Daniel Brasington ’25, an economics major from Woodruff, South Carolina, studied abroad in Copenhagen, Denmark, during Interim and agreed to write about his experience. Here is his first-person account.
Copenhagen, Denmark in the middle of January. What great planning. Snow covered sidewalks and gale force winds made up my commute to the metro every day, but how could I have possibly gotten a more authentic experience?
Before leaving for Copenhagen, I was cautioned about the “culture shock” that I would face. Yes, they spoke a language completely foreign to me, but I did not face the “culture shock” I expected. Instead, I discovered an amazing country full of amazing people who are not so different from me. I learned that a smile or holding the door for someone transcends the bounds of language; both are universal and welcome communications.
Since returning to Wofford, I have been asked by many, “What was your favorite part of studying aboard in Denmark?” Such a loaded question, but also such an easy answer – the people.
On my first day in Copenhagen, I befriended a student from another college also studying abroad with CIEE who had connections to some people from Copenhagen. Later that night, I was thankfully able to tag along for a reunion with friends.
Hygge is a Danish word that embodies the way of life in Copenhagen. It means a feeling of contentment and a quality of coziness. Hygge is exactly what I experienced that first night, surrounded by strangers who were raised in a culture different from my own. Life in Denmark does not focus on extravagance or the number of people that one surrounds themselves with. Instead, quality of life is focused on hygge, or contentment with what one has.
Back home on Wofford’s campus, in mostly sunny South Carolina, I am so thankful for those walks in the freezing cold surrounded by architecture that is hundreds of years older than our oldest cities. I’ll never forget the view looking over the city from atop the round tower or the cobblestone streets that are occupied by people, bikes and cars alike. As I begin a spring semester on campus, I am the most thankful for the experience and the people of Denmark who made me feel as if Scandinavia were a second home.
Hygge. Copenhagen. Wofford College. Interim 2024 gave me a new, hopeful perspective and lessons I’ll carry with me for the rest of my life.