My experience
I decided to complete another short term experience after having completed last year's exchange program to Finland. I fell in love with the Nordics and was set on coming back to experience more of Scandinavia. I believe the rest of the world has so much to learn about these group of northern countries and they are leading the way when it comes to education, healthcare, design, innovation and happiness! (Finland and Denmark are number 1 and 2 in the World Happiness Report).
How has the experience changed you?
I completed a course on Leading Innovative Organisations and it was one of the most interesting and relevant subjects I have ever completed. Our lecturer was from Canada but had spent several years teaching various summer courses in Denmark, which made her perspective extremely interesting. It was great to get an international perspective when it comes to innovation and organisations leading the way in this space.
I loved the social component of the course and learning about innovative practises for good rather than just for profit (Conscious Capitalism framework). I would love to come back and work in Copenhagen in the future!
Favourite memory
My favourite memory was joining my classmates after class to explore all the places that Copenhagen has to offer! Whether it be a design museum, park or restaurant, the city is filled with life during summer and there is so much to see.
Top tips
– Make sure to rent a bike to get the most from the experience and be able to easily get around Copenhagen. The metro can be expensive, so it's the cheapest option and you will get to see so much more this way.
– Use Memrise or Duolingo to learn a little bit of Danish before arriving – most things are found in English (Danes speak perfect English), but it helps to know a bit in case you find a Danish-only menu or signs. Also, it's nice to impress the locals with your language skills!
– I'd also recommend getting a group together and renting a boat during an evening, especially as you'll get long summery nights (the sun sets after 10pm!).
– Denmark is the home of LEGO! LEGOLand and LEGOHouse were highlights of mine! They are a bit far from Copenhagen as they're located in Billund, but you can easily get public transport/drive out there (we got a group together and rented a car).
– Plan out the things you want to see and make a schedule. Times flies!
– Copenhagen is super central within Europe, so I'd recommend exploring the surrounding areas/countries if you can. I'd also recommend getting an international drivers licence if you will be driving, as renting a car is very simple.