Almost four months ago, I flew alone out of Ted Stevens International Airport and found myself in Copenhagen, Denmark. I can’t believe my exchange semester is nearly over. Even though the time went by so fast, I am really looking forward to being back home. However, I’m going to miss my life in Denmark. 

The people, places, and opportunities I was able to experience are something I think I will always remember and look back on. If I haven’t said enough already, I’m most grateful for the host family(and my host dog Bella) I was placed with. I have no doubt that I will keep in touch with them for a very long time.

Even though I only had a few weeks left in Denmark, I was very busy. Towards the end of November, my host family took a little trip to a neighboring country, Sweden. Even though it might seem that traveling to a different country would be a long journey, it took just a little over an hour. 

 Sweden was very similar to Denmark, but there were a few differences. The prices were definitely cheaper, and the language was also a little bit contrasting. Even though we were only in Sweden for a day, I had a really nice time. We visited my host mom’s friend who lives in Malmö and had a cup of coffee before heading to the Emporia mall, one of the biggest malls in Scandinavia. 

I always think it’s fun how I ended up in Denmark, since it’s such a small nation compared to Alaska. If Alaska was a country, it would be the 18th largest, while Denmark is the 130th largest. Even though my time in Denmark wasn’t very long, I visited some of the most southern, northern, and eastern points in the country. 

In December, almost all the Christmas markets opened up, which was so amazing to see. Even though I don’t end up spending money every time, it is still nice to just walk around and admire them. On December 6th, my host family took a final trip to Tiovli, which was one of the first places I went when I arrived in August.

I loved going on the amusement rides, and the decorations during the summer were amazing, but it didn’t compare to Tivoli in the winter. The lights and decorations were so beautiful; it felt like a completely different place I visited in August.

Even with all the amazing places and trips I visited during the winter, I still really enjoyed being at home with my host family. During Thanksgiving, I cooked my host family a little Thanksgiving dinner which was fun to share traditions.

When December rolled around, my host mom bought everyone advent calendars and gifts for every Sunday of the month. I think December was one of my favorite months because of how “hygge” it was.

Hygge is a Danish term that directly translates to being “cozy”. However, I found that this word is more of an action and state of being rather than just being cozy. One aspect I found interesting and admired about Denmark was how much they value downtime and being together instead of rushing to get everything done.

One day, during my soccer practice, it started snowing heavily, and the entire field was covered, and we still played a game. I was a little surprised by all the snow since my host family and friends said that it’s not very common. Of course, the snow melted within a couple of days, but it was still a nice experience, even if it only lasted for a little.

There are a lot of aspects of Denmark that I’m going to miss: my school, host family and friends, and the culture. However, I’m really grateful to be able to miss something like this. I will forever remember my journey, and I think I have come out of this experience more prepared for the future. 

Most foreign exchange students don’t regret their studying abroad even if it comes with difficulties. I would definitely say I am one of those people. If you are thinking about studying abroad, I would highly recommend it.

Even though during school I wasn’t really able to learn much because of the language barrier, I was still learning other valuable skills, like navigating through a foreign country and being immersed in a much different culture. Instead of saying goodbye to Denmark, I am going to say “vi ses,” which translates to “see you later” in Danish, because I know I will be back.