For some of us, this is our first time traveling out of the States. For others, we’re searching for an empty page in our passport to get stamped at customs. But whether we’re new to this whole abroad thing or a seasoned traveler, we all feel the same excitement to get this trip (party) started! We arrived early in the morning in a cold, rainy, and dark Iceland. From there, we quickly boarded another plane and were on our way to Denmark!
The plane rides consisted of the Northern Lights projected on the ceiling, snacking on everything in sight, and one puking child in the back of the plane who caused quite a ruckus. But we finally arrived safely in Copenhagen, Denmark and are looking forward to embarking on our first adventures.
Upon arrival, we were met by our bus driver, Jasper, while 2 of our classmates filed a claim for their missing bags. Hopefully they will be found and delivered tonight because we can’t imagine traversing this country without extra warm clothing. After checking into the Scandic Copenhagen hotel, we split up into small groups and got to explore the nearby area on our own. It is very brisk and windy in Copenhagen, but surprisingly there is no snow or ice! Tonight we will have a welcome dinner as a whole group, followed by class where two students will present on all we need to know about Danish culture.
During our free time, we came across the Tivoli Gardens. This is Copenhagen’s featured amusement park and garden area. It includes rides, gardens, a concert hall, and a theater, all in a very exotic style. Although the amusement park area is not in use during the winter season, the whole park is lit up with lights to showcase the beauty and the intricacy of all the different areas in the park. Tivoli Gardens is the second most popular seasonal theme park in the world and the most visited amusement park in all of Scandinavia as well. In fact, due to the nature of Tivoli Gardens’ fame, the word “tivoli” in Swedish has become synonymous with any amusement park.
-Maggie Nelson & Nate DeFoe
