Short Study Tour - Western Denmark

Thursday, February 3^rd

I left for my short study tour, which is for our program’s core course. My core class is my European Business Strategy class. Our class had to meet that morning at Frue Plads at 8:30, which turned into a problem. The day before we had to leave, we received an email from DIS saying there is a possibility of a bus strike, always a great thing to hear. As my friends and I were leaving that morning we looked to see if we would see a bus going past. Since we saw a bus we thought we were in the clear, little did we know we weren’t. As we got to our normal bus stop we looked to see when our bus (the 14) was going to show up. We saw it would be there shortly so we let the 1A bus go. Thankfully, a nice-old Danish man told us the 1A bus was the only bus running. A few minutes later we caught a bus to take us semi-close to where we needed to be. With our bags in hand we walked a distance to our meeting place. Let me tell you walking in heels on cobblestone streets and my ability to walk in general made that walk feel twice as long as it should. Thankfully we made it to our meeting place to go to Coloplast, our first company for the tour. At Coloplast we received a lecture from 10-noon and a free lunch. The lecture was really interesting. We got to see some of their major products, learn about the company’s values, stories about how the company lives up to its values, and how the company achieves its short term goals. After our presentation we had a 3 hour drive to Skanderborg, which is on the island Jutland. During our drive we saw the second largest suspension bridge. By the bridge was a small island. On this island was a building that was formerly the Institute for Overally Sexual Promiscuous Women. Our 3 hour drive led us to the castle Kolding Hus. By the time we got to the castle, we didn’t have much time to look around. We got a guided tour to learn about the history of the castle and the church.

The best thing we saw there was the Beatles Forever exhibit. We got to see clothing, what a bedroom looked like, posters, magazines and other stuff from the era of The Beatles. We also saw pictures of the Beatles during events, clothing and other items that had The Beatles on it. After our time at the castle, we headed to our hostel for dinner and socializing. 

 

Friday, February 4^th

For the second day of our study tour, we got to visit the company Vestas. When we walked into the presentation room, the company had bags of free stuff for each one of us. YAY!! Got to love free stuff! The presentation was very interesting. Our presenters discussed with us how Vestas used to be focused on winning and profits. In the past, companies would call Vestas saying it would like to order a turnbine. Now Vestas has found itself getting into trouble with is nothing but winning and profits strategy. (I could have told them that…thank you Kelley School of Business for teaching the importance of customers) In order to overcome its difficulties the company has changed its strategy to customer focus. After our presentation was over we had a quick bus ride to downtown Århus where we had lunch and time to explore the city. Århus was a small, but adorable city! 

After walking around for a few hours, my friends and I met the rest of the class at the ARoS Museum. What to say about ARoS? I sit here pondering with the words interesting, strange, freaky, weird and amusing crossing my mind. I suppose all those words describe the experience of ARoS. Our group received a guided tour. Our tour guide started us off with paintings, which was by far the most normal exhibit there. Next we got to see the infamous boy statue named BOY. 

 The temporary exhibit is where things got interesting. The first piece was saw was a sculpture of a baby made out of nothing but margarine. This sculpture has been well preserved for years because of the ingredients in margarine…kind of disgusting to think we eat it…definitely reconsidering eating margarine again. As we were about to go in the next room our tour guide asked if we would want to see it because an earlier DIS group had a student faint. Once we said that our group looked around and had an expression of “what the hell is in this room?” Well this room contained some grotesque sculptures. There were statues of people cut open, Michael Jackson with no head and using his head to give himself head, people covered in blankets, Mickey Mouse’s exploding, Jesus (made out of silicon) all cut up and blooding (but was really a self deception of the artist), a man giving anal to a corpse with only half a body. Strange, very strange. After our guided tour we had time to look around ourselves. Thankfully, the exhibits did not get any stranger. After ARoS was the hostel, and then a night out on the town.

Saturday, February 5^th

The last day of our study tour of course would not be complete without a 3 hour bus drive. As we were leaving one of our trip leaders announced that he brought medication for headaches because he knew we wanted to go out. As we walked down the bus he would ask people who wanted the medication if they wanted to sleep or not to sleep. When he asked people this we just laughed. After our drive we arrived at our location, which consisted of the café we were eating at, Gavnø Slot (Castle) and Føniks Slotsryggeri (Castle Brewery). We received a guided tour of Gavnø Slot (Castle), which really shouldn’t be called a castle because it’s basically a mansion. 

