Name: Jennifer Abplanalp
Home University: University of Wisconsin – Madison
Summer Session 1 Course: Livability in the Modern City
Summer Session 2 Course: Food Systems
I’m amazed that three weeks have already gone by. It feels like I’ve only just got but have been here for many more than three weeks. And I don’t mean that negatively. I really only did just arrive and am still learning the ropes in this busy European city, but my being here already feels so natural and so normal.
I’ve learned a lot in a very short time in my classes at DIS and I feel confident in my newly formed understanding of the importance of livable cities. It’s incredible that the first session is already over. Today I start Session II and the course, Food Systems, taught by Glykeria Koutina.
This course is going to keep me just as busy for my remaining weeks here in Copenhagen. Next week I’ll be traveling to the Devon area of the United Kingdom and spend time learning about food systems there to compare with the systems I’ll be learning about here in Copenhagen. I’m really looking forward to it.
But my learning here in Copenhagen certainly extends beyond the classroom. And that’s what is so important and so fantastic about studying abroad.
I’ve learned how to bike in this city and am finding that it’s not all that different from back home … if you ignore that there are many, MANY more people on bikes here than there are in Madison. And the hand signaling is different, so that threw me off for a couple days.
I’ve learned that if you want a bag from the grocery store that will carry more than two apples you need to buy one or bring your own. It’s a good policy – we should have more of that at home. I think I’d be better about remembering to take one or two of the half dozen reusable bags I have hanging on the front hall closet door handle.
I’ve learned that a 350 oven back home is a 180 oven here, yogurt comes in cartons – just like milk, and they actually do have peanut butter here, just not the plethora of options we have back home. This is knowledge that would have saved me a pound of suitcase weight had I known prior to getting here.
Note: This post is ten days delayed – many Session 2 students have just arrived back from their study tours. Look for blog posts sharing these experiences soon!