So Long America, Hej Danmark!

     I have arrived!  It's been four mind-blowing days that seem to have gone by far too quickly ever since I stepped off the plane into Copenhagen.  Other than having my own personal TV on the seat in front of me, there isn't too much to note about the flight.  Sleep came quickly, and before I knew it, I had traveled over the ocean and had arrived on a completely different continent.  As I wound through the airport in Copenhagen, it had still not fully dawned on me that after all the planning and packing, my destination had finally been reached.  After some escalators, elevators, and the dragging of two very large suitcases, I finally reached the meeting spot for the Danish Institute for Study Abroad students.  I was only there 10 minutes when someone called my name and told me that my host family had arrived early to pick me up!  I easily recognized them from their pictures, and they welcomed me warmly.  My host mom and dad, Edda and Jonathan, drove me the 30 minutes to their town of Birkerød.  We talked the entire way home as they pointed out interesting buildings and statues.
     During the past four days, we have discussed a wide range of topics including everything from my life in New Orleans to their backgrounds and experiences.  I have discovered (according to Edda) that their family is rather untraditional, due to the fact that Edda is Icelandic as well as Danish, and Jonathan is originally from England.  My questions and thoughts about Denmark have been so random, that I am grateful for their candid answers.  Every night around 7:00 p.m. we sit down with their son, Laurence, and have a home-cooked meal together.  One thing that Danes truly appreciate is food and the cozy feeling of home.  This is called hygge (pronounced "hoo-guh") and represents a mood that is set, often with candles.  This custom is definitely something that I could get used to and would like to incorporate into my own family life one day!
     We spent our first three days at D.I.S. participating in orientation, (I begin classes tomorrow) which helped us familiarize ourselves with the city of Copenhagen, understand customs of their culture, and meet our new classmates.  My favorite part was visiting places of interest in small groups.  I liked it so much that I went out again the next day to explore some of the important sites on my own.

  
     This is the Parliament building. Denmark's form of government is a Constitutional Monarchy, so while there is a Queen (Margrethe II), there is also a Prime Minister, and a Parliament. All of the buildings have such gorgeous architectural structures.

        I felt that since I was in Copenhagen, I needed to see the most popular attraction:  the statue of the Little Mermaid.  She had just returned from and exhibition in China, so I felt fortunate to see this symbol of one of Hans Christian Andersen's works.  I hoped that the walk in the freezing weather would be worth the experience, and although not as spectacular as I originally expected, it remains a regional landmark with an interesting origin.

     I was able to take the "Harbourbus" (essentially a water taxi) to see the Queen's Palace.  The palace consists of four identical buildings placed in a circle.  It is certainly a site to see, especially with the royal guards.  I witnessed the changing of the guards, which was very exciting.  I heard some music playing, and couldn't imagine where it could possibly be coming from.  As I turned around, I discovered that nearly 50 guards were marching in the courtyard area.  I couldn't help but think what a wonderful profession they had. (Marching around, playing instruments, and wearing fancy uniforms with bear skin hats doesn't seem too bad.)  I also discovered that all the Danish kings are either named Christian or Frederik, which has been tradition since the 1500s.
     Based on my first impressions, Copenhagen is going to be a wonderful and exciting place to live for the next 4 months.  Eventually, I will recognize those mile long street names and hopefully pick-up some Danish along the way.  Now, the hard part starts…classes.