After our tour we went over to the brewery for a tour of their brewing process and a taste test of 6 of their beers. Once we finished our session at the brewery we made our way to home sweet Copenhagen.

I had an amazing time on the study tour! It was a great chance for our class to get to know each other, plus we have a really great group of people. I can’t wait for our week long trip to London in March!

 

First Field Studies

On February 2^nd, I had my first two field studies. Field studies are chances for our classes to go to a business, organization, or something else that will pertain to the subject of our class. 

My first field study was for my Gender and Sexuality class. Our class went to the NGO Sex& Samfund, which would be similar to Plan Parenthood. Our lecture was from 9am-11am. We started our session off with little ice breakers. We did one game where you would say something about ourselves and if it applies to anyone else they had to step forward in the circle. Another ice breaker we played was we had to say something, a lie or the truth, and everyone had to decide if it was the truth or a lie. My lie was I never drank pop, and everyone was like oh that has to be a lie. When I said it was the truth, they were shocked. After we played some ice breakers we learned about sex education in Denmark. While Denmark is a lot more open about sex than the US and starts sex education early, most teachers and students feel the sex education here isn’t that great. After talking for a little, we played a game where we ranked what we thought was important in sexuality. Another game we played was we had to sit in a seat and our presenter would read something off relating to sexuality. We had to switch seats if we agreed with the statement.  Overall the field study was interesting. It was nice to hear about what is sex education is like in Denmark compared to the US. Denmark is more about giving you the right information and knowledge about sex whereas the US is more about trying to convince you not to have it by scaring you with diseases. 

Side Note: While being in Denmark, I have noticed how much Denmark isn’t afraid to show sexuality. Recently in class we discussed porn and how many teenagers, starting at like 15, have experiences with porn. Some teenagers will even have porn viewing parties with their friends. Porn can be purchased in 7-Elevens, porn stores, and many other places. Newspapers have page 9 girls, which are girls in very limited clothing telling about themselves, and sometimes topless women on the front page. There are even sex bars where people go to naked and just have sex all over the place.

My second field study was for my European Business Strategy class.  We went to the clothing company IC Company. Our presenters told us about the history of the company. The company has 11 brands under its name and most of them are middle ranged priced. At the presentation they told us about the company and the strategy they use to maintain their business. Some of the things the company is doing to maintain its business is focusing on its core competencies, and moving production to China. After the presentation I have seen several of their brands around Copenhagen.

Meeting the Visiting Family

As a way to help students immerse themselves in the Danish culture, students can live with a host family, have a Danish buddy or have a visiting family. I chose the visiting family option, and I’m thrilled I did. Last night I met my visiting family for the first time. The mom’s name is Inger, the dad is Niels, the daughter is Sarah, and the two sons are Lukas and Elias. I went over to their house for dinner that evening, which included salmon, brown rice, salad and garlic bread. Before dinner, the mom gave me a tour of the house. It was so cute and a typical Danish house with the white walls and the use of paintings to create the cozy feeling. After dinner we had hot chocolate, cookies, chocolate and licorice. During our dessert Sarah was working on her English homework. So Inger, Niels and I tried to help her since she wasn’t sure what to write out. She wasn’t sure what the term paragraphs meant so I told her. Something small like this may not seem like anything important, but I was really happy that I could help and found it interesting. Around 10pm, Niels drove me back to my place since it’s only at 10 minute drive from their house to mine.

Before meeting them I was so excited. At the same time I was nervous because what if we didn’t have enough to talk about or we didn’t get along. I had definitely had nothing to worry about. The whole time I was at their house we never ran out of things to talk about and the family was so nice and sweet!! When I took my shoes off, Inger gave me a pair of her slippers because she didn’t want my feet to get cold, they were telling me all the places they want to take me around the city, and they said if I was interested they would like to try to take me to Sweden for a day so I can go skiing with them!! (AHHH :D)  As we were saying our goodbyes, Inger and Sarah gave me a hug (the boys were in bed and Niels was heating up the car)!!!! I had a wonderful time at their house!! I can’t wait to see them again!

Random Observations

A big thing in Denmark is making people pay for glasses of water in some restaurants. Wrong, just wrong. I don’t understand why it can’t be free. I guess that means I am always going to need to ask the restaurants if the water is free before I order any.

