About Me
Hej and welcome to the first of many study abroad blogs! My name is Izumi, and I’m a rising senior pursuing a concentration in history of science, secondary in global health and health policy, and citation in Spanish on the pre-med track at Harvard. A fun fact about me is that I recorded a second of my day every day for a year! I’ll be in Copenhagen for all three sessions taking Social Change and Active Citizenship (Session 1), Postcolonial Europe: Narratives, Nationalism, and Race (Session 2), and Nordic Culinary Culture (Session 3).
Why DIS?
While it was tempting to remain within the comfortable confines of healthcare and medicine, I felt compelled to embrace the very essence of what attracted me to DIS in the first place—its expansive course offerings. My course selections represent a deliberate choice to broaden my horizons. I want to indulge in the kind of learning that is as much about the unfamiliar subjects at hand as it is about understanding the place I’m in and the people I’m here with. Throughout my summer at DIS, I hope to learn more about Copenhagen (and more broadly, Denmark) by way of its values, history, and food!
I was also attracted to the DIS model of place-based learning, where classes situate academics within relevant localities, engaging students with the environment, culture, and historical contexts of the subjects they are studying. Just one week into my first class, Social Change and Active Citizenship, I have already experienced this by participating in two Field Studies.
At Vartov, a public ‘culture house’ located in the center of Copenhagen, my class expanded upon our classroom learning about N.F.S. Grundtvig’s influence on Danish education, particularly through his founding principles for folk high schools.
Folk high schools’ focus on holistic, lifelong, and student-centered education without the pressures of grades and standardized tests presents a stark contrast to the structured, grade-centric American education system I am used to.
And at Brobyggerne (‘Bridge Builders’ in Danish), my class engaged in discussion with Özlem Cekic, a former member of Danish Parliament, about her novel concept Dialog Kaffe (Dialogue Coffee). She started this idea after receiving numerous hate mails. Instead of dismissing or ignoring these messages, Cekic began inviting the senders to have coffee with her, using face-to-face conversation as a tool to explore differences and discover common ground. Through these dialogues, Cekic demonstrates the potential for personal interactions to lead to mutual respect and understanding, even among those with strongly opposing views.
Özlem Cekic’s Dialog Kaffe surprised me as a stark contrast to the combative, highly polarized, and often dehumanizing nature of American political discourse.
As someone who is extensively involved with public service during the school year, I was worried about my ability to continue this work over the summer. However, I was pleasantly surprised to discover that DIS not only provides robust academic programs but also coordinates volunteering opportunities for students during the summer. Within the first few days of being here, DIS hosted a volunteer info session detailing several ways we can get involved with the local community. My class is even thoughtfully scheduled to start at 11am so that my classmates and I can complete a morning shift (7:10-10:30am) at YouPeople, a morning café that supports unhoused migrants. I am looking forward to my first shift later this week!
My First Week in Copenhagen
“Peaceful without being empty.” That’s how my friends and I described the vibe of the city while enjoying a drink and basking in the sun at Kayak Bar one evening. In Cambridge/Boston, a peaceful moment often comes early in the morning, when the streets are nearly empty. But here, the city feels peaceful all the time. People aren’t as glued to their phones or rushing from one place to another. Instead, they’re appreciating their surroundings or engaged in conversation with their companions. It’s a refreshing change of pace from the bustling college life.
When I send pictures of my adventures thus far in Copenhagen to my friends and family, they tell me how happy I look. And I truly am. Each day brings a new opportunity to meet someone new, try something new, or see something new, while also enjoying things that are becoming familiar favorites (like an already favorite spot in Ørstedparken!).
During a visit to Tivoli Gardens with my friends this past weekend, we enjoyed a ride that reminded us of Disney World’s “It’s a Small World.” As we exited the ride after our second go-round, the ride attendant asked if we knew the comedian Jimmy Carr. He explained that Carr had been on the ride just before us and proceeded to show us a selfie he took with him. “I just wanted to share my happiness,” he beamed, his smile infectious.
This—sharing joyful moments with others—is exactly what I hope to do throughout my time in Copenhagen! People make the place, after all.
Thanks for reading!
Izumi
P.S. Copenhagen bakeries are unparalleled. I went to Juno the Bakery this past weekend with a friend and practically inhaled the pastries. The Rhubarb and pistachio frangipane tart is a must-try!!!
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