybe a bit sloppily presented, but undoubtedly the most filling and satisfying dish I’ve eaten during my time abroad thus far.

Perhaps that was due to the stick and a half of butter we used to make the biscuits. Me, I’d like to think it was the hygge.

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My groceries from my first grocery trip - buttermilk included!

The Danish word of the day is karnemelk.

The definition of the word is buttermilk.

One hundred and five people (or somewhere close to that number) told me, before I left the United States to study abroad, that I was going to experience some sort of culture shock when I got there. That I was going to be confused and, inevitably, would do a lot of things to embarrass myself. “Don’t worry if you make a lot of social faux-pas during your first few weeks!” they all said. “It’s normal! Don’t get upset about it!”

Foolishly I thought that I could escape this issue by just being as observant as possible. Just follow the Danes, I thought to myself as I scurried about my first week in Copenhagen. I mimicked their walk, their talk, the way they ordered their coffee. I wore dark colors and attempted to copy that stereotypical, stoic Danish resting face that many wear as they go about their business. I learned a few Danish words like tak (thank you) and undskyld (sorry). I attempted to blend in as much as possible.

All was going according to plan until my first trip to the grocery store. I sauntered in, feeling sure of myself – then realized, with a sinking feeling, that I was about to be in for a challenge. Everything, and I mean everything, was in Danish. I don’t know what I was expecting. Shaking in my boots, I looked from one product to the other, attempting to figure out what boxes and cartons contained just by looking at the little pictures on the label. A picture of bread – flour, maybe? Meat with a pig on it – must be pork, right? The mysterious items that had no images on their packaging were ignored altogether.

Eventually I managed to sneak up behind some unsuspecting shopper who looked like they knew what they were doing. I followed at their heels, glancing at their purchases and putting similar items in my basket. I felt pretty confident that their choices of eggs, milk, bread and cheese would be good enough for me, at least for the first week. Can’t go wrong with some good Danish dairy products.

I went to the checkout counter, smiling as I told the woman behind the register “Hej!” She was firm-lipped, not even looking up from her work as she furiously scanned items. Small talk, as I would come to learn, is not very popular in Denmark. The woman then shot her head up and said a quick string of Danish words that I didn’t understand. “Excuse me?” I stammered, already flustered.

“135 krone,” she repeated slowly, staring at me. I laughed way too loud and handed her my food stipend card to swipe. Then I rushed out the door with my head down, groceries swinging from my side.

Later, putting my purchases away in the kitchen, I decided to sample some of the things I had bought. I made a sandwich and poured myself a glass of milk. As soon as I took a sip from the glass, though, I knew that something was wrong. The taste was extremely sour, as though the product was far past its expiration date. But on the top of the carton, the date provided was still half a week away.

Then I noticed – the label said “karnemelk.” A quick Google search and I found out I had bought a big old carton of Danish buttermilk Sighing, I choked down the rest of the glass. I wasn’t about to let 15 krone go to waste. Plus, according to a few of my teachers, the Danes often drink their buttermilk straight.

When in København, I suppose!

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By Ashlyn

It’s 9:23 pm the night before I’m supposed to depart for Copenhagen. I board the plane at 7 pm tomorrow. T-minus 21 hours and 37 minutes to go. Tick tock. Tick tock. The clock is crawling from minute to minute and I’m stuck between wanting it to slow down and wanting it to speed up. It’s a strange feeling.

It’s funny, because I’ve known I was going to be studying in Denmark this semester since September. And yet the gravity of what I’m about to do hadn’t hit me until, oh… probably about 10 minutes ago. But now, as I print out my boarding pass and shove as many jars of peanut butter into my luggage as can possibly fit, it’s smashing down on me like I just removed the wrong block from a Jenga tower. I’m going out of the country for the first time in my life. The furthest I’ve ever been from my quaint little home of Reading, Pennsylvania was when I took a band trip to Disney World. I am completely out of my comfort zone here.

And now I’m going to Copenhagen. A city I chose for its cleanliness and easygoing vibe. And because the program I’m enrolled in seems like a good fit for a journalism major. And maybe, just maybe, because it’ll put me only a short bike ride away from noma, one of the best restaurants in the world. Just maybe.

Every once in a while, I’ll think to myself, “Wait. Ashlyn. What are you doing, going to Denmark for a semester? You don’t even like to leave the couch!” It’s true that I’m not the most social of animals. I love people, and I love having friends, but as an introvert I find it difficult to interact with people for long periods of time. And now I’m off to a country that I’ve only read about in travel books, full of people who speak a different language than my own. And I’ll be living in a dorm with not one but two roommates. Yikes!

Am I nervous? Yes. Am I freaking out? Sort of. But at this point there’s no turning back. I knew I was going to have these reservations from day one, but I just keep telling myself that I’m going to thank myself for it later in life. After all, how many times in your life do you get an opportunity to study in another country? To visit not just one or two but four different countries in one trip? (Denmark, Sweden, Ireland and France are all on the horizon.) I figure it’s like a mother bird and her fledglings in the nest – the baby bird is probably scared as heck as its mom callously thwacks it out of a huge tree, sending it plummeting down towards the ground. But at the last second instinct takes over and the bird starts flapping its little wings and tweeting and flying like it was born to do, and if it had never been pushed from the nest it never would have learned how to fly. Right?

Hopefully instinct will take over for me too. I want to fly!

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