Discovering Local Hygge

This past weekend I got to spend the entire day with my visiting host family - and it was one of my favorites day on this adventure so far!

The Visiting Host Family program with DIS is an incredible chance to meet Danes and get integrated into local life here. I knew I wanted to live close to the city and with other young people so I was hesitant to do the full host family option - but this was the perfect in between. I am truly getting the best of both worlds with a 5 minute bike ride to class, making friends easily in my housing, and still getting to spend time at a Danish home and experience local living.

So what does a day look like with a visiting host family? Well when you have one as awesome as mine it can go something like this ....

10:30 - 12:00: Commuting (or trying to)

I had not been on the train until this morning so I was excited to see the city pass by, maybe get some homework done, and gather my thoughts before the day. Everything started out according to plan. I found inexpensive but still delicious 7-11 coffee and made the bike ride to the train station without a problem. And then ...

I couldn't figure out how to buy zones so I could travel outside of the city center. Cue getting anxious over missing the train - and feeling like everyone is watching me struggle with the machine - and trying to balance my coffee while putting in my information and getting out my cards. Needless to say didn't go to well.

Lucky for me the train ride was quick and easy! Public transportation has always been so clean and efficient in my experience and this was no exception. Again - everything was going great until I got off at the wrong stop and waited around confused for 20 minutes before having to hop on the train again.

So my first real commute outside of the city didn't go perfectly, but where would the fun be in that anyways?

12:00 - 13:00: Danish Lunch

I was a little bit nervous about what I was going to be served, but made a promise to myself that I was going to eat it no matter what. Lucky for me I have an awesome host mom who was super thoughtful and decided it be best for me to start slowly on my Danish cuisine discoveries. So lunch included: meatballs, potatoes, & broccoli. I guess the fish and pickled food and rye breads will to come next meal!

It was fun to see such similar foods prepared in different ways and with different spices. Everything was so delicious and being able to sit and eat a home cooked meal in a home after living in an apartment with four other girls was so nice and relaxing.

With the candles lit I was feeling very hygge!

13:00 - 13:30: The!! Beach!!

My host family has a 5 minute walk to the beach!!! Being able to see the ocean and walk along the sand was probably my favorite part of the day. Coming from the midwest I see a lot of water and shore with the lakes but there is something special about seeing the ocean and it never ceases to make me feel so small but so big at the same time. The day was cold and windy which just meant that the beach was ours to explore!

In between their house and the water is land designated for bird preservation. We walked along the trail while I learned about an annual bonfire on the beach for a summer holiday and that the swan is actually the Danish national bird!

13:30 - 15:30: Site-seeing

If the beach wasn't enough my host family also took me out to see a castle near by - with a very unique purpose! The castle is a home for unmarried Danish women with some royal blood, that you have to be invited to. There isn't any internet connection on the property but instead the women are encouraged to create community together. The castle sits on a lot of beautiful land with a moat around the building. I can just imagine the summer and spring here going for a walk and having a picnic. I'm hoping it warms up so I can experience some of that!

15:30 - 16:15: Coffee Time

We got back to their home after our chilly site-seeing and I got to have some chocolate zucchini cake (or "squash cake") with coffee and tea! Again the candles were lit and it was nice to wind down and warm up as the day was coming to a close.

16:15 - 17:00: Drive back home

Throughout the day I also got to meet my host mom's sister - my host aunt! She lives near me in the city and offered to give me a ride back to the station where I left my bike. I loved just being able to sit at the table and in the car and talking with these two women. It was so fun to hear their opinions on different things and laugh as they tried to teach me Danish words. The poli sci major in me was very happy when we started talking about politics between our two countries, the differences between both, and what we can learn from each other.

Before long, my time in a car was [first time in weeks] over and I was back at my apartment to get ready for the week finishing up homework and doing some laundry. I couldn't think of a better way to spend my Sunday and am just so happy with how the visiting host family program is going so far! I feel like I am getting a much better look into Danish life and am loving getting to know my host family so much! Thank you DIS for making these connections possible & thank you for my host family for being so welcoming and helping me find a home here right away.

#Copenhagen #HostFamily