Most Danes are not a fan of 40+ Americans on a bus. One night we were on a bus, of course being loud since some people were drunk and there is 40 some of us, the bus driver told us to stop being so loud. So we started shhing and then some drunk Danes did the same. When we got off the bus the older Danes looked relieved and apparently we even got flipped off. I guess the best thing for our group is to start traveling in smaller groups.

Biking Culture: Cycling is absolutely crazy here! In Denmark, there is a separate lane for cyclists. No matter what time it is there will always be someone on a bike. Some people have big compartments for their children in the front of the bike, younger children will ride bikes with their parents near them or by themself, and some girls will ride bikes in a skirt or heels. I learned quickly to stay out of their way! They don’t really stop for anyone and the bike lane is nothing but dangerous.

That was an Intense Game of Handball

Sunday evening was the handball championship game between France and Denmark. My fellow Tåsingegade floor mates and I sat in our common room watching the game. Let me say this, it was an intense game! Denmark was behind France for most of the game, but in the last few minutes Denmark tied the score. So exciting! Overtime is where the high suspense and crazy began. For a little Denmark was up, and then France scored making it a tied game. At the half of overtime, France was up 34-33. Once half time was over the intensity began again. Luckily Denmark scored tying the game. But sadly, France scored a few more times and ultimately winning the game 38-34 making France repeat world champions. 

During the game, I went into my room a few times and I could hear the Danes living above me stomping and yelling at the game.

When we first got here and heard about how big handball is a lot of us kind of laughed about it. Once we started watching some of the games, we couldn’t stop watching. Some of the saves the goalies made during the championship game were insane. Sometimes they would fall into splits just to send the ball in another direction. Also, the goalie for Denmark is only 21…crazy!

Excursion around the City

For my Copenhagen: History and Contemporary Urban Issues class we were given an assignment to learn the historic legacy behind the city. We were given a guide to Copenhagen history and a map. Our professor told us to have fun and explore the designated areas. The area covered in our assignment is the oldest part of the city, which is referred to as Medieval Copenhagen.  With our guide, map and cameras in hand, my friend and I eagerly set out to explore the inner Copenhagen. 

Our first stop was the corner of Vestergade/West Street and Rådhuspladsen/ City Hall. This area was the site of the original Vesterport/West Gate. The gate was used by travelers arriving or departing on the road to Roskilde. Today, Rådhuspladen/City Hall Square is Copenhagen’s central square.

 

These markers are in several places around the city. I have walked past this area a few times and haven't noticed this marker...kind of sad. But the markers indicate where the medieval Copenhagen end.

The second stop was Gammeltorv and Nytov/Old Market and New Market.This area is the oldest square in Copenhagen and was the city’s central square until the construction of Rådhuspladen/City Hall Square. In the square is a fountain with a woman and her children. Apparently, the water will come out of the woman's boobs. My mom told me about this fountain and I told her I don't know where it is, needless to say I walk past it everyday as I get off the bus.

The third destination was Frue Plads/Square of Our Lady (Cathedral Square). We tried to go in the courtyard of the University of Copenhagen, but the door was locked. However, we did go in the Church of Our Lady (Vor Frue Kirke). The inside is wonderful! 

 

 

Nørreport/North Gate was our fourth stop. In the Medieval times, this area was the site of the entrance/exit gate to the city for traffic coming from or going to the north-west. Now Nørreport Station stands there. Here we can catch the metro, the commuter train (S-trains), regional trains, and buses. In the future, ventilation towers will be added.

Our final stop for the day was The Ramparts: Israel Plads/Square and Ørstedsparken/Ørsted Park. The park was so pretty. Since the sun was shining, the ice and snow on the lake were glistening. We walked around the park admiring the many statues. Part of our assignment was to observe the shape of the lake, which was a zig-zag since there are remains of the original ditch and bastion. 

After we the park we decided to go treat ourselves by going to a bakery. So on our way we walked down the street named Teglgårdsstræde, which is one of the best preserved and most charming Neoclassical neighborhoods in Copenhagen.

After walking down the street we headed towards one of the best, if not the best, bakery in town. As we approached the window of Lagkagehuset Bakery on Strøget, my friends and I were ready for some of the best tasting pastries. Deciding which pastry to eat was a difficult task, but I finally choose the jordbærkage. IT WAS ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS!!! After that dessert, I have decided to try almost everything at that bakery…I mean I do have about 3 and a half more months.  After our stop, we went home for the evening.