The charm and excitement
When looking at study abroad placement opportunities I was immediately drawn in by a summer university course in Aarhus, Denmark. Even though I knew very little about this city, I knew I wanted to explore it more. I quickly applied for a course on “Youth, drugs and Alcohol” as I thought that it more closely related for my university course (Psychology) and it interested me the most.
When arriving in sunny Denmark in June I was even more excited for the opportunities that awaited me. I was going to stay in a gorgeous apartment building, which the university assigned to me, that overlooked The Harbour Bath (an amazing outdoor pool where I spent most days outside of lectures). To make my accommodation even better my roommate ended up being one of my closest friends while I was over there.
The charm and excitement given to me from Aarhus hit me very quickly. Walking past all the colourful streets to my first lecture was so surreal. The lectures were very different to those I have experienced before. This was due to the fact that they were much more interactive and open to discussion. The students were also from very different parts of the world (11 different countries) and all very kind. It’s really important to get to know people from different backgrounds to yourself, in order to improve your communication skills with others.
During my time in Aarhus I was able to explore the city in many ways. We went on a trip to the ARoS museum, which is one of the main attractions. This modern art museum features a range of exhibitions; ranging from American pop art, intermezzo and a Danish symbolist. However, it is most well-known for its rainbow panorama which is on top of the building. You can walk around it in order to see the beautiful city as well as the bay. This really is a breathtaking view and I would recommend it to everyone. The old town and the botanical gardens are also a must see within Aarhus.
A lot of my evenings in Aarhus involved me and my friends going to Aarhus street food market and then watching the football. The food market is located near the centre of town and has over 30 street kitchens and bars containing food from all around the world. We would then grab a few tinnies after and head to the harbour. This had a large outdoor screen that played every game from the 2018 world cup. The atmosphere here was always amazing and it was a very cheap place to enjoy the football (you could bring your own alcohol) and a great meeting spot for the students.
Overall, I’m really thankful for this experience and the fact I would embrace all opportunities whilst I was over there. Studying abroad teaches you many valuable lessons which you can apply to almost everything in your life. Which explains why I would recommend this amazing experience to anyone.
