The following blog entries are a digital summary from the physical journal I kept and wrote in during my stay in Copenhagen, Denmark. They contain the thoughts and moods I wanted to remember during each day of my experience. I hope that my writings will inspire you to explore the world and get out of your comfort zone, as I have, during my study abroad semester at Copenhagen Business School (CBS) in the Fall/Winter of 2022.
--- Nothing can ever prepare you for the sinking feeling you get after leaving home for the first time. I arrived in Copenhagen International Airport on a sunny afternoon, accompanied by no one, surrounded by people who look nothing like me, in a place I did not know at all. Although I had "lived alone" before, in a dorm, this was completely different. There were an endless amount of bikes whizzing by on the flat streets, and despite Copenhagen itself being relatively small compared to other European cities, I didn't even feel like an ant in an ants nest. No, I felt like a single *molecule* of H2O in an ocean of people. I remember arriving at my student apartment for the first time, stressed out from having to unpack everything and at the same time feeling too exhausted to do so. I am pretty sure I spent at least half an hour simply staring at the ceiling, taking in the unreality of it all. It was technically summer still, and so the sun set later than I was used to. Because my room did not have curtains, at 9:00pm I watched the shadows move from one end to my room to another as I lay in bed, attempting to get some shut-eye to no avail. The first week of my stay was essentially all logistics; getting my Rejsekort (metro/bus/train pass), registering my CPR number, and learning where I could get my basic necessities met (groceries, laundry, etc.). Each day felt like a struggle because unlike my first time in a dorm at UH, this felt like I was *truly* independent. During the first week, CBS also set up on-boarding and social events for the international students, which I forced myself to go to. It was nerve wracking--and optional. Worst of all, the main activity there would be a brief introduction of traditional Danish dancing. I *hated* dancing, especially in public. But, I steeled myself and attended anyways, remembering the advice of my upperclassmen who had given GAWS on their respective study abroad countries. Safe to say, it turned out to be the best thing decision I would make during my trip. In Denmark, there is a word named: "hygge," (hoo-guh) which loosely translates to a feeling of "contentment" or "coziness." The key part of this definition is that hygge is associated with spending time with friends and/or family. In a place unknown to me, with all my familiar friends out of close contact, I think the greatest thing I ever did for my experience was simply that first resolve to make new friends. In a word, I had inadvertently forced myself to experience and create my own "hygge." What do Danes, Swedes, Wisconsinites, Brazilians, Hong Kongers, Chinese, and Singaporeans have in common? These next few entries might get me closer to an answer.
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Matthew Calulot
Aloha! I am a fourth-year Marketing and International Business student currently studying at Copenhagen Business School in Denmark. I have never been to Europe before, which is exactly why I wanted to study abroad as a student from Hawai'i. Archives
January 2023
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