Hello from Denmark

I finally made it! After nearly 24 hours of flying, busing, and train hopping around I'm happy to say that I arrived in Copenhagen safely for the "Security, Practices, and Dilemmas" course offered by IARU's Global Summer Program. I may be one of the few lucky travelers to say this but I could not have wished for a better journey. From the security checkpoints at SFO to the baggage claim in Denmark, my entire trip went incredibly smooth. The longest and most difficult part was probably keeping myself occupied on the 11 hour flight from San Francisco to Frankfurt, where my I had my layover. With the help of a good book, plenty of movies, and a carry-on full of snacks, however, I managed to ward off boredom for most of the flight.

Once my plane arrived in Copenhagen it was surprisingly easy to find my way from the airport to the apartment where I would be staying. There was the option of metro, train, or taxi so I opted for the train because it was cheaper than taking a cab and much faster than taking the metro. It only cost around 4USD which was pretty comparable to BART but a much more spacious and cleaner ride overall.

I was pleasantly surprised with my apartment offered by Copenhagen's International Office - a single room furnished, balcony view, and a completely new kitchen. The entire housing complex, called Signalhuset, accommodates both international and resident students from the surrounding universities. In the first hour of settling in I met people from Australia, Germany, London, and a number of fellow Californians. It was very comforting to learn that almost everyone here speaks English and it seems to be the common language amongst all the students.

In the next few days, after the jet lag and exhaustion wear off, I hope to meet up with a couple friends/students in the area and see more of what central Copenhagen has to offer. Though it may sound cliche, I really can't put into words how excited I am for this program to start. I received the final copy of our syllabus today and although it will be an intensive course, it seems like the coordinators are doing everything they can to make it as entertaining as possible (field trips include a champagne tour of the canals, museum visits, film screenings and pubcrawls!). I have a feeling that it's going to be very difficult goodbye once the program comes to a close but I'm looking to make the best out of my three weeks here.

I hope to update in the next few days along with more photos of the actual city of Copenhagen but for now, here's what I've documented of my journey so far. Enjoy!

Heading to SFO

Flying over Germany

In-flight breakfast and my first Danish of the trip

Apartment

My room