Halfway through studying abroad in Copenhagen, I feel incredibly proud of how connected I feel to the city. Walking through the streets downtown, I see cobblestone, colorful buildings, canals, and hundreds of bikes. Copenhagen is hyggeligt, which is Danish for nice or cozy. It has the beauty of old European cities with the cleanliness and comfort of a small town. On a warm day, I would join the groups of people picnicking in the castle gardens or swimming in the harbor. Denmark ranks second among the happiest countries in the world, and I can feel it through the quiet contentment of these pleasantries.

One of the best communities I have found so far is the people in my study abroad program. Our classes are in the center of the city, so the city is my campus. Since Denmark has a flatter social hierarchy than America, I call my professors by their first name and see them more as mentors rather than instructors. All my classes are less than 25 people, which also contributes to me building strong relationships with my professors. I have also loved meeting so many students from across the US and the world. Through group projects and overnight field trips, I have gained a much better perspective of American universities and other cities and countries. Just last night, I made lasagna with other students living in homestays. Our group represented all different regions and states of the US as well as three other countries. Being the only Pitt student on my program has been incredibly rewarding because of all I learn from others. I have expanded my network of friends beyond any limit.

I think my most unique community abroad is the one I made through a local city choir. We are over 100 singers from 35+ different countries. I am part of a very small minority coming from the US, and only one person in my voice section is from Denmark. Singing together with people of all ages from Brazil to Israel to China, I have made some great friendships and learned invaluable insight into other places. Since our choir prioritizes social events as well, people are always talking, laughing, and hugging when we enter our rehearsal space. Our first performance is in two days, and I could not be more excited!

It took some time for me to feel like less of a tourist and more of a resident, but I have definitely gotten there. This semester feels very short, and I feel like I just truly started my study abroad journey. In my remaining month and a half here, I will cherish cooking with friends, singing in my choir, learning about Copenhagen, and sharing more laughs. I will be sad when this semester ends, but I am so fortunate for this incredible experience. Who knows, maybe I’ll be back sooner than I think. Vi ses!