Finding a Routine

This week was the first full week of classes. Already I am figuring out when I need to get on the right bus, to get on the right train, to be able to make it to classes on time. But, it did not help that it snowed on Monday, which made some of the public transport late. This created the most significant challenge that I have had so far. I was waiting for the bus for 15 minutes past when it was supposed to come and due to the time, I decided that I would be better off biking to the train station. Halfway across the parking lot, the bus went by and I was too slow in getting back to the bus stop. So, I had to get on a bike and go to the train station while it was snowing. At the time I was not happy about doing this, but in the end I made it on the last possible train that would get me to the city on time. Looking back, this was not really as bad as it seemed while it was happening, and I think it was a good experience. It was a reminder that sometimes schedules don’t go as planned.

I have four classes with two on Monday/Thursday and two on Tuesday/Friday. They are my core course on Public Health, Medical Ethics, Ancient Art and Archaeology, and Danish Language and Culture. On all four days I don’t have class until at least 10:40 and I am done by 2:30. This schedule works well due to the longer commute from my homestay. The other student in my homestay has a class at 8:30 and he has to leave by 7 to get there on time which can be a challenge some mornings. But, he likes being done earlier in the day so he has more time to do things in the afternoons. Speaking of which, during my afternoons I have continued to explore the city and expand my mental map of the city. I still have not gotten tired of seeing the outside of Rosenborg Castle which is near DIS. This last week I visited it along with Christiansborg Palace. They are both absolutely amazing on the inside! The crown jewels are held at Rosenborg and they are definitely worth seeing. Both places, along with many other historical sites and even restaurants around Copenhagen have student discounts which are always helpful.

While I have still explored, this week required that I also do homework. So far, the workload is not too bad. I have a decent amount of reading but so far it has not been too much. But, after talking to other students the amount and type of homework varies greatly depending on the classes you take. While my classes so far have focused more on reading, other classes have worksheets, projects, and papers. I have already received some of my paper assignments but it is well in advance of when they are due. This has made the week seem more normal, and less like a vacation which is a good thing in the end because my goal is to get the experience of living like a local, and not a tourist. The key is to find a good balance between the homework and the exploring. Sometimes you can do both. For example, on one day I went to the Danish national library and did some homework in a very interesting building. I was not the only one doing homework there, many Danish students were also there doing homework. I am hoping in the next few weeks to try to meet some more Danish people.

As always, if anyone has any questions for me please feel free to reach out. Thank you for reading through another post and have a good week!