I chose Denmark because I heard a lot about the cycling culture, and how everyone can cycle everywhere, and I wasn’t disappointed! I cycled, took the Letbanen, or buses everywhere! You really don’t need a car!
I also heard that it’s the happiest country in the world, and I could really see that by the time I left :)
I loved Aarhus; it was beautiful, and the people I met (both international and Danish) were really nice
Loved the amount of international events going on, and all the local events at DOKK1; I was really able to get into Danish culture through finding out about them from all the Facebook event pages!
I loved how safe I felt in the city of Aarhus; even cycling by myself after dark, I never felt unsafe
The Studenterhus trips! They really allowed me to see more of Denmark, and were very well planned. Reading the descriptions, I didn’t think we would be doing so much, but I was pleasantly surprised! They were AMAZING!
There weren’t very many vegan food options at the Noble Parken cantine… I saw many cakes, muffins, and breads, but I don't think they were vegan. There were only a couple options in the form of salads. More vegan options for snacks would be great!
There were no language barriers, as most everyone spoke English, so it was very easy to live in Aarhus. I had no problems whenever I needed to use English
I did learn Danish up to a basic conversational level though! And the Danes I practiced with gave me lots of encouragement. :)
Danes are very direct. They do not “sugar-coat” anything, nor are there any pleasantries. Just direct to the point. Coming from Canada, this was a little shocking at first, as we say “sorry” for everything, and usually “sugar-coat” to make sure we don’t make another person uncomfortable. I became used to the directness though, and came to like it, as it gets things done easier and quicker. Now I’m back in Canada though, and people are a little taken aback at how direct I’ve become lol.
Danes are also very reserved. In Canada, we’re very outgoing and loud. We like to tell you our opinion, and have lots of fun. In Denmark, I found people were very calm, and didn’t show emotion very much.
It met my expectations and more. Not only did I get to experience the cycling culture, but also the deeper culture of the Danes and why they’re so happy. :) And learning about hygge was amazing!
I loved living in Aarhus. I lived in Aarhus N, and sometimes that hill nearly killed me when I cycled to and from the school buildings and/or DOKK1, but I felt like I could live there. It’s a wonderful, vibrant city with lots of things to do for everyone. I loved the pier, Aarhus Ø, DOKK1, the health food store in Trøjborg, the LærDansk language school, the nature, the shopping street, cycling street, all the small, walkable streets downtown, I could go on… The walkability and cyclability of Aarhus really make it very livable! The people made it amazing too. It’s a different culture, but also shares many similarities with Canada. People are reserved, but kind, and I liked that. :)
