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Hello visitors!

This is it, my big adventure has begun. I am finally here, in Denmark. It was about time it started!

My first impressions:
- Danish people are very friendly.
- The snow is overwelming (don´t be fooled, normally they only have 3 or 4 days of snow over here)
- Skype is great!
- The weather predictions were right for once.. It´s pretty cold outside.

My plans for the rest of my stay:
- Learn about cultural differences.
- Getting to know my own boundries and pushing them.
- Learn more about the educational system over here and integrating them in my own teaching methods.

By using this blog, I will update you regularly about my personal journey. You will find information about my whereabouts, my ups but also my downs.

I hope you´ll enjoy it and learn just as much as I do.

About Me

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Hello everyone! My name is Stefanie and I am an Erasmus student in Denmark for the following three months.

Off we go!

Off we go!

Thursday, February 25, 2010

My stay in KØbenhavn

1. Wednesday morning, bus station Haderslev.
Everyone had their bags packed and was ready to go to Copenhagen. We met at 10.30 and surprise, surprise, everyone was on time. On the bus to Vojens, it was an invasion of Erasmusstudents. The locals didn’t know what happened to them. So many people, and so much luggage.
After a three hour train ride, we finally arrived at Copenhagen central. The energy from the city hits you in the face once you step out of the train. So many people, so many different cultures. The difference between Haderslev and Copenhagen is striking. Copenhagen is a large city, you can feel the people’s energy and you can feel that the city is alive. In a way, it feels like home.
After we had unpacked our bags and settled in to the rooms, we went to the Rundetaarn, an impressive building.
I find it amazing how you can walk up to 38 meters without any stairs. After a few minutes we reached the top and were able to enjoy the beautiful view over Copenhagen.

 After the Rundetaarn, we visited strØget, the longest shopping street in Europe. With its 1.1 km distance, there’s a shop for everyone. The rich and famous, but also the humble people. At the end of strØget, you find the town hall square. It’s a square that is buzzing with activity! Many lights flashing, people walking (trying not to fall down), hot dog stands, … To make a long story short, I love that square. It gives a magical
feeling when you see it at night.




2. Thursday, the first whole day.
On Thursday, we had a whole day planned. First, we went to the Royal Library (a.k.a. The black diamond). In this library, they have a copy of every Danish book ever published. It’s an enormous building, that leaves an impression. At least it did on me. Danish people are very proud people, and it shows in a building like this. I love how they incorporate old history with the present time. The black diamond exists of two buildings, that are combined with a bridge.
When you look to the older part of the building, you can still feel the effort that people have put in. Maybe, in a few hundred years, they will think the same of the Black Diamond, and it will have a historian value for them. I hope so, because it would be a sad to let this building go to waste.






Nyhavn is another place that impressed me. I love the romantic feeling it exhumes. I can see myself sitting here on a sunny day, with a coffee in one hand and a book in the other. It’s nice to know that you can find that piece of calm in a capital city like Copenhagen.




 
 (Other viewings of the day were: The little Mermaid, Amalienborg and Rosenborg Castle.)















3. Friday, more sightseeing and bag packing.
On Friday, we visited the National Museum in group. I enjoyed the fact that we were free to look around and explore.
I visited three exhibitions: The rainforest, the children’s museum and the history of Denmark.

This museum represents everything Belgian museums lack: interactivity. There is so much to do, to explore, to touch, to smell. Even I, at twenty-one years old, feel like a child that learns trough activity.

I enjoyed the children’s museum the most. It was a bliss to see how the children were able to climb on to the furniture, into the little stores and learn so much without them even knowing. We visited the museum in small groups. The people in my group couldn’t resist it to try out what was there. They jumped on to the horse, dressed up as knights,… You name it, we did it! If only the kids from my practice class could experience what I have experienced that day. I wouldn’t be called a boring teacher ever again!


4. What have I learned in Copenhagen?
People have high expectations when they go to a capital city like Copenhagen. There is so much to see and so little time to see it. I learned a lot about myself. I enjoy the vibe that other people, nationalities give me.
You can learn a lot about a country by just keeping your eyes and ears open. Active learning is always a key word. This is something I have experienced a few times in my short stay in Denmark, and is something I want to pass on to the pupils in Belgium.

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