Deciding to study abroad is a huge decision. It puts you out of your comfort zone and immerses you into a foreign culture, away from home and everything that is familiar. Over the course of my exchange in Denmark, I have met other exchange students from numerous countries, all going through the same experiences as me. I have noticed that people take different approaches to acclimating to a foreign country. Some people surround themselves with students from their home country, others try to meet as many people native to the country they are visiting, and others don’t try as hard to adapt. Rather, they take advantage of Denmark’s proximity to other European cities and fly to as many new places as possible, sampling a variety of cultures in weekend increments.
I have tried to approach my exchange with a mixture of these methods. During the Exchange Introduction Week, I tried to meet as many new people as possible. This has proved successful in building a foundation for my community circle. Those same people I spent time with in my first week quickly formed a tight-knit group of friends, as the new environment for us all has been a source for our bonding. This group not only keeps me busy as a group to explore with but is also a source of great joy to share my experiences with. As we are all new to the Danish culture and Copenhagen, every new event, meal, and experience fills us with curiosity and wonder.
As for traveling, I visited many European cities before my exchange started and have only planned a few weekend trips when flights were cheap to Edinburgh, Berlin, and Krakow. This has kept me in Denmark for the majority of weekends, allowing me to enjoy Copenhagen and the surrounding towns as much as possible. Furthermore, I have been able to be present with my new friend group to fully explore the Danish culture with them and form stronger connections with them.
The last missing piece in my mind to build my community and acclimate to this new country was meeting Danish people and partaking in their traditions. Most of my classes are comprised of exchange or master’s students from other countries, so this piece was what I struggled most with. I felt like I was successful in exploring a new country and finding new friends in a foreign place, but I felt as though I had not been accepted by the Danish people and had not yet had the chance to understand them on a personal level. After two months of living in Denmark, I still felt like a tourist in a foreign country. Granted, I know that it takes time to acclimate, but I so dearly wanted to build a community and connect with people from the country in which I was living and enjoying.
Recently, I joined the local women’s football (soccer) team. I had played for Drexel’s women’s soccer team and wanted to use the team as an avenue to stay active and play the game I love. After just a few practices, I felt right at home. The team was welcoming and interested in learning more about me. The practices were dynamic and reminded me of what I love about football. I was having fun playing in a new environment and enjoyed being active. It wasn’t until my fourth practice, though, that I truly felt my place in their community. The team ended Thursday’s practice early to have their “player meeting,” in which they spoke about their expectations and thoughts about the team for the season. The women spoke with fervor about their passions and aspirations for football. Listening in on the discussion gave me a sense of familiarity. I looked around the room and felt myself surrounded by people who were inspired by similar hobbies as me. I remember smiling to myself as I began to believe that I had found a part of home in Denmark.
After the meeting had adjourned, I got on my bike and rode home, a journey I have grown quite fond of. Instead of listening to music as I usually do, I embraced my feelings and thoughts of the night. I was blissful to have found a small community of women who were so welcoming to me and enlivened by playing football together. Instead of feeling as though I was still a tourist visiting a foreign country, I thought that I had found a piece of home. Being in the meeting and having fun playing football with the women reminded me of when I played football with my friends growing up. It felt comforting and familiar, which was a feeling I had longed for, especially since I was away from what I was accustomed to in the US. Although I had enjoyed my adventures exploring Copenhagen and meeting new people, it was relaxing to have found something so recognizable to me. In my short two months of living in Denmark, I finally felt that I was integrating myself into Danish culture and building my community.